Bible Studies

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Parshat Terumah

“And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying” Exodus 25:1 (JPS)
“Speak unto the sons of Israel, and they take for Me a heave-offering; from every man whose heart impelleth him ye do take My heave-offering.” Exodus 25:2 (Young)
In Hebrew, the word “heart” is lev. In western thinking, the heart is the center of the emotions, but in Hebrew thinking, the heart is the center of wisdom, or understanding, as in Exodus 28:3, “And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments to sanctify him, that he may minister unto Me in the priest's office.” (JPS)
So this is anyone whose wisdom forces them to give. It has nothing to do with emotions.
“and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia-wood;” Exodus 25:5 (JPS)
“Sealskins.” No one is sure of exactly what the Hebrew word means, however, the opinions are split between dolphin/seal and badger/weasel. Whatever it was, it appears that it was unkosher. So it is interesting that the skin of what was probably not a kosher animal was one of the coverings of the Tabernacle.
“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8 (JPS)
“And the: Word became flesh, and tabernacled with us: and we saw his glory, a glory as of the only begotten from the Father, that he was full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (Murdock)
The paralells here are remarkable. The Word, and Father had just given Moses the Ten Words, which were written on tablets, and eventually placed in the Ark, in the Holy of Holies, in the Tabernacle. In Exodus 25:8 the word “dwell” is actually shachan, which is the root-word of mishkan, which is translated “tabernacle” in the very next verse. In John 1:14, whether the Aramaic ow’agen or the Greek skenoo, it is properly translated “tabernacle,” though most translations try to make it “dwell.” There are even more paralells that are better dealt with in a later Parsha.
“And thou shalt make an ark-cover of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.” Exodus 25:17 (JPS)
chaporet is the word for “ark-cover.” kaphar is the root-word. Kaphar is normally translated “atonement,” but also means “cover.” This is the place where the blood of the sacrifices for atonement were sprinkled on Yom Kippur. The idea of atonement actually comes from the way a mistake in a manuscript was blotted out, so that it was as if it didn’t exist. This is literally, “make a place of atonement of pure gold.” The top of the very ark of Father is atonement. The very seat where the presence of El Shadday Himself is the place of blotting out sins. He is, indeed, a merciful Judge.
“And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high, screening the ark-cover with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the ark-cover shall the faces of the cherubim be.” Exodus 25:20 (JPS)
This is an interesting verse because it says that the cherubim were facing one another. Well of course they were. According to Ezekiel chapter ten, Cherubim have four faces, one facing each direction. Unless Ezekiel ten is referring only to a few specific cherubim, and it doesn’t apply to all of them.
Cherub is the Hebrew word keruv which is probably derrived from the root-word charav meaning, “to be carried” or “to ride,” or “fasten.” Cherubim are always the bearers of something. Either the bearers of a message, or of the Ark, or of the presence of Father. Whenever a cherub appears, he is bearing something.
“And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the ark-cover, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.” Exodus 25:22 (JPS)
The place where Father sits is simply amazing. He sits on the place of atonement, between the messengers, over His Commandments, on the ark of His Covenant, in the holiest of all places. When it says “the Holy of Holies” the Hebrew is qodesh haqodeshim which means that this is holy in the superlative, or the absolute most holy place of all. Here, the word arown is translated “ark.” It literally means “chest” or “box.” It’s root is arah which means, “to pluck,” “to collect,” or “to gather.” Because it is here that the commands are gathered. It is to this place that Israel is gathered. As it says in Nehemiah 1:9, “but if ye return unto Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though your dispersed were in the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to cause My name to dwell there.” (JPS)
“And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knops, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it.” Exodus 25:31 (JPS)
The word “candlestick” is m’nowrat, which is used only to referr to the oil lamp in the Tabernacle and Temple. It comes from the word niyr meaning, “plough” or “break up.” Yeshua taught, “You are the light of the world. It is not possible to hide a city that is built on a mountain. They do not light a lamp and place it under a bushel, but upon a lamp-stand and it lights upon all those that are in the house. Let your light shine like this in front of the sons of man that they should see your works and they glorify good your father who is in heaven.” Matt. 5:14-16 (Younan)
This is one of a number of Yeshua’s teachings on the Menorah. It is a Jewish tradition that the Menorah, the seven-branched lamp, was the “light of the world.” Jerusalem is the city set on a hill, where the Temple sat. Yeshua is teaching that the people are the light of the world. Why? Because the Holy Spirit flowed in them. These were oil lamps, which is clear in their description. What does Scripture teach on the oil? “And when any one bringeth a meal-offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon.” Leviticus 2:1 (JPS)
The bread offerings had to be annointed. This is one reason that Yeshua had to be annointed, as in Matt. 26, because “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). But this is the annointing, the annointing of oil What else is taught about annointing? “concerning Yeshua who was from Nasrath, that God annointed with the Spirit of Holiness and with power. And this is he who traveled around and healed those who were oppressed by evil, because God was with him.” Acts 10:38 (Younan)
Anointing is by the Holy Spirit. This is just one example of the Holy Spirit being represented by the oil. Search the Scriptures to find out if these things are so. (Act. 17:13)
So if the Holy Spirit is flowing through the people, they are the Menorah, the Light of the World. Also, the Menorah is set on a stand, so that it gives light to all who are in the house. Not just any house, a specific House.
“Yeshua spoke with them again and said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but he will find the light of life for himself.’” John 8:1 (Younan)
Yeshua, too, is the Light of the World. Why? “Shimon Keepa said, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Yeshua answered him and said, ‘Blessed are you Shimon, the son of Yona, because flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.’” Matt. 16:16-17 (Younan)
What does “Messiah” Mean? It is the Hebrew word mashiakh, which means “annointed one.” He is the One filled with oil.
“John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and quietude, from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, from the seven Spirits which are before his throne,” Revelation 1:4 (Murdock)
The seven spirits which are before the throne. Where did the Menorah stand? In the holy place, before the Throne of Father Himself. But it is in the next verses that the teachings of the people as the Menorah, and of Yeshua as the Menorah truly come together. “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one resembling the Son of man, wearing a long vestment and girded round his breast with a golden girdle.” Revelation 1:13 (Lamsa)
Seven candlesticks, which are clearly seven congregations, representing seven real congregations of the time, seven periods in history, seven types of Believers, and seven groups at the end, are the branches. But Yeshua stands among them. When a lamp is lit, is it hidden under a bush? No! It is set on a lamp-stand, the lamp-stand is amongst the lamps, as it is described in Exodus 25. This lamp-stand is Yeshua HaMashiakh!
The Readings: Parshat Terumah, Exodus 25:1-27:19. Haftarat Terumah, I Kings 5:26-6:13. Tehillim Terumah, Psalm 26. B’rit Chadesha Terumah, Matt. 5:13-16, John 8:12-19, Revelation 1:3-18.

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