Ezekiel 43:10-11  You, son of man, give the children of Israel an account of this house, so that they may be shamed because of their evil-doing: and let them see the vision of it and its image.  (11)  And they will be shamed by what they have done; so give them the knowledge of the form of the house and its structure, and the ways out of it and into it, and all its laws and its rules, writing it down for them: so that they may keep all its laws and do them.

Huh? Israel is supposed to look at God’s house, note the dimensions and materials…and be ashamed? How could the ins and outs of the Tabernacle or the Temple make the people ashamed of anything? It was built by people who lived long before Ezekiel and was used almost exclusively by the priests. What does any of it have to do with Joe the Shepherd or Tina the Chef?

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, then you’ll know that I don’t believe anything in the Torah has only one meaning. Very little, if anything, in this universe is single dimensional. It turns out that there are so many things to talk about in these seemingly dry, technical passages, that I have difficulty focusing on any one thing! In Tetzaveh we can learn about the character of God, the role of the Messiah, our relationship with both of those, salvation from sin and judgment, the role of a father in his family, and much more. Let me give you just one example that shows how much God loves his people.

Exodus 28:36-38  And you shall make a plate of pure gold, and carve on it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO YHWH.  (37)  And you shall put a ribbon on it, and it shall be on the miter; to the front of the miter it shall be.  (38)  And it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, so that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which will sanctify the sons of Israel in all their holy gifts. And it shall always be on his forehead, so that they may be accepted before YHWH.

The High Priest wears a gold crown of sorts. Engraved across the front, resting on his forehead, are the words, “Set Apart to YHWH.” This torah portion tells us that this is because he takes onto himself the “iniquities of the holy things.” What a contradiction! How can holy things be sinful? These things are holy because they are set apart from other things, not because they are perfect. The Hebrew word for holy is kadosh, and it literally means “set apart.” The holy offerings of Israel are like you and me. In fact, they are you and me. We aren’t perfect, and we never will be. There is no way in heaven or on earth that you and I can present ourselves to God perfectly unblemished. We need a High Priest who will take our meager, pathetic offerings and take responsibility for their faults onto himself. Through the blood of Yeshua, our Messiah, shed by the thorns dug into his forehead, our inadequacies are lifted off our own heads and placed on his. Without God’s grace to accept that shift, we would be without hope. We would be condemned as forever separated from our Creator, set apart forever, but away from him and not to him. In his mercy, he provided a way for us to approach him, to offer him our broken and scarred hearts as if they were a perfect and holy living sacrifice, completely acceptable in the highest court of Heaven.

What greater love could there be?

Exo 27:20-21 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

Sometimes I wonder if I am completely insane, because of all the crazy stuff I see in Scripture. Do you see the parable of the talents in this passage? The gifts of the Spirit? Homeschooling? Mentoring and apprenticeship? I see all of those things, and I wonder if I’m hallucinating.

There are several different metaphors in those two verses. The beaten oil is deliberate refinement in the Holy Spirit. The location outside the veil in the Tent of Meeting implies a process that takes place within the family or community in the presense of God (behind the veil) and his Law (in the Ark) and under the light of his Spirit (the Menorah). Aaron and his sons represent family and community leaders, especially spiritual leaders. Finally, tending the oil is encouraging spiritual development through teaching and leading. All of that gives a picture of the role God intends for every person to take in relationship to the next generation and to those under their authority.

Yeshua told a story of a man with three servants. The servants who put their master’s resources to work for profit were rewarded. The servant who buried his master’s gold so that it wouldn’t be lost was stripped of what little he had and thrown out of the master’s house. God asked the Israelites for freewill offerings of precious metals, gemstones, and fabrics, but he commanded them to bring the oil, and commanded the priests to maintain the oil in the Menorah. He gave them only two options: produce the oil or be thrown out of the camp.

God has given everyone resources which they can employ in his service. We all have a gift, a calling, a special skill that can be made available to the Spirit. Paul listed some of those gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, but he did not intend for us to take that list as comprehensive. I firmly believe that teaching and prophecy should be included, as well as musical talent, mechanical aptitude, writing, and every kind of artistry and craftsmanship. With the right refinement, all of those things can be fuel for God’s Light in the world.

Like its organic counterpart, this fuel doesn’t come straight off the trees, ready to use. It must be harvested, pressed, and refined. Nor does it suffice to pour it into any lamp or onto just any fire. It must be channeled into the right reservoirs and tended by God’s appointed authorities. Parents, first of all, and then pastors, educators, priests, and people of all kinds of skill and talent are to instruct their successors in serving God and using their spiritual gifts to the profit of God’s kingdom. Men with special skill in the engineering of homes and office buildings must mentor apprentices into building to God’s glory.

Also like olive oil, it is counter-productive to isolate a single ingredient. Each person is a complex interaction of flaws and talents, and we need to seek a balance. While one of us might have a more beautiful voice than others, that isn’t a license to ignore character development in favor of breathing exercises. Olive oil is valued for its scent, flavor, color, and combustibility. It isn’t enough to achieve maximum caloric output. It must be an attractive, multi-dimensional output that allows God’s character to show through us.

As the keepers of God’s orchard–and we are all keepers and trees–he will hold us responsible for how we managed his oil. Are you a talented musician who can play any instrument he touches? Then use your talents to encourage other musicians to use their talents for God’s glory. Are you a leader who can take the full measure of a man in minutes? Then identify the potential leaders around you and mentor them into righteous, productive leadership of God’s people. You are the priests in the tabernacle of your family and community. You are the people supplying the oil for the Menorah. God has not asked for volunteers. He has commanded every single one of us to produce or be cut off.

Update 02/13/2008: One clarification. You are commanded to develop and use your spiritual gifts for the Kingdom. The Cohanim (priests) are commanded to coordinate and encourage your gifts. That you are responsible for teaching and fostering those gifts in others is an implication, but not necessarily a command.

Update 02/17/2008: So I’m not completely insane. The sermon at church yesterday was strikingly similar to what I posted here. It was based on Exodus 28:33-35 and John 21:15-17, and it emphasized teaching and living Torah, but the general idea was the same.

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