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Chasing HonorChasing Honor :writtenbyWillSpires

ImalwaysalittlesaddenedwhenwepullawayfromShabbatandbeginanewweek.Sure,therearenewadventures,newthingstolearn,newexperiencesandallofthesearetobeembraced,becauseGodusesallofthemtowriteHisworduponourheart.MaybeIjusthaveatendencytowalktowardsthebackofthecrowd,butIliketotarryalittlelongeratthewell.Iwanttoimmersemyself,toreceivethefullnessofGodswordforthisweeksparshabeforeImoveontothenextone,andsometimesthattakesalittlelongerformethanothers.AndIreallymustsaysomeofthegreatestteachingcomes,formepersonallyjustaswereweighinganchorandshovingoffshoreatthatlastsecond.Butsometimeswedontgetthatlastseconddowe?

SuddenlywereallclamoringtosqueezebackontotheTorahtrainagain.EverfeltlikeweneverstoppedlongenoughtosoakinthepieceofTorahwevebeengiven?Wellifso,youreinluck(andIdontbelieveinluckbutthefigureofspeechfitsoIusedithere),causethisguyjustpulledtheemergencySTOP.Sureitwontlastforlong,butifyouwanttoexittheplatformandmeetmeattheendofthestationaroundthislittlebonfire(causeitstillgetsalittlecoldintheeveningshere)weregoingtorevisitVayak'hel,onemoretime.

Onethingisforsure,theresawholelotofbuildinggoingoninthisportion.Theverbiagedripslikehoneyonmanna;theIsraelitesarebringingGoldandSilverandBronze,theresfineblueandscarletthread,snuffersandbowls,andlampsandtables.TheresAcaciawoodborderedingoldandheavylayeredwovencurtainsclaspedinsilver;theresrodsandtenonsandbeamsandboards,andtheMercySeatbetweentwogoldencheruvim.Allofitsbeenforgedandspun,portionedandhammeredandsetalightbytheblueprintofGodbyHisindwellingSpiritmovinginHispeoplewithwisdomandunderstanding.Justthereadingalonegivesthefeelofflowandmovementlikechoreographedchaos.Butstill,thereunderGodswatchfulcare,allgoesaccordingtoplanwithonelittlecaveatwillingness.

AtleastthatshowitreadsinmyBible.Believeme,theressomanywordswellcoverherethateventuallyyoullfeelliketheeyeofaneedlehavingthreadeditswaybackandforthacrossandunder.Buttheyallrelatetohelpformthebig

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picturewhichImightaddissomethingIneedattimes.Itsacaringthingwhenonecanpolitelypullmebackbythearmandadmonishmetotakeafewstepsback;becauseifImissthebigpicture,thenImmissingthewholepictureandifwemissthebigpicture,thenwellneverchange.

Firstallowmetostatetheobvious.GodhascommissionedIsraeltobuildasanctuarythatHemaydwellwiththemthatHemaydwellwiththem;whydoesGodneedasanctuary?Imean,seriously?"ButwhoisabletobuildahouseforHim,fortheheavensandthehighestheavenscannotcontainHim?SowhoamI,thatIshouldbuildahouseforHim,excepttoburnincensebeforeHim?(2Chronicles2:6).CouldntYHVHdwellcomfortablywithIsraeloutintheopendesert?AbsolutelyandHedid,asacloudbydayandapillaroffireatnight.ButYHVHisteachingamuchmorespecificlessonhereandithastodowithspecificplaces,likewhatHewantstodoinourhomeandinsideyourheart.

IntheparshafollowingVayak'helwecloseShemot/ExodusandenterintothebookknownasVayikra/Leviticuswiththeparshabythesamename.HerewelearnanewnameforthesanctuaryistheMOhelMoedbetterknownastheTentofMeeting.ThisiswhereGodmetwithMosheandHispeople.Moedmeansanappointedtimeandappointedplace;rootedintheHebrewwordad,spelledwithanAyinDaletanditmeanstobeawitness,towitnessrepeatedlyastheeyeseesthedoorofthetent.SpecificallyitistherecountingofsomethingthathappensoverandoveragainmuchinthewaywearetobewitnessesoftheHolydaysofTheLORDasoutlinedinVayikra/Leviticuschapter23.Witheveryyearspassingweenterintoarenewedseasonandthetimetorehearseeachfeast.ItsnotacoincidencethattheplaceYHVHdesirestomeetwithHispeopleiscalledtheTentofMeetingandthereinthecenterofthattentisaplacecalledtheHolyofHolieswherewefindtheMercySeat.HeretheHighPriestwouldenterintothisappointedplaceatanappointedtime,inanappointedway.IfaplacewhereyoumeetYHVHiscalledtheHolyofHolieshowdoyouthinkonewouldbeexpectedtoenter?Inholinessofcourse,weread,GiveuntotheLORDtheglorydueuntohisname:bringanoffering,andcomebeforehim:worshiptheLORDinthebeautyofholiness(1Chronicles16:29.IwroteasongaboutthisthatwasthetitletrackforthatalbumcalledTheBeautyofHoliness).Speakingofglory,Ibelievewevetakenourfirstindirectlookatthefocusofourteachingjustnow.Glorykbd,thatstheweightystuffthatmattersinlife.Soletsgettoit.

TheMishkanisalsothenameofthetabernacleinHebrew.TherootwordofMishkanisShakananditwasfirstusedinExodus/Shemotchapter25verse8whenMoseswascommanded:Andletthemmakemeasanctuary,thatImaydwellamongthem.GodissayingHewantsarelationshipwithus.NowthepreviousweeksparshaKiTisaorWhenYouTakewasallaboutIsraelreceivingTorahandenteringintorelationshipwithYHVH,whilethenameofthisparshawereconcentratingon,Vayak'hel,meansAndHegatheredisallaboutbuildingtheMishkanwhereGodspeoplegotomeetHim.ThefollowingportionafterthisoneisVayikraanditmeansHecalledanditsallabouthowtodrawneartoGodinthe

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Mishkanandwhatthevarioustypesofsacrificesandofferingsareallaboutandunderstandingtheirpurposeandfunction.Areyoubeginningtoseehowthereisthisflow?GodisleadingHispeople,teachingthem,thisiswhoIAM,thisishowyouapproachMe,thisishowwedorelationship.Butintheprocessofallofthisweneedtoreturntosomefundamentals.

Earlierwewerediscussingwillingness.WillingnessissuchapoorwordintheEnglishlanguagewhenwereusingittodescribewhatsgoingonintheHebrew.AskanyqualifiedHebrewlinguistorforthatmatteranywellstudiedstudentofTorahandtheywillquicklytellyouthatEnglish,aswideofascopeasitcoverscannotbegintopinpointthesamemeaningsmuchlessthedepthachievedinHebrew.Youmayalreadybewellawareofthisbutitbearsrepeatinghereforyouthereader.IamspecificallyspeakingtoyouwhohasyettoreallybeginimmersingyourselfinthelanguageofTheBible.AtthebeginningofVayak'helYHVHiscommandingIsrael.AndHesays,EveryonewhoseheartstirredhimandeveryonewhosespiritmovedhimcameandbroughttheLORD'Scontributionfortheworkofthetentofmeetingandforallitsserviceandfortheholygarments.Now,thewordusedhereformovedisverytelling.EveryonewhosespiritmovedhimthewordinHebrewisnadab.Strongs#H5068,anditmeansfreelyoffered.InBrownDriversBriggsitmeansafreewilloffering,andconsultingtheAncientHebrewLexiconnadabmeanstooffer,anoffering,honor:Theofferingofsomethingwithawillingheartasasignofhonor.

Nowthatssomethingisntit?Afreewillofferingseenasasignofhonorconsiderit.GodwantsustogiveourselvestoHimwillinglyasHegivesHimselftous,butthereissomethingmoreheretounderstand.Listen,weserveaGodofhonor,butdoweevenknowwhathonoris?Sadly,Iamnotconvinced.Personally,Istillhavealottolearn.WhatGodspokeinPsalmschapter4versetwowillbringmuchgreatersignificancetothisconversation.Hereweread,Osonsofmen,howlongwillmyhonorbecomeareproach?Howlongwillyoulovewhatisworthlessandaimatdeception?Selah.Sothewordforhonorinthisverseiskbd,wementioneditalittleearlierinourdiscussion.Defined,thispowerfulwordcarriessubstantialmeaning,literallytobeweighty,burdensome,honored,giftsofhonor,afreewilloffering;someoneorsomethingthatisheavyinweight,abundance,importanceorrespect.SowhenwesaywearegivingYHVHtheglory,weactuallymeanthatwearegivingHimHonor,becauseHeistobehonoredaboveall.FriendandteacherKenRanksaiditthisway,honorisWEIGHT.YouareelevatingGodbecauseHemeanssomuch,islovedsomuch...iftheyarechasingfalsegodsandacceptingliesitisbecausetheydon'tplaceWEIGHTonHimortruth.WhenHisreputationisruined,itisbecauseHeisbeingtreatedcommonly,again,becauseoflackofweight.Sotheanswerisinthefirstcommandment.ThisbearsrepeatingfriendsanditiswhysomanycommittedfollowersofYeshuastarttheirdaywithgoodintentionsanddrawittoaclosewithcloudedtiredeyesandalittleonthedepthlessside.Howdoesthathappen?Asweexplorethemeaningsofbeingmovedorwillingwiththatofhonor,wefindthathonorandofferingsacrificesshareacommonbond.Whydoyouthinkthatis?Coulditmeanthattogivehonorisgoingtocostmesomething?ItdidYeshuawhenHe

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sacrificedHimselfonthecross.YHVHhasbeentryingtospeakHiscovenantintotheheartofeverywillingpersonwhoisnadab,ormoved.AreyoumovedforGod?

TheofferingsareGodswayofallowingustodrawneartoHimthroughobedience,buttheofferingsthemselvesaredesignedtobetheresultofachoicedrivenbytheintentionsoftheheart.Then,andonlythencanourofferingsbringYHVHhonor.SowhenIsraelnolongerinvestedtheirheartintotheirofferings,Godwasdishonored.ThentheLordsaid,"BecausethispeopledrawnearwiththeirwordsAndhonorMewiththeirlipservice,ButtheyremovetheirheartsfarfromMe,AndtheirreverenceforMeconsistsoftraditionlearnedbyrote,(Isaiah29:13).Hear,heaven!Listen,earth!ForAdonaiisspeaking.Iraisedandbroughtupchildren,buttheyrebelledagainstme.Anoxknowsitsownerandadonkeyitsmastersstall,butIsraeldoesnotknow,mypeopledonotreflect.Oh,sinfulnation,apeopleweigheddownbyiniquity,descendantsofevildoers,immoralchildren!TheyhaveabandonedAdonai,spurnedtheHolyOneofIsrael,turnedtheirbacksonhim!Whyareallthosesacrificesofferedtome?asksAdonai.Imfedupwithburntofferingsoframsandthefatoffattenedanimals!Igetnopleasurefromthebloodofbulls,lambsandgoats!Yes,youcometoappearinmypresence;butwhoaskedyoutodothis,totramplethroughmycourtyards?Stopbringingworthlessgrainofferings!Theyarelikedisgustingincensetome!RoshHodesh,Shabbat,callingconvocationsIcantstandeviltogetherwithyourassemblies!EverythinginmehatesyourRoshHodeshandyourfestivals;theyareaburdentomeImtiredofputtingupwiththem!Whenyouspreadoutyourhands,Iwillhidemyeyesfromyou;nomatterhowmuchyoupray,Iwontbelistening;becauseyourhandsarecoveredwithblood.Washyourselvesclean!Getyourevildeedsoutofmysight!Stopdoingevil,learntodogood!Seekjustice,relievetheoppressed,defendorphans,pleadforthewidow(Yeshayahu/Isaiah1:24,1117).NoticewhenYHVHboilsitdownHetakesittomattersofchoice.CertainlyYHVHwantsIsraeltoobeyHissetapartHolydaysbutifwespendourdaysfailingtobringhonortoHiminthecommonplaceplacesofourlivesthentheserehearsalswontbringhonortoHimthereeither.That!Is!What!Yeshua!Did!Messiahenteredintothecommonplace,andHemadeitholy.How?HehonoredHisFatherineverychoiceHemadeorwasconfrontedwitheverydayofHisearthboundexistence.YHVHwantsusrathertoHonorallpeople,lovethebrotherhood,fearGod,honortheking(1Peter2:17).Anditishere,inthecommonplaces,intraffic,inthecheckoutatthegrocery,aloneinourhomesortravelingforministryorwork,inthehotelthatwecanbewitnessesofYHVHshonor,orshame.Itistheconditionoftheheart,thereasonbehindeverythingwedothathaseverythingtodowithwhetheritistrulyhonorableornot.

Wevecoveredaprettygoodamountofgrounduptothispoint.ToconcludeIwouldliketoroundoutourdiscussionwithasmallbutpowerfulgraphicifyouwillletit,andthenbrieflyexplainitforyouredification.

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Letsrevisitourverseagain,Psalm4:2whichreads,

Osonsofmen,howlongwillmyhonorbecomeareproach?Howlongwillyoulovewhatisworthlessandaimatdeception?Selah.

Theproblemwithchasinghonoristhatitsnotjustonething;anditdoesntannounce,promoteormarketitself.Ibelieveyoucouldmakealistbutdistilleddowntoitsessentials,honor,Ibelieveandsubmittoyouwillrequirethreethings.

Situatedinthecenterofthisverseisthewordlove.Howlongwillyoulove,Heasks.TherootwordusedforlovehereinHebrewis'hab. Ive placed it at the top of our graphic. Pictographically this two-letter expression hob formed by the letter heh beit paints a picture. Heh means to behold as if one is looking upon a great sight. The letter beit represents a home, more specifically the people inside of it. Together these two letters translate as to look or to provide for the family. In Benners Ancient Hebrew Lexicon Love is further defined as expressions and actions toward the family, which one was privileged with. Love is best defined I think by studying 1Corinthians chapter 13. What we find throughout Scripture is that love is best defined as putting someone above yourself. Because when you truly love someone you put that person before yourself, you give them preference, you value what they say above others, you consider their words above others and allow them to penetrate into your heart and mind. When you love someonewho they are and what they say carries greater weight that outweighs the others. This follows with GOD. When you love GOD you put Him above others, which is the opposite of what our Israelite ancestors had allowed themselves to become. He says Howlongwillyoulovewhatisworthlessandaimatdeception?IsraelhadrebelledagainstGODandtradedtheirloveforGODforthosethingsthatareworthlessandofdeception.Thisrebellionbreakstheveryfirstcommandment,ThenGodspokeallthesewords,saying,"IamtheLordyourGod,whobroughtyououtofthelandofEgypt,outofthehouseofslavery."Youshallhavenoothergodsbefore

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Me(Exodus/Shemot20:13).WhenwepursuethingsthatbreakYHVHscommands,whenweplaceweightonsomethingotherthanGODandHisNameandHisreputationthenweareguiltyofidolatry,andofchasingafterthosethingsthatareworthlessandemptyandlies,whichisdeception;andthatsreallywheretheshamecomesfromplacingweightorgivinggloryandhonortosomethingthatintendstogiveofftheappearanceofvalueandtruth,buttruthfullyitsworthless,empty,andalie. Whenwelovesomeonewegiveourselvesfreely.Exodus35:21saysthatEveryonewhoseheartstirredhimandeveryonewhosespiritmovedhimcameandbroughttheLord'scontributionfortheworkofthetentofmeetingandforallitsserviceandfortheholygarments.Earlierweexaminedthewordformoved.Whenyourheartismoved,youarestirrednoonehastodoitforyou,butyoudoitbecauseyoulove.Whenyouhavelove,yougivefreelywithoutcoercionorproddingorcajoling,andtogivefreelyoutoflovegivesthatofferingvaluebecausenowyourenotgivingitbegrudginglybutyouregivingyourbestbecausethatpersonismoreimportanttoyouthanothersoryourself.Agoodexampleofsacrificingwillinglycanbeeasilyobservedinamaritalrelationship.Inamarriagethehusbandgiveshimselffreelytohiswifeandthewifegivesherselffreelytoherhusband,becausetheyhonoroneanotherwiththeirdailychoicestheyfiltereverythingtheydothroughthelensofensuringitwillbringhonortotheirspouse.Now,thisiswhatweneedtostrivetodoforYHVHinallofourdailydecisions. Thethirdcomponentisholiness.Remember,YHVHhadcommandedIsraeltobuildHimthesanctuary,andinthemiddleofthecampwastheMOhelMoed,theTentofMeeting;andthereinthemiddleoftheTentofMeetingwastheHolyofHolies.AprimalcomponentofHonorisHoliness.HolinessorQadashmeanstobesetapart,separateforaspecificpurpose.WemustunderstandthatYHVHisHolyandHecommandsustobeHolyorsetapartfromtheworld.Theworldisfullofcommonandprofaneplacesdeception,liesandidolatryweavetheirwayintoalmosteveryfacetofdailylife.ButHonorHonorissetapart.Honorgivesitselffreely.Honorlovesaboveall,itgivesanditisconspicuouslyuncommon,becauseitissetapartandholy.WhatYHVHgivesustheopportunitytodoistotransformacommonprofanethingorplaceintosomethingthatisholy.Yougotowork,perhapsyouareaffordedtheopportunitytoworkamongthosewhoareactivelyrebellingagainstYHVH,andtheplaceyouworkiseitherdirectlyorindirectlydishonoringGOD.WehavebeenplacedtherebecauseYHVHwantstobreatheHishonorintoit.Howdoesthathappen?Byourconductandyourwords,yourchoices.ReturningtotheconversationIhadwithKen,hesaidWill,FromAdam'sfalltoYeshuaperfectingus,thegoalofScriptureiscausingustoplaceenoughweightonGodtoturnourhearttowardHimBECAUSEofthatweight.Wordswellspoken,andmightIjustsimplyaddaswehonorGODinourdailylivesbyplacingmoreweightonHimandHiswordinourlives,themorefocusandvalueyoubringtoyourdayandnotonlytoyoursbuttothosearoundyouaswell.Ihopethishasbeenahelpfuldiscussion.Iencouragefeedbackandpraythishasbeenablessingtoyou.Shalom.

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WillSpiresFollowerandWorshipper

OfYeshuaMessiah.