Numbers 2023

Num 36:2 and they said, "The LORD commanded my lord to give the land by lot to the sons of Israel as an inheritance, and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters. This is the case of the daughters whose father had died in the wilderness, and the father wasn't with Korah in his rebellion. And the daughters had no brothers either. The girls had no inheritance in the land. They wanted to inherit their father's portion of the land. Elohim agreed that they should do that (Numbers 27:1-11). The men from the tribe of Manassah had an issue that they feel needed to be addressed concerning the inheritance of these girls and any other females that might fall into their category.

Num 35:16 'But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. Num 35:17 'And if he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he may die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. Num 35:18 'Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he may die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. This is an explicit definition of murder. If someone intentionally strikes someone with a weapon that could possibly kill him, it is murder. It does not matter if the person did not intend to kill. It does not matter if the offender only meant to harm the other person without killing them. If that person dies, it is murder and the murderer will be put to death.

Num 34:2 "Command the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to its borders. Many consider this the fulfillment of the promise Elohim's promise to Abraham. While this was the beginning of the fulfillment, it was not the consummation. Israel never took the entirety of the land promised to Abraham's descendants. Regardless, we are told that we are Abraham's descendants through faithfulness and heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:28-29). We are told in Ezekiel that we will receive an inheritance in the land of Israel with these described boundaries being almost identical (Ezek. 47:13-14, 21-23).

Num 32:23 "But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out. "Be sure that your sin will find you out." Moses is not saying "Your sins will be found out." He is saying "Your sins will find YOU out." This is tantamount to saying "Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap Hosea 10:12-13, Prov. 6:14-15)." Paul was merely quoting the Tanakh in Gal. 6:7. Numbers 33 This chapter records the specific journeys of Israel from Egypt to Jordan. There are 41 stages listed over the 40 years. Actually there were 40 encampments plus their final destination. As Elohim faithfully led Israel in the past, so He will continue to lead His people in the future. This brings up a question. How does Elohim lead us in our lives today? He led ancient Israel in a pillar of a cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21-22). This seems to reaffirm that the return of Yeshua as being described in Rev. 10. Rev. 10:1-3 describe "a mighty messenger" coming down to earth. He is clothed with a cloud and His feet are like pillars of fire. A comparison between this passage and the one where Yeshua first appears in Revelation tells us that this "messenger" in Revelation 10 is Yeshua Himself who is a manifestation of the Father.. But back to the question... How does Elohim lead us today? In the day of ancient Israel He led them with a pillar of fire. In this day He leads us with His "Breath" or "Spirit" Isa 63:14). His Spirit shows us the blessings we receive through Him and also glorifies the Father (1 Cor. 2:12). Therefore, if we have the Spirit leading us, why do we need the Law? The question could also be asked, if ancient Israel had Elohim personally leading them, why did THEY need the Law? The Law told them the will of the Father in their personal conduct. While Elohim directed the path of their feet, the Torah directed their lives. Paul tells us that without the Torah, he would not know sin. He also states that the Torah IS spiritual, not carnal, as is his flesh (Romans 7:12-14). The Torah is the Word of Elohim which is to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105, Prov. 6:23, Isaiah 8:20). Yeshua told us that if we obey the Words of Elohim given through Moses, we will receive the honor that only comes from Elohim John 5:44-47).

Num 31:24 "And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may enter the camp."

This chapter also lays out Elohims view of the family unit. This chapter and a few others are probably the basis for the teaching of the man as the head of household in the Brit Hadashah. Paul and Peter taught several times how the man is the head of the household over his wife and children (Eph. 5:22-26, Col. 3:18-21, 1 Cor. 11:3, Titus 2:3-5, 1 Peter 3:1-7).

Num 29:1 'Now in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall also have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. It will be to you a day for blowing trumpets. This is the Feast of the Trumpets. It is the first of the fall feasts and it falls on the first day of the seventh month (Lev. 23:24-25). It starts on the first day of the month of Tishri, which may begin any time from September 6 to October 5 on our calendar. The Jewish name of the Feast is "Rosh Hashana" and it is the first day of the Civil New Year according to Judaism and the seventh month of the year according to Scripture. It was declared the first day of the Jewish New Year because the Temple built by Solomon was dedicated on this day and this day was also the day the altar was rebuilt and sacrifices were re-established after the Babylonian captivity (See Nehemiah 7-8). This day is to be celebrated by having a holy convocation (a set-apart gathering specifically for this Feast Day), by observing a special Sabbath, and by blowing trumpets or shofars. Elohim has not designated a place for us to give sacrifices, therefore to do so would be sin (Deut. 12:13-14). So we cannot perform the sacrificial requirements of this feast. Num 29:2 'And you shall offer a burnt offering as a soothing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old without defect; Num 29:3 also their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, Num 29:4 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs. Num 29:5 'And offer one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you, Num 29:6 besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its grain offering, and the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, and their libations, according to their ordinance, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD. Should we even be celebrating the Feast Days? The modern "Church" has said "absolutely not!" But on what grounds? The Church claims the Feast Days are only "shadows of Christ" (Col. 2:16-17) and therefore should not be honored. Why should something that Scripturally points to Messiah not be honored when we are commanded to do so? Yeshua honored the Feast Days (Matt. 26:17-20, Luke 2:41-42, 22:15, John 2:13, 23, 5:1, 7:10, 10:22). Paul also honored the Feast Days and participated in Temple services and sacrifices Acts 18:21, 20:6,16, 24:11-13, 17-19). Paul told us to celebrate the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread in particular, and this could apply to the Feast days in general (1 Cor. 5:7-8). The Psalms tell us to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets (Psalm 81:1-4). Scripture tells us to celebrate the feasts and there is no Scriptural declaration otherwise.

Many Biblical scholars make the erroneous statement that the "church" is an unknown entity in the Tanakh (Old Testament). That is simply not true. The Hebrew word for "convocation" is miqra', mik-raw'; from H7121; something called out, i.e. a public meeting (the act, the persons, or the place); also a rehearsal:--assembly, calling, convocation, reading. It is the equivalent of the word used in the Brit Chadasha used for "church." This word is "ekklesia." ekklesia, ek-klay-see'-ah; from a comp. of G1537 and a der. of G2564; a calling out, i.e. (concr.) a popular meeting, espec. a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Chr. community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both):--assembly, church. Once again, the thought that Christians are some special entity of their own that is lifted out of the pages of the New Testament only is simply lazy and erroneous. The term "church" simply means "assembly" or "gathering."

Num 27:18 So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; Joshua is "a man in whom has the Spirit." This means that his heart is dedicated to Elohim and His Torah Acts 5:32, Romans 8:4-7). It is only because Joshua had the Spirit of the Father that he was able to be so strong in the Torah. (Joshua 1:7-8).

Num 25:6 Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. A man brought one of the prostitutes right into the middle of the congregation. She was brought right into the sight of all the congregation who were weeping at the door of the Tabernacle of meeting. We see in verse 8 that he took her into his tent right in front of everyone. This probably took place the next day. The men were probably hanged the previous day and this man makes this foolish and audacious display the following day when the people are mourning the deaths and mourning their sin in front of the Tabernacle. Num 25:7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand; Num 25:8 and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked. Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, took a spear and thrust both of them through. It is not difficult to imagine how he could have thrust a spear through both of them at once considering what they were doing. We are told that Elohim sent a plague at the people because of this grave sin. Num 25:9 And those who died by the plague were 24,000. The plague only killed 23,000 on that day (1 Cor. 10:8). There were 1000 men killed and hanged against the sun. This probably took place the previous day, but it would be safe to assume that the plague started with these men and they were diseased when they were hanged. Thus this verse is telling us how many people died during "the time" of the plague. Num 25:10 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Num 25:11 "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel, in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. Was Phinehas just, in taking the lives of those two without a trial? It only takes two or three witnesses to establish a matter. This man committed this act in front of the whole congregation, including the judges. It was actually just a carryover of the original order to kill (hang) those involved in the pagan immoral worship of the sun god.