15/03/2025
Ki Tisa (When You Take)
Ki Tisa, literally means “when you lift up or "When you take".
When you lift up the head of the sons of Yisrael to reckon them” (Exodus 30:12). The phrase “lift up the head” is an idiom for taking a head count.
The majority of Ki Tisa is concerned with the sin of the golden calf, the breach in the covenant between YHVH and Yisrael, and how Moshe undertakes to restore the covenant relationship.
While Moshe is on Mount Sinai receiving YHVH's instruction, the people become impatient for his return and demand that Aaron make them a god they can see.
Exodus 32:1
When the people saw that Moshe delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said to him: 'Come, make us a god who shall go before us; for as for this Moshe, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.'"
Aaron gives in to the pressure and fashions a golden calf, proclaiming the idol as their god: “This is your god, O Yisrael, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 32:4)
When YHVH sees the people worshiping a golden calf, He threatens to destroy the nation of Yisrael and to start all over again with Moshe
Exodus 32:9–10
“‘I have seen these people,’ YHVH said to Moshe, ‘and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave Me alone so that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.’”
Instead of accepting YHVH’s offer to make him the beginning of a great nation, Moshe stands in the gap and intercedes on behalf of the people of Yisrael.
Even though Moshe prays for the people, he is so angry when he comes down from the mountain and witnesses their idolatry that he smashes the tablets of testimony that God had engraved with His own hand.
Moshe then destroys the Golden Calf, and the primary instigators to this idolatry are put to death.
Although YHVH relents from destroying Yisrael entirely, their sin is not without consequences 3,000 men fall under the sword of judgment that day.
Amazingly enough, on Shavuot (Pentecost), which commemorates the giving of the Torah, YHVH poured out His Ruach (Spirit) in Yerushalayim soon after the resurrection of Yeshua and the exact same number were saved!
Acts 2:41
“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.”
In our previous lessons of Terumah and Tetzaveh, we have learned more about the High Priest chosen from the Levites, we covered the priestly garments, the Ark of the Covenant, the angels, the design of the Tabernacle and it's furnishings.
We understand from current disasters, prophesies and Revelations that all must be fulfilled just a YHVH placed everything in perspective so that we can be saved following His commandments. YHVH gave clear instructions to Moshe on the mountain not only for the Yisraelites but for all generations to come.
His pouring out of YHVH’s Ruach underscores the fact that Yeshua did not come to condemn us but to save us. There is hope for us yet.
We have been given the Spirit of YHVH to bring us into life, not death, by leading and guiding us into all truth.The construction of the Sanctuary was a sacred and important task.
As YHVH created all and rested on the Sabbath, YHVH made it clear that His commandment to rest takes priority and obedience to His orders are adhere to.
Exodus 31:16
So the sons of Yisrael shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.
The Sabbath does not just giving us rest but the seventh day is allowing us our covenantal relationship with the Almighty Elohiym.
The Tabernacle was to be a Holy place, a sanctuary in space where Yisrael could meet YHVH. In the same way the Sabbath is a sanctuary in time in which we can meet with YHVH.
As the Levites been chosen for their Holy purpose in the Sanctuary, YHVH had very specific orders whom He would chose to perform certain duties. Duties were not randomly assigned to just anyone.
In conjunction with the instructions about building the Tabernacle and the appointed, YHVH shows us that there is a connection between the Sabbath and Tabernacle.
Various duties had to be performed in order to have all completed in accordance.
The Sanctuary required a water basin, anointing oil, and incense. To lead the sacred construction project, YHVH chosen a “wise-hearted” artisan named Bezalel and his associate Oholiab.
Exodus 31:2
"See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah."
Since the Yisraelites did not leave Egypt empty handed as YHVH ensured that they were blessed for their hard labor a contribution were required.
In order to fund the building of the Sanctuary, YHVH commanded Moshe to take a census of the people of Israel and to instruct them to give a half shekel of silver.
Exodus 30:11–13
“Then YHVH said to Moshe, ‘When you take a census of the Yisraelites to count them, each one must pay YHVH ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.This is what everyone who is numbered shall give: half a shekel ... as a contribution to YHVH .”
It is a testimony that He is the Creator. And just as He created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, so are we to work for six days and rest on the seventh.
Exodus 31:17
“It will be a sign between Me and the Yisraelites forever, for in six days YHVH made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’”
The Yisraelites might have assumed that, though regular melachah (“work”) was forbidden on the Sabbath, it was all right to work on the Sabbath to build the Tabernacle. Since the work was holy work, it should be permissible on the Sabbath. The repetition of the Sabbath laws next to the instructions for the Tabernacle makes it clear that the Sabbath was not to be broken even for that holy work.
YHVH gave the Sabbath as a sign of His covenant with Yisrael. It is a perpetual sign of the covenant relationship between the children of Yisrael and YHVH. The Tabernacle functioned in a similar manner. It too was a sign of Yisrael’s relationship with YHVH
Exodus 31:13, 16
“You SHALL surely observe My Sabbaths … The sons of Yisrael shall observe the Sabbath”
YHVH told Yisrael, Exodus 31:13 “This is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I Am YHVH who sanctifies you”
Sanctify means, purifying, being set apart and declared holy or consecrated.
Like the Yisraelites, some of us might go through periods of our lives where we descend into sin or fall away from YHVH, but YHVH promises the hope of restoration and renewal if we will agree to come back into His presence in repentance to find forgiveness.
This, perhaps, is represented by YHVH calling Moshe to come back up the mountain to receive a second set of tablets, even though Moshe destroyed the first set in a rage.
Exodus 34:1
“Now YHVH said to Moshe, ‘Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered.’”
YHVH is so amazingly graceful! He passed in front of Moshe and proclaimed to him His Divine character.
Exodus 34:6–7
“YHVH, Adonai Elohiym, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.”
The more we become conformed and transformed into the image and likeness of YHVH, in whose image we have been created, the more we will demonstrate these wonderful qualities of His chesed love, mercy, grace, patience, long-suffering, goodness, and truth.
We will become less judgmental and more merciful; we will criticize less and intercede more.
Oh, how we long to be changed to be more like Him. Coming into covenant with YHVH is not about just following the rules; it is about having a deep, abiding, intimate relationship with your loving God.
Today, there are churches in Christianity teaching that they are Gentiles and that they do not have to keep the Sabbath because it was instituted only for Yisraelites. They replaced the Sabbath and made the Sunday Holy.
Yeshua did not change the Sabbath day, but rather emphasized its true meaning, highlighting that it was made for humanity, not the other way around.
Yeshua HaMashiach observed the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week. His teachings and actions demonstrated that he came to fulfill the law, not abolish it, including the Sabbath. Yeshua's actions, such as healing on the Sabbath, demonstrated that acts of love and kindness are in harmony with YHVH's intent for the Sabbath. A Holy purpose.
Keeping in mind that Gentile means "goyim" that refers to a pagan nation. Those who believe they are renewed and purified by the blood of Yeshua dress themselves in covenant clothing being grafted into the olive brach, becoming part of the greater narrative that means becoming a Yisraelite.
YHVH's new Yisrael display an arrogance that starkly contrasts Moshe"s humility a man who could have replaced Yisrael but, instead, prayed for their survival.
The apostle Paul warned the assembly against the conceit of non-Jews in the family tree of YHVH: “Do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.” (Romans 11:18)
Rather than replacing the tree, Gentile Believers are grafted in as branches to an ancient tree whose root is still Jewish.
It is quite impossible that YHVH has substituted another people for His Chosen because He has promised that He will never forsake or abandon His people Yisrael:
Psalm 94:14
“For YHVH will not abandon His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance.”
Ki Tisa is infact a Battle for Truth, the prophet Eliyah has a mighty victory on Mount Carmel when he sets out to prove to the Yisraelites and the Goyim that there is no God but YHVH the God of Yisrael.
He challenges the prophets of the false god, Baal, to a contest.
Two altars are made: one for Baal and one for the God of Yisrael. Oxen are slaughtered and set on the altars. But the contestants do not light a fire to burn the sacrifice.
Eliyah and the prophets of Baal challenge the true God to send fire down from Heaven to burn up the sacrifice.
Eliyah makes a mockery out of their false god and proves in dramatic fashion without any doubt that YHVH (יהוה) is Elohiym.
Eliyah effectively starts Yisrael on a path away from their infidelity and back to the One True God.
But prophets of YHVH are often unappreciated, and in ancient days many were put to death. Instead of thanking Eliyah for killing all of the prophets of Baal, King Ahab blamed Eliyah for causing Yisrael trouble. (1 Kings 18:17)
Ahab chose to forsake a true prophet of God, Eliyah, to protect the interests of his Phoenician wife, Jezebel. It was this pagan woman who enticed the Chosen People of YHVH to follow her false god, Baal.
We see this all over the world while they still deny the truth by rather following the baal worship 🙏
We see many examples in the Scripture in which the wrong woman has powerful influence for good or for evil.
Because of these dangers, YHVH has warned us to not marry non-Believers, lest they turn our hearts away from YHVH.
We see this warning played out with King Solomon, whom YHVH gave such great wisdom to but who, nevertheless, lacked wisdom in his decision to marry foreign women. In the end, they turned his heart away from YHVH to worship false gods.
Godly women need to be conscious of the influence they can have over the in their lives of others and use it wisely in the fear of YHVH.
Queen Jezebel used her powerful influence to lead Israel into the sin of worshiping idols.
Eliyah helped Yisrael to see the error of their false beliefs.
But if we look at their lives, on the surface it could seem that Jezebel was more blessed than Eliyah. She had power, position, and prosperity, while Elijah had no lineage, no worldly position, and sometimes he went hungry.
He even despaired at times, believing that there was no one left who wanted to serve YHVH. He longed for fellowship but often felt lonely. There were times he felt so depressed and discouraged, he wanted to die.
He certainly doesn’t sound much like a blessed man, does he?
However, we can’t take only a temporal view of life; we need not see this life as the end, for all of eternity awaits us, and we may have treasures stored up in Heaven that no eye has even seen!
Psalm 37:16
“Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.”
If we look at the lives of Eliyah and Jezebel, we see that power, position, and prosperity cannot be our end goal; rather, our primary aim in life must be to stay faithful to YHVH the God of Yisrael, in sickness and in health, in riches and in poverty, for better or for worse, from this time forth and forevermore!
Proverbs 23:17
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of YHVH always.”
We can see that these two people, Jezebel and Eliyah, are each zealous in their own mission, one for YHVH and one for a false god but their lives ended in vastly different ways.
While Jezebel sat applying her makeup, she was pushed out the window by her servants and fell to her death. The horses trampled her body, and the dogs savagely ate her flesh. What a horrible end yet, her eternal destiny is far more horrifying.
Eliyah, who endured great and severe trials in this lifetime, went up to Heaven on a chariot of fire.
Someday, like Eliyah, we will be in Heaven and enjoy YHVH’s Presence forever.
Life’s present troubles and trials will fade away. There, we will be comforted on every side, as YHVH wipes away all our tears.
So let us not despair if our lives are not perfect; if we see sinners that seem to prosper in their ways while we struggle and endure hardship.
Do not make money your "golden calf" as it is a false god that will never bring you prosperity in the everlasting life. Money should only be a tool, not the focus of your life, and the Scripture warns against prioritizing wealth over spiritual values or spiritual relationships. A focus on accumulating wealth can lead to greed, envy, and a detachment from genuine relationships and spiritual growth.
The Scripture emphasizes that our values should be rooted in love for YHVH and love for our neighbor, encompassing virtues like honesty, humility, compassion, and forgiveness, as exemplified by Yeshua in his teachings and actions.
Shabbat is a weekly celebration of rest and spiritual reflection, a time to disconnect from daily routines and connect with family and YHVH. This is a blessing.
True riches are found in spiritual relationships, faith, and contentment, not in material possessions. Instead of chasing money or richness of this world, seek YHVH's kingdom and righteousness, and He will provide what you need.
One day YHVH will show us His glory, and we will be forever in His Kingdom and be safe with Him forever.
In the meantime, His presence and love will bring perfect peace and in the midst of all our circumstances. When you are in need, your faith in YHVH is knowing He will provide and make a way.
So, let us put on the full armor of YHVH, that we may be able to stand firm until that final day. Amein.
We thank YHVH for all of the faithful intercessors who are pleading on behalf of the nation of Yisrael. We thank YHVH for everyone who believes in the truth. As we have seen with Moshe and Eliyah, one person can make a huge difference!
As one person can lead us into disaster and temptation. Another person can lead us to spiritual values that are worth far more.
Jeremiah 31:10
"Hear the word of YHVH, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: 'He who scattered Yisrael will gather them and will watch over His flock like a shepherd."
Exodus 34:5-8
Then YHVH descended in the cloud, stood with him there, as he called on the Name of YHVH. Then YHVH passed before him, and proclaimed, “YHVH, Adonai, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, showing mercy to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means leaving the guilty unpunished, but bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” Then Moshe quickly bowed his head down to the earth and worshipped.
1 Kings 18:36-3
Now it was at the time of offering up the evening sacrifice that Eliyah the prophet came near and said, “YHVH, God of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yisrael, let it be known today that You are God in Yisrael, that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Answer me, YHVH, answer me, so that these people may know that You, YHVH, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” Then the fire of YHVH fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood, the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces, and they said, “YHVH, He is God! YHVH, He is God!”
YHVH enlists us into His service, which means He calls us to have a part in accomplishing His purposes.
2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of YHVH are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from YHVH, who is the Spirit.
Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to YHVH, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name’ (Hebrews 13:15). Or ‘bring an offering’ to Him (Psalm 96:8). Or, ‘Give thanks to Him; bless His Name’ (Psalm 100:4)
The way people should come to worship, is to come hungry to be satisfied in YHVH. This is a spiritual hunger.
In a sense of hunger and neediness and desperation and longing and for more of YHVH, we are hungry of His grace acknowledging YHVH's power.
When we make an offering, we do not expext on YHVH to repay us. We know our offering is with thankfulness and gratitude for YHVH always takes care of us.
The Scripture teaches that all our gifts to YHVH, whether ourselves or our resources or our praises or our thanks are already belonging to YHVH, and YHVH Himself is giving us the willingness and the ability to give Him what is His.
“But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly?”
Paul says in Romans 11:35, “Who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
Of course, the answer is nobody. And then he gives the reason: “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever” (Romans 11:36). In other words, the Bible really wants to discourage us from thinking of ourselves as originating any gift to YHVH. We are always receivers, even in our giving, and we should love to have it so.
Our giving to YHVH is really a getting. Our giving praise to YHVH is really getting joy in YHVH.
We delight to praise what we enjoy the most because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment.
When we "take from YHVH," in a spiritual sense, it often refers to actions or choices that distance us from Him, rather than seeking His guidance and relying on His grace.
YHVH gives and takes away, it is important to remember that all of YHVH's actions, both giving and taking, are ultimately for our good, even if we don't understand them fully in the moment.
This can include ignoring His teachings, prioritizing our own desires over His will, or failing to trust in YHVH's promises. Often people spend so much time trying to earn their own salvation instead of accepting the gift that YHVH has planned for them. Not trusting in YHVH's promises or His ability to provide for us can lead to a sense of emptiness and fear.
YHVH will restore in His divine power, YHVH will bring about a return to a state of wholeness or prosperity, often after a period of hardship or loss.
1 Peter 5:10
"And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Messiah, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast"
Jeremiah 30:17
"For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares YHVH, because they have called you an outcast: 'It is Zion, for whom no one cares!".
"YHVH will restore" as a promise of hope, a belief that even in times of difficulty, a divine power will ultimately bring about a positive outcome.
Be blessed and stay blessed ⚘️
Following in the Footsteps of my Savior. Where He walked my feet stand on Holy Ground
