Torah Commentary Archives

Ki Tisa (When You Take)

Exodus 30:11-34:35

1Kings 18:1-39

Luke 11:14-20

Acts 7:35-8:1

1Corinthians 10:1-13

2Corinthians 3:1-18

Not Without Him

This Torah portion is so rich with many different subjects. Right from the beginning we read about the half shekel to be received from each Hebrew. No matter if a person is rich or poor; the amount is to be the same. It is a way of showing the people they stand before their Creator, equal in spirit, no matter the status they have achieved in physical wealth and honor. This is a great principal to heed in, and live out in our day. So much of society and religious systems are based on what a person has acquired instead of a person's character. We will be taught later in Leviticus that if greater honor is to be given to a person it should never be done so based on physical wealth, but rather by something that cannot be purchased, wisdom. It is achieved by living a long life according to YH VH's principles.

Following the half shekel we see two men are chosen to head up the building of the Tabernacle, B'tzal'el and Oholi'av. I have often thought about these men and wonder if they were the least likely to be called to this job. Was it possible they were known as the total klutzes in Egypt so when the announcement was made that they were to lead the project, there was a gasp or laughter in the crowd? This thought process is not about them, but it has always given me hope when looking in my own mirror. Yah normally calls those who know they cannot do the job in their own power. Yah uses the simple to confound the wise! Not sure about you, but I find myself in total humility when the Creator of the Universe gives me a job I don't have a clue about and then anoints me to accomplish the task. Amazing!

Now we come to the infamous golden calf. This is one of the two greatest failures of the Hebrews in the wilderness. The account shows us what happens when we lack patience to wait on YH VH. The incident reveals what a lack of strong leadership brings in a community. It also exposes the wicked and deceitful heart that desires to change Yah into an image we can deal with easier and more to our liking.

The highlight of this Torah portion for me is found after the calf incident. It is revealed in the attitude and wisdom of Moshe. In Chapter 33 we see a bit of negotiating going on between Elohim and Moshe. The picture I get is like playing mini golf with my six year old grandson. In the end, we all know who is going to win. It is the participation in the game that reveals the attitudes and character of those playing.  In the end, the game shares a good life lesson while having some fun and developing relationship.

We all know the account of the negotiations. It begins with neither Elohim nor Moshe really wanting to take ownership through leadership of this people. Moshe finally decides to move on with them and Elohim finds it a good idea for Moshe to continue, but He is going to stay back and watch from a distance. It is here that Moshe makes one of the most important statements in all of Scripture, “If Your presence doesn't go with us, don't make us go on from here.” This is a statement which can be looked at on so many levels. Did Moshe know that without His presence they would fail? Yes. Did he know they would be defeated along the way? Yes? Did he consider the miracles would cease and they would have to find their own food and water? Maybe, what about another level though?

Could Moshe's statement have nothing to do with the people? What if the statement was based on nothing, but pure love for his Creator? Moshe did not desire to move on without Yah because of his love for Him. Could he have considered the great task of leading the people and the fame he could have through history, but could not bear the thought of going on without the One who had called him friend? Ponder that one for a while or as Scripture would say, selah. Selah means to think on something in light of eternal considerations.

Years ago while I was pastoring a church in North Florida, I began to ask myself what part of our services could be done if “God” did not show up. How would the lack of His presence change our opening prayer, our music, the offering or even the preaching? This was a thought which produced a level of fear in me as I realized most of what we were doing could be done whether He and His presence was there or not. In fact, we could even look and sound just as good with or without Him. What would be the difference? As I thought through this I came to a conclusion. We could look and sound good with or without Him and even feel good while doing it, but without Him there would be no lasting change in people's lives. We could make things look and sound good on the outside, but He held the key to making changes on the inside.

What does this say to us today? Can we change some pronunciations of words, days and diets, but still be the same people we were before? I don't believe you need me to tell me the answer to that one. Where is the burning desire for His presence within our camps today? Have we moved on toward our destiny without Him? Are we satisfied to simply go through new motions of the same old system and call it all good?

These are questions I cannot answer for you or anyone else, but only for me. This Torah portion brings forth conviction in me, causing me to reflect on where I am personally. Gratefully, it brings me back to the desire to echo the words of Moshe, “If your presence doesn't go with us, don't make us go on from here.”

Side note: After writing this I took my six year old grandson, not to mini golf, but bowling. He beat me! Of course, he was using bumpers, but really? New level of “Pride comes before a fall.”