Massei Numbers 33:1-36:13
Torah Portion: Massei Numbers 33:1-36:13
HafTorah: Jeremiah 2:4-28; 3:4
NT Reading: James 4:1-12
Tonight I would like to look at the verses in this week’s Torah portion from two different standpoints. This will follow closely the questions I sent out this week. Let’s start with the questions about the connections between Yeshua and the cities of refuge. In this time of history murder or the accidental death of someone at another person’s hand carried a death sentence. This sentence was carried out by the next of kin. No trial, no jury, one person was judge and jury. The Torah modified this somewhat by setting up cities of refuge where the person could flee and be protected until there could be a trial. Read Numbers 35:12. If the person was found guilty of murder then they would be punished or if not punished they would be safe from the blood avenger as long as they stayed within the city walls.
Chukat Numbers 19
Torah Portion: Chukat Numbers 19:1-22:1
HafTorah: Judges 11:1-33
Tonight I would like to look at a couple of issues that I think will help us to move forward in our understanding of G-d’s word and in our own personal spiritual growth. We will start with my question of the week. Why did Moses say in Numbers 19:1 that this is the statute of the Torah? What about this would embody the entire Torah? What can this teach us?
Beha’alotkha Numbers 8
Torah Portion: Beha’alotkha Numbers 8:1-12:16
HafTorah: Zechariah 2:10-4:7
Tonight I would first like to look at the first couple of verses in the Torah reading for this week, Numbers 8:1-4. In this we see Aaron the High Priest given the job of arranging the lamps on the Holy Menorah to illuminate the interior of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. I want us to spend a few minutes here and see what we can learn from the standpoint of Yeshua. Here the earthly Menorah radiates light in the presence of G-d. John 1:5 tell us that Yeshua is the light that shines in the darkness. He is the light that emanates from the presence of G-d. Revelations 4:5 tells us of the heavenly Menorah burning before the throne of G-d. Earlier in Revelations 1:20 the seven lamps are connected with seven congregations, and John seeing Yeshua standing among the seven lamps. In Revelations 2:1 Yeshua indentifies Himself as the one who walks among the seven lamps. In Heaven He is our High Priest. He tends the Menorah of G-d in the heavenly Temple. So, as we understand Numbers 8:1-4, we can see the spiritual connection these verses have to the Messiah. He is the light of the world.
Vayetzei (He Went Out) Genesis 28
Torah Portion: Vayetzei (He Went Out) Genesis 28:10-32:3
HafTorah: Hosea 11:7-12:12
John 1:19-51
Tonight I would like to start with a look at Genesis 29:1. In this verse in English it is translated as Jacob “went on his journey.” However the Hebrew is more like “he lifted his feet and went on his way.” Do we really need to know “he lifted his feet?” What is the Torah telling us with these words? Many times we look at our circumstances and resign ourselves to our situation. Jacob was in a pretty bad place. He left his home under a threat from his brother to kill him. Yet what did he do? He took control of his feet and went with purpose. He didn’t sit and think, “Woe is me.” Rather he set his feet to go where G-d was leading him. He rose above his situation and went on his way. He set his feet on the right road – as we must do in the situations we find ourselves in.
Pinehas Numbers 25
Weekly Torah Section: Pinchas Numbers 25:10-30:1, HafTorah I Kings 18:46-19:21
This week we pick back up with the saga of Elijah after the conflict on Mt. Carmel with the prophets of Ba’al, his pinnacle of success as a prophet to the northern kingdom. G-d has answered him in a wonderful way. Rain comes, Elijah tells Ahab to hurry home before the rains make it impossible. In verse 46 it says the Hand of G-d was on him and he ran before Ahab. The idea here is that after his victory Elijah was considered part of the king’s entourage now. Ahab included him in the company going before him. So why does he run as soon as Jezebel threatens him two verses later? Maybe his new position gave him a false sense of security, maybe he trusted Ahab to protect him. Is it easy to take our eyes off of G-d as our protector and shield? So Elijah takes his servant and runs to the wilderness – to Beersheva. The wilderness is often used as a place of refuge. Israel, David, Yeshua, all had experiences in the wilderness. It is also a place of revelation. Think what we have said about the word for desert. In Hebrew the word for desert is midbar. To speak is ledaber. The root word is the same in both words. People went to the desert to hear from G-d.