22 let us draw near with
a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean
from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold
fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is
faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good
deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Let’s face it; being one
with the presence of God is where we can be truly at rest and peace in our
lives. There is a constant striving that goes on in mankind to find true and
lasting peace and rest. Our souls are longing for acceptance and approval of the
One who created us.
Though we don't
necessarily speak out loud, there is a heart cry to God to be near him.
In the last few weeks we
have talked about shame being a separator between us and God. Gen 2:25
says "...the man and his wife were
both naked and were not ashamed” however when Adam and his wife listened to
another voice there was a mistrust of the Father's voice causing a
separation.
Since then mankind has
tried to reconnect through their own efforts or righteousness to God however
the end results only in self-righteousness and no true peace.
God wants us to
"draw near" Him so He can draw near us.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands,
you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (Jas 4:8).
Question....So what does
draw near look like?
We want to utilize a Hebrew
is the language of God and is a picture language so we will look at the letter
"Quph" ק
In essence the most common word
picture meaning is "to gather"
Let's look at scripture
In my distress I called upon the
Lord, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my
cry for help before Him came into His ears. (Psalms 18:6 NASB)
The word “call” here is the Hebrew word “Qara”, which means to gather together as in a meeting or an event.
The book, we call
Leviticus begins with the word Vayikara. The root in this is “Qara”, to
call. So, the book begins with a call from God which gathers the people
around Him. Do you sense the power?
Leviticus 1:1 (NASB)
1 Then the LORD called to
Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying,
The Lord then speaks
of “Qorbanot” offerings.
Leviticus 1:2 (NASB)
2 "Speak to the
sons of Israel and say to them, 'When any man of you brings an
offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of
animals from the herd or the flock.
The word here is from
the root “Qarov”. This means to “draw near”. Offerings have the
power of drawing near to God and His drawing near to us.
In this book is a
prescription for drawing near if we look at it from a perspective of seeing
God's heart.
God calls to Moses and instructs
him. He instructs Aaron, Israel becomes “one” on how to draw near to God, then His
presence and power flowed.
Moses and Aaron went
into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory
of the Lord appeared to all the people. Then fire came out from before the Lord
and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when
all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces. (Leviticus 9:23,
24 NASB)
Moses, Aaron and the
people gathered in one accord heeding His voice thus releasing His
righteousness and peace into the earth. We can call this a
"body" operating in "faith"
We see the opposite
result in next chapter when Nadab and Abihu operating as individuals profane
the holy and get fried.
Let's talk about Yeshua
drawing us near through his body.
Hbr 10:1-25 NASB - 1 For
the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very
form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually
year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not
have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed,
would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there
is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of
bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He comes into the world,
He says, "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE
PREPARED FOR ME; 6 IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE
TAKEN NO PLEASURE. 7 "THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF
THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'" 8 After saying
above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices
FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which
are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO
DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Every priest stands daily ministering and
offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;
12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE
RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A
FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time
those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for
after saying, 16 "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER
THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR
MIND I WILL WRITE THEM," He then says, 17 "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR
LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." 18 Now where there is forgiveness
of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore,
brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of
Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil,
that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure
water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He
who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another
to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the
habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day
drawing near.
Yeshua
brought us near...
Eph 2:11-19 NASB - 11
Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called
"Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is
performed in the flesh by human hands-- 12 remember that you were at that time
separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers
to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by
the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into
one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His
flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so
that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing
peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross,
by it having put to death the enmity. 17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU
WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; 18 for through Him we both
have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer
strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of
God's household,Yeshua is our High Priest in heavens and perfector of our faith
God
Calls...
Hbr 3:1 KJV - 1
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the
Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Rom 2:4 KJV - 4 Or despisest
thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing
that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Mat 23:37 KJV - 37 O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which
are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even
as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!
Rom 11:29 NASB - 29 for
the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
1Cr 1:26 NASB - 26 For
consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
Eph 1:18 NASB - 18 I
pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what
is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance
in the saints,
Eph 4:1, 4 NASB - 1
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy
of the calling with which you have been called, ... 4 There is one body and one
Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
2Ti 1:9 NASB - 9 who has
saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but
according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus
from all eternity,
Hbr 3:1 NASB - 1
Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the
Apostle and High Priest of our confession;
What
is our Qorbanot?
Each
of the different offerings presented in book of Leviticus represented a part of
the individual's and community's heart that needed to be healed/restored. Such
as sin, guilt, uncleanness, mildew, jealousy, etc
Yeshua
is our High Priest, as the word of God reveals thoughts and attitudes of the
heart. It needs healing and restoring. The Spirit of God is drawing
us to the place of rest in our calling and inheritance. Not to beat us up
but to heal and restore.
Hbr 3:12-15 NASB - 12
Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving
heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day
after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you
will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers
of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
15 while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR
HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."
Hbr 4:9-16 NASB - 9 So
there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has
entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.
11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through
following the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living
and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the
division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the
thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from
His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom
we have to do. 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but
One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore
let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive
mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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