Vayakhel וַיַּקְהֵל - And He Assembled
Torah Reading: Exodus 35:1-38:20
Haftarah: 2 Kings 11:17-12:17
Apostolic Reading: Matthew 12:1-13
Reading #7 - Exodus 38:1–20
My Thoughts:
Verse 8 refers to women ministering in the Tabernacle, or at least at the door. There is some speculation as to what this means but we can only believe that women played a large part in the development of the Tabernacle. They most likely helped out in any way possible. They most likely donated items along with the men, cleaned and made things. I can only imagine how amazed and excited they were to learn more about Hashem every day and witness His great miracles! What a privilege to be with Moses and Israel during such a time as this.
Challenge:
The women were “ministering” at the door of the Tabernacle (verse 8). What does that look like? Did they have a ladle and basin of water to offer drinks to those coming into the Tabernacle? Were they standing there praying and praising Hashem? Were they there simply offering any help that anyone needed? We can only speculate, but the point is – they were there. Has Hashem called you to be somewhere to “minister” to people? It could be anywhere. The grocery store, the gas station, work, home, church, synagogue – all places where Hashem can give us “divine appointments” to minister Hashem’s love to others. Be aware as you go through your day for your chance to “minister” to others. It is a privilege.
Reading #7 - Exodus 38:1-20
38 He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was five cubits, its width was five cubits, and its height was three cubits. 2 He made its horns on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. 3 He made all the vessels of the altar: the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its vessels of bronze. 4 He made for the altar a grating of a network of bronze, under the ledge around it beneath, reaching halfway up. 5 He cast four rings for the four corners of bronze grating, to be places for the poles. 6 He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze. 7 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.
8 He made the basin of bronze, and its base of bronze, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
9 He made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, one hundred cubits; 10 their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. 11 For the north side one hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. 12 For the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. 13 For the east side eastward fifty cubits, 14 the hangings for the one side were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three; 15 and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16 All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen. 17 The sockets for the pillars were of bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. Their capitals were overlaid with silver. All the pillars of the court had silver bands. 18 The screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. Twenty cubits was the length, and the height along the width was five cubits, like the hangings of the court. 19 Their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of bronze; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver. 20 All the pins of the tabernacle, and around the court, were of bronze.
Haftarah
My Thoughts:
In verse 2 and 3 we read about King Keshoash, “Jehoash did that which was right in Hashem’s eyes all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. However the high places were not taken away.” Doesn’t this strike you as so tragic? Here the young king is following and honoring Hashem, except to remove the “high places” – the places of idol worship. Then I got to thinking, isn’t that alot like us as believers and what we do? We go to Hashem and profess our love for Him. We repent, we worship Him, we pray - we ask for favor. But, we leave many “places” of idol worship in our lives. Take a moment to think about the possible “places” in your life where you have not turned them fully over to Hashem. And then take time today to repent and do so.
Challenge:
We learn in Chapter 12 where the King is asking money from the people to repair the Temple (house). Seems like there is a small dispute of whether to use this money to do repairs. But, somehow the money is produced and used to pay the workers. What bothered me was the “hesitation”. If we had a Temple here on earth, in Jerusalem, and it was in need of repair – would we hesitate to invest in the repairs? I guess it’s all about priorities. I challenge you today to look at your priorities. What is important to you in regards to serving Hashem? Are you giving of your time, talents and finances to help build the Kingdom?
Haftarah: 2 Kings 11:17-12:17
17 Jehoiada made a covenant between Hashem and the king and the people, that they should be Hashem’s people; also between the king and the people. 18 All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke it down. They broke his altars and his images in pieces thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. The priest appointed officers over Hashem’s house. 19 He took the captains over hundreds, and the Carites, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from Hashem’s house, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. He sat on the throne of the kings. 20 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had slain Athaliah with the sword at the king’s house.
21 Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.
12 Jehoash began to reign in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 Jehoash did that which was right in Hashem’s eyes all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. 4 Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the holy things that is brought into Hashem’s house, in current money, the money of the people for whom each man is evaluated, and all the money that it comes into any man’s heart to bring into Hashem’s house, 5 let the priests take it to them, each man from his donor; and they shall repair the damage to the house, wherever any damage is found.”
6 But it was so, that in the twenty-third year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the damage to the house. 7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests, and said to them, “Why don’t you repair the damage to the house? Now therefore take no more money from your treasurers, but deliver it for repair of the damage to the house.”
8 The priests consented that they should take no more money from the people, and not repair the damage to the house. 9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into Hashem’s house; and the priests who kept the threshold put all the money that was brought into Hashem’s house into it. 10 When they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and they put it in bags and counted the money that was found in Hashem’s house. 11 They gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of Hashem’s house; and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders, who worked on Hashem’s house, 12 and to the masons and the stonecutters, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the damage to Hashem’s house, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. 13 But there were not made for Hashem’s house cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into Hashem’s house; 14 for they gave that to those who did the work, and repaired Hashem’s house with it. 15 Moreover they didn’t demand an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to give to those who did the work; for they dealt faithfully. 16 The money for the trespass offerings, and the money for the sin offerings was not brought into Hashem’s house. It was the priests’.
17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
Apostolic Reading
My Thoughts:
The real question in today’s reading is what is allowed on the Sabbath. Of course, every Scripture verse can be interpreted individually, but I believe what Yeshua is saying is this – if you can help someone on the Sabbath – then do it! He confirms this in verse 12, “Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day”. For those of you who follow the Seventh Day Sabbath Commandment, I encourage you to spend some thinking about what Yeshua is teaching here. What I absolutely love about Yeshua’s teachings is that He always looks at the “heart” of Torah. Yes, Hashem is telling us to “rest” on the Sabbath, but He also tells us to love others more than ourselves. And to help them whenever we are able. If the Sabbath is the only time your friend/family needs important help, I believe Yeshua is telling you that it is alright to do so. Something to pray about for sure.
Challenge:
Some people did not like that Yeshua was doing bold things, like eating grain and healing on the Sabbath. But, these were things He felt were important. His disciples were hungry and a man needed healing. These were “good” things. Does Hashem ever ask you to step out of your comfort zone and do something that others may perceive as “wrong”. But, because Hashem has asked you – you know it is right! Do you shrink back or obey? We are human, but we have got to learn to listen and obey Hashem first. We serve Hashem not man. I encourage you to move forward with boldness with that task(s). You will be blessed.
Apostolic Reading: Matthew 12:1-13
12 At that time,Yeshua went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to Him, “Behold, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
3 But He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered into Hashem’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is L-rd of the Sabbath.”
9 He departed from there and went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that they might accuse Him.
11 He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab on to it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.” 13 Then He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.
