Worship in the Holy
Temple in Jerusalem
 What
was the purpose of the Mishkan/Tabernacle and the form of
worship prescribed? The Mishkan/Tabernacle was seen by the
people as containing the very throne of God. The earth had become
consumed with evil after Adam had sinned and was removed from the Garden
of Eden. There was not an area on earth that the Lord could walk and
talk with man as he had done in the Garden of Eden. The tabernacle was
established, by a commandment from God, to provide a dwelling place for
God here on earth and for man to commune with and worship him in a pure
environment. In Exodus 25:8 it is written:
"And let them
make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them".
This
Beit HaMikdash/Sanctuary was to take the place of the pleasant
walks and talks that God had with man in the Garden of Eden. The
Beit HaMikdash/Sanctuary was to be devoted completely to the
communication with and the worship of God, where everything pertaining
to the impurity of sin would be excluded. The great Kingdom age when
Messiah will rule and reign here on earth, from Jerusalem, for a thousand year span is seen in
Jewish Eschatology as a repeat of the Garden of Eden.
Thus
the rules regarding ritual impurity are understood. The main rules
regarding ritural impurity are pertaining to the Mishkan/Tabernacle
or later the Beit HaMikdash/Sanctuary or
Holy
Temple in Jerusalem. If a person should enter the Temple
Beit HaMikdash/Sanctuary in a state of ritual impurity the
severest penalties were imposed. In Numbers 19:20 it is written:
"But the man
that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be
cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the
sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled
upon him; he is unclean".
Ritual
uncleanness is often thought of as sin.
Everything
given by God in both the Tabernacle and the
Temple
was given to us as an example for us to learn something about Messiah.
We might ask, "what was the purpose of all the sacrifices"? We know that
Yeshua/Jesus was the perfect sacrifice that takes away all the
sins of the world ... the sins are varied and so must the sacrifices be
varied. For one sacrifice to meet each of the requirements of each sin
that is committed is impossible for the human mind to comprehend as a
whole.
The
Lord in His infinite understanding of our mind, devised a way that would
illustrate and teach the concept to unregenerate man. That teaching,
with visual aids, is depicted by the animal sacrificial system. I cannot
imagine a more graphic way to illustrate the horror of sin and the price
paid than to kill a gentle, sin free lamb, see its blood flow, its body
go limp. Then, the impact that it would make upon my mind realizing that
I am the cause of its death. Multiply that by trillions of sins that our
Messiah bore in His own body.
When
Yeshua was sacrificed, He met the requirements of the
hata'at/sin offering, olah/burnt offering, and mincha/bread
offering, sh'lamim/peace offering and asham/guilt
offering. How best to impact people than with the death of an animal.
Each type of animal sacrifice is illustrating what Messiah had to do to
meet the requirement to nullify that particular type of sin. The animal
sacrifice system was not instituted to take away their sins. In Hebrew
10:4 it is written:
"It is
impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins".
Never
was it the purpose of the sacrificial system to "save" anyone. Those
before the death of Messiah were "saved" by faith just as we are today.
We receive faith by believing God ... just as Abraham believed God and
it was accounted to him as righteousness. In Romans 4:3 it is written:
"Abraham
believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness".
God
used everything as a visual aid to teach the people through out all ages
about Messiah and His redemptive work All the colors, furniture, veil,
altar, ceremonies etc., were a visual aid in teaching us about Messiah
and His redemptive work.
INSTALLATION/CONSECRATION OF THE KOHANIM/PRIESTS
Immersion
as part of the installation/consecration ceremony of the Kohanim/priests
was to attain a higher degree of holiness ... in essence to show a
change of status. The immersion of the whole body was a necessary part
of the installation/consecration ceremonies of the Kohanim/Priests.
Worship in the Holy Temple would be impossible if the
Kohanim/priest were tomeh/ritually impure. A vital part of
the ceremonies of the installation/consecration of the Kohanim/priests
was immersion not because they were ritually impure but to show
elevation of status. There must be a change of status to assume the role
of Kohen/priest, as described in the following scriptures. In
Exodus 29:4 it is written:
"And Aaron
and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and shalt wash them with water".
In
Leviticus 8:6 it is written:
"And Moses
brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water".
In
Exodus 40:12 it is written:
"And thou
shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and wash them with water".
All
Kohanim/priests were required to go through an immersion as
part of the consecration/installation ceremony as we have previously
seen in Exodus 29:4, before assuming the duties of the priesthood. A man
had to be 30 years of age and a descendent from Aaron. We see that the
priestly line of Yeshua/Jesus came from His mother who was
related to Elisheva/Elizabeth a descendent of Aaron (Luke 1:5).
Yeshua/Jesus was not an exception, before entering into His
ministry He had to be immersed, choosing His cousin Yochanan
haMatvil/John the Baptist to be the witness. Not because Yeshua/Jesus
was tomeh/ ritually unclean but because he was making a change
of status to a higher degree of Holiness. It was customary also for
anyone going on a fast to be immersed. In Mathew 4:1-2, it is written:
Then was
Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the
devil. {2} And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was
afterward an hungered.
Many
sermons have been preached on this one subject but the simple truth is
Yeshua/Jesus had to carry out every requirement in Torah or He
would not have been the perfect Passover lamb that takes away the sin of
the world.
SEPARATION OF THE LEVITES TO THE SERVICE OF G-D
The
Levites were servants in the Beit haMikdash/Sanctuary or
Temple. The ceremony that separated them unto the
service of G-d and cleanse them from tomeh/ritually impurity
consisted of an immersion according to Numbers 8:15 as it is written:
"And after
that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an
offering".
This
applies to us as servants of the L-rd, we are set aside for the service
to the L-rd and our body is a living sacrifice as recorded in the words
of Rav Shaul/Rabbi Paul in Romans 12:1 as it is written:
"I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service".
YOM
KIPPUR/THE DAY OF ATONEMENT CEREMONY
The
Kohen haGadol/The High Priest during the ceremony of Yom
Kippur/Day of Atonement entered the Kodesh haKodhashim/Holy
of Hollies two times, requiring an immersion and change of garments a
total of five times in the Holy Place. The Kohen haGadol/High
Priest was not ritually impure but there was a change of status each
time he went before the L-rd. In Leviticus 16:24 it is written:
"And he shall
wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments,
and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of
the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people."
Contrary
to popular belief in Christian circles there was not a rope tied to his
leg and there were not bells on the bottom of his garment. The Kohen
haGadol/High Priest was trained extensively on what to do so that
there would not be any mistakes. However, if there should be a mistake,
another Kohen/priest would go in and finish the ceremony. This
never happened.
The
Azazel ceremony that took place on Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement
consisted of two goats presented at the alter, lots being cast over them
one was given to Adonai and the other was given to Azazel. The meaning
of the word azazel is unknown but the Talmud thus denotes the mountain
on which the scapegoat is sent. We call the one given to azazel the
scapegoat. The goat given to Adonai was taken in and slaughtered on the
alter. A scarlet cloth was tied to the horn of the second goat and then
taken twelve miles out into the wilderness to a mountain cliff. The
scarlet cloth was taken off the horn of the goat and placed on a rock,
the goat was then pushed off the cliff being torn to shreds before
hitting the bottom. It is said when atonement was made the scarlet cloth
turned snow white. All the people assembled at the Temple were awaiting
the news ... has the cloth turned white this year? When the word came of
the change in color, there was great rejoicing among the people. In
Isaiah 1:18 our L-rd says it this way:
"Come now,
and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool".
After
Messiah was slain in 30 C.E. until the destruction of the Temple in 70
C.E., it is said that the cloth never again turned from scarlet to
white.
The
Kohen/priest that was responsible to take the scapegoat in the
Azazel ceremony into the wilderness must have a total immersion of
himself and his garments. In Leviticus 16:26 it is written:
"And he that
let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and
immerse/bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp".
The
Kohen/priest that burned the ox and the sin offering must have
a total immersion for himself and his garments. In Leviticus 16:28 it is
written:
"And he that
burneth them shall wash his clothes, and immerse/bathe his flesh in
water, and afterward he shall come into the camp".
THE
RED HEIFER CEREMONY - A RIGHT OF PURIFICATION
Without
the ashes of the red heifer, the purification process for all the
implements used in Temple worship could not be performed. The ashes were
mixed with water and sprinkled on all implements, including the brazen
altar, the golden lampstand, table of shewbread, etc. for the purpose of
purification.
According
to the Mishnah, the rede heifer was to meet very strict
specifications (For more detailed information consult the tractate, "Parah"
in the Mishnah). The red heifer was to be two years old or
younger without any sort of blemish, mark. She must not have two dark
hairs coming from the same hair follicle. A yolk must never have been
placed on her neck.
Today
the Kohen/priest are preparing to start Temple worship as
quickly as they can. They have prepared many of the vessels used in
worship. They have the garments that are necessary. To find the ashes of
the last red heifer is not necessary or even advisable because there is
no way of knowing if they have been contaminated. They do not need to
have a fully constructed Temple building before worship can begin (Ezra
3:2) but they must have access to the Temple mount so that they can
build an altar. This precedence is set in Ezra 3:2 as it is written:
"Then stood
up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar
of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written
in the law of Moses the man of God".
What
is needed, however, it to be able to place the new altar over the exact
spot where thet altar was in the previous temples. There has been much
speculation, by many credible archaeologists, as to the exact location
of the Temple. In the March/April 192 issue of Biblical Archaeology
Review, twelve possible theories were presented. One in particular
is worthy of mention here. In the Mishnah, there is a passage
describing drain holes around the altar for the blood of the sacrifices
to empty into the Kidron Valley (Mishnah, Middoth 3:2). It
seems that drain holes have been found under the Dome of the Rock. The
altar must be positioned in the same location of the past altars. If
these are the same drain holes used around the altar, this will elminate
the theory that the Dome of the Rock and the Holy Temple will stand side
by side on this most holy of spots. The Lord is releasing information on
a "need to know basis".
The
red heifer was taken outside the camp to be slaughtered. The heifer was
to be burned with all its blood, flesh, hide and refuse. Cedar wood,
hyssop and scarlet material cast into the fire and burned also. After
burning, the ashes were beaten and then gathered. There was
approximately four gallons of ashes. The ashes were then mixed with
water and all in the Temple was sprinkled with this mixture. Everything
that could be immersed was but what could not be immersed was sprinkled
for purification.
A
new red heifer is being sought. Red Angus cows are thought to be the
best breed for the prospective candidate. Some cows that are with calf
are already being shipped to Israel from America. The hope is that one
will fit the criteria. None of Temple worship can begin without the
ashes of the red heifer. The ashes of the red heifer is needed to
perform the purification process.
The
Kohen/priest who slaughtered the red heifer was unclean for a
day, a total immersion was required for this purification. In Numbers
19:7 it is written:
"Then the
kohen/priest shall immerse/wash his clothes, and he shall immerse/bathe
his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the
priest shall be unclean until the even".
The
kohen/priest who burned the red heifer was unclean for a day, a
total immersion was required for his purification. In Numbers 19:8 it is
written:
"And he that
burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in
water, and shall be unclean until the even".
PROSELYTE
When
a person converts to Judaism he must enter the covenant in the same
manner as Israel did when they first accepted the Torah on Mount Sinai.
In Numbers 15:15, it is written:
"One
ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the
stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your
generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD"
Every
male that converts to Judaism must, therefore, undergo the special
ceremony of ritual circumcision. If he is already circumcised blood of
the covenant called the Dam B'rit must be drawn. Both men and
women must then undergo immersion. When the Holy Temple, the Beit
haMikdash, stood in Jerusalem and the sacrificial system was in
force, the third element of conversion involved bringing a sacrifice. As
the Holy Temple is no longer standing and the sacrificial system cannot
be performed that is not required. However the immersion and
circumcision are required.
The
ritual of immersion as well as circumcision, which were required of a
male is not something that a convert can do on his own. Since it
involves a major change in a persons communal status it must be treated
as a community function. When a person converts to Judaism he undergoes
a ritual purification and a change in status to a higher degree of
holiness. Therefore, these rituals are administered by a three man
Rabbinical Court, called a Beit Din. Unless done in the
presence of such a court the conversion is not valid.
The
conversion of the proselyte required Kavvahah/intention and the
recitation of a benediction. The proselyte recites the benediction after
the immersion because until then he cannot affirm the part which says
"...God of our fathers...who has commanded us." The blessing for
immersion of a convert is as follows;
"Blessed are
You, O G-d, King of the universe, who has set us apart by your
commandments, and commanded us concerning the immersion".
The
Talmud states, "as soon as the convert immerses and emerges he is like a
Jew in every way." How does immersion in a Mikvah change a person: This
can best be understood by another Talmudic teaching, that "a convert who
embraces Judaism is like a new born child." We see an example of this in
the conversion of the proselyte, he becomes a Jew in every way just as
if he had been born a Jew.
A
Jewish person who converts to another religion is still considered a Jew
and does not require any form of conversion when returning to Judaism.
However, it is customary for him to immerse as a sign of repentance and
spiritual re-birth.
Timothy
circumcised by Rav Shaul/Rabbi Paul as recorded in Acts 16:3
was to show intention and acceptance of the covenant to a higher degree
of Holiness. An immersion was also a part of the ceremony of Timothy.
Undoubtedly Rav Shaul/Rabbi Paul was part of the Beit Din.
In Acts 16:3 it is written:
"Him would
Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of
the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father
was a Greek".
There
is a tradition with some evidence that the conversion with immersion
goes back to the time of the Patriarchs. The reason that Abraham was
chosen to become the father of many nations was that he would teach his
household of the ways of God. In Genesis 18:19 it is written:
"For I know
him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and
they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgement; that
the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him".
Abraham
was deeply concerned with others and taught those around him concerning
God. Abraham was what we might call an evangelist. He spread the
teachings of God and began what was to become Judaism. According to
tradition, he literally converted people to this new way of life. His
son Isaac and grandson Jacob continued the message. Today, we might call
their converts proselytes. It is said, by tradition, the convert was
immersed. We receive a hint of this when Abraham receives a visit by
three angels in Genesis 18:14 as it is written:
"Let now a
little water be taken, and wash your feet".
The
Zohar explains that this alluded to the fact that Abraham had a
mikvah and practiced immersion.
Part 3
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