It is the 8th day of the 11th biblical calendar month and the 20th day of the 1st month of the Roman calendar, 2024.
I pray, trust, and hope that this week’s thoughts and reflections find you, your families, and your fellowships well in blessed, especially in these trying times.
This is “There’s a Little of Balaam in all of Us.” It is the 116th reading or portion of the 3 years Torah Reading Cycle.
This week’s reading is the beginning of what some scholars call “The Balaam Oracles” (chapters 22-24). As we progress through this and the next couple of readings, you will understand why they are called “The Balaam Oracles.” There are seven oracles in all.
Our reading on this wintry Sabbath morning is found in Numbers 22:2-40; It’s Haftarah reading in Micah 7:16-20, and the apostolic reading in 1 Peter 5:5-7.
(22.2) Balak, King of Moab, becomes fearful of us when he sees our great numbers encamping just outside the borders of his country. His fears mount upon learning that we, through Yehovah’s mighty hand, had recently defeated his regional neighbors, the Amorites. (Recall that we handily defeated the King of Ammon, Sihon, as recorded in our last reading: 21:21, 25-26, 31-32. He sees what we are capable of.
Balak’s fears are justified. Moab is next on Yah’s list of nations marked for destruction. Recall also in last week’s reading that we sang a song of the impending defeat of Moab:
Woe to you, Moab. You are ruined, O people of Chemosh!45 He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters the prisoners of King Sihon of the Amorites. (Num 21:29 NET)
Who was Balak?
We know very little about Balak, other than that he was the king of Moab at the time of this reading.
The root of Balak means “to lay waste or devastation” or to “break and split,” or “crusher and breaker.” This should give us some background as to the caliber of leader we were facing. The Moabites were worshipers of Chemosh.
Rashi (aka Rabbi Shlomo ben Isaac, a French, Hebrew scholar and Jewish commentator of the 11th century), contends that the Moabites relied on Sihon and Og for their protection (Feinberg, Jeffrey, Walk Numbers Bible Commentary). Now that Sihon and Og were gone, Moab needed another protector against potential aggressors and threats, as he saw in us.
(22:3) So Moab (aka the Canaanites) is terrified (i.e. “gur” denotes extreme fear or terror) that we will do to them what we did to the Amorites. Moshe notes the dread that Moab had over our numbers being so close to their nation. We encamped right up against Moab’s borders, as Balak described (22:5).
Who Were the Moabites?
Who were the Moabites? Moabites, often referred to as Canaanites, occupied Moab. Moab was situated east of the Dead Sea.
Moabites are descendants of Lot (aka Avraham’s nephew by Lot’s eldest daughter, Ge 19:37), the Moabites came into possession of their land after Yah disposed of the land’s previous inhabitants, the Anakites (aka the Emim, related to the Anunnaki or Raphaim; a race of giants (Deu 2:10-11)). Yah removed them because they were an abominable people. It’s conceivable also that Yah devoted the Emim, being of corrupted Raphaim or Anunnaki descent for destruction. It is conceivable that the Moabites took on some of the previous occupants abominations, either religiously or biologically, which Yah said disqualified them from entering our congregation up to the 10th generation (Deu 23:3). Whatever the problem, Yah wanted the filth of the Moabites bred out of them before He would accept them into our commonwealth. The Moabite Ruth was engrafted into the commonwealth of Yira’el through her marriage to Boaz (Rut 1:22; 2:6; 4:10). She would bear children who would be the forefathers of King David and our Master Yeshua Messiah.
Isn’t it amazing that Yehovah would work through even a fallen race of humanity such as the Moabites to bring us the Savior? Indeed, our God is an awesome God!
A Midian Confederacy in Moab
(22:4) Balak approaches the elders of Midian for help. Who were the Midians?
Midianites were descendants of Avraham and his second wife, Keturah (Gen 25:1-2). Many centuries later, Moshe would flee to Midian and marry a Midianite (Exo 2:15-16). Moshe would have a close relationship with his father-in-law, Jethro, a Midianite priest. Jethro and his family lived in Midian. Moshe would have spent many years in Midian as he raised his family and took up shepherding as a vocation (Exo 3:1).
Turns out that Mount Sinai, or the Mountain of Elohim (in Horeb) is near Midian. And on Yah’s Mountain, Moshe meets the Elohim of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov and Yah commissions him to lead us out of Egyptian Captivity.
It’s hard to fathom why Midianites would side with the Moabite king, Balak, against us. Moshe’s wife and her family were Midianites. It would seem, then, that the Midianites would be, at the very least, impartial if not favorable towards us.
We should not become confused at the mention of Balak conferring with Midianite elders. Our story takes place within and just outside the borders of Moab, not Midian. I bring this up to affirm that these Midianite elders were not from Midian proper, but were Midian transplants living in Moab. Given that these had not recognized ties with us, it makes sense that these elders would be in solidarity with their hometown king. This just goes to show how fluid migrations and integrations of nation tribes were back then.
Midian was a confederation of people and part of the larger Midian population cohabiting Moab, submitting themselves to Balak’s rulership (Gen 36:35). Some have presumed that Balak was a Midianite. Beyond these tidbits, the actual relationship that Midian and Moab shared is uncertain. We do not find any additional record about Midian in relation to this story. However, we will see in future readings that they factor heavily in Balak’s and Balaam’s plan to take us down.
Balak Reaches Out to a Diviner for Help
(22:5) Balak sends messengers to Balaam of Pethor.
Pethor, a town in Mesopotamia, was roughly 400 miles from Moab.
Balaam’s father was Beor. Remember in the previous reading that the King of Edom denied us travel through his country? Well, turns out Beor was the Edomite king’s father. Thus, Balaam and the Edomite king were descendants of Esau. Both are our mortal enemies.
Balaam crops up many times throughout scripture: Num 22-24; 31:8; Deu 23:5-6; Jos 13:22; 24:9-10; Mic 6:5; Neh 13:2; 2 Pet 2:15; Rev 2:14.
When broken into component Hebrew parts, “bal” and “’am”, carries meanings ranging from “he who belongs not to the people” to “destroyer or conqueror of people” (Gleason Archer et al., Theological Workbook of the OT (TWOT)). His two-fold-persona was that of a charmer and conjurer. There is even a possibility that his esoteric teachings may have influenced Nikolaos of the Pergamum Assembly (Rev 2:12-17). We’ll talk more about this at the end of our time together.
A Little Background on Balaam
So, we have a biographical background on Balaam. What then do we know about the person Balaam?
Balaam possesses several titles which include diviner, sorcerer, soothsayer, and prophet. His type was common in the ancient near east. Regional potentates routinely hired men like Balaam to provide them with intelligence on their enemies; to prophesy; to bless the potentates’ impending military campaigns; and or curse the potentate’s enemies.
We quickly learned in this and in upcoming readings that Balaam appears to be spiritually superior to all others, while being inwardly and morally corrupt. In Balaam, there is a war between obedience to Yehovah’s instructions and his desire for personal gain. We learn that his desire for wealth and notoriety will defeat his inherent understanding, that obedience to the Creator’s instructions will be in his best interest in the end. His drive to accumulate wealth and amass notoriety will lead to his untimely death.
And we see through much of this reading that despite his dubious, even despicable persona, Balaam enjoyed and benefited from a significant relationship with Yehovah.
This reality is hard for many believers in the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov to come to terms with: how or why would a holy Elohim reveal Himself to such a questionable individual as Balaam? Our text suggests that the relationship Balaam shared with Yehovah was a complex one, such that Yah put into effect a set of restrictions on what he could and couldn’t do and say. And mostly, Balaam fully understood and respected those imposed boundaries. But let’s be clear here as it relates to having a baseline understanding of who and what Balaam was. His relationship with Yehovah aside, this man was a diviner (i.e. one who seeks to interact with the dead and with demons) which Yah views as an abomination. The sin of divination, if practiced by any of Yah’s people, is punishable by death (Lev 20:27). Thus, one who was proficient in such pagan arts would often prove invaluable to nearby warlords and kings, seeking assurances that their warring efforts would be successful. TWOT refers to such activity as searching for “a propitious omen.”
However, it wasn’t beyond the diviner to seek ways to circumvent those imposed confinements. And in a future reading we will see Balaam’s deviousness work to the advantage of his employer Balak and to Yisra’el’s disappointment. (Num 25:1-3)
Jewish tradition has mixed thoughts about Balaam:
1. That he was evil or that he was a villain of the same class as Cain, Korach, Absalom, Adonijah, Uzziah, and Haman (Hegg, T., Studies in the Torah Numbers; p. 159). The Apostle Peter wrote Balaam “loved the wages of unrighteousness” (2 Pet 2:15; cf. B. Sanhedrin 106a).
2. He is a master manipulator, even towards Yehovah (cf. Hegg, T., Studies in the Torah Numbers; p. 159-160).
3. That Balaam was a “wise pagan” in the class of Job and Jethro (ibid., p. 160). Jewish tradition holds that Job was Balaam’s father (b. Bava Batra 15b). “
4. He was an enigma in that he possessed a relationship with Yehovah despite being a diviner/sorcerer (Heb of “haqoseim”). The story of Job reminds us of this aspect of Jewish thought about Balaam. Recall in the story of Job that hasatan appeared in the court of heaven, before Yehovah, seeking release from Yehovah to afflict Job (1:6). The curious thing about this situation is that Yah permits the accuser of humanity to converse with him freely, and then enter and leave his presence freely. But in both situations—Balaam and hasatan—Yehovah places restrictions upon their activities.
Here in our reading, Balak sought to Hire Balaam to place curses upon us as we camped just outside the borders of his country. Balak sought to hire Balaam to use his expertise to turn the region’s pagan gods and our God against us. Balak recognized Moab could not successfully defend herself against us because of our numbers and military expertise. So, Balak did what any ANE potentate desperately seeking to hold on to his power and survive the threat of being slaughtered by a more powerful enemy. Thus, he employed a Balaam — a diviner to undermine our military effectiveness.
Balaam’s Street Credentials
(22:6) That a major military leader in that region would not attempt to take us out without consulting Balaam first shows Balaam possessed renown diviner credentials. Balak flatters Balaam in his written invitation by citing the sorcerer’s ability to bless and curse groups of people: an ability exclusive to Yehovah.
Balak beckons Balaam to come to him and invoke his curse over us. ANE pagan practice required that the hired sorcerer or diviner see the enemy while invoking his curse upon them, otherwise the curse would not work.
(22:8) To keep up appearances, Balaam instructs Balak’s delegation to await the result of his overnight consultation with Yehovah. He warns the delegation that this was a requirement for accepting the invitation.
(22:9) Jehovah asks Balaam “what men are these?” Natural question of any Bible student worth their years of study would be: Yehovah is omniscient, therefore He would know who the delegation was and what their purpose in visiting Balaam was. There is no mystery here. This is simply Yehovah posing a leading question to Balaam: to start the conversation and to let Balaam know He is paying attention to what is going on.
(22:10-13) Balaam petitions Yehovah to (1) return with the delegation, and (2) Curse the people in camp on Moab’s border. And Yehovah says no to both.
In the morning, Balaam Informs the delegation only about the first element of Yah’s denial of his petition by telling them that Yehovah told him he couldn’t go with them to Moab. He conveniently leaves out Yah, prohibiting him from cursing the people encamped on Moab’s border. He simply tells the delegation, I can’t go with you. And so the delegation returns to Moab without Balaam.
No doubt the delegation saw Balaam’s refusal to return with them to Moab as having everything to do with the sorcerer wanting more money for his services. This was likely the sentiment the delegation conveyed to Balak once they met back with him in Moab.
The Promises of Yah are Irrevocable
But let us not overlook the shrewdness of Balaam in his refusal to return with the delegation and curse us. By him conveniently leaving out the second element of Yah’s denial—i.e. Yah prohibited him from cursing us because we were a blessed people—He left the door open to or he invited another opportunity for him to secure the job. And we soon see that this worked to his benefit as he was offered a higher payment for his dubious services when the second delegation came. Nevertheless, Yah acquiesces to Balaam’s second petition. Yah gives Balaam permission to go with the delegation back to Moab. However, the second element of Yah’s original denial of Balaam’s petition remained: he was not to curse us. Why? Because the Almighty declared us to be blessed. Therefore, no soothsayer, conjurer, prophet, spiritualist, or diviner can remove that blessing. Indeed, the promises of Yah—in this case, the blessings of Yah—are irrevocable (Rom 11:29).
Despite Balaam’s faux spiritual, all-knowing facade, he did not know who we were. He certainly did not know that we were Yehovah’s chosen ones. So when Yehovah prohibits Balaam from cursing us because Yehovah has blessed us, he was acting out of blind respect for one of the pantheon of gods he regularly consulted.
The Ignorance of the Enemy
This tells us about the limited cognitive abilities of those who dare go against Yehovah and His people. Balaam knows nothing about us. So, he is contemplating entering into a contract with Balak, king of Moab, to curse us without an understanding of the spiritual situation facing him. What does this say about powerful Balaam? It says that Balaam is not Yehovah. He is a created being who knows only as much as Yehovah, the holder of all knowledge, allows him to have.
This same principle applies to the accuser of Yah’s people, hasatan (aka Lucifer). Indeed, hasatan possesses tremendous powers and knowledge, but he is not omniscient (i.e. all knowing) nor omnipresent. So, when hasatan challenges Yehovah, he is playing the equivalent of checkers while Yah is playing 3-D chess.
Did Yehovah Change His Mind?
(22:14-20) Upon receiving the delegation’s report that Balaam had rejected the job offer, Balak sends a second, more prominent delegation with a greater sum of money back to Pethor to entice Balaam to curse us. However, instead of immediately sending the delegation away because Yehovah had already ruled on the issue, Balaam petitioned the Almighty for yet a second time. And this time Yehovah permitted him to return to Moab with the delegation, with the prohibition against cursing us still in place.
Why did Yah permit Balaam to accompany Balak’s delegation back to Moab? Did Yehovah change His mind on the issue? Was Yehovah being indecisive? Or was Yah working out something in the spiritual that Balaam was not privy to understand? Was Yehovah testing Balaam? This has been a perplexing mystery among bible students for generations. Therefore, there are varied answers to the question of why Yehovah permitted Balaam to accompany the delegation back to Moab.
This is where I want to step away from our reading for the rest of our time together today and see if we can answer the question of why Yah permitted Balaam to return to Moab with the delegation.
Clearly, as the Jewish Sage Rashi contends, Balaam believed he could sway Yehovah’s mind on the matter. And given the outcome of the second petition, it would seem on the surface that Balaam Was successful in changing Yah’s mind.
But did Balaam really sway Yah’s mind on this matter?
I believe there are a couple of reasons Yehovah permitted Balaam to go with the delegation back to Moab.
The wording of the text clearly shows that Yehovah changed His mind on Balaam going with the Moab delegation. However, this apparent change of mind by Yah towards Balaam challenges what we know of Yah’s immutable character. Yah changes not (Mal 3:6). This truth is even more interesting when we consider this situation from a spiritual perspective.
Yehovah knew Balaam’s love of notoriety and wealth, as well as He knew of Balaam’s manipulative manner. Yah knew that Balak’s invitation would stoke the flames of Balaam’s greed and selfishness to where he could not resist the offer. Balaam would work every conceivable angle in order to get what he so desperately desired. Such an individual will do just about anything to get what they want, including manipulating the Creator of the Universe, if that is at all possible, which it is not.
Before Balaam approached Him about Balak’s offer the first time, Yehovah knew Balaam would work overtime to sway His mind, this despite Yah saying no to the petition. And This, beloved, is the gist of what I want to share with you. We’re talking about a spirit: the spirit of Balaam.
The spirit of Balaam Puts forth for all the world to see, a facade of spirituality as previously mentioned. But that facade of spirituality covers over or hides a wicked heart. That Wicked Heart is constantly seeking avenues and opportunities to get over on or take advantage of Yehovah, if that were possible; which it isn’t. To try to “pull a fast one” on the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And that same spirit leads every Balaam of this world to believe that they are smarter than Yehovah and that in the end they will get whatever it is they want.
Here, Yah discerns Balaam’s repeated requests to accompany the Moab delegation and curse us, motivated by the desire for generous payment and the subsequent elevation of his services’ worth in the region.
This is the heart of the spirit of Balaam. This spirit seeks to defy the will and purpose and commandments of the Almighty in order to get what our flesh desires. Our uncircumcised hearts, which Balaam clearly did not possess, will stop at nothing to get whatever it desires, Yah’s instructions, will, and purposes be damned.
We, like Balaam, may approach Yehovah for permission to do a certain thing that may not be within the confines of His permissive will, purpose, and plan. Or, for that matter, we may not approach him at all. In such cases, Yehovah may outright tell us no as He did to Balaam. In almost every case, Yah tells us no to such petitions/requests. He says no to such requests/petitions because those things we want conflict with His will and plan, as well as those things, may very well lead us to destruction.
Those of us who want only what Yah wants for our lives will heed Yah’s “no” to our petition, and although we may not be happy with being denied, we get up and walk on in our Faith (Hab 2:4).
The rest of us who want what we want, regardless of Yah’s denial, will either attempt to sway Yah towards granting our desires, or simply defy Yah and do what our flesh demands. In this ongoing negotiation with the Almighty, there may come a point where He allows us to do what we are determined to do, despite His denial of our selfish desires. It’s not that Yehovah changes His mind on the matter. The reality, beloved, is that in such cases where we will stop at nothing to get what Yah has said no to, that He then gives us enough spiritual “rope to hang ourselves.” He is, after all, a God of free will. Yah will not force us to do something that we don’t want to do. However, the Almighty, in His steadfast love for us, will always provide us a way to turn back to Him and abandon our wicked pursuits. He may send us various impediments to forestall our pursuit of those unsanctioned things. Yah may send a spouse or close friend to talk us out of our evil pursuits. He may direct us to a passage of scripture that, through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, convicts our hearts and causes us to abandon our foolish pursuits. It then becomes a question of whether we will heed those impediments.
The form of the Angel of the LORD in the reading that is before us epitomizes such impediments. That angel described to himself to Balaam as “an adversary that stood in the way against him” (22:32-34). Yah provides often provides His “adversary” that stands in our way as we head down that road to destruction because our evil/wicked way is contrary to His will, way, and purpose for our lives. If we gain that which we seek, our flesh may find satisfaction for that moment in time, but our disobedience will ultimately cause our souls to reap the wages of our sinful way. The wages of our sinful, disobedience way (i.e. sin) is always death. However, heeding the adversary that Yah sends to block our way to destruction leads to His gift of life (Rom 6:23).
In our Reading (22:21-35), the story of “The Beating of Balaam’s Ass” beautifully portrays the adversarial concept of Yehovah standing in our destructive way so that we may live. It is a shadow of the Person and Ministry of Yeshua HaMashiyach, the author and finisher of our Faith.
Closing Thoughts
Yehovah is the smartest Entity to have ever existed. Yah knows His human creation inside and out. He knows what we’re about at every turn. He is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart of man (Hab 4:12). Because we are a work in progress and the human side of us from time to time yearns for things that are contrary to the will, purpose, and plan of Yehovah, we may take on the spirit of Balaam.
Yah always provides us with a means to escape the wages of our sinful flesh. He sends us His adversary to stand in our way towards destruction. All that He asks of us is that we heed His adversary.
The Apostolic Reading this week provides help in heeding Yah’s adversary and escaping the spirit of Balaam:
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1Pe 5:5-7 KJV)
We avoid the spirit of Balaam then by submitting ourselves to the wisdom of the elders whom Yah places in our lives, humbling ourselves before Yehovah, and casting all our cares upon Him. If we set our eyes on our Heavenly Father, seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness, then we have no need to defer to the desires of our flesh.
May you have an overcoming week in Yeshua Messiah beloved. Shabbat Shalom; Shavu’atov, blessings to you. Take care.
Greetings Saint of the Most High. Coming at you on this cold Sabbath morning in the DFW, on the first day of the 11th biblical calendar month, trusting and hoping that these Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 115 find you, your family, and your fellowship is well and blessed.
This is “Nobody Told Me That the Road Would Be Easy, but He Didn’t Bring Me This Far to Leave Me.” This is the 115th reading of the 3-year Torah Reading cycle. It is found in Numbers 20.14-22.1; Obadiah 1.1-21; and John 3:1-21.
Setting the Scene for This Week’s Reading
(20.14-21) At this point in our readings, we were temporarily dwelling in Kadesh. Kadesh is where Moshe dishonored Yehovah by striking the rock of Meribah in response to our incessant complaints and threats. Because Moshe dishonored Yah—whereby Yah had instructed Moshe to speak to the rock and water would come from the rock which would bring honor to Yehovah, but Moshe striking the rock took attention from Yehovah and onto himself—Yah would not permit Moshe to enter the Land of Promise. Also, Miriam, Moshe’s sister, died in Kadesh.
The JPS Torah Commentary assigns Moshe’s dishonoring of Yehovah as one of three rebellions, the other two being an overall rebellion by the nation as recorded in chapter 14, and the Levites and Reubenites as recorded in chapter 16. The penalty, according to the commentary, is, of course, dying in the wilderness and never receiving the promised land.
How many of us persist in rebelliousness against the Almighty in one form or another? If we take this Torah Reading as a learning lesson, it should be clear to us that Yehovah does not take kindly to rebellion. And the penalty for uncorrected and unrepented rebellion is to be refused the Kingdom of Elohim.
Esau and Yisra’el
Nevertheless, Moshe still had a job to do. Our time at Kadesh had ended, and it was time to move on towards Canaan. The most direct route to Canaan from Kadesh was to go through Edom. Edom was a southern region, southeast of the Dead Sea. A vast wilderness region where the descendants of Esau dwelt
We should recall who Edom is. They are descendants of Esau. Esau was one of Yitschaq’s/Isaac’s two sons (Gen 25:19-28). He was Israel’s/Jacob’s/Ya’achov’s twin-brother. And ever since Jacob [wittingly] received the birthright from Isaac, their father, Esau, has sought to destroy Yisrael.
Esau from birth possessed an evil, rebellious, and rebellious spirit. He was not Yehovah’s pick to receive his father’s birthright, despite him having been born before his brother Ya’achov/Yisra’el. This week’s haftarah, contained in Obadiah, describes Esau’s arrogance, his ever-present threat to Ya’achov’s existence, and his ultimate demise. Sadly, Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, carried their father’s negative character traits. Regrettably, Edomites were never eliminated. Descendants of Esau and the spirit of Esau remain, even to this day, a thorn in Yisra’el’s side.
History Repeats Itself
Moshe entreats Edom’s king to permit us to traverse their land to save distance and time. It should have been a simple decision to the Edomite king to allow us to traverse Edom. We were, by the way, brothers. Taking the king’s highway through Edom would save us many days and miles on our journey to Canaan. We promised not to consume any of Edom’s resources in our transit through their land. However, Edom’s king denied our request with threats of war if we attempted to enter their territory.
After repeated entreaties ensuring Edom’s king that we would not consume their resources without fair recompense, the king assembled his armies at Edom’s borders to ensure we did not enter his realm.
Here we see history repeat itself. We find in Genesis 32 Ya’achov returning to his father’s home after many years working for Laban, an uncle dwelling in Haran (Mesopotamia in Padan-aram at the foot of Mount Masius between the Khabour and Euphrates-Gen 29:1-4), brings with him his expanded family and wealth, realizes he has to transit his brother’s land. Similar to Moshe’s first interaction with the Edomites as recorded in our reading here today, Ya’achov/Jacob sends entreaties and gifts to his brother Esau, hoping to appease and avoid a confrontation with him (Gen 32:4-33:1).
Nobody Told us that the Road Would be an Easy One
One has to ask: Why didn’t Yah soften the heart of the Edomite king to permit us to traverse his country? As biological relatives, it should have seemed to him the proper thing to do. But this is where the spirit of Esau dominates. Throughout their journey to the Kingdom, Yah’s people encounter Esau, who disregards acts of kindness and consideration. And as frustrating and inconvenient as it may seem, we are all forced to endure their opposition as part of the journey. Thus, during those times, we have no choice but to trust and believe in Yehovah.
We often wonder why Yehovah would permit the Esaus along our path to the Kingdom to behave towards us as they do. Why does Yah not eliminate them? It would make our journey to the kingdom so much easier. This, however, is part of the mystery in our traveling to the kingdom with Yehovah as our lead. Yah promised He would take care of all our needs if we would walk in covenant with Him. The mystery that alludes many of us, however, is that Yah never promised that our journey to the kingdom would be an easy one. In fact, beloved, Yah intentionally makes our journey challenging for us. And He does this, as with us having to turn from Edom and endure more hardships on our journey, “to mold our character for His purposes” (Hegg, T., Studies in the Torah, Numbers; Torah Resources; p. 149).
Loss of Familiar Leadership Invites Uncertainty into Our Journey
(20:22-29)–To not incite war with Edom, we went took another route. Edom’s denial of our request to transit their territory would prove even more challenging to us as we journeyed on. We would face one tough challenge after the next, on top of having to go dozens of arduous miles and add months to our trek to the Promised Land.
The first shoe to drop was Aharon’s/Aaron’s death. Recall that Aharon was our Cohen HaGadol. He was second in command. His death followed his role in rebelling against Yehovah:
(24) Aaron shall be gathered unto his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Yisra’el, because ye rebelled against My word at the waters of Meribah. (Reference section “Setting the Scene” above.)
It’s interesting that the very title rebel that Moshe called us in his frustrated striking of the Rock of Meribah is the same word Yah used to describe Aharon’s sin.
Aharon’s son, Eleazer/Elezar took over as our Cohen Gadol and we mourned for 30 days.
Aharon is beloved by Yisra’el, even to this day. To this day, he is considered the ultimate peacemaker. According to Rabbinic tradition,
“When Aaron died the angels lamented in the words: ‘The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and did turn many away from iniquity’ (Malachi 2:6) (J.H.Hertz; Torah-Haftarah; p. 659).
The angst we experienced over Aharon’s death invited uncertainty into our journey. Like our disappointment over being denied transit privileges through Edom, Yehovah intended Aharon’s death to cause us to learn to set our eyes upon Him as our true leader and guide.
War
(21:1-3)–Next, the Canaanites forced us into war. The King of Arad, Arad being a “royal city of the Canaanites as recorded in Joshua/Yahoshua 12:14, situated on a hill now known as Tel Arad, 17 miles south of Hebron and 50 miles northeast of Kadesh,” in the Negeb or wilderness, thought to take advantage of us and attacked us. (J.H. Hertz; Torah-Haftarah; p. 659). In response to the attack, we vowed to “devote” (i.e. “Hormah;” from the same root as a ban, a devoted thing, i.e. a thing ‘doomed’ to destruction) our attackers to destruction. And this would be just the start of Yah using us to cleanse evil and filth from Canaan. (Reference Hertz; p. 659)
Well, Yah honored our vow by awarding us victory over our Canaanite enemy.
This challenge to our journey teaches us that sometimes war is inevitable; that sometimes we must go to war and trust Yehovah to deliver us. Oh, not in the sense of fist-to-cuffs, more so, from the perspective of spiritual warfare and walking unwavering in righteousness, despite the war that may wage around us. We cannot help but be reminded of the Apostle’s teaching on the “Whole Armor of Yah” (Eph 6:10-20).
The Brazen Serpent—A Foreshadow of Yeshua’s Atoning Sacrifice
(21:4-9)–We moved on from our successful scuffle with the Canaanites, and circumvented Edom. In the process, we became “impatient because of the way” (21:4b). Yet again, we complained against both Yah and Yehovah:
Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness (a recurring theme throughout our journey)? For there is no bread, and there is no water, and our soul loatheth this light bread (21:5).
A key element of our complaint was that we loatheth this light bread. The term “loathe,” also known as “qutz” (mentioned four other times in the Tanach), relates to the concept of a “thorn” in our flesh. This is a key element of our complaint. Not only were we implying that Yah brought us on our journey to destroy us by not keeping His promises to provide for all our needs, but we thumbed our noses at “the miraculous provision of food and water given to sustain our lives” (Hegg, T., Studies in the Torah-Numbers; p. 152).
Let this sink in, beloved. How often have we complained (either out loud or to ourselves) about how tough things are for us and that Yehovah has not kept his promises to provide exceedingly for all our needs? And amid our complaining, we snub the blessings that Yah has indeed provided us, often through miraculous means. I’m certainly guilty of such spiritual crimes.
It was through the Prophet Jeremiah that Yehovah assured captured Judah:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jer 29:11 KJV)
We travel down a dangerous path when we see Yah’s blessings as a thorn in our sides. To think so about Yah’s provisions is to sin. Sin brings death. And this was dramatically illustrated in the next challenge we faced: deadly fiery serpents.
Yah introduced deadly fiery serpents into our midst as punishment. And as our brethren began dropping dead like flies, we recognized the extent to which we’ve sinned against the Almighty. Thus, we confessed our sins and begged Moshe (i.e. playing the intercessory role that our Master Yeshua currently plays in the heavenly Mishkan/Temple) to intercede with Yehovah on our behalf. And true to form, Yah’s merciful character hearkened to Moshe’s pleas on our behalf and instructed Moshe to construct a “fiery serpent” (i.e. constructed of brass like that of the brazen altar of sacrifice), suspend it from a pole, and erect the implement amid the encampment. Yah commanded us that if we were bitten by the fiery serpents, we would escape death by looking up at the suspended, brazen serpent in the midst of the camp (21:8). As hard as it was for us to obey Yah, we knew that this act of obedience was the only thing that would save our lives if we were bitten. Here we see obedience leading to life.
This part of our Torah Reading foreshadows the atoning sacrifice of Yahoshua. The apostolic reading for this week directly alludes to the story of the deadly bite of the fiery serpents being effectively healed by a simple act of obedient faith!
As to His amazing atonement mission, Yeshua said to Nicodemus,
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(Joh 3:14-16 KJV)
We, amid our sin and eternally condemned state, have just one option to escape eternal death and separation from Yehovah: and that is to obediently look to Yeshua, the author and finisher of our faith, who died on Calvary’s execution stake on our behalf. His sacrifice brings an end to death and an end to sin (Hegg; p. 153). In every sense, Yah’s Word rings ever so true:
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
(Deu 8:3 KJV)
Defeating Giants Along Our Journey
(20:10-21:1)–After the fiery serpent crisis, we entered a season of conquests. We arrived at Beer and Yah provided us with much-needed water. Our spirits uplifted, and we sang (21:16-20).
Desiring to cut distance and time from our journey, we petitioned Sihon, the Amorite King, to permit us to traverse his country. Sihon not only denied us permission to cut across his land, he assembled his army against us. Yah was on our side and we defeated Sihon and his army in the Jahaz desert (21:23-26). We took possession of all the Amorite cities. It is believed that Sihon was a giant.
From the conquered Amorite cities, we traveled to and arrived in Bashan. Bashan’s king was Og, another giant. We met Og and his armies in battle in Edrei (21:31-33). Yah gave Og, his armies, and their land into our hands. These we devoted to destruction as we did the Amorites. Why were we so ruthless? These kings and their people were about abominable things. Yah, being holy and righteous, devoted them to utter destruction. He used us to destroy them and cleanse the land of their abominations.
Yehovah Never Meant for Our Journey to the Kingdom to be an Easy One
Our spiritual journey to the Kingdom parallels that of our ancient wandering cousins. Our road is narrow and our way is often arduous. We stumble and fall from time to time, yet when we call to Yah for forgiveness and salvation, He, through His Son, provides us the needed relief and life. Furthermore, war often confronts us and forces us to stand, to put on the whole armor of Yah to resist the enemy’s stratagems. Indeed, as the apostle wrote, the warfare we’re required to endure is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, world rulers of this present darkness, spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places (Eph 6:10-13). When we walk in righteousness, we become an invisible force against the kingdom of darkness. Sometimes we must fight because the enemy gives us no other recourse. Other times, we fight because Yah has called us to serve the kingdom, and certain things are dedicated to destruction.
I’m reminded of an old gospel song I grew up singing in the Baptist Church of my youth. The song is entitled “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired,” written and performed by James Cleveland. To me, it captures the practical nuances and mandates of our reading today. The lyrics are as such:
I don’t feel no ways tired. I’ve come too far from where I started from. Nobody told me that the road would be easy. I don’t believe He brought me this far to leave me.
Beloved, can we apply the tremendous spiritual truths associated with our reading this weekend and with the lyrics of this old gospel song, know that our faithful God has ordered our path in every way—both conceivably and inconceivably. Know that He has a beautiful purpose and will for our lives and has put into place everything we need to achieve that purpose. Indeed, the journey is arduous and fraught with a great deal of heartbreaks, disappointments, struggles, hardship, slip-ups on our part, losses, victories, and such. But it is our obedient, trusting faith, through the Person and Ministries of our Master Yahoshua, that will see us successfully make it into the glorious Malchut Elohim.
Shabbat Shalom; Shavu’atov; until next time beloved, take care.
Shabbat Shalom, saints of the Most High. Coming to you on a cool and cloudy Sabbath in the DFW. I pray you, your families, and your fellowships are well and blessed.
Our Parashah this week is found in Numbers 19:1-20:13. Although it covers Miriam’s death and Moshe striking the rocks out of frustration in order to give the people water, the primary focus is the Red Heifer ritual. I’ve been led to focus only on it in my thoughts and reflections on this reading.
(19.2) Yehovah gives to Moshe and Aharon the Decree of the Torah (“huqqat hattorah” or the prescribed instruction for whatever is indicated) regarding the Red Heifer which bene Yisrael was to provide. Yah commanded us to take a red heifer (“parah adummah”–expressed in the feminine, thus the heifer instead of a bull) that possessed no physical defects (“temimah” = “tamim” = complete; unscathed; blameless; without fault). (Note: Yah enumerated the standards for what made up a suitable sacrifice in Lev. 22.20-25.)
It was not to have ever borne a yoke (“ol”). There is an ancient standard of heifers that had never “drawn the yoke” to be set apart for “expiatory” gifts, as evident from 1 Sam. 6:7-14. Thus, people set apart these creatures as they represented the best available and would use them only for purification. This would be their only purpose for the duration of its life.
Of the ruddy color of the cow, Baruch A. Levine writes that it “symbolized blood” (AYB 4 Commentary; 2008). Interestingly, the sages interpreted the without blemish and with no defect mandate as a reference to the color of the animal; such that it “is completely uniform in color, without specks of white or black or without even two black or white hairs” (Milgrom, Jacob; 1990; JPS Tanakh Commentary referencing Sifrei Num. 123).
Of course, we cannot ignore the recent hoopla over the red heifers in Yisrael that many view as a foreshadowing of the rebuilding of the Temple.
(19.3) The red heifer was to be given over to the priest Eleazar’s/Elazar’s, one of Aharon’s sons, oversight. Eleazar (one of Aharon’s sons) was responsible for ensuring that the red heifer was taken outside the encampment and slaughtered in his presence.
Why Elazar/Eleazar?
He would succeed Aharon as Cohen HaGadol upon Aharon’s death (Num. 20.25-29).
The concept of “riddance” comes into play here. Riddance is the elimination of communal impurity. Therefore, the sacrifice was to be conducted remotely from the encampment. There is a “vicarious” nature attached to this sacrifice as well. It conveyed the sins and impurities of the community to the red heifer. Thus, the remains of the animal became contaminated and had to be destroyed. The regulations for these concepts of riddance and vicarious sacrifices are recorded in Lev. 4; 8-10; 14; 16.
(19.4) Eleazar the priest was to spatter (“hizzah” = sprinkle) with his finger some of the slaughtered animal’s blood toward (i.e., in the direction of) the Tent of Assembly/Meeting (“o’hel moed”) seven times. (Note: The Hebrew manuscript does not denote the number of times Elazar was required to spatter the blood towards the Tent of Meeting. The seven times in which the blood was to be spattered is an understood constant in such things as seen in Lev. 4.6, 17; 14.7; 16.14-15; Nu. 8.7.
Jewish tradition holds that Elazar/Eleazar, or the ministering priest, would be required to “consciously look at the entrance of the Temple while sprinkling the blood” (Levine).
Why Did Yah Institute This Ritual?
The nation was over-wrought with ritual impurity after the deaths of Korah, the Reubenites, and the 14,700 victims of the plague (recall Num. 16 and Torah Reading 113). Yah’s irresistible holiness mandated His people walk in a state of ritual purity, if they were to maintain any semblance of a worshipful relationship with Him. And contact with human remains, as with the deaths from the rebellion, caused most of the nation to be in a state of ritual impurity (reference Lev. 5.2-3). Yah therefore instituted this ritual to address the widespread ritual impurity that the nation brought upon herself. This was Yah’s mercy and grace in action.
(19.5) Eleazar/Elazar or the Cohen Gadol would oversee the complete burning (“sarap”) of the red heifer’s remains. Note that even the blood of the red heifer was to be consumed by the fire. Turns out that “the blood is the essential ingredient” of the red heifer’s ashes (Milgrom, Jacob; (1990); The JPS Tanakh Commentary). Even in its burned, denatured state, the blood was the only sanctioned expiatory agent to remove impurity brought on by exposure to animal and human remains. Jewish tradition adds that the Cohen Gadol must wipe his hands of the blood on the animal’s remains to ensure they wasted no blood (reference Par. Mish. 3:9, Sif. Num. 124).
(19.6) The Cohen was required to add Cedar Wood, Hyssop, and Crimson Thread/Cloth to the [Red Heifer] pyre. Yehovah has made these three ingredients an integral part of purification/riddance rites. Hyssop (Psa. 51.9) used to remove impurity and its physical makeup “retains liquid and is ideal for sprinkling” as seen in 19:18 and Exo. 12.22 (JPS Torah Commentary); the crimson or scarlet dye applied to clothes come from a certain insect found in palm tree fronds. (The focus is not on the cloth, but the color.) The Cohen Gadol’s garments and the inner curtains of the Tabernacles were colored with this dye. Cedar, when burned, emits a pleasing aroma. This troika of elements was also instrumental in the purification of lepers (Lev. 14.4, 6, 49, 51-52).
(19.7-8) The Cohen and the assistant who aided in the burning ritual or “hatta’t” (aka sin offering) were required to wash their clothes and bathe. This instruction is linked to Moshe’s command to the wash their garments in preparation to receive Yehovah in three days (Exo. 19:10). There is a similar instruction that was given to the Levites in anticipation of their ordination to the Priesthood (Num. 8.7). These (i.e. Elazar and the one who burned the Red Heifer) would be ritually impure until sundown. Why? With the transference of the impurities of the nation onto the sacrifice, the Cohen and any who assisted him in the ritual would become impure in the process of administering the ritual. Thus, these underwent the prescribed process of washing their clothes and bathing in order to regain their ritual purity and be permitted back into the encampment. These were still not permitted to partake of the holy meals of the Levites until after sunset.
(19.9-10) The text directs that “a clean man” (aka “ish tahor”, i.e. one who was ritually clean) would follow, gather up the ashes of the “hatta’t” (i.e. the sin offering) and store them (i.e. “lemismeret” or store them for safekeeping) in a clean (i.e. “tahor”) location outside the encampment. (Note: it appears that this gatherer of ashes did not have to be a cohen.) This ritual was to be a perpetual procedure/requirement for the “waters of impurity” (aka “mayim niddah”). Some refer to the solution that would derive from these ashes being put into water for purification purposes as “water of lustration”. It was considered to be a “hatta’t” (i.e. a sin offering). A purification offering. The gatherer and storer of the ashes would also become unclean, requiring that he to wash his garments at the conclusion of his assigned task. It is generally accepted that this one would be required to bathe as well.
The significance of this ritual or “hatta’t” applied to both the Israelite and the resident alien. Any who were of the commonwealth of Israel had to be purified in the event they came into contact with death. Failure to do so would cause the community to devolve into a state of ritual impurity and risk defiling the sanctuary premises.
(19.11-13) These three verses inform us that exposure (the text specifies touches or comes close to human remains (Jewish tradition defines close as a shadow’s length) rendered an individual impure for seven days (specifics on what contact with human remains would cause someone to become ritually unclean is delineated 19:14-16). On the 3rd and 7th day of an individual’s impurity, a clean person must spatter the waters of impurity using hyssop (19:17-19), and on the 7th day they must wash their garments and bathe themselves. Upon completion of this ritual that one will be deemed clean. The one who becomes impure through contact with human remains and who doesn’t comply with this ritual is cut off from the midst of the assembly of Yisrael (19:20). The spatterer of the waters of impurity is deemed unclean until sundown and is required to wash his garments (19:21-22).
It seems that the Jewish sages were baffled by the meaning of this chuqqot or statute. Torah scholar, teacher, and writer Tim Hegg of Torah Resources explains the sages’ baffled view of this chuqqot as “how, on the one hand, can the ashes of the Red Heifer purify those who are defiled, while at the same time render those who administer the ashes unclean?” (Hegg, T., Studies in the Torah-Numbers 4, p.141). We who are of Mashiyach, however, are not baffled by the various nuances of the Red Heifer ritual.
Clearly, the Red Heifer ritual was a mysterious foreshadowing of Master Yeshua Messiah. The likely reason our Holy God chose to deal with the issue of His people becoming ritually unclean when they come in contact with human remains is because death is the primary byproduct of sin.
Rav Shaul wrote: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 6:23-1 KJV)
We indicated previously that the red coloring of the heifer was symbolic of blood. Abba Yah stated that life is in the blood (Lev. 17:11-14). Thus, He dealt with the effects of sin (i.e. death), as He did directly with sin, through the application of the blood of an innocent being. In the case of our ancient, wilderness cousins, it was through the slaughter of innocent animals and the application of their blood. However, the once and for all time solution for sin and its byproduct death is found in the blood of Yeshua. Yeshua is not a Red Heifer. The Red Heifer ritual informs us that our God is a God of life. Like sin, He abhors death. Hegg writes that sin stands in direct opposition to the Creator (ibid., p. 142). Sin and death is overcome by the shed blood of Yahoshua Messiah.
In Hegg’s commentary on this passage, He points out 7-aspects of the Red Heifer instructions that served as direct foreshadows of Master Yahoshua:
The heifer’s red color represented efficacious blood that would purify the unclean soul.
The flawlessness of the animal represented the sinless life and being of Yahoshua Messiah.
The sacrifice of the Red Heifer outside the encampment was a direct fulfillment of our Master being crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem.
The entire remains of the Red Heifer being consumed by fire was symbolic of our Master’s sacrifice and ministry being wholly dedicated to the will and purpose of His Father, Yehovah Elohim.
The addition of the cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson thread were symbolic of the purification that Master Yeshua’s sacrifice would bring to the one who placed their trusting faith in Him. These generated an pleasing aroma when burned, pointing to the acceptance of Yeshua’s sacrifice by our Heavenly Father.
The priest and assistants performing the ritual were deemed ritually unclean. This symbolized Yeshua taking on to his being the impurities and sins of all humanity throughout history.
The sacrifice of the Red Heifer symbolized the reality that human death is overcome only through death. Humanity’s salvation comes only through the death and shed blood of Yeshua Messiah. Man walks in righteousness when he dies to self. Life out of death, as Hegg so eloquently writes, “is the picture of Messiah, who through death, would conquer death for all who come to Him for salvation” (ibid., p. 145).
May you have a blessed Shabbat beloved of Yeshua HaMashiyach.
This is “Exposing the Lie that is Replacement Theology-Part 3 of Israel’s Inextricable Link to our Salvation.”
Recap and Purpose of Post
In part one we interpreted Master Yehoshua’s statement to the woman at Jacob’s well that salvation is of the Jew. In Part 2, we interpreted Paul’s statement there is neither Jew nor Greek/Gentile in Messiah. In this third installment in our series, I will respond to a commenter’s statements refuting Israel’s connection to our salvation. Turns out that the commenter’s rejection of Israel is quite common among denominationalists, and dare I say, certain Messianic and Quasi-Hebrew Roots sects.
And if you are a true member of Nazarene Israel, or you are earnestly seeking truth that only comes from the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov, you’re going to want to listen to what I have to share with you in this installment of our series.
The commenter’s rejection of Israel and the role she plays in our salvation is based on popularly held, anti-Semitic, anti Torah, dare I say, anti God false doctrine. Sadly, the prevalence, dominance of this false doctrine, is leading countless souls down the path of destruction. How and why? It not only perpetuates Anti Torah, anti-god, and anti-Torah sentiments, it promotes and justifies in the minds of their unwitting members, their perverted hyper-grace and super secret, pre-tribulation rapture doctrines.
Yeshua warned His disciples that many will come to Him in that day, seeking to enter the kingdom. And these will declare that they were born again Christians doing the Lord’s work. But the Master will send them to outer darkness, declaring that He never knew them. He will call them workers of lawlessness as they exit the gate heading to God knows where. (Mat 7:22-24)
Beloved, we don’t want any part of that. We should be desperately desiring to receive and enter the Kingdom and hear our Master declare to us before the Court of Heaven: Well done, my good and faithful servant. You’ve been faithful over a few things. Come on in “ye blessed of Yehovah and inherit the Kingdom that has been prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Mat 25:34)
So, by the time we are done here today, beloved, we will be in the best position to discern truth from error as it relates to Israel’s inseparable link to our salvation.
I’ve taken the commenter’s remarks and broken them down into five points of contention, all of which we will explore in this teaching.
Matthew records Yeshua stating He was going to take the Kingdom of God from “you” and give it to a nation that will bring forth fruit. (21:43) The challenger identifies the “you” as Israel.
Yeshua will never give the Kingdom (i.e. the covenant) back to Israel.
The blessing that Yah promised Avraham would bring to the world is Christ Jesus, not Israel, as no blessing can ever come from unregenerated man. This, despite the fundamental fact that, without Israel, there would be no Yahoshua. He was and remains Yisra’el’s Messiah!
The covenant that Yehovah made with Avraham was exclusive to his seed, not his physical descendants. And oh, by the way, Christians are Avraham’s true seed.
Israel has been “broken off.” Broken off from what? Broken off from the covenant and its promises, which include their receiving and inhabiting the Land and the Kingdom and salvation, because they sinned and broke covenant with Yehovah. So, they misapply Paul’s teaching of the olive tree in Romans 11 by insisting that Jesus broke the branches of Israel off from the root of the commonwealth of Israel in order to make room for the Church Triumphant.
The Kingdom is not the Same as the Covenant
The Kingdom of God (aka the Malchut Elohim) and the covenant (be it the original or renewed covenant) are not the same, although they are inseparably linked one to the other.
The Kingdom of Yah is every true believer’s desired, ultimate destination. It is the focal point of Yeshua and John the Immerser’s Gospel message. It is the declaration—the Good News—that the Malchut Elohim is near and that God’s people (at the time John and Yeshua preached this message; it was Israeli Jews) needed to teshuvah and be baptized (i.e. be purified) to receive it (Mat. 3:2; 4:17; Mar. 1:15).
Yeshua Sent to the Lost Sheep of Israel by His Father
The Gospel was first preached exclusively, with few exceptions, to first-century Israeli Jews by John the Immerser and Yahoshua and His anointed disciples. Yeshua described His mission in that regard and at that time as being restricted to the Lost Sheep of Israel (Mat. 10:6; 15:24).
So, riddle me this Batman. Why were Yeshua’s and John’s preaching and teaching of the Gospel restricted to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel? Because the covenant that exists between Yehovah and Israel required that the commonwealth that is Yisra’el be the first to receive it. The Plan of Salvation, Redemption, and Restoration was to be implemented by the Person and Ministries of Yeshua Messiah, but it would be born out of the covenant relationship Yah cut and possessed with Yisra’el. Again, Yehovah never-ever cut or established a covenant relationship with any other human entities or nations on this planet. To say otherwise is to add to and take away from Father’s Word, which is a transgression/violation of Torah (Deu. 4:21; 12:32; Pro. 30:6; Rev. 22:18-19).
Yeshua is Yisra’el’s Messiah
The other thing we must keep in mind, beloved, is that Yeshua was and continues to be Yisra’el’s Messiah! Moshe declared:
“Yehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken…” (Deu.18.15; ASV; cf. Act. 3:22; 7:37)
Was it the Kingdom or the Covenant That was Being Stripped from the Religious Leaders?
The challenger cites Matthew 21:43 as a support for his anti-covenant doctrine:
43“Because of this I say to you: the reign of Elohim (aka the Kingdom of God) shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits of it. Scriptures[1].
This statement of the “kingdom being given to another people” was given within the context of Yeshua being challenged by the Chief Priest and Scribes (aka the elders) as to His authority to teach, preach, heal the blind and lame, and cleanse the Temple Mount of the money changers (Mat. 21:12-14, 23). And because of these Jewish leaders’ stubborn rejection of Yeshua’s Messiahship, He declared to them, not national Israel or to Jews in general mind you that the Kingdom would be given first to those who were considered least in Israel, such as prostitutes and tax collectors. He declared to His challengers that these would enter the Kingdom ahead of you. (Now, keep this phrase about these will enter the Kingdom ahead of you in mind as it will have significance in terms of the everlasting covenant Yah established and manifests among national and remnant Israel.)
The Problematic Pharisaic Mindset
Yeshua was specific in His rebuttal to these Jewish religious leaders’ challenge of His authority as Israel’s Messiah. Let us not overlook the first century Pharisaic mindset. That mindset placed the Pharisee on equal footing with Moshe: greater than Moshe even. These gave themselves the authority to make laws and rulings equal to, and many times, exceeding, that of Torah. Pharisaic rulings and laws, which they sold to the nation like that of a fence around Torah, are called TAKANOT.
As an example, according to Rood’s excellent Gospel Chronology, the Pharisees (aka Prushim) enacted some 500 takanot Governing the keeping of Sabbath (Talmud, Shabbat). They insisted to the nation that they alone sat in the seat of Moshe, and that “when they make takanot, even the almighty must obey their verdict” (Rood; The Chronological Gospels; p. 18). Their rulings are often referred to as the “Oral Law” (i.e. the Talmud), which they contend are superior to the “Written Law” (i.e. the Torah).
As it relates to the Kingdom being taken from them as the recognized, orthodox religious leaders of their day, the Kingdom would be given to remnant Israel—Nazarene Israel—true Israel instead.
Who is “remnant or true Israel” then? Biblically—Hebraically—and from a covenant perspective — “remnant Israel” comprises Israelis who are in a trusting and obedient covenant relationship with the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov (Zep. 3.13; Ezr. 9.15; Isa. 10.20; Eze. 9.8). Remnant Yisra’el forms the root of the commonwealth of Yisra’el that we who are of Mashiyach are grafted into (Rom. 11). The purest of the remnant are, of course, Messianic Jews or Messianic Israelites, Hebrew followers and disciples of Yahoshua Messiah.
Let us not conflate possession of the Kingdom with possession of Yah’s covenant and covenant promises. Yeshua did not say that the covenant was being stripped from Israel or the Jews and handed over to the Gentiles. Not in the least. To say that this is what Yeshua was saying to these Jewish leaders in this passage is a lie from the pit of hell and a promotion of the false doctrine of “Replacement Theology”.
The Scourge and Lie that is Replacement Theology
A mainstay doctrine of denominationalism is that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ ushered in what many of their pastors, teachers, and preachers refer to as the Church Age. The Church Triumphant has henceforth and forevermore replaced the Jew or the Hebrew or Yisra’el as God’s chosen or favored or covenant people. This is called replacement theology.
Within the guise of replacement theology the Church Triumphant sees herself as having replaced Yisra’el as God’s favored covenant people. A sort of “spiritual Israel” if you will. She has become the sole entity to receive all the covenant promises that were once promised exclusively to Yisra’el. This, according to replacement theology proponents, was God’s plan from the very beginning. Yisra’el choked and couldn’t hang as she repeatedly broke covenant with the Almighty, rebelled, and sinned.
Some Christian academics prefer to call replacement theology “supersessionism” or “fulfillment” theology (ref. What is replacement theology / supersessionism / fulfillment theology? | GotQuestions.org). Regardless how they attempt to market it, replacement theology, supersessionism, fulfillment theology, etc., is spurious and even anti-semitic. It is a lie from the Pit.
The other thing the “Got Questions” article got right in refuting replacement theology’s claims that God abandoned Yisra’el for the Church Triumphant is the inexplicable reality and existence of the Jewish nation of Yisra’el today. The writer penned:
“If Israel has been condemned by God and there is no future for the Jewish nation, how do we explain the supernatural survival of the Jewish people over the past 2,000 years despite the many attempts to destroy them? How do we explain why and how Israel reappeared as a nation in the 20th century after not existing for 1,900 years?” (ibid.)
Oh, but the “replacers” have a rebuttal to this. These contend that the people who presently live in the Land of Israel are not true descendants of Jacob, but are, in fact, impostors. Kazars. Squatters, and so forth, which a series of DNA tests have proved otherwise (reference www.youtube.com/watch?v=OShfQbxXdol). However, these replacement proponents do not realize the foolish game they’re playing when they go out of their way to justify the lie that is replacement theology. Among several things, they are either wittingly or unwittingly calling Yehovah Elohim a liar to His face.
Yah, through His prophet, declared:
40‘And I shall make an everlasting covenant with them (i.e. Yisrael), that I do not turn back from doing good to them. And I shall put My fear in their hearts so as not to turn aside from Me. 41‘And I shall rejoice over them to do good to them, and shall plant them in this land in truth, with all My heart and with all My being.’ 42“For thus said יהוה, ‘As I have brought all this great evil on this people, so I am bringing on them all the good that I am speaking to them. 43‘And fields shall be bought in this land of which you are saying, “It is a wasteland, without man or beast. It has been given into the hand of the Kasdim.” 44‘Fields shall be bought for silver, and deeds signed and sealed, and witnesses be called, in the land of Binyamin, and in the places around Yerushalayim, and in the cities of Yehuḏah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the low country, and in the cities of the South. For I shall turn back their captivity,’ declares יהוה.” Scriptures[2], Jer.32
Sadly, this article takes an abrupt and fatal turn by offering to the reader the false oasis of another theological understanding that is related to replacement theology. It is called “Dispensationalism”. Dispensationalists, according to this article, contend that “the church is distinct from Israel” and “the terms church and Israel are never to be confused or used interchangeably.” The article lambaste Israel. It contends—and I’m paraphrasing—the Church is separate and superior to Israel in several ways. The least of which has to do with Israel being subject to curses and blessings—i.e. the Mosaic Covenant or the Law (we’ve all heard this before, that the Law or Torah is bad, even a curse)—which have sidelined her in terms of God’s plan of salvation. The church, according to dispensationalists, began on Pentecost and has—although they won’t come out and say so—replaced Israel; at least until after the rapture of the Church. Then and only then will God throw Israel a bone and “restore Israel as the primary focus of His plan.”
Sadly, this article is mixed with truths, half-truths, and outright lies. Unfortunately, millions of otherwise well-meaning, but sorely mistaken souls have bought into these doctrines. And this happens when generations of would be believers in denominationalism’s Jesus Christ train their members to reject the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov, and His Torah; to replace the bible’s Hebrew Messiah with their Greek Christ; to deny the reality that the events of the Pentecost just days after the Master’s ascension involved almost entirely and exclusively Roman Empire Jews; to ignore the reality that there were no so-called Christian Churches in the first-century Roman Empire, but synagogues comprising both believing Jews and Gentiles. And that it wasn’t until well into the second century, most notably the third century, that nascent Roman Catholicism forced a schism/separation between Messianic Jews and non-Jewish believers in a Greco-Roman Jesus, which resulted in the Nazarene Israelites (i.e. the Messianics) being driven underground for centuries. The proponents of “replacement” and “dispensationalism” theologies are a continuation of that Greco-Roman church that has persisted for 2,000+ years. They are the children of Roman Catholicism.
The replacers and dispensationalists have no true biblical basis upon which to support their claims that Israel has been kicked to the curb while they have crept in, replaced her as Yehovah’s chosen people, and absconded with God’s favor (i.e. the covenant) that once belonged to true or remnant Israel. Both of these satanically inspired doctrines were created by the enemy to foil the Creator’s Plan of Salvation, Redemption, and Restoration.
The Antisemitic Tenor of Replacement Theology
Let us not forget that the first converts to the true faith, overwhelmingly so, were Israeli Jews. Our Heavenly Father sent our Master Yahoshua to these individuals, not to the Gentile nations. Upon their coming into a trusting faith in Master Yahoshua, these remained Jews or Hebrew. However, these became true Israelites. Nazarene Israelis. Inheritors of the Kingdom and the Land, as Yeshua promised (Mat. 5). We, non-Jews (aka Gentiles), who’ve come into a trusting faith with the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov, having become engrafted into this commonwealth which is Yisra’el (Rom. 11), and have every right to be called Nazarene Israel. Remnant Israel. Messianic Hebrews. And because of our engrafted state, we walk in obedient covenant with Yehovah because our Master walked in the Way and He has commanded us to do likewise.
Why is this important to Messianic/Nazarene Israelites?
Beloved, I know that some of you who have listened to or read the previous two installments in this series are probably rolling your eyes and are frustrated by my persistence on this subject. Why am I so passionate about this controversial topic of Israel being inextricably linked to our salvation?
I’m passionate about this subject because I am passionate about you and I making it into the kingdom. The renewed mission of this ministry is firstly to promote the Gospel of the Kingdom and second, teaching and promoting the Yeshua-focused-Torah-life principles that will get us into the Kingdom.
What we see going on around us today in a united worldwide show of hatred and rejection of Israel is only the tip of the iceberg. Master warned His disciples that they would face persecution and martyrdom for aligning themselves with the true Mashiyach of Yisra’el. Furthermore, people who they trusted with their lives would betray them to the persecutors as their love waxed cold.
Despite this prophecy being contemporaneous with His disciples (i.e., they all except for John the Revelator would suffer martyrdom), that which happened to them will inevitably happen to many of us in the dark days ahead. And no doubt, some of those foretold betrayers will probably be our denominationalist cousins who have already turned away from the true faith and the Gospel and view us with the same antisemitic disdain they have for national and religious Israel. So, buckle up, beloved, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
The failure of the Church Triumphant leadership to groom her people to receive and enter the Kingdom is impeachable at best. I dare say felonious. They, like their first-century Pharisaic brethren before them, think they have a say as to who will receive and enter the Kingdom. They believe they control when, how, and who as it relates to the Kingdom through their anti-Torah, Greco-Roman doctrine. Their rejection of remnant Israel and Yah’s instructions in righteousness for their perverted grace theology will cause untold millions to be turned away at the gates to the Kingdom by our Master Yeshua. Yeshua will tell them He has no relationship with them (i.e., I never knew you), He has no relationship with them because these affiliated themselves with a gutted out version of the true faith once delivered which rejects Yah’s instructions and that discourages any of their members in establishing and maintaining a true and substantive covenant relationship with Yehovah through Yeshua Messiah.
The Permanence of Israel’s Covenant with Yehovah
No matter what foolishness our replacement-dispensationalist cousins come up with in their rejection of Yehovah and his plan for his elect ones, scripture undeniably proves the permanence of Israel’s covenant relationship with the almighty.
37 Look, I am going to gather them from all the lands to which I driven them in my anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath, and I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell ⌊in safety⌋. 38 And they will be for me a people, and I will be for them God. 39 And I will give to them one heart and one way, to revere me ⌊forever⌋, for good to them, and to their children after them. 40 And I will ⌊make⌋ with them ⌊an everlasting covenant⌋ that I will not turn away from them, my doing good to them, and my reverence I will put in their hearts so that they will not turn aside from me. 41 And I will rejoice over them to do good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness with all my heart, and with all my inner self.” (Jer.32; LEB)
And I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
The enduring loyalty promised to David. (Isa.55; Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
And I shall give their reward in truth, and make an everlasting covenant with them. 9“And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring in the midst of the peoples. All who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed יהוה has blessed.” (Isa.61; The Scriptures ISR)
60“But I shall remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I shall establish an everlasting covenant with you. (Eze.16; The Scriptures ISR)
26“And I shall make a covenant of peace with them—an everlasting covenant it is with them. And I shall place them and increase them, and shall place My set-apart place in their midst, forever.
27“And My Dwelling Place shall be over them. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.
28“And the nations shall know that I, יהוה, am setting Yisra’ěl apart, when My set-apart place is in their midst—forever.” ’ ” (Eze.37; The Scriptures ISR)
And so we find in these riveting verses promise after promise made Yehovah to Israel that He is going to remember the covenant He has with them, and from that covenant He’s going to create an expansive addition to the covenant He originally cut with them. This renewed covenant will be exclusive to Israel. It will be a covenant of peace. It will be an everlasting covenant. This everlasting covenant of peace (i.e., shalom) is none other than the well known and recited renewed covenant.
31“See, the days are coming,” declares יהוה, “when I shall make a renewed covenant with the house of Yisra’ěl and with the house of Yehuḏah,
32not like the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I strengthened their hand to bring them out of the land of Mitsrayim, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares יהוה.
33“For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’ěl after those days, declares יהוה: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.
34“And no longer shall they teach, each one his neighbour, and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know יהוה,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares יהוה. “For I shall forgive their crookedness, and remember their sin no more.” (Jer.31; The Scriptures ISR; cf. Heb.8)
This renewed covenant forms the basis of the Kingdom of Yah that exists within us today, as well as the eschatological or soon coming kingdom that will crush and eliminate all earthly kingdoms in its wake!
The God of Heaven will establish a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, a kingdom that shall not be transferred to another people. It will crush and wipe out all these kingdoms, but shall itself last forever…(Dan.2.44; Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
The other thing that we see here in terms of this renewed covenant—which by the way does not void or annul the original covenant Yah cut with Yisrael—is that it will be a “unilateral covenant”. A unilateral covenant (aka an unconditional covenant) is one where Yah alone promises to act on Yisra’el’s behalf without Yisra’el being obligated to do anything in return. It’s a one-sided covenant, if you will. And this unconditional covenant comprises Yehovah gathering the two-divided Houses of Yisra’el into one and implanting in the minds and inscribing upon the hearts (i.e. the newly circumcised hearts) of the people of both houses His Torah. This sovereign act will eliminate the rebelliousness (aka the stiffneckedness) that Yisra’el had become universally known for. In so doing, Yehovah Elohim will be forever Yisra’el’s God and Yisra’el will forever be Yehovah’s set-apart people. Before the renewal of this everlasting covenant, Yisra’el was required to walk according to the tenets of the original covenant, which we know they failed miserably at. Now, Yah will fix it within every biological descendant of Jacob (yes, even the stiffnecked orthodox Jew), not just the engrafted of the commonwealth of Jacob, where they will walk in Yah’s ways without fail or error. Yah will reprogram every Israeli and remove all impediments to their covenant relationship with Him. Each Israeli will have a personal relationship with Yehovah. The same personal covenant relationship many of us possess even today. And last, Yah will forgive Yisra’el all her sins.
Talk about grace!
Yeshua Backs up the Permanence of Israel’s Covenant
Yehovah restricted Yeshua’s one-year ministry to the lost sheep of Israel, with just a handful of exceptions (Mat. 10.6; 15:24). This restriction applied to Yeshua’s one year mission as well and to His disciple’s initial ministry work. All this meant was that the Gospel was not to be shared with the “ethnos” or people of the nations (aka the Gentiles) at that early stage.
Why? Isn’t the Gospel for all of humanity?
Yes indeed, the Gospel is meant to reach all of humanity. However, the replacers and dispensationalists of denominationalism sadly reject the framework upon which the Gospel would rest and then go forth to all the world under the auspices of Yeshua’s Great Commission.
Let’s face it, beloved: Replacement theology is ignorant wishful thinking. It’s wishful thinking as if someone knows they owe the IRS a ton of money and they ignore the monthly demand letters and delude themselves into thinking that the IRS is eventually going to forget that they owe the money and slip away forever quietly in the night. Crazy! It ain’t going to happen. That’s just crazy talk. The truth of the matter is that the IRS is ruthless and they will come for and eventually get the money they claim they owe unless the one who owes faces the reality and deals amicably with the IRS to resolve their tax problem.
Speaking of problems: false doctrines such as replacement theology and dispensationalism and such take hold when so-called believers (1) choose to not believe Yehovah and His Son Yeshua but choose to believe their pastors, teachers, ministers, friends, the internet, and so forth; and (2) when so-called believers pick which portions of Yah’s Word they will accept and walk in (e.g. eliminating the Torah or the entire Tanakh because it doesn’t work for them). And so, when we eliminate half of Yah’s instructions in righteousness and choose to believe that Yah doesn’t mean what He says, we set ourselves up for failure and an eventual “I’ll pass on you coming into the Kingdom because I don’t have a relationship with you. So don’t let the gates of the Kingdom hit you on the way out.”
Of the 16-mentions of covenant in the Brit Hadashah (aka the New Testament), not one of those mentions has anything to do with Yehovah establishing a covenant with anyone other than Yisra’el.
Action
So then, beloved, where does this leave the replacers and dispensationalists and denominationalists in terms of Yisra’el and her inextricable link to our salvation? Well, simply this: they, like each of us, must shake-off the lies they’ve inherited from their fathers and get on-board Yah’s covenant train; the train that He commissioned only with Yisra’el.
And here’s the most exceptional news: If we enter into and walk in that essential covenant relationship with the Almighty through the Person and Ministries of Yeshua today, along with true Israel (i.e. become a Nazarene Israelite), we can begin enjoying and benefiting from the fatness that comes from the root that is the commonwealth of Yisra’el (i.e. the benefits and favor of being Yah’s chosen one with all the privileges that are associated therein; a partaker of the covenant promises; blessed of Yah and His grace-even His salvation) before the general redemption of Yisra’el that is soon to come.
Please understand me beloved.
I’m not advocating or promoting a forced or even an unreasonable love for the modern state of Israel. We all know that there are many shortcomings when it comes to the modern state of Israel. What I am advocating and promoting, however, is respect and hope and prayer for Israel, especially remnant Israel; true Israel. And I’m sorry: our western society has over the last several decades conditioned their subjects to reject any and everything related to Israel because of the very topic I discussed with you in this teaching: replacement theology. Many of us simply can’t get over ourselves and the deeply ingrained rejection of all things Israel.
Replacers and dispensationalists would have us all reject the concept of a covenant and faith that is built around Yah’s people and that the rest of us have been invited to be a part of that a covenant relationship through the Person and Ministries of Yeshua. To these it feels more appropriate to point out the shortcomings of Jews and past and present modern Israel and declare that they are so much better than Israel; that God has chosen them as the Church to be His favored ones. And they do this not seeing the horrendous shortcomings of the so-called Church that has terribly failed to do that which they claim she was commissioned to do.
We who’ve chosen to walk in Covenant with the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov have become one with remnant Israel through the Person and Ministries of Yeshua Messiah. This is the only game in town beloved and we should rejoice and be glad in this amazing Plan of Yah to reunite humanity unto Himself for the rest of eternity.
If Jehovah has an exclusive plan for Yisra’el such that all Yisra’el will be saved (Rom. 11:26), how do we non-Jewish believers in Yeshua factor into that plan? Well, Paul and the prophets of old reveal how this is going to all play out. And Abba willing, we will explore this plan in the next and final installment to this series.
So, let us pray for the peace of Yerushalayim; for the nation state of Israel that is home to remnant Israel (although many are still in exile throughout the world); that unbelieving Yisra’el will have those scales removed from their eyes and that they will recognize Yahoshua whom they pierced, teshuvah and be reunited with Yehovah forever (Zec. 12.10; Joh. 19:37).
And lastly beloved, I would be remiss if I didn’t invite those of you who may be listening or reading this post, who have not entered and are not walking in a true and substantive covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe, to do so today. Simply believe that Yeshua, Yehovah’s Son, bore your sins on His execution stake and His blood can atone for those sins. Repent, ask Yehovah to forgive you of your sins, and sin no more. And because you believe Yeshua, you are compelled to act. And that act is to be water immersed and then begin walking uprightly before your Creator. Walk steadfastly in a covenant relationship with Him. Turn your life entirely over to Him. Seek His Kingdom and His righteousness. Today is the day of salvation beloved. Don’t let another day go by without getting right with Yehovah.
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These are my Thoughts and Reflections on this week’s reading which is the 113th reading of the 3-year Torah Portion Cycle. It is found in Numbers/Bemidbar 17:1-18:32 (17:16-18:32).
Our reading picks up immediately where the Korah incident left off. Remember from our last reading (i.e., 112), that Korah and his posse led a revolt, challenging the leadership of Moshe and Aharon and Sons. Well, that revolt ended not only in the horrific deaths of the revolters but also in the deaths of thousands of Israelites who, the day after the revolters’ deaths, rose up against Moshe and Aharon for their leaders’ deaths.
Clearly the people, possibly for reasons that derived from their ingrained propensity towards rebelliousness (i.e., thus the stiffnecked moniker Yah attached to them). Thus could not accept the fact that Yehovah was in charge. Yah set the rules. Yah set the agenda for the nation. Moshe and Aharon were His anointed and appointed leaders. To challenge Yah’s established order for the nation was felonious and worthy of summary execution.
In order to finally put to rest any lingering question as it may relate to the ones Yah placed as leaders of the nation, Yah instructed Moshe to have each one of the 12 tribal leaders bring him a staff with their names inscribed upon them. (Aharon’s name would be inscribed upon the staff representing the tribe of Levi.) Moshe was instructed to place each of the rods in the Tent of Assembly/Testimony, specifically before the Ark of the Covenant overnight. In the morning Moshe recovered all 12 staffs and found, as Yah had foretold, Aharon’s staff had not only budded with blossom, but it also bore almonds. The Jerusalem Targum describes Aharon’s staff as having bloomed with flowers and ripened almonds, while the Targum Onkelos simply describes Aharon’s staff as having produced branches and having blossomed, and produced ripened almonds.
What’s the significance of the blossoms and almonds?
Yehovah does nothing haphazardly or without some form of symbolism or lesson being attached to it.
In terms of the blossoms or white flowers that are common to the Almond Tree, Hebraically they are symbolic of purity; holiness (i.e., qadosh); and of course became symbolic of the priesthood.
In terms of the ripened almonds, there are quite a number of opinions as it relates to its symbolism in this context:
Life and renewal. This would be significant in light of the tragic events of Korah’s rebellion. Here, in this context, the almonds would be a contrast to the scourge of death that followed that rebellion.
Watchfullness/Wakefullness (shaqed, which is derived from shaqad–Psa.127.1; Pro.8.34; Jer.31.28). The almond has the characteristic shape of the human eye. It therefore is symbolic of Yehovah’s eyes. Recall that the menorah cups were shaped as almonds (Exo.25.31-40). And of course, the menorah was the only source of light in the Tabernacle. Hebraically, the menorah symbolized Yah’s watchfulness and wakefulness in that place. And within the context of this reading, the symbolism of almonds sprouting from Aharon’s staff can be associated with Yah having looked upon all the tribal staffs that Moshe placed before His presence, and He, Yah, selecting Aharon’s staff, thereby certifying that Aharon was His chosen high priest. The watchfulness of Yehovah is explicitly mentioned in Yah’s revelation to and call to the Prophet Jeremiah: Moreover, the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said I see a rod of an almond tree. (Jer 1:11 ASV) Then said Jehovah unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I watch over my word to perform it. (Jer 1:12 ASV) In other words, one of Yah’s immutable character traits is that He is zealous and unstoppable when it comes to His promises (i.e., His word–His dabar) being fulfilled. He is a God of His Word. He does not lie, unlike humanity (Rom.3.4; cf. Psa.116.11).
House of Levi and House of Aharon
Moshe (the human author of our readings) recorded that the rod where Aharon’s name was inscribed, of the House of Levi (aka bet halevi or bet levi), had sprouted blossoms and ripened almonds (17.8 [17.23 BHS]). Moshe’s tribal designation of bet Levi/bet halevi is important on at least two levels: (1) The miracle of the blossoming, sprouting rod designated Aharon as Yah’s elect High Priest; and (2), the blossoming, sprouting rod also designated the tribe of Levi as Yah’s exclusively chosen priestly line. Remember that this miraculous event transpired on the heels of Korah’s rebellion (Num. 16 or Torah Reading 112). That uprising was incited over a contention of Moshe’s and Aharon’s authority (i.e., both manifested and religious authority) over the nation. And here we see in the events succeeding that rebellion, Yehovah definitively establishing Moshe’s, Aharon’s, and House of Levi’s chosen status over ancient Israel.
Beyond leadership designations, it also established Yehovah’s “sovereignty over nature and humanity” (Cole, R. Dennis (2000) “New American Commentary).
Aharon’s Budding Staff and the Holy Spirit–Tokens
Moshe is commanded of Yah to “bring back the staff of Aharon before the testimony as a guard and sign for the children of rebellion, and let them finish their grumblings before Me and not die” (17:10-11; LEX).
This act would serve as a memorial to Yah’s “divine decision” (ibid.). It was to be a token, which Hebraically means “a keeping or reservation” (Bush, George; “Notes, Critical, and Practical, on the Book of Numbers), as was the placing of a pot of manna in the Sanctuary (Exo. 16:33). It was a confirming of the Levitical Priesthood for rebellious Israel with the intent or purpose of ending the people’s belly-aching.
The Indwelling Set-Apart Spirit serves a similar purpose for every Nazarene Yisra’elite, certifying and confirming for us, the sovereign priesthood of our Master and Messiah, Yahoshua.
Aharon’s Budding Staff Points the Way to Life
We find tremendous symbolism associated with the 12 rods that were put before Yehovah for consideration. Before each staff was placed in the Tabernacle before the Ark, they consisted of dead, hardened wood, useful in aiding its bearer in walking along arduous terrain as well as in their personal defense. They are dead and without life, and could serve no other viable purpose.
When the rods were retrieved by Moshe the next day, eleven of them remained as dead and lifeless as they were when they were first placed before the ark the previous day. However, Aharon’s rod, having budded with flowers and almonds miraculously came to life. It was indicative of life, hope, and fertility even among the deadness of the eleven.
Thus, Yah affirmed to the nation that the Aharonic Priesthood was the only sanctioned conduit or means of worship and the pathway to life.
Today, the Aharonic Priesthood has been shelved by Yehovah, at least for the time being. The symbol of the budding rod has in a sense passed to the Malchizedekian Priesthood, headed by Yahoshua Messiah (Heb.7). This priestly order, presently serving an intercessory role in the great plan of salvation, redemption, and restoration, is the source of life, hope, and prosperity to Nazarene Israel.
The Aharon’s Budding Rod–A Symbol of the Holy Spirit–Convicts the Nation
12And the children of Yisra’ěl spoke to Mosheh, saying, “See, we shall die, we shall perish, we shall all perish!
13“Anyone who comes near the Dwelling Place of יהוה dies. Shall we be consumed—to die?” The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009), Nu 17:12–13.
Yah intended that the miracle of Aharon’s budding rod would confirm once and for all, through every succeeding generation, the Aharonic Priesthood as His only chosen priestly line. It was to put an end to the ongoing rebellious debate among the people as to who was to lead the people. The people in every respect were born of rebellion and disobedience (LXX) (17:10; Deu. 9:7,24).
The spiritual transforming effect the budding rod had over the people was that it produced in them an overwhelming sense of conviction. We find recorded in the Targum Onkelos associated with this passage:
“Behold, the sword hath killed some of us, and behold, the earth hath swallowed some of us, and behold, some of us are dead with the pestilence.”.
Similarly in Targum Jonathan a similar notation said to have been uttered by the people:
“Behold, some of us are consumed with flaming fire, and some of us are swallowed up into the earth; behold, we think as did they, so we all of us shall perish.”
These recognized, ironically so, the rod was physical evidence of the mercies that Yehovah had lavished upon them despite their rebellious and disobedient ways. In this we see, in a narrow sense, the beatitudinal character trait of poverty of spirit (reference Mat. 5.3). These not only experienced an overwhelming degree of conviction, they were struck with true fear of Yehovah and those things that are associated with Him:
“Every one that cometh near, every one that cometh near unto the tabernacle of Jehovah shall die; shall we be consumed in expiring, or giving up the ghost?”
Sadly, however, despite being convicted of their disobedience and rebellion, the people saw were incapable of seeing the salvation of Yehovah (i.e., His Yeshua). These saw only a bitter end to their existence (17.13).
If we take from this event Aharon’s budding rod as symbolic of the Holy Spirit, we can glean from all that transpired here the following character traits of the Ruach Kodesh’s work in the Netzer:
He confirms the centrality of the Person and Ministry of Yeshua in the Netzer’s life.
He convicts the Netzer in the event he/she transgresses Yah’s instructions in righteousness and of his/her sin in general, producing within them spiritual poverty which is essential for receiving and entering the Malchut Elohim (aka the Kingdom of God).
He corrects the Netzer of any doctrinal or theological issues that may cause the him/her to err and miss the mark of the high calling in Messiah (Phi.3.14).
The remainder of our Torah Reading passage is a summary of the duties of the Aharonic Priests and the Levites in the service of the Sanctuary and to Yehovah. These were all previously delineated in Leviticus and previous chapters of this book. There is a clear delineation of the role that Aharon and Sons and their Levite brethren would play in the service of the sanctuary. Essentially, Aharon and sons would have direct access to the sanctuary and conduct worship, while their Levite cousins served more of a ministerial role to Aharon and sons (18:2). The Levites were not permitted to have direct access to the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar (18:3). This delineation was put into place to ensure that no future confusion or chaos ensued in the nation in relation to sanctioned roles among the Israelites in the service of Yehovah. To violate this delineation was defy Yehovah and to transgress His Torah (18:4-5).
And thus, Yah reaffirms the utter sanctity and exclusivity of the Tabernacle and all that is associated with it, with deadly consequences for any who would transgress or impede that sanctity (18:6-7). But the Levites would not be without value to the sacred operations of the sanctuary, but would be vital to ensuring proper care and transport of it when Yah instructed. Consequently, the Aharonic Priesthood would be responsible for receiving and using, within the framework of Yah’s instructions, the sacred implements and the gifts (aka Terumah) of Yisra’el (18:8-32). Every care of life was to be provided for from the “terumah” of bene Yisra’el. Thus, the Levites would not be awarded possessions of real property when the nation went in to take possession of the Land. Yah provides all.
