Acharei Mot-Kedoshim “After the Death” - “holy”
It is customary for religiously practicing Jews to read from an annual cycle of weekly Old Testament readings called Torah Portions. This is said to be the same reading schedule that was taught every Sabbath in the Synagogues during the times of Jesus in the first century.
As Christians exploring the Torah portion cycle we must maintain a balance of including the Old Testament, the prophets, and the gospels in our weekly bible study.
Torah Portion Name and Readings-
Acharei Mot-Kedoshim is a double Torah portion. Acharei mot are the Hebrew word for “after the death”, while kedoshim is the Hebrew word for “holy”, this is the name for the weekly Torah Portion reading for the Leviticus starting in chapter 16 verse 1 and going through chapter 20 and verse 27.
Prophets and New Testament-
It is also important to point out that along with the Torah portion readings and teachings, there are what are called Haftarah portions which are readings from the Bible in the books of the prophets. This week’s haftarah readings come from the book of Amos in chapter 9 verse 7 through verse 15.
The gospel readings incorporated with the weekly Torah portion readings come from the book of Mark in chapter 12 with verses 28 through verse 34.
Torah Portion Overview-
In this torah portion, Israel received the laws for the Day of Atonement, the most holy day. Restrictions were laid down for the slaughtering of oxen, lambs, and goats. They were to first be offered as a sacrifice and the blood poured out. Eating blood was forbidden, and a distinction made between the laws of Egypt and Canaan and the laws of Yahweh. Next Israel was given laws of sexual impropriety and forbidding sacrificing children to Molech. They were to be holy, honor their father and mother, keep the Sabbaths, and were not to make idols. Restrictions were made on how the sacrifice of well-being (peace offering) was to be eaten. Next came assorted commandments; regarding giving to the poor, honesty, justice, gossip, love your neighbor, the mixing of animals and seeds, improper sexual relations with slaves, the harvest of trees, restriction on drinking blood, witchcraft, and improper mourning for the dead, forbidden prostitution of daughters, respect for the elderly, kindness to aliens, and forbidden improper measurements. More assorted commands regarding punishment for worship of Molech, forbidden occult practices, and the cursing of parents. Some punishments were laid out; punishment of adultery and improper sexual relations. Israel was given the reason for all these commands. Israel shall inherit the land and therefore eat clean and be holy. If they behave in these wicked ways then the land would vomit them out! Lastly they were commanded on punishment of occultists.
Today I want to focus on the Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement was the most holy day, set aside as the one day a year that the High Priest could enter behind the veil and go before the Ark of the Covenant. During this time he would offer sacrifices that would atone and cleanse. Most people believe that the focus of this atonement was the people, a way to cleanse them of their sin. However, the focus of the atonement was the cleansing of the Tabernacle (and later Temple), the altar where the sacrifices were offered, the Holy Place, and then the people.
“Thus he shall make atonement for the sanctuary, because of the uncleannesses of the Israelites and because of their transgressions, all their sins, and so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which remains with them in the midst of their uncleanness.”
Leviticus 16:16 (NRSVue)
“Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement on its behalf and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat and put it on each of the horns of the altar. He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times and cleanse it and sanctify it from the uncleannesses of the Israelites.”
Leviticus 16:18-19 (NRSVue)
“When he has finished atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. Then Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the Israelites, and all their transgressions, all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat and sending it away into the wilderness by means of someone designated for the task. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a barren region, and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness.”
Leviticus 16:20-22 (NRSVue)
Thus, during the Day of Atonement the Tabernacle and worship system were cleansed. That with the cleansing of the people brought about a reset of the clean system, where Israel was once again clean and could enter into worship. All their sins were cleansed.
“This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the Israelites once in the year for all their sins.” And Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.”
Leviticus 16:34 (NRSVue)
However, there were several weaknesses of this system that the author of Hebrews points out. The primary problem with the Day of Atonement was that it did not cleanse the heavenly temple. Yet the sacrifice of Jesus did cleanse the heavens and the elements of worship.
“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
Hebrews 9:22-28 (ESV)
The first time I read this verse I was shocked! Why would heaven need to be cleaned?! What could possibly make an element of heaven unclean?! How is this possible?! Yet the author of Hebrews says that it was in need of a cleansing. But why?
I believe the answer is in Adam. When Jesus created the heavens and the earth (John 1:3) He was creating a cosmic temple. Many authors, including John Walton, have pointed this out. The language used of Adam’s work, to tend and keep the garden, is the same words used to describe the work of priests (Numbers 4:24, 37, 41, 8:25, etc) and Levites (Numbers 1:53, 3:7, 3:28).
“Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Genesis 2:15 (NKJV)
Thus the role of Adam was not just as a king, but was also as a priest. At the time of Adam’s priesthood in the garden heaven and earth were united in one cosmic temple. Thus when Adam fell and sinned the heavenly temple was made unclean. Yet the sacrifices offered during the Day of Atonement could do nothing to cleanse the heavenly temple. And so it remained in need of cleansing until the sacrifice of Jesus, when He ascended to heaven and cleansed it.
“These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,”
Hebrews 9:6-9 (ESV)
The sacrifice of Christ cleansed our conscience. He wiped clean what no sacrifice could, our hearts and minds that remember all our past sins! We are free, not only of the bondage of sin, but also of its memory.
“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
Hebrews 9:13-14 (ESV)
We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:15-16, Ephesians 2:19-22, 1 Peter 2:5). Not only this, but our heart and mind are the focal point of our bodily temple, just as the Holy Place was the focal point of the Tabernacle and Temple. In the Holy Place was the Ark of the Covenant, in which was placed the tablets of the law. We have the law written on our heart. Thus, our heart is like an Ark. The Ark of the Covenant was the footstool, and so too is our heart. Where we go, the presence of God goes.
True worship of Yahweh has been restored. The cosmic temple has been restored, the great work of Christ has prepared the cosmic temple for the worship of God. However, we are not limited to one day a year. Every day we may come to Him in worship, presenting ourselves, bearing His Holy Spirit within us. When we go, He goes, when we walk, He walks! We must live as those who represent Yahweh, bear His name, and carry Him! Love God, that is what we must do, worship Him, and follow after Him with a whole heart!
Torah Portion Scriptural Highlights-
Leviticus 16:1 The laws for the Day of Atonement.
Leviticus 17:1 All ox, lamb, and goat’s that are slaughtered are to first be brought to the Tabernacle as a sacrifice or else they are guilty of bloodshed and cut off.
Leviticus 17:10 The law restricting the eating of blood.
Leviticus 18:1 You shall keep the commandments of Yahweh not the nations of Egypt or Canaan.
Leviticus 18:6 Laws of sexual impropriety and forbidding sacrificing children to Molech.
Leviticus 19:1 Be holy, honor your father and mother, keep the Sabbaths, do not make idols.
Leviticus 19:5 Restrictions on how the sacrifice of well-being (peace offering) shall be eaten.
Leviticus 19:9 Assorted commands regarding giving to the poor, honesty, justice, gossip, love your neighbor, the mixing of animals and seeds, improper sexual relations with slaves, the harvest of trees, restriction on drinking blood, witchcraft, and improper mourning for the dead, forbidden prostitution of daughters, respect for the elderly, kindness to aliens, and forbidden improper measurements.
Leviticus 20:1 More assorted commands regarding punishment for worship of Molech, forbidden occult practices, and the cursing of parents.
Leviticus 20:10 Punishment of adultery and improper sexual relations.
Leviticus 20:24 Israel shall inherit the land and therefore eat clean and be holy.
Leviticus 20:27 Punishment of occultists.
Haftarah (Prophets) Scriptural Highlights-
Amos 9:7 God will destroy Israel but will not utterly destroy them.
Amos 9:11 Israel will be restored.
Brit (Gospel) Scriptural Highlights-
Mark 12:28 Jesus answers the scribes challenge on the Greatest Commandment.
Further Study-
Naked Bible 76: Leviticus 16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxTodNyjBMA
To Watch an overview of this week’s Torah Portion CLICK HERE