B’Midbar (In the Desert) Numbers 1:1-4:20
1.After reading this Torah portion, what do you think is the main point G-d is making in this passage?
I believe G-d was establishing order for the children of Israel.
He was giving them His order and structure for their lives.
Numbers begins very similar to Genesis.
In Genesis G-d created order when He created the world in 6 days.
Then man sinned and chaos began.
G-d began establishing order again when He called Avraham.
Later tension began between Esau and Jacob, between Jacob’s wives Leah and Rachel
Ten of Jacob’s children sold Joseph, into slavery.
Chaos reigned again and Jacob’s family ended up in slavery.
Then G-d rescued them from Egypt
He began again
He created a covenant between Him and the children of Israel.
Again G-d established order.
But soon they sinned again with the Golden calf.
So here we are now beginning Numbers
G-d is bringing order out of chaos.
A census is taken
Each tribe is given a specific place to camp under their ancestral banner. (Num 2:1)
The priests, the Levites are given their specific duties to perform.
G-d is abiding in their presence in the Tabernacle He has given them. Each tent is the same distance from the Tabernacle. Each has equal access to G-d. It is the same with us.
Over and over in scripture G-d creates order then man sins and brings chaos. G-d has a way and His order for us to live in. When we do things G-d’s way it brings life. When we decide to live life as we choose we find ourselves in chaos and G-d is not glorified.
2.Shavuot begins on the evening of May 21. On this holiday the book of Ruth is usually read. Let’s look at this book and see what we can learn. First, the genealogy of David is listed at the close of the book of Ruth in 4:18-22. There is one difference in this genealogy and the one listed for Yeshua in Matthew 1:3-6, other than Matthew having a longer list. What is that difference and why is it important?
The genealogy of David is found in Ruth (4:18–22)
It is essentially the same found in the genealogy of Yeshua (Matthew 1:3-6).
What is the difference in the two genealogies?
Matthew includes the names of two Gentile women, Rahab and Ruth.
Why is the listing of these two women in Matthew important to us?
Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute and Ruth was a Moabite. They were non-Jews, outsiders
They were incorporated into Israel because of their faith.
Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience. He used the names of these women to show Yeshua’s kingdom was not based on genealogy It included Gentiles and sinners. Rahab’s faith is mentioned in Hebrews 11:31, “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”
Ruth demonstrated faith to her Mother in law and to G-d in the book of Ruth. The inclusion of these two women gives testimony to G-d’s redeeming love that includes everyone who wishes to follow Him. This shows G-d’s kingdom is not for Jews only but also for those of us who believe in the Messiah. Because of His mercy we are grafted in to His chosen people.
Rahab and Ruth, alongside Tamar and Bathsheba, represent a “scandalous” yet essential legacy, showcasing that the Messiah came to redeem humanity regardless of past reputation, gender, or nationality. 3.Ruth 2:20, “The L-rd bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.” Boaz is called a Guardian or Kinsman Redeemer. What was the role of a Kinsman Redeemer? Are there verses that show our Heavenly Father or Messiah fulfilling the role of our Kinsman Redeemer? The Hebrew term for redeemer is go’el. A go’el was someone who delivered his kin from difficult circumstances. He redeemed them from danger. The go’el had four basic duties.1.He bought his kin out of bondage. Usually when someone went into debt and indentured himself to another Israelite. (Leviticus 25:47-49 and Deut. 15:12-17). 2.He also had the duty to buy back land that a relative had sold. (Leviticus 25:23-25). 3.He married a widow in the family who had no male heirs in order to produce an offspring for the dead husband. (Deut 25:5-6) 4.He was to avenge the blood of a relative (Numbers 25:16-19). In Torah the term go’el was used for G-d when He interceded for His people. Job 19:25-26, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see G-d” Psalms 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O L-rd, my strength, and my redeemer.” He redeemed his people from bondage in Egypt.Exodus 6:6-8, “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the L-rd, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your G-d. Then you will know that I am the L-rd your G-d, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the L-rd.’” Yeshua was also described as the Go’el or RedeemerYeshua brought liberty to His people. Luke 4:16-21, “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the L-rd is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the L-rd’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” He released his kin from bondageGalatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which the Messiah has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
Reclaimed an inheritance for His people 1 Peter 1:3-4, “Praise be to the G-d and Father of our Messiah Yeshua HaMashiah! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Yeshua from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, He raised up a seed in His nameEph. 1:5-6, “He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Yeshua, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Revelation shows Him as a blood avenger.Revelation 5:9-10, “And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for G-d persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our G-d, and they will reign on the earth.” Revelations 20:10, “ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” The institution of a Kinsman Redeemer for the children of Israel was another way G-d was giving His people an earthly example of a Heavenly Redeemer that was to come. There are other things that G-d instituted as an earthly example of what was to come in the Heavenlies. He instituted the sacrificial system. It was an earthly example of the Lamb that would be ultimately sacrificed for us. Men were chosen to serve as priest in the Temple. Another example of what preceded our Heavenly High Priest, Yeshua. All these steps were fore shadows of what was to come in the future in the Messiah.