Weekly Drash - Tzav

Compliments of First Fruits of Zion
reprinted by permission of FFOZ

Parashat Hashavuah

Tzav - צב : “Command”
Torah : Leviticus 6:1–8:36 (6:8–8:36)
Haftarah : Jeremiah 7:21–8:3; 9:22–23
Gospel : Luke 4–6

The Imperishable

Thought for the Week:

In 1 Corinthians 15:53, Paul speaks of the resurrection, saying, “This perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” He is speaking of the resurrection of the dead. As a Pharisee and a follower of Yeshua from Nazareth, Paul was a firm believer in the resurrection of the dead. He looked forward to that day when our failing mortal flesh will be transformed into an immortal state.

Commentary:

But what is left over from the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire. (Leviticus 7:17)

The transformation from mortality to immortality, from corruption to incorruptibility, is alluded to in the laws of sacrifice. In Leviticus 7:16–18, the LORD commands that the meats of the sacrificial service are not to remain beyond the third day.

A person who offered a peace offering was to eat the meat of the sacrifice within two days. Anyone who ate of a sacrifice from the altar on the third day or later invalidated the sacrifice. What is worse, the penalty for eating of the peace offering on the third day was to be “cut off.” Three days after the slaughter, the meat would have begun to turn rancid. The Tabernacle, as an earthly reflection of the heavenly dwelling place of God, naturally shuns death and mortal corruption. Though the sacrificial system requires the death of the sacrifice, it avoids the decomposition of the sacrificial meats. Better that the meat be burned than decompose. The same striving toward incorruptibility explains why all the sacrifices were salted, as Leviticus 2:13 says, “With all your offerings you shall offer salt.” Salt was used as a preservative. This is the same reason the resinous shittim wood was used in the construction of the Tabernacle. Like cedar wood, salt was resistant to decay. All the elements of the Tabernacle were designed to mirror immortality.

The sacrifices and the Tabernacle worship were all about life, the imperishable world and the worship of the Immortal One. That is why they were to be kept separate from death, corruption and human mortality.

The Master’s resurrection on the third day is linked to the peace offerings. The third day was the day the sacrifice would become invalid because putrefaction would commence. The Master rose after three days, as Scripture says of Him, “You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor allow your Holy One to undergo decay.” (Acts 2:27, quoting Psalm 16:10) His flesh did not experience decay. He is the Imperishable One.

The worship system of the Tabernacle foreshadows our transformation in Messiah. Through the resurrection in Messiah, our bodies will be changed from corruptible to incorruptible. We will pass from the mortal to the immortal:

For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:53–55)

Shavuah Tov!  Have a Good Week!

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