Lesson date: 03/06/5856AA

Verse 1 – “And (He)Moshe assembled” וַיַקְהֵל ((And he assembled)) the root word being qahal. In the LXX we see the word συναθροίζω – G4867 – sunathroizō used as a helping verb meaning to “call out or called out” and the word for congregation is συναγωγή – G4864 – sunagōgē – synogogue congregation or assembly used in this instance for assembly or congregation. Another Greek word often used to mean congregation or assembly is ἐκκλησία – G1577 – ekklēsia – “a calling out or a meeting”. Qahal and ekklesia both represent the Bride and do not mean a building whereas sunagoge can mean a building.

I recently found a quote from Josephus which finally tells us which language the B’rit Hadasha was written. Remember, Josephus, born a Jew in A.D. 37 rose to the rank of general, he was the son of a Levitical priest and became a Pharisee as a teenager and was a very educated and, an erudite man who was also a prolific writer of Jewish history. Listen to his quote about the Greek language, which he spoke until the end of his life after his capture by the Romans: “I have also taken a great deal of pains to obtain the learning of the Greeks, and to understand the elements of the Greek language, although I have so accustomed myself to speak our own tongue, that I cannot pronounce Greek with sufficient exactness. For our nation does not encourage those that learn the language of many nations. On this account, as there have been many who have done their endeavors, with great patience, to obtain the Greek learning, there have hardly been two or three who have succeeded herein, who were immediately rewarded for their pains.” – Antiquities XX, XI 2.(published circa A.D. 93)

Now, notice the date attributed to the quote. The apostles did not speak or write in Greek and here is another quote to prove it: “The Jewish rabbis of that time forbade the teaching of pagan tongues to their young men. They taught that it was preferable to feed one‘s son the flesh of swine than to teach him Greek.” The language of Yisra’el was Aramaic/Hebrew, not Greek.

Verse 2-3 – The Sabbath – Why on Earth was this put in this location?

Isa 58:13 “If you do turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My set-apart day, and shall call the Sabbath ’a delight,’ the set-apart day of יהוה ‘esteemed,’ and shall esteem it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words,

Isa 58:14 then you shall delight yourself in יהוה. And I shall cause you to ride on the heights of the earth, and feed you with the inheritance of Ya‛aqoḇ your father. For the mouth of יהוה has spoken!”

Act 15:21 “For from ancient generations Mosheh has, in every city, those proclaiming him – being read in the congregations every Sabbath.”

Jas 3:5 So too the tongue is a little member, yet boasts greatly. See how a little fire kindles a great forest!

Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, the world of unrighteousness. Among our members the tongue is set, the one defiling the entire body, and setting on fire the wheel of life, and it is set on fire by GěHinnom.

Jas 3:7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.

Jas 3:8 But no man is able to tame the tongue. It is unruly, evil, filled with deadly poison.

I have included these Scriptures to show that we should be reading, speaking and proclaiming the Words of Elohim on Shabbat, not man’s words, which can set on fire the “wheel” of life. Man’s words destroy but YHVH’s Words bring everlasting life.

Verse 4 – Moshe spoke, “The is the Word which Elohim Commanded”. Remember who Moshe is, Torah. Who is the Word? Yeshua.

Verses 5-19 – Taking up a contribution which would be the materials needed for the Tabernacle.

1. Gold = ?
2. Silver = ?
3. Bronze = ?
4. Blue Material = ?
5. Purple Material = ?
6. Scarlet Material = ?
7. Fine Linen = ?
8. Goats hair = ?
9. Ram’s Skin = ?
10. Fine Leather = ?
11. Acacia Wood = ?
12. Pressed olive oil = ?
13. Spices/Incense = ?
14. Shoham/other stones = ?

In verse 10 who is being spoken to? (Hint: Ecc 5:4 When you make a vow to Elohim, do not delay to pay it, for He takes no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you have vowed.) (Another hint: Psa 147:11 יהוה takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who wait for His loving-commitment.)

Verse 18 tells us that they were even to provide the tent pegs, which were made of bronze. What do they represent?

Verse 22 – The items brought are in addition to the items that were used to make the golden calf. Remember, it was ground up and placed into water and the people had to drink the bitter water. The gold used to make the calf could not be used to make any part of the Tabernacle. It must be clean gold. There is a beautiful picture here. What did the earrings represent?

Verses 25-26 – Wise hearted women, women whose hearts filled them with wisdom. 1Co_14:34 Let your women be silent in the assemblies, for they are not allowed to speak, but let them subject themselves, as the Torah also says.

I have a problem reconciling these Scriptures. Where in Torah does it say for a woman to remain silent?

Verses 30-35 – When we do YHVH’s Work it is a gift of Elohim.