Pinchas B’midbar/Numbers 25:10-30:1
Torah Portion: Pinchas B’midbar/Numbers 25:10-30:1
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 18:46-19:21
Today we have an interesting Torah portion and Haftorah portion. I would like to begin with something that has been in my head all week. I pray you will be touched by the verses as I was. Please read I Kings 19:9-12. In the beginning of the Haftorah section we read of the confrontation between Elijah and the priests of Ba’al. Most of us know these verses well. Elijah met 400 of the priests of Ba’al on the top of Mt. Carmel in northern Israel to settle the question of who was G-d. Was it Ba’al or G-d Almighty?
Pinchas Numbers/B’midbar 25:10-30:1
Pinchas B’Midbar (Num) 25-30
Torah Portion: Pinchas B’Midbar (Numbers) 25:10-30:1
HafTorah: I Kings 18:46-19:21
Tonight we read the portion Pinchas, which brings light to the ending of last week’s Torah portion. This section of scripture ranges from the blessing given to Pinchas, to the census of the people, to the request of the daughters who’s father had died with no male heirs, to Moshe praying for the new leader of Israel and ending with the description of the holidays and offerings. Is there anything that ties this all together for us? Maybe it begins and ends with the priesthood and covenant of Shalom given to Pinchas.
Ki Tetze (When You Go Out) Deut 21-25
Torah Portion: Ki tetze (When You Go Out) Devarim Deut. 21:10-25:19
HafTorah: Isaiah 54:1-10
This week we look at “Ki Tetze or in English, when you go out. As you read this Torah section you will notice many commandments covering all areas of life. Some seem to have little or no relevance to our life today. However I would like us to look at several to see what we might be able to glean from them spiritually.
Pinchas Numbers 25:10-30:1
Torah Portion: Pinchas Numbers (B’Midbar) 25:10-30:1
HafTorah: I Kings 18:46-19:21
This week we read the Torah section named Pinchas. In it we read the end of the story from last week where Pinchas stopped the plague of G-d by killing Zimri and Cozbi who were blatantly sinning before G-d. In this weeks section we read where G-d says that Pinchas was zealous with the zeal of G-d. Numbers 25:11. In I Kings 19:10 we see Elijah saying that he was zealous for the L-rd. Because of this use of the word zealous, the Rabbis picked this reading in I Kings 18:46-19:21 to be read along with the Torah portion named Pinchas. What motivated Pinchas to this zeal that he displayed in B’Midbar? I would like to suggest that possibly it could have been his love of G-d and his brothers and sisters who were dying around him because of G-d’s plague.
Pinchas Numbers 25
Torah Portion: Pinchas Numbers 25:10-30:1
HafTorah: I Kings 18:46-19:21
NT Reading: Romans 11:2-32
Tonight I want to start with a look at this section of Torah from a viewpoint of how we can spiritually relate it to Messiah. Here in Pinchas we see shadows of this spiritual connection with Messiah. First to define the Hebrew word Keenah in Numbers 25:11. Here it is translated as zeal. But it is usually translated as jealous. So Pinchas was jealous for G-d and was moved to act. Yeshua can clearly be called one who is jealous for G-d – to the point of laying down His own life for the salvation of Israel. As Pinchas turned away G-d’s wrath so does Yeshua take upon Himself the punishment or wrath of G-d for us by laying down His life for us. G-d grants Pinchas and his descendants a perpetual priesthood on this earth and Yeshua has taken His place in heaven as our eternal High Priest.
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.
Tzav (Command)
Weekly Torah Section: Tzav (Command) Leviticus 6:8-8:36, Haftorah: Malachi 3:1-4:6
I would like to start with the Torah section, Leviticus 6:8-8:36 and then finish with Malachi 3:1-4:6. The first verse of the Torah section begins with the word, Tzav. In English this word means “Command.” What is interesting is that this word is used rather than some other Hebrew word that would mean to tell or to speak. These words are often used when the person wishes to get across a sense of urgency. Command, on the other hand, seems to say do it now and keep on doing it. So, the question arises why did G-d feel He had to use this word here? Would G-d have doubted the commitment of Aaron and his sons? After all, they were at the top of the religious hierarchy. One thought that carries a hint was that maybe G-d wasn’t worried about the immediate future but as time went on would their attentiveness wane. It is one thing to be excited and committed early in our walk with G-d and another to hold on to that zeal as time goes on. So like Aaron and his sons we are challenged to not lose our fire but to stay close to G-d no matter what we experience in life.