Transcript RECOGNITION - Qodesh Ministries

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THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT
http://www.messianicbible.com
HEAR O ISRAEL
www.hearoisrael.org
SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER
www.sheepfoldgleanings.com
MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE
http://www.messianicisrael.com
AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM
GREENBAUM
http://www.azamra.org
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TORAH: Numbers 1:1 – 4:20
HAFTARAH: Hosea 2: 1-22
B’RIT HADASHAH: Luke 2:1-7; 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31, Romans
9:22– 33
All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted
Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum compares the Torah to a man:
1. Genesis traces the roots of the Torah and the souls of Israel
who were to be its bearers. Genesis is the “head” of the Torah.
2. Exodus is the “hands” of Torah; because it describes how ‫יהוה‬
redeemed the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt and
delivered them with a “mighty arm” and His “Mighty Right
Hand” and took them to Himself for a set-apart people.
3. Leviticus is the “heart” of Torah, as it sets forth the main body
of instructions and right-rulings for all areas of life.
4. Deuteronomy, which is the “mouth” of Torah. Summarizes all
that has gone before, it speaks prophetically of what will come
and its key theme is “Sh’ma Israel”, as repeated five times.
5. Numbers the “legs” of Torah. It traces the journey of B’nei Israel
on foot through the wilderness to the borders of the Promised
Land and back through the wilderness for 39 years.
The concept of Torah understanding is called by the Rabbi’s,
“Ma‟aseh avot siman le‟vanim”. Do you remember? “The deeds
of the fathers (our ancestors) are signposts to the children”.
1. We are to look at what “the fathers” did as examples, in
terms of life-style and decision making, whether good or bad.
2. We are to look at their character qualities in light of Torah,
and how we can emulate their good qualities. During the
“Counting of the Omer”, we compare ourselves to the
standards of Torah and the “Image of Elohim” (His Character
and Nature).
3. “Historical precedent”. This teaches us that what has
happened in Scripture, to our forefathers, will happen again
to us. In a nutshell, ‫ יהוה‬has given us, not only the words of
the prophets in Scripture; but, He’s given us historic
examples, so that we can know how to walk out our destiny.
“And I shall bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and
shall enter into judgment with you face to face there. “As I
entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the
land of Mitsrayim, so I shall enter into judgment with you,”
declares the Master ‫יהוה‬. “And I shall make you pass under the
rod, and shall bring you into the bond of the covenant, and purge
the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against
Me. From the land where they sojourn I bring them out, but they
shall not come into the land of Yisra’ĕl. And you shall know that I
am ‫יהוה‬.
Ezekiel 20:35-38
The true testing of obedience comes in the wilderness of the
peoples; when you’re surrounded by the noise of those who
spread dissent and rebellion.
And ‫ יהוה‬spoke to Mosheh in the Wilderness... Numbers 1:1
Hebrew word for Desert “midbar” (mem-dalet-bet-reish),
Strong’s #4057, means “wilderness” or “mouth” as in the “organ
of speech”. It comes from the root word “dabar”, #1696 and
#1697. “Dabar” is spelled “dalet-beit-reish” and has several
meanings; such as “shepherd” or “leader” and to “set in order”.
MEANING: In the wilderness the shepherd sets things in order.
If pronounced “debar”, it means to “speak” or to “command”,
“word” or “that which is spoken”. It also means “a plague”. In the
previous census (Exodus 38:26) if the priests had not collected
the ½ shekel, as atonement for those counted, the people would
have been killed by a plague, a spoken or by the word.
“B‟midbar” (in the wilderness) has the numeric value of 248;
which equals “Avraham”, “rechem” which is the “womb”, where
life is incubated, and “v‟ee‟zakar‟ah” which means “and you
remember”.
MEANING: You will remember my promise to Abraham
Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon refers to “wilderness” as “a
sterile place”. Example: A “Petri Dish” in the lab, where cultures
are grown. ‫ יהוה‬took a people who were slaves and had spirits
broken by years of abuse; and grew them into a new culture, a
culture of Tzaddikim, or righteous ones, who were chosen to be
‫’יהוה‬s bride and a kingdom of priests. He took them out of their
bondage, away from the noise of the world, into a sterile place,
the Wilderness of Sinai, in order to speak to them, by His own
mouth and Moshe’s, and give them His Words; then, He led
them another 39 years in order to nurture and grow this new
culture.
The Children of Israel were always accompanied by the
“Mishkan”, the “Ohel Mo‟ed”, the “Dwelling Place of Elohim”.
“Mishkan” is from the root word “shakan”, which means “dwell”
or “abide with”, and is related to the root word “shakab”, which
means to “lie with” or “have sexual relations with”.
Purpose of the wilderness experience:
who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not
know, in order to humble you and to try you, to do you good in the end,
(Deuteronomy 8:16)
In the wilderness, He feeds us with manna. The disciple John tells us
who this manna is:
Therefore ‫ יהושע‬said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, Mosheh did not
give you the bread out of the heaven, but My Father gives you the true
bread out of the heaven. “For the bread of Elohim is He who comes
down out of the heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:32-33)
‫ יהוה‬took His people into the wilderness (the place of the Word) to
humble them and test them by providing them with exactly what they
needed through the manna which is Messiah ‫יהושע‬, the living Word!
He is the way out of exile and also “to do you good in the end”.
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Isaiah shows us the same pattern of being humbled in order to be fed:
Therefore my people have gone into exile, because they have no
knowledge. And their esteemed men are starved, and their crowd dried
up with thirst. .. And man is bowed down, and mortal man humbled,
and the eyes of the proud are humbled. But ‫ יהוה‬of hosts is exalted in
judgment, and the set-apart Ěl is set-apart in righteousness. And the
lambs shall feed in their pasture, and strangers shall eat in the waste
places of the fat ones. (Isaiah 5:13-17)
The context of the above verses is people living their lives without
regard for the Almighty. Because they have no knowledge, they will
find themselves in captivity. Verse 17 says this is where the lambs will
feed in their pasture. The word for pasture aside from the added vowel
points, is made up of the same Hebrew letters as “Word”. ‫ יהוה‬is
always feeding the lambs with the Word, which we know to be His
Son!
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And ‫ יהוה‬spoke to Mosheh in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of
Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after
they had come out of the land of Mitsrayim, saying, (Numbers 1:1)
The time frame given in Numbers 1:1 is the first new moon between
the waving of the first fruits of barley and Shavuot (Pentecost). It
connects with the manna as it put us right in the middle of the
“counting of the omer”. A season where we look at the Word and
ourselves to see where we lack.
“O generation, see the word of ‫ !יהוה‬Have I been a wilderness to
Yisra’ĕl, Or a land of darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We have
broken loose; we come to You no more’? “Would a maiden forget her
ornaments, or a bride her headband? Yet My people have forgotten
Me, days without number. (Jeremiah 2:31-32)
‫ יהוה‬is imploring His people to “see the Word of ‫ ”יהוה‬They only see
darkness and they miss the Word which would have brought light. How
could they have forgotten? And his complaint is that they have
forgotten Him “days with no number”.
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Teach us to number our days, And let us bring the heart to wisdom.
(Psalms 90:12)
... Speak to them, saying, ‘Between the evenings you are to eat meat,
and in the morning you are to be satisfied with bread. .. ‘Let every man
gather it according to each one’s need, an omer for each being,
according to the number of beings. .. “Let no one leave any of it until
morning.” And they did not listen to Mosheh, so some of them left part
of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Mosheh was
wroth with them. (Exodus 16:12-20)
We are to count the manna that we collect daily according to the
measure of an Omer. For if we collect to much (Knowledge) we cannot
meditate on it and allow it to become revelation (Wisdom) it will begin
to stink as knowledge puffs up. Notice in Exodus 16:20 that their omer
of manna stunk because “they did not heed Moses.” Remember that
Moses and Torah are synonymous terms (Luke 24:27), so any truth that
does not heed Moses/Torah will “breed worms and stink”.
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1. Chapters 1-10: In the wilderness of Sinai: The Camp, 20 days
– Order of the camp, Nazarites, God in His Tabernacle.
2. Chapters 11-25: The rebellious folks: Challenge, First
generation of Exiles, rebellions, 12 spies, Balaam.
3. Chapters 26-36: “In the plains of Moab”: Prep for Conquest
of Canaan Another senses, battles, Cities of refuge
“On ten occasions were Israel counted. Once when they went
down to Egypt ( Genesis 46); A second time when they came out
(Exodus 12:37). A third time after the incident of the Golden Calf
(Exodus 30:12). Twice in the Book of Numbers: once in formation
of the camps (Numbers 1) and once in connection with the
division of the land (Numbers. 26); Twice in the days of Saul (I
Samuel 11:8 and 15:4); The eighth time in the days of David (II
Samuel 24:9). The ninth time they were numbered was in the
days of Ezra (Ezra 2:64; Nehemiah 7:66). The tenth time will be in
the future era of Moshiach (Messiah), when "The flocks shall
again pass under the hands of Him that counts them" (Jeremiah
33:13) (Midrash Rabbah)”
The question comes to mind…what was the reason for counting the
people? Surely ‫ יהוה‬already knows how many people there are. Indeed
He even knows how many hairs are on our head:
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls
to the ground without your Father. (Matthew 10:29)
‫ יהוה‬had another reason for numbering the Israelites, a military
motivation for the numbering: “Take a census of all the congregation
of the children of Yisra’ĕl, .. everyone going out to the army in Yisra’ĕl.
Number them by their divisions, you and Aharon. (Numbers 1:2-3)
We are rationally thinking humans, and numbers matter to us. We
definitely prefer to out-number our enemies when we go to war. This
has never been the case for Israel: “‫ יהוה‬did not set His love on you nor
choose you because you were more numerous than any other people,
for you were the least of all peoples, (Deuteronomy 7:7)
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The knowledge of their “numbers” would test the Israelite’s faith.
Numbers do not count where ‫ יהוה‬people are concerned. ‫ יהוה‬plus His
people are ALWAYS a majority. When we walk in His ways, He gives us
a promise concerning our enemies:
“O, if My people had listened to Me, Yisra’ĕl would walk in My ways, “I
would subdue their enemies at once, And turn My hand against their
adversaries! (Psalms 81:13-14)
..“O ‫ יהוה‬Elohim of our fathers, are You not Elohim in the heavens, and
do You not rule over all the reigns of the nations, and in Your hand is
there not power and might, so that no one is able to stand against You?
(2 Chronicles 20:6)
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Take a census ..(Numbers 1:2)
Traditionally, the Hebrew words ‫ ׂשאו את־ראׁש‬are translated as
“take a census” or “count the people,” but literally this
expression means “lift the head”. We see the this choice of
words during the time that Yosef was jailed with the Pharaoh’s
butler and baker. Yosef told the butler that Pharaoh would “lift
his head” and elevate him back into the court: “Yet, within three
days Pharaoh is going to lift up your head and restore you to
your place ... (Genesis 40:13). Yosef told the baker that “lifting
his head” pointed to his impending death: “Yet, within three days
Pharaoh is going to lift off your head from you .. (Genesis 40:19)
In Genesis, the “lifting of the head” is associated with the
impulses of the human Pharaoh. When connected to ‫’יהוה‬s
census of the Israelites in Genesis, this expression communicates
a choice. ‫ יהוה‬is hinting through Moshe that two possible
destinies lie before the Israelites. They may either rise to
greatness, or be destroyed. They will either be successful in their
conquest and possession of the land, or (if they fail to obey ‫)יהוה‬
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they too will face destruction.
When ‫“ יהוה‬lifts the head” of His chosen people, it is an
acknowledgment of the special relationship that He has with
them. Because of this relationship, Israel has the potential of
receiving all of the blessings described in the Scriptures. But with
this election, comes expectation. The “heads of the people will
be lifted,” but their attitudes and actions will be held to a higher
standard. Unlike the butler and the baker each person has a say
in his own destiny. The “lifting of the head” is still a powerful
model for us today. As we bond together as Israel, each person
should feel valued and recognized. It should be an uplifting
experience that draws us closer to the Father and to the Torah.
But You, O ‫יהוה‬, are a shield for me, My esteem, and the One
lifting up my head. ... I am not afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O ‫;יהוה‬
Save me, O my Elohim! Because You have smitten all my enemies
on the cheek; You have broken the teeth of the wrong.
Deliverance belongs to ‫יהוה‬. Your blessing is on Your people.
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Selah. (Psalms 3:3-8)
This count was by tribes. Today it is no longer possible for most who
are not of Judah or Levi to know absolutely what tribe they are
identified with (although there are clues as to the personalities of each
of the tribes). ‫יהושע‬, however, did give us a clue as to who our family
is:
And while He was still talking to the crowds, see, His mother and
brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. And one said to
Him, “See, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking
to speak with You.” But He answering, said to the one who spoke to
Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And having
stretched out His hand toward His taught ones, He said, “See My
mother and My brothers! “For whoever does the desire of My Father
who is in the heavens is My brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew
12:46-50)
And He answering, said to them, “My mother and My brothers are
those who are hearing the Word of Elohim and doing it.” (Luke 8:21)
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“Take a census of ... every male, head by head, (Numbers 1:2)
It has been pointed out that these names were not the names of
slaves. These were the names of freed men! These are the
names of men learning to walk with the Almighty in the
wilderness, the place of the Word. The names listed from each
tribe are reflective of the moral fibre of their leadership. If this is
our pattern, leaders such as these will be in place before we
head for the Promised Land. Here are a few of the meanings of
their names:
• Elizur (El/God of the rock)
• Shelumiel (Peace of El)
• Nethaneel (Given of El)
• Elishama (El of hearing)
Of the twenty-four proper names here given, nine contain the
Divine name, El (God), three the name Tzur (Rock), which is
frequently used for God, as in Tzur Yisrael (Rock of Israel) or Rock
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of Ages.
The name Shaddai also appears three times in the names listed
and the compound El Shaddai is translated ‘God Almighty’ in
English Bibles, but does not do justice to the name of God.
.. ‫ יהוה‬appeared to Aḇram and said to him, “I am Ěl Shaddai –
walk before Me and be perfect . (Genesis 17:1)
Shaddai is derived from a Hebrew root “shadad”, which means
to overpower. Interestingly enough, this root also can mean a
demonic power. Therefore, El Shaddai also means that God
overpowers or prevails against all demonic powers.
Howl, for the day of ‫ יהוה‬is near! It comes as a destruction from
the Almighty. (Isaiah 13:6)
Shaddai is also derived from the Hebrew root shad, which means
breast – the woman’s breast – the source of nourishment and
comfort to her children. This reveals the maternal, merciful
nature of God. from the Ěl of your father who helps you, and by
the Almighty who blesses you with blessings of the heavens
above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the
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breasts and of the womb. (Genesis 49:25)
This book is also about ‫ יהוה‬calling and counting His bride to be
and this is expressed in a rather strange Hebrew idiom viz “to
count the skulls”
“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, by
their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names,
every male, head by head, (Numbers 1:2)
The Hebrew word for head is “skulls” or “gulgoleth” Strongs
1538. This is where we get the word “Golgotha” indicating that
“only in Messiah can we be counted”.
And bearing His stake, He went out to the so-called Place of a Skull,
which is called in Heḇrew, Golgotha, (John 19:17)
The census in the last days will consist only of those who have
taken up their execution stakes (cross) and walked in the
footsteps of our Messiah.
POINT TO PONDER: ONLY TWO PEOPLE COUNTED IN THIS CENSUS
MADE IT INTO THE PROMISED LAND. (Joshua and Caleb)
… Number them by their divisions, you and Aharon.
(Numbers 1:3)
This count was by tribes. Today it is no longer possible for most
who are not of Judah or Levi to know absolutely what tribe they
are identified with (although there are clues as to the
personalities of each of the tribes). ‫יהושע‬, however, did give us a
clue as to who our family is:
..“See, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside,
seeking to speak with You.” But He answering, said to the one
who spoke to Him, “Who is My mother and who are My
brothers?” And having stretched out His hand toward His taught
ones, He said, “See My mother and My brothers! “For whoever
does the desire of My Father who is in the heavens is My brother
and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50)
And He answering, said to them, “My mother and My brothers
are those who are hearing the Word of Elohim and doing it.”
(Luke 8:21)
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But the Lĕwites were not registered among them by their fathers’ tribe,
(Numbers 1:47)
The Levites were excluded from the general census, not because they
did not participate in wars, but because their function and importance
as the closest servants of ‫ יהוה‬obliged that they be counted separately.
The instructions for their counting were also different: “Register the
children of Lĕwi by their fathers’ houses, by their clans. Register every
male from a month old and above.”
(Numbers 3:15)
In the general census, males 20 years and up were counted. Why the
difference: Rabbi Hirsch (1800’s) offers an explanation:
“It is the result of, and a concrete expression of, their general calling….
The tribe of Levi was not to be merely the guardians and watchers over
the Tabernacle, but were to be the defenders and protectors, teachers
and advocates of the Torah itself and its observance…. This general
calling of the Levite belongs to the Levite child from the first month,
and he must be brought up for it from the beginning of his growth.”
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“Instead, appoint the Lĕwites over the Dwelling Place of the
Witness, over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it.
They bear the Dwelling Place and all its furnishings, and they
attend to it, and camp around the Dwelling Place. “And when the
Dwelling Place is to go forward, the Lĕwites take it down. And
when the Dwelling Place is to be set up, the Lĕwites set it up. And
the stranger who comes near is put to death. .... the Lĕwites
camp around the Dwelling Place of the Witness, so that there be
no wrath on the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl. And the
Lĕwites shall guard the duty of the Dwelling Place of the
Witness.” And the children of Yisra’ĕl did according to all that
‫ יהוה‬commanded Mosheh, so they did. (Numbers 1:50-54)
It was the duty of the Levites to camp around the tabernacle
(verses 50 & 53). Verse 51 indicates that any stranger who comes
near the tabernacle must be put to death. Therefore we picture
the Levites as a kind of elite company or the palace guards
whose duty it was to guard the holiness of the sanctuary. If
anything unholy got by the rest of the tribes, it was the
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responsibility of the Levites to stop it.
And see, one of the children of Yisra’ĕl came and brought to his
brothers a Miḏyanite woman before the eyes of Mosheh and before
the eyes of all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, who were
weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting. And when Pineḥas, son of
Elʽazar, son of Aharon the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the
congregation and took a spear in his hand, and he went after the man
of Yisra’ĕl into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of
Yisra’ĕl, and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague among the
children of Yisra’ĕl came to a stop. And those who died in the plague
were twenty-four thousand. (Numbers 25:6-9)
Phinehas, was properly doing the job he was commissioned for!
And ‫ יהוה‬spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Pineḥas, .. has turned back My
wrath from the children of Yisra’ĕl, because he was ardent with My
ardour in their midst, so that I did not consume the children of Yisra’ĕl
in My ardour. ..(Numbers 25:10-13)
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Today we are of the priesthood of the order of Melchizedek:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a
people for a possession, that you should proclaim the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light, (1 Peter 2:9)
“And they are to teach My people the difference between the set-apart
and the profane, and make them know what is unclean and clean. “And
they are to stand as judges in a dispute, and judge it according to My
right-rulings. And they are to guard My Torot and My laws in all My
appointed festivals, and set apart My Sabbaths. (Ezekiel 44:23-24)
We are called to not only teach others but to protect the sanctuary
that is been built inside of us.
in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of Elohim in
the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)
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• One year after leaving Egypt (First God delivers then He reaches a
new way)
• Military census taken before and after the battle (Num 26)
• Divided into 12 Tribes, including foreigners
• The grand total: 603,550 same as Exodus 38:26
• Number excludes Levites
• Only 20 years and older
For us the symbol of the congregation of believers as a spiritual army
that has the purpose of advancing the kingdom of heaven. Each
member of the spiritual body of ‫( יהושע‬the congregation of redeemed
believers) has a position, responsibility and a role to play in the proper
and orderly functioning of the “camp”
W
Manasseh
Benjamin
Ephraim
(Rachel)
108100
S
Reuben
Simeon
Gad
(Leah - Zilpah)
151450
Dan
Asher
Naphtali
(Zilpah – Bilhah)
157600
FOUR
FACES
Tabernacle
BANNERS
Ezekiel 1
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun
(Leah)
186400
E
N
The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash comments:
God patterned the formations of Israel after that of his own
heavenly throne of glory: The throne is in the center and is
surrounded by four animals, as it were. On earth, the Tabernacle
represents the throne, surrounded by the four formations. Judah,
as the leader of the tribes, was assigned to the east, the direction
from which light comes to the world. With him were Issachar, the
tribe of Torah, and Zebulon, the tribe of wealth. The finest
combination is leadership coupled with sanctity of Torah study and
those who extend themselves to support Torah scholars (p. 733).
‫ יהוה‬combined the other tribes around the Tabernacle in a similarly
thoughtful manner. If ‫ יהוה‬does not build the house, Its builders
have laboured in vain. ... (Psalms 127:1)
Are you using fleshly means to build or using spiritual means
(prayer, giving, laying your life down in service) so that ‫ יהוה‬can
build or organize in his way and timing?
W
Manasseh
Benjamin
Ephraim
(Rachel)
Gershonites
108100
S
Reuben
Dan
Simeon
Asher
Gad Kohathites
MeraritesNaphtali
(Leah - Zilpah)
(Zilpah – Bilhah)
Tabernacle
151450
157600
Moses, Aaron & Priests
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun
(Leah)
186400
E
N
The Presence of the Almighty was placed in the centre of camp in
order to be its focus. However, He also arranged the camp in such a
way as to be able to learn from your neighbour. We too can look about
and learn from the models of wisdom and goodness around us. It
becomes a sacred awareness and an appreciation for where our
Creator has physically placed us in this life. Have you noticed how a
grapevine grows? As branches, we all must be connected to the vine,
who is ‫יהושע‬, but are you aware of what a grapevine looks like as it
becomes fruitful?
Notice how the branches are completely entangled. There’s
no way you could ever separate the branches one from
another without severing them from the vine. We gain life
from the vine, but we also can hold one another up as we32
bear fruit.
You brought a vine out of Mitsrayim; You drove out the nations, and
planted it. You cleared a place for it, And caused it to take deep root,
And it filled the land. Hills were covered with its shadow, And the
mighty cedars with its twigs. She spread her branches to the Sea, And
her shoots to the River. Why have You broken down her hedges, So that
every passer-by plucked her fruit? The boar out of the forest ravages it,
And the wild beast of the field devours it. Return, we beg You, O Elohim
of hosts; Look down from heaven, and see, And visit this vine, And the
stock which Your right hand has planted, And the Son whom You made
strong for Yourself.
(Psalms 80:8-15)
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And ‫ יהוה‬spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Now look, I Myself have taken the
Lĕwites from among the children of Yisra’ĕl instead of every first-born
who opens the womb among the children of Yisra’ĕl. And the Lĕwites
shall be Mine, because all the first-born are Mine. .. I set apart to
Myself all the first-born in Yisra’ĕl, both man and beast. They are Mine,
I am ‫יהוה‬.” (Numbers 3:11-13)
Redemption has in it the idea of exchange or substitution. As a result
‫ יהוה‬owned and set apart the firstborn in Israel. It was then the
Almighty’s prerogative to exchange the firstborn in Israel for the
Levites. This required another count. Unlike the previous census, this
time the Levite males are numbered from a very early age (Numbers
3:14-43). There were 22000 Levite males 1 month and older. The
firstborn males among the sons of Israel were 22273 (Numbers 3:46).
“And for the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Yisra’ĕl, who are more than the number of the
Lĕwites, you shall take five sheqels for each one, head by head – take it
by the sheqel of the set-apart place, the sheqel of twenty gĕrahs.
(Numbers 3:46-47)
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• 603,550
– Ages of 20 and upwards counted for war
• 3,000,000
– The number estimated coming out of Egypt
• 1,500,000
– Estimate for all males
So, what do these numbers tell us? We can divide the number of
firstborn males into the total estimate for males (22,273/1,500,000)
and find out what would appear to be the average number of males
per family as every family have a firstborn. The number we get is 67
and that’s sons only! We also would expect that the Levite males
would make up 1/12 of the number of the sons of Israel. Again by
dividing 22,000 into 1,500,000 we get approximately 1/67. This is a
perplexing problem to many trying to come up with common sense
solutions. Could there be a simple answer?
Could it have been that multitudes of the people (representing the 70
nations) made the split second decision to leave after the loss of their
firstborn in order to possibly save the rest of their families? The Levites
kept themselves pure and did not allow in any extras thus explaining
the unusual ratio of Levites.
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“Now look, I Myself have taken the Lĕwites from among the
children of Yisra’ĕl instead of every first-born who opens the
womb among the children of Yisra’ĕl. And the Lĕwites shall be
Mine, (Numbers 3:12)
Notes:
• Levites replaced the first born of Israel
• Levites were not priest
• Levites protected the Sanctuary
• Levites protected God’s Holiness
• Were commanded to kill if somebody disobeyed God
• No trail, not brought before the priests, no sympathy
• Same duty as the cherubim with the flaming sword protecting
the tree of life
• Were the labourers around the tabernacle
“Register the children of Lĕwi by their fathers’ houses, by their clans.
Register every male from a month old and above.” (Numbers 3:15)
• Babies are circumcised on 8th day to bring them under the
Abrahamic covenant
• 1 Month old to be redeemed
• Until 1 month old not considered a person
• Not a allowed to mourn in the first month
The Levites are called to minister. Therefore, the Levitical counting
consisted of males from a month old and upward. Separate counting’s
were required because the inheritance of each group is different.
Therefore, the Levites and the men of war have different destinies.
Numbers 3:18-26
• 7500 males
• Situated West
Care for:
1. The tent
2. Screen
3. Altar
4. Cords
Numbers 3:27-32
• 8300 males
• Situated South
Care for:
1. Ark
2. Table of Showbread
3. Menorah
4. Golden Altar
Numbers 3:33-37
• 6200 males
• Situated east
Care for:
1. Planks
2. Poles
3. Sockets
4. Ropes
And those who were to camp before the Dwelling Place on the east,
before the Tent of Meeting, were Mosheh and Aharon, and his sons,
guarding the duty of the set-apart place, and the duty of the children
of Yisra’ĕl. But the stranger who came near was to be put to death.
(Numbers 3:38)
• Attend to duties of the Sanctuary
• No coming near to sanctuary if not ”Holy”
• No count of priest
because the Lĕwites shall do the service of the Tent of Meeting, so they
themselves bear their crookedness. A law forever, throughout your
generations: that among the children of Yisra’ĕl they are to have no
inheritance, (Numbers 18:23)
As a result, the Levites were not required to fight.
‘The carcasses of you who have grumbled against Me are going to fall
in this wilderness, all of you who were registered, according to your
entire number, from twenty years old and above. (Numbers 14:29)
And Elʽazar son of Aharon died, and they buried him in a hill that
belonged to Pineḥas his son, which was given to him in the hill country
of Ephrayim. (Joshua 24:33)
Eleazar the son of Aaron died in the land and was buried in the land.
The Levites were not considered men of war; therefore they were not
punished for being afraid of the giants in the land.
And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before
God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's
office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the
Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at
the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord
standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias
saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said
unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife
Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
(Luke 1:8-13)
• Zachariah was a priest
• John the Baptist did not need to be redeemed
And when eight days were completed for Him to be circumcised, His
Name was called ‫יהושע‬, the Name given by the messenger before He
was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her cleansing
according to the Torah of Mosheh were completed, they brought Him
to Yerushalayim to present Him to ‫ – יהוה‬as it has been written in the
Torah of ‫יהוה‬, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called setapart to ‫ – ”יהוה‬and to give an offering according to what is said in the
Torah of ‫יהוה‬,
(Luke 2:21-35)
•
‫ יהושע‬got His name at 8 years of age
• At 1 month ‫ יהושע‬was consecrated
• 2 pigeons were offered for Mary’s purification
“Therefore, see, I am alluring her, and shall lead her into the
wilderness, and shall speak to her heart, and give to her
vineyards from there, and the Valley of Aḵor as a door of
expectation. And there she shall respond as in the days of her
youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of
Mitsrayim. “And it shall be, in that day,” declares ‫יהוה‬, “that you
call Me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer call Me ‘My Baʽal.’ “And I
shall remove the names of the Baʽals from her mouth, and they
shall no more be remembered by their name. “And in that day I
shall make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and
with the birds of the heavens, and with the creeping creatures of
the ground, when bow, and sword, and battle I break from the
earth. And I shall make them lie down in safety. “And I shall take
you as a bride unto Me forever, and take you as a bride unto Me
in righteousness, and in right-ruling, and kindness and
compassion. “And I shall take you as a bride unto Me in
trustworthiness, and you shall know ‫יהוה‬. (Hosea 2:14-20)
“Yet the number of the children of Yisra’ĕl shall be as the sand of the
sea, which is not measured nor counted. And it shall be in the place
where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they shall be
called, ‘You are the sons of the living Ěl.’ (Hosea 1:10)
The opening words of this Haftorah compare the future numbers of
the nation of Israel to the sand of the sea, and thus connect with
Parashah B’midbar, which gives the numbers of the Israelites in the
wilderness.
The Soncino Pentateuch : A heavy domestic sorrow darkened Hosea’s
life. He had married a woman called Gomer; and she rendered him
deeply unhappy. He found that he had wasted his love on a profligate
woman. She fled from the Prophet’s house, and sank lower and lower
until she became the slave-concubine of another. But Hosea’s love was
proof even against faithlessness and dishonour. He, the deeply
aggrieved husband, buys her back from slavery, and brings her into his
house—as a ward, pitied and sheltered, but subjected to a period of
probation that shall show whether her better self can be awakened. (p.
581)
Jezreel or God-sows:
Prophecy: And ‫ יהוה‬said to him, “Call his name Yizreʽĕl, for in a little
while I shall revenge the bloodshed of Yizreʽĕl on the house of Yĕhu,
and put an end to the reign of the house of Yisra’ĕl. (Hosea 1:4)
Reason: And Yĕhu smote all those left of the house of Aḥaḇ in Yizreʽĕl,
and all his great men and his friends and his priests, until he left him
without a survivor. (2 Kings 10:11)
No Compassion or Mercy (Lo-ruhamah): Prophetic reference to
the House of Israel who, because of their apostasy, would be
rejected by ‫( יהוה‬Hosea 1:6).
Not a People/Not My People (Lo-ami): Prophetic reference to
both the Houses of Israel and Judah (Hosea 1:9). This same
phrase is echoed prophetically elsewhere in Scripture, as well
(Deut 32:21; Isa 7:8; Rom 9:25; 1 Pet 2:9–10).
And the word of ‫ יהוה‬came to Yirmeyahu, saying, “Thus said ‫יהוה‬, ‘If you
could break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night,
so that there be not day and night in their season, then My covenant
could also be broken with Dawiḏ My servant – so that he shall not have
a son to reign upon his throne – and with the Lĕwites, the priests, My
attendants. ‘As the host of the heavens is not counted, nor the sand of
the sea measured, so I increase the descendants of Dawiḏ My servant
and the Lĕwites who attend upon Me.’ ” And the word of ‫ יהוה‬came to
Yirmeyahu, saying, “Have you not observed what these people have
spoken, saying, ‘The two clans which ‫ יהוה‬has chosen have been rejected
by Him’? So they have despised My people, no more to be a nation
before them. “Thus said ‫יהוה‬, ‘If My covenant is not with day and night,
and if I have not appointed the laws of the heavens and earth, then I
would also reject the descendants of Yaʽaqoḇ and Dawiḏ My servant, so
that I should not take of his descendants to be rulers over the
descendants of Aḇraham, Yitsḥaq, and Yaʽaqoḇ. For I shall turn back
their captivity, and have compassion on them.’ ” (Jeremiah 33:19-26)
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