Acharei Mot, After the Death and
Qedoshim, Holy Ones
Vayiqra (Lev) 16:1 – 20:27
Ezekiel 20:2-20; 22:1-19; Amos 9:7-15
Romans 3:19-28; 9:30 – 10:13,Galatians 3:10-14
Matthew 5:33-48, 15:1-11;
I Peter 1:13-21
The greatest fear people face in life is the fear of death. There is no escaping its inevitability. Forces of evil manipulate even young people with its threats in our world, where the causes of death are ramping up. Recent statistics prove that more people are dying in our world than ever before. What does it take for the forces of death to be arrested and for life to reign, even in death? We all long for it.
What was Worn After the Death
After the death of the two sons of Aaron, Yah made provision for life to reign in His people. He made a way to atone for all sin, the wages of which is death (Rom 6:23).
How do we see how YHWH our Elohim accomplishes this awesome feat of conquering our greatest enemy – death? Our Torah portion ‘After the Death’ shows us how.
One way the Torah points to life overcoming death is through the service of the high priest on Yom Kippur, starting with what he wore. On the holiest day of all holy days, the one day the high priest was commanded to enter the Holy of Holies, why did he wear nothing but white linen (Lev 16:4)? Why not all the other colorful garments with gold from his turban plate down to the bells on the bottom hem of his garment?
After the death of the Messiah, when Simon Peter and another disciple came into the tomb, it was Peter who first found linen wrappings left where His body had lain.
Simon Peter, therefore, comes, following him, and he entered the tomb and beholds the linen clothes lying there, and the napkin that was on His head not lying with the linen clothes, but apart, having been folded up, in one place. John 20:6-7
What did Yeshua reveal to him by this finding?
- ‘In Jewish etiquette, if one has enjoyed the fellowship meal (and would like to return if invited), the custom is to fold one’s napkin neatly and place it to the side of one’s setting. If we reread about Yeshua’s Resurrection with this in mind we can see how Yeshua observed this etiquette even in his death and new life.’ (nazareneisrael.org)
- Through keeping this tradition, Messiah Yeshua was sending a message to Simon Peter and to all the Jews to whom Peter would be commissioned that the Father in Heaven had approved of His sacrificial offering as the Passover Lamb.
- The folded napkin was evidence that no one had stolen the body of the Messiah. There was no haste or violent removal when the body of Messiah left the grave. Yeshua was way cool rising from the dead, folding His face napkin and setting it aside like a good Jew would do! I imagine He then calmly walked out of the tomb through the opening, where the angel had rolled away the huge sealed stone. He may have dusted Himself off before going on with His day. He’s so awesome!
- The Master Yeshua was not against Jewish tradition, nor did He do away with his Jewishness, even after rising from the dead in a glorified body. I believe He was indicating to Peter that his being a Jew was not being done away with either, although He had to correct him later with a vision to show not to call Gentiles unclean and disassociate with whom He had cleansed by His blood.
Yeshua left His burial garments behind and put on new garments, indicating a transfer of priesthood from the Levitical to Malchi-Tzedek priestly service taking place at that time.
The Garment Thread
In his notes, Bill Cloud asked a good question about where Yeshua got what He wore when He appeared to Mary Magdalene after His death. What garments was He wearing and would that have anything to do with Mary thinking He was a gardener? (John 20:15)
Mary’s eyes were bleary from weeping, but she still would have noticed if He would have been wearing the common garments of authority figures, like what kings and priests wore. So He must have been wearing plain garments for her to see Him as a gardener.
Of all the garments described in the Scriptures, what could the Messiah have been wearing that would have fulfilled the work He had to do after the resurrection?
The only garments that were plain, not ornate with gold, silver, blue, purple, or scarlet, were the garments that the high priest wore on one day of the year – Yom Kippur.
“And the priest, who is anointed and ordained to serve as a priest in his father’s place, shall make atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, the set-apart garments…” Leviticus 16:32
Only plain linen garments were commanded? Why? Could it be in part because Yeshua would show up before Mary as a gardener, being part of the plan from the beginning?
Back to the Garden
In the Garden, man and woman fell into sin initially. That’s not only when death entered into all mankind, but when death reigned because of that first sin.
For if by the one man’s transgression, death reigned through the one, how much more shall those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Messiah Yeshua? So then, through the transgression of one, condemnation came to all men; likewise, through the righteousness of One came justification of life to all men. Romans 5:17-18
Thank You, Yeshua! Yeshua arrested death and the life of God was released through the work of His death, burial, and resurrection! He took back the keys to death and hell! For those who trust in Yeshua’s atoning work of salvation, the reign of death is finished for the believer, that we might reign in life through One Yeshua the Messiah!
‘Death Was Arrested’ by Aaron Shust is one of my favorite songs of all. It tells my salvation story and builds me up in my faith in the resurrected Lord and Savior, Yeshua.
How is it that a believer passes from the reign of death to the reign of eternal life?
Mary Magdalene, A Shadow Type
Yeshua being the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), Mary Magdalene was a type of Israel that the Messiah had delivered and redeemed. Yeshua had cast out seven devils out of Mary (Mark 16:9). She was one of the women that followed Yeshua with the twelve disciples who ‘had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses.’ Luke 8:2
If Mary is a type of Eve, the first woman to see Adam raised up from the dust of the earth, then she’s also a type of the extremely redeemed Bride of the last Adam, Yeshua.
Like Mary, the Bride of Messiah will have to be delivered of all evil spirits and sicknesses before His second coming. I believe that in the final great revival, we will experience deliverances of demons that will leave those set free completely delivered. The number seven signifies a complete work and covenantal relationship. Never before has there been a time when demons and unclean spirits need to be cast out of people as now!
Like Mary Magdalene and the woman with the alabaster box anointing Yeshua for burial (Luke 7:39-50), the Bride who is forgiven much will also be the Bride who loves much. Her deep appreciation for the mercies of our Savior and her burning love for Him will bring her to the midnight hour with her lamps full of oil, watching intently for the Lover of her soul. Nothing in the world will distract her from looking for Him coming for her.
Pray for the Lord of the Harvest to send out the laborers, for the fields are ripe for harvest. Pray that each of us would be preparing our garments, cleansing our souls, and preparing ourselves. Pray we would be like the five wise virgins with lamps full.
Our Heavenly High Priest
For the first time in the Torah cycle, we find that YHWH commanded Moshe and Aharon not to enter into the Holy of Holies, Qodesh Ha’Qodeshim, except for one day of the year. That one day is known to be the most holy day of all the year – Yom Kippur.
Who is the anointed priest, the Mashiyach, ordained in His Father’s place today to serve Him there? Of course, Yeshua the Messiah now serves as our priest in the Heavenly Holy of Holies after the priestly order of Malchi-Tzedeq. (Hebrews Chapters 5, 7 & 10)
How is this work of atonement different than other atonements found in the Torah?
And he shall make atonement for the Most Set-apart Place, make atonement for the Tent of Appointment and the slaughter-place, and make atonement for the priests and all the people of the assembly. Leviticus 16:33
The work of atonement on the Day of Atonement, in Hebrew – Yom Ha’Kippurim, is for all the people of the assembly. In other words, that day will be a day of national redemption, a day of cleansing from sin for everyone in the whole house of Israel.
Has that day been fulfilled yet? Is the whole house of Israel cleansed and redeemed from all their sins today? How about in our Hebrew Roots Community that you and I are a part of? The obvious answer is that the fall festivals have not been fulfilled – yet.
But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Messiah, all will be made alive. But each in his order:
Messiah the first fruits, after that those who are Messiah’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 1 Corinthians 15:20-26
What a glorious day that will be, when sin is done and death is arrested for good!
BaShem Yeshua HaMashiyach – our victorious and risen LORD and Savior!
David Klug
Absolutely beautiful said thank you David!