PARASHAS KI SISA (WHEN YOU TAKE)

Shalom.

Last week we covered the Priestly mandate for the anointing of Aaron, his sons and future generations of Priesthood. Today we will touch on the incense, the cleansing and utensils. However we will not end there. Through our studies especially that of the second half of Exodus we learn first hand what it is HASHEM expects of us. Our marriage to HASHEM  is unlike any other covenant, it is far and beyond, close yet near. Aaron is presented, anointed and directed to by God for the service of ministry. Aaron is not only to minister to the Children of Israel but to HASHEM as well. To serve the people in a way that God intended, is to minister to God. The call to minister, to be a nation of Kings and Priests. Leviticus 19: HASHEM  spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the entire assembly of the Children of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for holy am I, HASHEM, your God. 

To love HASHEM; to be a man after His heart and draw close, this should be our reason for living. Blessed is the man who knows without being told, who takes action because its the right thing to do without a motivation for reward. This can only be obtained through love not through fear, and if it is, it still falls short. Yeshua asked, "What father would give his son a stone when he has asked for bread?" So to should be our works before God. Genesis 18: 17 - 19 And HASHEM said, "Shall I conceal from Abraham what I do, now that Abraham is surely to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by him? For I have loved him, because he commands his children and his household after him that they keep the way of HASHEM, doing charity and justice, in order that HASHEM might then bring upon Abraham that which He had spoken to him."  

Not only should we dress as though we're going before the King, we are going before the King. Therefore not only must we dress appropriately we must cleanse ourselves before entering into His presence. 

At this point Moses has now been on Mt. Sinai nearly forty days, the camp has become restless not knowing when Moses would return. In their anxiety they approached Aaron and ordered him to construct an idol in which they can offer up sacrifices and look upon for leadership. Like so many stories including the one in which Kind Saul was moved by fear and offered up a sacrifice on his own against the direction of Samuel, so too were the Children of Israel moved by fear. This fear was not only a deadly mistake it turned to be a deciding factor overturning the level of holiness for which HASHEM desired. 

I admit that its not easy at times to stand firm especially in the in-between places. We want answers, we need to be assured and most of all we desire to see and take hold of. Standing in a place of transition will be easier on us if its something we planned, so we think. A motor vehicle demands only one of its occupants to steer, while we may all have our opinions, the one driving is in control. This stands true for God. Let go of your own understanding and lean upon the very One who wrote the book. Exodus 32: 1 - 10 - The people saw that Moses had delayed in descending the mountain, and the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Rise up, make for us gods that will go before us, for this man Moses who brought us up from the land of Egypt - we do not know what became of him!" Aaron said to them, "Remove the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, sons and daughters, and bring them to me." The entire people removed the gold rings  that were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took it from them their hands and bound it up in a cloth, and fashioned it into a molten calf, They said, "This is your god, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt." Aaron saw and built an altar before him. Aaron called out and said, "A festival for HASHEM tomorrow!" They arose early the nest day and offered burnt-offerings and brought peace-offerings. The people sat to eat and drink, and they got up to revel. HASHEM said to Moses: "Go, descend - for your people who you brought from the land of Egypt has become corrupt. They have strayed quickly from the way I have commanded them. They have made themselves a molten calf, prostrated themselves to it and sanctified to it, and they said, "This is your god, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt.' HASHEM said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold! It is a stiff-necked people. And now, desist from Me. Let My anger flare up against them and  I shall annihilate them; and shall make you a great nation."