According to a Pattern: The High Priest and the Tithe
According to a Pattern:
The High Priest and the Tithe
By
James Scott Trimm
The High Priest and the Tithe
By
James Scott Trimm
The Torah says:
And the assembly shall deliver the manslayer, out of the hand of the avenger of
blood, and the assembly shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he was fled. And he
shall dwell therein until the death of the High Priest, who was anointed with the Set-
Apart oil.
(Numbers 35:25)
Philo makes an interesting observation on this passage, he writes:
The fourth and last of the points which we proposed to discuss, is the appointing as a period for the return of the fugitives the death of the high priest, which, if taken in the literal sense, causes me great perplexity; for a very unequal punishment is imposed by this enactment on those who have done the very same things, since some will be in banishment for a longer time, and others for a shorter time; for some of the high priests live to a very old age, and others die very early, and some are appointed while young men, and others not until they are old. And again of those who are convicted of unintentional homicide, some have been banished at the beginning of the high priest's entrance into office, and some when the high priest has been at the very point of death. So that some are deprived of their country for a very long time, and others suffer the same infliction only for a day, if it chance to be so; after which they lift up their heads, and exult, and so return among those whose nearest relations have been slain by them. This difficult and scarcely explicable perplexity we may escape if we adopt the inner and allegorical explanation in accordance with natural philosophy. For we say that the high priest is not a man, but is the Word (Logos) of God, who has not only no participation in intentional errors, but none even in those which are involuntary.
(On Flight 106-108)
Elsewhere he writes:
XXVI. (82) But Melchisedek shall bring forward wine instead of water, and shall give your souls to drink, and shall cheer them with unmixed wine, in order that they may be wholly occupied with a divine intoxication, more sober than sobriety itself. For the Word is a priest, having, as its inheritance the true God, and entertaining lofty and sublime and magnificent ideas about him, "for he is the priest of the most high God."{38}{Genesis 14:18.} Not that there is any other God who is not the most high; for God being one, is in the heaven above, and in the earth beneath, and there is no other besides Him."{39}{Deuteronomy 4:39.} But he sets in motion the notion of the Most High, from his conceiving of God not in a low and grovelling spirit, but in one of exceeding greatness, and exceeding sublimity, apart from any conceptions of matter.
("De Allegoriis Legum," iii. 26).
Moreover Philo taught the “Word” (Logos) and the Messiah are one and the same:
"The head of all things is the eternal Word (Logos) of the eternal God, under which, as if it were his feet or other limbs, is placed the whole world, over which He passes and firmly stands. Now it is not because Messiah is Lord that He passes and sits over the whole world, for His seat with His Father and God but because for its perfect fullness the world is in need of the care and superintendence of the best ordered dispensation, and for its own complete piety, of the Divine Word (Logos), just as living creatures (need) a head, without which it is impossible to live."
(Q&A on Exodus, II, 117)
(...) And concerning what Scripture says, "In this year of Jubilee you shall return, everyone f you, to your property" (Lev. 25:13) And what is also written; "And this is the manner of the remission; every creditor shall remit the claim that is held against a neighbor, not exacting it of a neighbor who is a member of the community, because God`s remission has been proclaimed" (Deut.15:2) the interpretation is that it applies to the Last Days and concerns the captives, just as Isaiah said: "To proclaim the Jubilee to the captives" (Isa. 61:1) (...) just as (...) and from the inheritance of Melchizedek, for (... Melchizedek), who will return them to what is rightfully theirs. He will proclaim to them the Jubilee, thereby releasing them from the debt of all their sins. He shall proclaim this decree in the first week of the jubilee period that follows nine jubilee periods. Then the "Day of Atonement" shall follow after the tenth jubilee period, when he shall atone for all the Sons of Light, and the people who are predestined to Melchizedek. (...) upon them (...) For this is the time decreed for the "Year of Melchizedek`s favor", and by his might he will judge Elohim`s holy ones and so establish a righteous kingdom, as it is written about him in the Songs of David ; "An ELOHIM has taken his place in the council of EL; in the midst of the ELOHIM he holds judgment" (Ps. 82:1). Scripture also says about him; "Over it take your seat in the highest heaven; A divine being will judge the peoples" (Ps. 7:7-8) Concerning what scripture says ; " How long will you judge unjustly , and show partiality with the wicked? Selah" (Ps. 82:2), the interpretation applies to Belial and the spirits predestined to him, because all of them have rebelled, turning from Elohim`s precepts and so becoming utterly wicked. Therefore Melchizedek will thoroughly prosecute the vengeance required by Elohim`s statutes. Also, he will deliver all the captives from the power of Belial, and from the power of all the spirits destined to him. Allied with him will be all the "righteous ELOHIM"(Isa. 61:3). (The ...) is that whi(ch ...all) the ELOHIM.
The visitation is the Day of Salvation that He has decreed through Isaiah the prophet concerning all the captives, inasmuch as Scripture says, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion "Your ELOHIM reigns"." (Isa. 52:7) This scriptures interpretation : "the mountains" are the prophets, they who were sent to proclaim Elohim`s truth and to prophesy to all Israel. "The messengers" is the Anointed of the spirit, of whom Daniel spoke; "After the sixty-two weeks, an Anointed shall be cut off" (Dan. 9:26) The "messenger who brings good news, who announces Salvation" is the one of whom it is written; "to proclaim the year of YHWH`s favor , the day of the vengeance of our Elohim; to comfort all who mourn" (Isa. 61:2) This scripture’s interpretation: he is to instruct them about all the periods of history for eternity (... and in the statutes) of the truth. (...) (.... dominion) that passes from Belial and returns to the Sons of Light (....) (...) by the judgment of God, just as t is written concerning him; "who says to Zion "Your ELOHIM reigns" (Isa. 52:7) "Zion" is the congregation of all the sons of righteousness, who uphold the covenant and turn from walking in the way of the people. "Your ELOHIM" is Melchizedek, who will deliver them from the power of Belial. Concerning what scripture says, "Then you shall have the trumpet sounded loud; in the seventh month . . . " (Lev. 25;9)
(11Q13 Col. 2)
The Book of Hebrews in an extended homiletic Midrash on Psalm 110 which also identifies Messiah with the Melchizadek figure.
The Book of Hebrews deals with the Messiah and His work in the heavenly holy of holies. This is very important, because this is where the Messiah is and what He is doing right now. Right now the Messiah is serving as the
heavenly High Priest, of which the earthly High Priest is symbolic.
There are many things we can learn from the relationship between the Messiah and the earthly High Priest, and the
the earthly sanctuary and the heavenly sanctuary. As the Torah teaches us, the Tabernacle was "made after a pattern" and this is the basis for the book of Hebrews.
8 And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
9 According to all that I show you, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the
furniture thereof, even so shall you make it.
40 And see that you make them after their pattern, which is being shown you in the
mount.
(Exodus 25:8-9, 40)
... who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to
make the Tabernacle. For He said 'See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain'.
(Heb. 8:5)
Thus the earthly High Priest is symbolic of the Heavenly High Priest who is "A Priest forever after the order of Melchizadek":
20 Having entered in on our behalf previously, Yahushua became a Cohen Gadol
forever, after the order of Malki-Tzedek
(Heb. 6:20 HRV)
But if we look down just a few verses, we see that this conclusion arises because the High Priest receives the tithe:
4 Consider and see his greatness, which also Avraham our father, gave to him a tenth
from the spoil.
5 And also the sons of L'vi collect for the priesthood, having received a commandment
to collect the tithe from the people, according to the decree of the Torah. And this is of
their brothers, although having come from the loins of Avraham.
6 Truly he who is not from their tribe, has received the tithe from Avraham, and blessed
those, who are blessed, to him.
7 And behold, this no one disputes: that the lesser is blessed by the greater.
8 Behold here, sons of man which die, receive tithes: but sleep received he of whom it is
said that He lives.
9 For so to say, that to he who was accustomed to take the tithe, he also tithes through
Avraham.
10 For He was yet in the loins of the Father, when He met, he who was called Malki-
Tzedek.
(Heb. 7:4-10 HRV)
While it is generally accepted that the ancient Hebrews, in "Old Testament Times" paid one tenth of their income as the "tithe" to YHWH (Lev. 27:30-34), the teaching of the original followers of Yeshua on tithing is not so generally understood, despite the fact that the subject is well covered in the so-called "New Testament".
Now the priesthood in the Temple were supported by the tithe (Num. 18:21) but what many people do not realize is that this is also part of the detailed relationship between the Temple and its priesthood.
Therefore just as the tithe was paid to support the work of the earthly High Priest, we see in Hebrews that this was after the pattern of the heavenly High Priest, and that the Heavenly High Priest, the Messiah is also entitled to the use of the Tithe for the support of His work. The Messiah's laborers who "labor in the word" and who are proclaiming his goodnews, are conducting the Messiah's present day work. This is why Paul writes:
Also, I only, and Bar Nabba, have we not the power not to work?
Who is this who labors in the service (ministry) by the expanse of his nefesh?
Or who is he who plants a vineyard and from its fruit does not eat?
Or who is he who tends the flock and from the milk of his flock does not eat?
Do I say these [things] as a son of man?
Behold, the Torah also said these [things]. For it is written in the Torah of Moshe,
`You shall not muzzle the ox that threshes.' (Deut. 25:4)
It is a concern to Eloah about oxen? But, it is known that because of us he
said [it] and because of us it was written, because it is a need [that] the plowman plow unto hope and he who
threshes, unto the hope of the harvest. If we have sown spiritual [things] among you, is it a great [thing] if we
reap [things] of the flesh from you? … those who labor [in] the Beit Kodesh [the Temple] are sustained from the
Beit Kodesh and those who labor for the alter have a portion with the alter?
So also, our Adon commanded that those who are proclaiming his goodnews should live from his goodnews."
(1Cor. 9:6-14)
It is YHWH's intention that His true called laborers in the Word are worthy of their hire and must be free to serve Him alone, carrying this restoration message of Torah and Messiah BOLDLY. Therefore just as the work of the priesthood in the Temple was funded through YHWH's tithe, the work of the Heavenly High Priest as carried out by His laborers in the Word is likewise funded by the Tithe of YHWH.
If you do not feel this ministry is worthy of your tithe, then find one that is, and pay YHWH's tithe there.
We must, like our Messiah, be about our Father's business. It’s about time we as believers got back to the Faith once and for all delivered to the set apart ones! (Jude 1:3) The fact is that it costs money to carry on YHWH's work. And today's high-tech world is making it possible like never before for us to reach vast masses over great distances virtually instantaneously! The proclomation of the restoration truth of Torah and Messiah is a task of gigantic proportions, but it requires money. YHWH, in His infinite wisdom has provided for this financing, and in such manner that His true called laborers can be free to serve Him alone, carrying His Message boldly. Just as we would expect, this plan is plainly revealed in His Word.
HaSatan hates the tithe, he wants to steal the blessings that YHWH has in store for us, and he wants to destroy the work of YHWH. He is terrified at the thought of Nazarenes all over the world tithing. If we wish to stand against HaSatan we must start by getting serious about the Tithe. Go ahead... test YHWH and see if he does not repay you seven fold in His blessings!
HaSatan wishes "to steal and to kill and to destroy" (Jn. 10:10) and he knows the time is short and has stepped up his war with those who proclaim both Torah Observance and Faith in Messiah (the two pillars of Nazarene Judaism) (Rev. 12:12, 17; 13:7). But no weapon forged against us will prosper (Is. 54:17).
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