April 13, 2021

Our Clay Vessels, and relative spiritual expressions in Scripture

This past Shabbat’s (Sabbath) Torah Portion [Lev 9:1-11:47, for the weekly reading], in Hebrew is called, “Shmini,” or the “Eighth.” It begins in Leviticus 9:1:

“And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;”

As Yahweh had instructed Moses, just previously, he was performing the rituals of consecration and ordination for Aaron and his sons, for seven days, getting them ready for duties of the Priesthood. Moses had called Aaron and the elders of Israel to come together, and Aaron and his sons were to offer up sacrifices for prescribed reasons, as noted in the text. Following this ritual, with Yahweh’s acceptance, Lev 9:24, everything seemed orderly.

However, shortly thereafter, Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu offered “strange fire” before the LORD, which He commanded then not. Lev 10:1; causing Yahweh to react to devour them in a fiery response instantly… and Moses said, “This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.” Lev 10:3 KJV. We then read of the Rules for Priest, and the requirement for them to be sober and holy when doing the priestly services… throughout all their generations, and God said: “And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses. Lev 10:10-11 KJV.

We now come to the famous “food section,” of the Torah… concerning clean and unclean animals… suitable for God’s people to eat. And strangely, there is a section in Lev 11:32-33, that singles out earthen vessels as being rendered unclean, if any of the unclean critters named, being dead, should fall upon it… that earthen vessel must be broken, unlike all the other mentioned vessels that could be used if properly washed. The Torah Portion closes with Yahweh mandating sanctification for His people, because “He” is Holy, saying, “...therefore, ye shall be holy, for I am holy.” Lev 11:45 KJV

I was listening to a message on this Torah Portion, and a good bit of the commentary was discussing this clay, or earthenware vessel… and how little worth was in the physical vessel itself. That the value of the contents were what really mattered. There was also reference to Yeshua’s criticism of the man-made legalism of the Pharisees concerning washing of hands before eating, Mark 7:1-23 KJV. Where Yeshua said it was what came out of a man, from an unclean heart, that defiled a man… not the act of eating with unwashed hands. And that the outside of “whitewashed” tombs looked good, but inside they were full of dead men's bones. Mat 23:27

Thus, the cleanliness of the inside of the vessel was the main concern. However, there may be the simple matter of learning obedience. Just do it because Yahweh said to do it. I know that is sometimes hard to accept… however, Yahweh makes the rules, we can only make the choices. Perhaps, for our own good, it is that we need to be broken vessels when in an unclean state… and maybe Yahweh does not want a glued together vessel; I have repaired broken vases and they always look defiled. We are told in Ezekiel 11:19, and Eze 36:26, that Yahweh is going to remove our stone hearts and replace them with hearts of flesh… a stone heart can’t be circumcised, and as Paul notes:

“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:” Col 2:11 KJV

I have one other thought, that being… what if your best and most useful “earthen vessel” was the defiled one… how hard would it be for you to break it? Do we place too much value upon ourselves to simply “do” what the Scriptures say. The good news is that when we willingly break our unclean vessel, Yahweh provides a born-again new creation that conforms to His image… obedience is a sanctuary free of uncleanliness.

Shalom… John