Beshaalosecha

BEHA’ALOSECHA

Numbers 8:1 – 12:16

  

Please Pray this

Prayer

First before reading.:21

 

Prayer

In the name of Yahushua

Our Messiyah,

I pray for the Spirit of Understanding

The Spirit pf Knowledge and

The Spirit of Wisdom

As I read through this Parasha

That the Truth of Torah may

Come forth. Amen

 

 

This Torah Portion “Beha’alotcha” is the 35th Torah portion and the name Behaalotcha means “When you ascend,” which begins with the line: “And YAHVEH spoke to Moses, saying, When you light the Menorah, the seven lamps shall give light in the front of the Menorah.”

 

When Aaron lit the Menorah in the Tabernacle, at the request of the CREATOR, Aaron actually brought the Upper World to the lower world, and that light is what will continue to shine until Messiyah return. It just happened that after the death of Messiyah Yahushua 2000 years ago, the central lamp of the Menorah could not stay lit until the Temple was destroyed 40 years later.

 

Any act that reveals light has a physical manifestation, but there is a much greater level of satisfaction available to us in the knowledge that we are revealing light from the upper world.

 

When we focus our attention on the upper world produces a shift in our consciousness, suddenly it is not how many people we help or whether or not we have the approval of others does not even cross our mind, for humility rules supreme.

 

What is the character of believers who place their emphasis on the Spiritual Kingdom? Humility! In this Torah Portion Beha’alotcha, the Torah says: ‘the man Moses was very humble, the most humble man on the face of the earth.’

 

The beauty of the gift of humility is that it is available to all. Anyone can be humble, through discipline, just look at the Buddha Monks. But paradoxically, true humalitybi perhaps the most difficult thing to achieve in this world, which makes the insights of the Torah Portion of Beha’alotcha so valuable.

 

Humility comes from a human that has his or her ego reprogram by the Holy Spiit and the Torah. The construction of the Menorah is such an application, as we experience the sixth days of creation, we will have our mind or our ego reprogrammed.

 

The discussion of the Menorah comes right after the discussion pertaining to the Nazarite vow, and twelve leaders present their offerings at the Temple. Torah is setting the stage by outlining the steps to building our Menorah spiritually.

 

These offerings by the leaders serve the function of giving thanks for being able to dedicate (Nazarite vow) or rededicate one self for the service of EL YAHVEH.

 

The cleaning and preparing the Lamps of the Menorah each day required that they removed literally or virtually everyday, the previous day burnt wick. Those things that we experience and have been processed into our lives, we leave them and press on towards the next day process, a new wick, and a new experience.

 

Num 8:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, - The eleventh time in the Book of Numbers a verse says that EL YAHVEH spoke to Moses. Referring that Moses had achieved Full Maturity, He had completed the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat was on top of it. This is were we will hear the Voice of our Heavenly Father, this is were He will talk to us audible.

 

Num 8:2 “Speak to Aharon, and say to him, ‘When you set up the Menorah, let the Seven Lamps of the Menorah give light in front of the Menorah.’”  - As explained in Exodus 25:37, the three wicks on the right and the three on the left were all directed towards the center. Because the light was not spread out, the Menorah symbolized the Holy Spirit, the source of all light, or revelation in our lives. By having both sides of the Menorah given light toward the its center, the Torah teaches that all of man’s activity should be directed towards the service of EL YAHVEH.

 

Isa 11:2 And the Spirit of YAHVEH shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of YAHVEH; - When we read the Book of Proverbs, we will see the six lamps on both side of the main stem, being describe in the feminine sense. While the Spirit of EL YAHVEH the center stem is describe in the masculine. Pro 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: This passage in Isaiah describe the Seven light of the Menorah, and Revelation 5:6 says they are our seven eyes which are the seven spirits of YAHVEH send out into all the world.

 

Num 8:3 And Aharon did so. He set up the lamps to face toward the front of the Menorah, as יהוה commanded Mosheh. – The Menorah is situated on the south side of the Holy Place, on the North side is the Altar of Showbread, which is the Word of EL YAHVEH, which is the Torah. The Torah without the Spirit is legalism. Torah must be read with the Spirit of Understanding. That is why you will see at the beginning of every Parasha, a prayer, praying for the Spirit of Understanding, Knowledge, and Wisdom.

 

All of the sixth Spirits are a byproduct of the Spirit of the EL YAHVEH. Since all the sixth Spirits are all female and the Center one is masculine, we see the illustration of the ribs coming out of the center stem. Alluding to the rib that was taken from man to make a woman. Gen 2:21 And YAHVEH EL caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which YAHVEH EL had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. – The question that may be asked is which of the attributes does EL YAHVEH take from man to make a woman?

 

Num 8:4 and this is the work of the Menorah: beaten work of gold, from its base to its blossoms it is beaten work. According to the pattern which יהוה had shown Mosheh, so he made the lampstand. – Hammered Gold, the repetition of some requirements already given in Exodus, such as this one, is meant to teach that only if the Menorah is made of pure gold, it is absolutely necessary that it be hammered out of one solid piece of Gold.

 

The elaborate ornamentation describe in Exodus draws our attention to fine details require to develop our spiritual personality. The situations in which we find our selves every day help us to develop those Divine characters that are so essential to our spiritual growth. That why we are admonish to consider it all joy, when we are tested.

 

The consecration of the Levites. To assume their new status as the substitute for the firstborn in service to EL YAHVEH and in the transportation of the Tabernacle, the Levites required a sacrificial ritual, as did the consecration of the Kohanim. The ritual and their ages of eligibility to serve are given here.

 

Num 8:5 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, - The twelfth time in this chapter alone EL YAHVEH spoke to Moses.

 

Num 8:6 “Take the Lĕwites from among the children of Yisra’ĕl, and you shall cleanse them, - Even though the Levites is a specific tribe, they also represent those people who have a heart for EL YAHVEH. There are those who are in the Assembly, yet they do not have a heart for the Kingdom. What this verse is admonishing is that we must make a distinction among the body for those who are totally committed to the redemption walk and those who are just out for a Shabbat stole.

The term you shall clean them, refers to a further sanctification process. There will be some in the assembly who only wish to seen, other still wish to travel the distance, but refuse to pay the price to reach the mountain top.

 

While some will do what ever it takes to reach the mountaintop. Take them by persuasion: How fortunate are you that you are privileged to be consider a servant of Omnipresent.

 

Because EL YAHVEH is exacting with closest to Him, His servant needed purification and atonement, this is the position of the Laver, the Blood and the water that flow from the Side of El Yahushua.

 

Num 8:7 and do this to them to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of sin offering on them, and they shall shave all their body, and shall wash their garments, and cleanse themselves, -  The Water of purification, this is the water that was mixed with the ash from the Red Cow, the only means of bringing about purification from the contamination of a corpse, as illustrated in chapter 19.

 

Num 8:8 and shall take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, while you take another young bull as a sin offering. – The highest offering is that of a Young bull. That Young Bull today is El Yahushua our Messiyah. The presentation of this first offering today is the cost of the bull, for we do not kill a bull anymore. We must also have a mixture of fine flour mix with oil, which represent of purified nature, haven’t gone trough the process which make us into this fine flour mixed with the Anointing of the Holy Spirit.

 

Those who attain to the level of Priesthood must be the one who sacrifice more of the Flesh. The price of a young bull is the maximum amount a person can pay for a sin offering. Sacrificing a animal, is tantamount to sacrificing our fleshly nature, for the Kingdom sake. As humans we have two nature a nature of flesh and a nature of the spirit. As Humans we display the fruit of the flesh or the fruit of the spirit. Galatians 5:19-23.

 

Num 8:9 “And you shall bring the Lĕwites before the Tent of Meeting, and you shall assemble all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl. – These Levites have joined the ranks of the First-born spiritually, because of their devotion. This speaks volume to us spiritually, that anyone of us has the same opportunity to excel spiritually to the spiritual position of full sun ship. The waving of the Levites was representative of their spiritual status as symbolic offering to those who have completed the task or journey to perfection.

 

Alternatively, leaning upon a human being denotes that the person leaned upon is now elevated to a position of spiritual distinction, as when Moses leaned upon Joshua (27:23). Thus, the Hebrew people leaned upon the heads of the Levites to represent their elevation to an exalted spiritual state of full maturity.

 

Num 8:10 “And you shall bring the Lĕwites before יהוה, and the children of Yisra’ĕl shall lay their hands on the Lĕwites, - It is an act that have been grossly miss understood to day. This is called laying on of hands, yet the Hebrew understanding of this is different from the Christian understanding. Christian say that by laying-on-of-hands one receive the Holy Spirit, while this is true, the Christian application is wrong. The Laying-on–of-hand is to elevate the person spiritually, by the fivefold ministry of the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and teacher.

 

Each ministry is part of the Mighty Hand of EL YAHVEH, which is require to bring a person from initial salvation to full maturity.

 

Num 8:11 and Aharon shall wave the Lĕwites before יהוה, a wave offering from the children of Yisra’ĕl – so shall they be for doing the service of יהוה. – Before a Levite can be accepted into ministry, Aaron the establish Ministry must recognize them and present them to EL YAHVEH as a wave offering to EL YAHVEH. Every time anyone come to Full Maturity they should be a celebration, for one more person have reach the lofty stage of full maturity or they have reach the mountain top experience.

 

Num 8:12 “And the Lĕwites shall lay(lean) ands on the heads of the young bulls. And one shall be prepared as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to יהוה, to make atonement for the Lĕwites. – The leaders of the Assembly shall elevate El Yahushua, for it is through Him, that we have achieved this lofty state spiritually. We shall present El Yahushua as our forgiveness offering and our atonement, if it was not for this Offering we would never accomplish this lofty state spiritually.

 

By leaning on the head of the bull, we must be against the principles of the nature of the beast of flesh. It is our ability to offer our human desire on the sacrificial altar, that will determine our spiritual elevation. This must be done under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Any other way becomes an abuse of the flesh without any spiritual gain.

Num 8:13 “And you shall have the Lĕwites stand before Aharon and his sons, and then wave them, a wave offering to יהוה. – Like a person who have just finish their program, they must stand before their teacher to be acknowledge that they have run the race that have completed their task, now it is graduation time.

 

Num 8:14 “Thus you shall separate the Lĕwites from among the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the Lĕwites shall be Mine. – This final presentation is the last stage of separation for those who have a heart for the Kingdom of Heavens. This is what the Holy of Holies represent. It is not everyone who enters the Holy Place will be accepted into the Holy of Holies, it is for those who have prepared themselves and wash their garment in the Blood of the Young Bull El Yahushua.

 

Num 8:15 “Then after that the Lĕwites shall go in to do service in the Tent of Meeting, when you have cleansed them and waved them as a wave offering. – It is only after this last stage is complete that the new batch of Levites will be allowed to enter into ministry. Today a degree from Bible School is the deciding factor as who can become a Pastor. This is definitely not so!

 

Num 8:16 “For they are given ones, given to Me from among the children of Yisra’ĕl. I have taken them for Myself instead of all who open the womb, the first-born of all the children of Yisra’ĕl. – This first born of the Children were suppose to be the first from every family who came to maturity, that this position was given to. This would assume that all the children of Yisrael were coming to maturity.

 

Today this is not so. It is for anyone who have meet the criteria of the Kingdom, which is outline in Torah.

 

Num 8:17 “For all the first-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl are Mine, both man and beast. On the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Mitsrayim I set them apart unto Myself. – I have often battle with the idea of the first-born and the Levites who replace them. The Spirit of Understanding came to me and explains that, the first Born is for EL YAHVEH Himself, but the Levites were for El Yahushua.

 

What does this mean? The First Born is for those who have vacated the Kingdom when Lucifer rebel and took a third of the stars, they would replace the position vacated by them. While El Yahushua is the First Begotten Son, His Kingdom is been prepared for Him, the Levites those who have a heart for Him, and who have reach full maturity, are those who will form the ruling-class in El Yahushua Kingdom. Revelation tells us that El Yahushua will return with and 144,000 to rule and reign forever.

 

This is the whole process of our existence, which part of the Kingdom will you be when you die? Will you rule and reign with El Yahushua, revelation 3:21, or will you be an angel, a messenger, one who stand around the Throne, Rev. 7:9; or will we be a servant those who stand in front of the Throne Revelation 7:11, 15.

 

Num 8:18 “And I have taken the Lĕwites instead of all the first-born of the children of Yisra’ĕl. – Not only were the First born taken, but the Levites also. Who so ever will may come?

 

Num 8:19 “And I have given the Lĕwites as a gift to Aharon and his sons from among the children of Yisra’ĕl, to do the service of the children of Yisra’ĕl in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Yisra’ĕl, that there be no plague among the children of Yisra’ĕl when the children of Yisra’ĕl come near the set-apart place.” – Aaron the High Priest is symbolic of our High Priest today who is El Yahushua. The Levites was given to El Yahushua (Aaron) to minister to the Children of Yisrael. Notice the term Children, which transmit an atmosphere of spiritual underdevelopment. Children are underdeveloped people who are required to grow into a mature person. Notice the verse did not say Fathers of Yisrael, or Young Men of Yisrael, but Children of Yisrael.

 

This mean that those who have reach full maturity must be anointed and send back to minister the spiritual children.

 

Num 8:20 Thus Mosheh and Aharon and all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl did to the Lĕwites according to all that יהוה commanded Mosheh concerning the Lĕwites, so the children of Yisra’ĕl did to them. – The whole ordination process for anyone who have reach maturity, come right after the construction of the Menorah, which is also an indicator of a fully mature person. The problem with today’s church and the Scripture gave us an very prophetic verse. Isa 3:4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. Isa 3:12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. These children are spiritual children who walk around with a degree from bible school and say they are Pastor.

 

Num 8:21 And the Lĕwites cleansed themselves and washed their garments, and Aharon waved them, a wave offering before יהוה, and Aharon made atonement for them to cleanse them. – This final cleansing is in the Blood and the Water that flow from the Side of El Yahushua. 1Jo 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even El Yahushua; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in Heavens, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one. 8  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

 

Num 8:22 Then after that the Lĕwites went in to do their service in the Tent of Meeting before Aharon and his sons as יהוה commanded Mosheh concerning the Lĕwites, so they did to them. – Who then is worthy to enter the service of EL YAHVEH it is those who have become the Ark of the Covenant, those who have internalize the Torah and the Holy Spirit, are those who are consider fit to be the Pot of Manna to the Children of Yisrael.

 

Num 8:23 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, - The thirteenth time in this Book alone that EL YAHVEH spoke to Moses, did He every talk to you. Let us strive to complete our Ark that we might be a clean vessel ready to hear His Voice.

 

 

Num 8:24 “This applies to the Lĕwites: From twenty-five years old and above let him come into active service in the service of the Tent of Meeting, - This term from twenty-five years of age. The census of the Levites counted them only from the age of thirty, for it was at that age that they actually start to serve. Our verse refers to a five-year period of apprenticeship beginning at the age of twenty-five. This implies that a educational lesson: Some one who has not shown indications of success after five years of advance Torah Study has only a slim chance of attaining this goal.

 

Another sense of this verse is that from the age of twenty-five, a Levite may volunteer to assist his fellow Levites; when he become thirty, he may be assign to a specific task.

 

Num 8:25 and at the age of fifty years they retire from active service of the service, and serve no more, - A fifty year old Levites is forbidden only to bear the holy Tabernacle artifacts on his shoulder, but he continues to perform the rest of his duties, such as singing, closing the Temple gates, and loading the wagons, as implied by the next verse, which says that he serve in the Tent of Meeting.

 

Num 8:26 but they shall attend with their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to guard the duty, but shall do no service. Thus you shall do to the Lĕwites regarding their duties.” – This is more of a supervising role than anything else.

 

 

Chapter 9

 

The Pesach offering (Passover) in the Wilderness. There has been a lot happen since the New Year begins. Now we come to place in the journey of the Children of Yisrael, which is also a shadow of our spiritual journey from our initial salvation, the day we place the Blood over our Doorpost so to speak. We arrive at the beginning of our new spiritual cycle Passover.

 

The year after the Exodus from Egypt, EL YAHVEH commanded the Hebrew people to bring the Passover offering (Pesach) at the appointed time, on the fourteenth day of the first month (Nissan), Since the Book of Numbers began with events of the second month, this chapter is clearly out of chronological order, and, indeed so.

 

The Children of Yisrael was not instructed to keep the first Passover this way, since they had to leave Egypt in a hurry, but the basic of the Passover offering were still included.

Since the Book of numbers starts on the first day of the second month of the second year, it is obvious that there is a process that must be followed. Now on the first month on the fourteenth day of the second cycle this is what must be done.

 

Num 9:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Mitsrayim, saying, the fourteenth time EL YAHVEH spoke to Moses in this book. This is the month of Aviv or Nissan.

 

Num 9:2 “Now, let the children of Yisra’ĕl perform the Passover at its appointed time. – Let the immature Children of Yisrael and everyone else; perform the Passover at its appointed time. The stress on the appointed time, and its repetition in the next verse teaches that the offering must be brought in its designated time, even under circumstances that might seem to require its postponement.

 

Therefore the Passover offering is brought on the fourteenth day of Nissan even if the day falls on the Sabbath, when personal offering ordinarily may not be brought, or if most of the nation and the Kohanim have been contaminated through contact with a corpse.

 

Num 9:3 “On the fourteenth day of this month, between the evenings, perform it at its appointed time. According to all its laws and right-rulings you perform it.” – On the fourteenth day between the evenings, this means the evening that start the Fourteen and the evening that ends the Fourteenth. This must be done according to all the right ruling, if one is a vegetarian he or she is still require to eat meat Lamb on that day.

 

Num 9:4 And Mosheh spoke to the children of Yisra’ĕl to perform the Passover. – The truly good leader that Moses were, he convey all that he was told, without adding anything to it.

 

Num 9:5 So they performed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, between the evenings, in the Wilderness of Sinai. According to all that יהוה commanded Mosheh, so the children of Yisra’ĕl did. – So Moses took the children of Yisrael into their second cycle while they were in the wilderness. The name Passover is also indicative of passing over from one spiritual cycle to another, or from the first day of Creation to the second day.

 

Moses in the verse 6 – 14, gave us an alternative if anyone who were defiled or who was traveling, how they should bring their offering because of their circumstances. Having an intense desire to participate in the essential spiritual experience, they appealed to Moses. In recognition of their nobility, EL YAHVEH made them the agents through whom He revealed the new commandment of Passover (Pesach sheni), the second Passover, which would be brought a month after the appointed time.

 

Num 9:6 but there were men who were defiled for a dead body of a man, so that they were not able to perform the Passover on that day. So they came before Mosheh and Aharon that day, - see next verse.

 

Num 9:7 and those men said to him, “We are defiled for the being of a man. Why are we withheld from bringing near the offering of  יהוה at its appointed time among the children of Yisra’ĕl?” - Though they did not question the fact that contamination people are forbidden to bring the Passover Offering, they thought that an exception should be made for them because, as noted above, their contamination was not only their fault, but was required of them.

 

Num 9:8 And Mosheh said to them, “stand still and I will hear What EL YAHVEH will command you.” - Moses had the Spirit of Understand, the Spirit of Knowledge and the Spirit of Wisdom, yet he did not acted on his own. He informed the people to stand still do nothing until He hears from EL YAHVEH. Moses answer, was one of confidence that his Master would response to his request. Blesses is the man who is certain that he can speak with the divine Presence at will.

 

Num 9:9 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, - The fifteenth time EL YAHVEH spoke to Moses. Blessed is He.

 

Num 9:10 “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘When any male of you or your generations is unclean¹ for a dead body, or is far away on a journey, he shall still perform the Passover of יהוה. Footnote: ¹Defilement can be imparted from one to another. – Halachically, this means that at the sunrise of the fourteenth, the person is too far away to arrive at the temple by noon, when the Passover (Pesach) offering service is about to begin or if they had just bury a dead relative. These two circumstances are the only valid reason to miss Passover.

 

Num 9:11 ‘on the fourteenth day of the second month, between the evenings, they perform it – with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they eat it. – The alternative date is given one lunar month later.

 

Num 9:12 ‘They do not leave of it until morning, and they do not break a bone of it. According to all the laws of the Passover they perform it. – One of the rules of Passover or Pesach is that it must be an all night affair. That is why it must be started on the evening of the fourteenth, not midday of the fourteenth. The fifteenth is a Holy Sabbath the day the Sheve offering is offered. The Sheave offering may be cut on the day part of the fourteenth, which is still a day to do work, and presented on the fifteenth.

 

Num 9:13 ‘But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and has failed to perform the Passover, that same being shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of יהוה at its appointed time – that man bears his sin. – When a convert who dwell in the assembly, someone who know about Passover and did not take the necessary steps to participate at the appointed time, will loose their status in the Kingdom. Had it not been for the Exodus, holiness would not have been possible. Had it not been for the Blood over the doorpost, our spiritual cycle would not have started. Now that it is started, we should continue the trend and move on or Passover to the second day of our creation, until we have made it to the end of the sixth day, full maturity.

 

Num 9:14 ‘And when a stranger sojourns among you, then he shall perform the Passover of יהוה. He shall do so according to the law of the Passover and according to its right-ruling. You have one law, both for the stranger and the native of the land.’ ” – It is assumed that a stranger who dwells among us will hear or see us practicing Torah and might ask what this is all about. If they decided to accept or join us on our journey to perfection, then they must be instructed that the journey include an yearly display of faith in the process that was design to bring us to the Promise land, full maturity.

Those who preach that there is one law for the Yisraelites and a different law for the Proselyte, have forgotten what this law says, “one law for every one.”

 

Num 9:15 And on the day that the Dwelling Place was raised up, the cloud covered the Dwelling Place, the Tent of the Witness. From evening until morning it was above the Dwelling Place like the appearance of fire. – In this verse we see the Torah reverts to the account of the Yisraelites travels and the procedures pertaining to them. In the dwelling place dwells the Ark of the Covenant, which is a culmination of the other entire Altar combine. From evening until the morning a Pillar of fire resides over the Tabernacle and during the day a cloud formation. Providing light during the night and shelter from the sun during the day.

 

Num 9:16 Thus it was continually: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. – This indicates that there is a constant protection provided for us by Creator as we journey to perfection. Like a protective Mother, His ever-present eyes are always over His favorite children, wherever them may go. Psa 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into Heavens, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

 

Num 9:17 And whenever the cloud was taken up from above the Tent, after that the children of Yisra’ĕl would depart. And in the place where the cloud dwelt, there the children of Yisra’ĕl would camp. – This verse seems to paint a picture that when the protection of YAHVEH is taken away from us it is time to move on. When things seem to become challenging is an indicator that it is time to move on. This is only if the problem we encounter is not of our making.

 

It is like visiting a friend and he begins to drop hints as to how long are you staying for, one should realize that their welcome has been worn out. The removal of the cloud is such an indicator to start the journey. We have learned all that we have to learn at this location, move on to the next experience. Many religions today, stay at the same spiritual revelation and never move on to the next. As the disciples were told on the Mount of Transfiguration, when they wanted to build a permanent Tabernacle, this was the pinnacle of their spiritual revelation and they did not want to leave. Luk 9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Yerushalayim. 32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. 33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. We must guard ourselves that we do not get stop at the first spiritual experience and think that we have arrived.

 

Num 9:18 At the command of יהוה the children of Yisra’ĕl departed, and at the command of יהוה they camped. They remained camped as long as the cloud dwelt above the Dwelling Place. – Our Heavenly Father gave us the Spirit of Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding to help us with our spiritual journey. However, not many of us ever exercise these Spiritual blessings. When I was a Christian Pastor it was the Spirit of Truth who help me to realize that Sunday was not the day of worship. Many of my Christian friends get stuck in the same rut all their lives and never progress any further.

 

The Yisraelites did not break camp immediately after the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle. The cloud would first move and hovered over Judah. The Trumpets would be sounded and Moses would announce, “Rise up, YAHVEH, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” Then they would begin the journey.

 

When it was time to encamp, the cloud would arrange itself over the camp of Judah like a tent. Them Moses would announce “Return, O YAHVEH, unto the many thousands of Yisrael.”

 

What was the need for so many example of long and short-term encampment? Even if the cloud remained for a while at a site the people found inhospitable, they submitted to Yah’s Will.

 

Num 9:19 Even when the cloud lingered many days above the Dwelling Place, the children of Yisra’ĕl guarded the Charge of יהוה, and did not depart. - Sometime they would rest for two days and get the signal to march at night, an even more difficult situation. Whatever the situation, the people march and rest without complaint, according to the Word of EL YAHVEH, as indicated by the cloud.

One thing we can learn from this is that the Word did not always come in a audible form, it also comes in signs and wonders. Even when thing was not very clear the Children of Yisrael keep the Charge.

 

Num 9:20 And so it was, when the cloud was above the Dwelling Place a few days: according to the command of יהוה they camped, and according to the command of יהוה they would depart. - Some times the people may have wanted a long rest from a difficult journey, but cloud stayed in place for only a number of days, and then moved on. Sometime they would have only an overnight stay then travel in the morning. On other occasion, they would march through the night and rest for a full day.

Num 9:21 And so it was, when the cloud dwelt only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they departed. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they departed. - Whether it moved by day or night, they delayed not to attend its motions, and probably there were some appointed to stand sentinel day and night within sight of it, to give timely notice to the camp of its beginning to stir, and this called keeping the charge of the YAHVEH.

 

 The people, were kept at a constant uncertainty, and having no time fixed for stopping or removing, were obliged to hold themselves in constant readiness to march upon very short warning. For the same reason we are kept at uncertainty concerning the time of our putting off the earthly house of this tabernacle, that we may be always ready to remove at the commandment of the YAHVEH.

 

Num 9:22 Whether two days, or a month, or a year that the cloud lingered above the Dwelling Place to dwell upon it, the children of Yisra’ĕl camped, and did not depart. But when it was taken up, they departed. - This pillar of cloud and fire directed and determined all the motions, marches, and encampments, of Yisrael in the wilderness.  As long as the cloud rested upon the tabernacle, so long they continued in the same place, and never stirred; though no doubt they were very desirous to be pressing forward in their journey towards Canaan, where they longed to be and hoped to be quickly, yet as long as the cloud rested, if it was a month or a year, so long they rested. Note, He that believeth doth not make haste.

 

Num 9:23 At the command of יהוה they camped, and at the command of יהוה they departed. They guarded the Charge of יהוה, at the command of יהוה by the hand of Mosheh. -The people of Yisrael, having the cloud for their guide, were eased of the trouble of holding councils of war, to consider when and whither they should march, which might have occasioned strifes and debates among them. The pillar of cloud did all this for them: and those that by faith commit their works to EL YAHVEH, though they are bound to the prudent use of means, yet may in like manner be easy in the expectation of the event. "Father, thy will be done; dispose of me and mine as thou pleasest; here I am, desirous to be found waiting on my Elohim continually, to journey and rest at the commandment of YAHVEH. What thou wilt, and where thou wilt, only let me be thine, and always in the way of my duty.’’

 

Chapter 10

 

Chapter ten started with the description and use of the Silver Trumpets. In order to communicate effectively to more than two million people, a strategy had to be developed to effectively communicate to a large number of people very efficiently.

In order to summon the entire nation to worship or war, of even to break camp, EL YAHVEH commanded Moses to fashion two silver trumpets, and instructed him in the manner of sound that would signal the various instructions to the people.

 

Num 10:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, - the sixthteenth time EL YAHVEH spoke to Moses in the Book.

 

Num 10:2 “Make two silver trumpets for yourself, make them of beaten work. And you shall use them for calling the congregation and for breaking camp. – The commander and Chief instruct His General Moses to make and implement these Trumpets for exclusive use. Moses had the status of a King in whose honor the trumpet would be sounded.

Although the movement of the Cloud had signaled the imminent breaking of Camp, the individual camps did not begin their journey until the trumpets were sounded.

As great as they were, they must not think it a disparagement to them to be trumpeters in the house of YAHVEH, the meanest office there was honorable. This signified that EL YAHVEH’s ministers should lift up their voice like a trumpet, to show people their sins (Isa. 58:1), to call them to Messiyah, Isa. 27:13.

Upon what occasions the trumpets were to be sounded. For the calling of assemblies. Thus they are told to blow the trumpet in Zion for the calling of a solemn assembly together, to sanctify a fast, Joel 2:15.

Public notice ought to be given of the time and place of religious assemblies; for the invitation to the benefit or ordinances is general: whoever will, let him come. wisdom cries in the chief places of concourse.

But, that the trumpet or shofar might not give an uncertain sound, they are directed, if only the princes and elders were to meet, to blow but one of the trumpets; less should serve to call them together, who ought to be examples of forwardness in any thing that is good: but, if the body of the people were to be called together, both the trumpets must be sounded, that they might be heard at the greater distance.

In allusion to this, they are said to be blessed that hear the joyful sound (Ps. 89:15), that is, that are invited and called upon to wait upon YAHVEH in public ordinances, Ps. 122:1. And the general assembly at the great day will be summoned by the sound of the archangel’s trumpet, Mt. 24:31.

 

Verse 3 to 7 describes the various sounds of the Silver Trumpets. The Tekiah and the Teruah of this passage were the same as the sound of the names that are sounded on Rosh Hashanah:

Tekiah was a long clear blast of the trumpet, and Teruah was a series of short, staccato blasts.

When both trumpet sound a Tekiah, it signals the entire nation to assemble at the Tabernacle. Such a sound from a single trumpet summoned only the leaders.

A Teruah sound would signal the three tribal formations that they were to begin the journey. Verse 7 made it clear that a Teruah sound was for journeying only not for summond.

 

Num 10:3 “And when they blow both of them, all the congregation shall meet before you at the door of the Tent of Meeting. – When they blow both of the silver trumpets all the people shall meet. Thus they are told to blow the trumpet in Zion for the calling of a solemn assembly together, to sanctify a fast, Joel 2:15. Public notice ought to be given of the time and place of religious assemblies; for the invitation to the benefit or ordinances is general: whoever will, let him come. wisdom cries in the chief places of concourse.

 

Num 10:4 “And if they blow one, then the leaders, the heads of the thousands of Yisra’ĕl, shall gather to you. - But, that the trumpet might not give an uncertain sound, they are directed, if only the princes and elders were to meet, to blow once of the trumpets; less should serve to call them together, who ought to be examples of forwardness in any thing that is good.

If the body of the people were to be called together, both the trumpets must be sounded, that they might be heard at the greater distance. In allusion to this, they are said to be blessed that hear the joyful sound (Ps. 89:15), that is, that are invited and called upon to wait upon YAHVEH in public ordinances, Ps. 122:1. And the general assembly at the great day will be summoned by the sound of the archangel’s trumpet, Mt. 24:31.

 

Num 10:5 “And when you blow a shout, the camps that lie on the east side shall depart. – When they blow the first Teruah the camp on the east would start to march.

 

Num 10:6 “And when you blow a shout the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall depart – they blow a shout for them to depart. – The second sound the camp on the south would depart.

 

Num 10:7 “And when the assembly is to be assembled, you blow, but do not shout. – The Tekiah sound would be blow for assembly only

 

Num 10:8 “And the sons of Aharon, the priests, blow with the trumpets. And it shall be to you for a law forever throughout your generations. – The responsibility to blow the Silver trumpet was given to the Sons of Aaron.

 

Num 10:9 “And when you go into battle in your land against the enemy that distresses you, then you shall shout with the trumpets, and you shall be remembered before יהוה your Elohim, and you shall be saved from your enemies. -  The Torah command that the trumpets is to be sounded also to aroused the congregation whenever the land is struck by distress, weather it is war, epidemic, or drought. These blasts are a call to repentance and a reminder that distress is a product of sin. For people to interpret such problems as merely coincidental is cruel, because this will prevent the nation from changing its ways and causing them to continue the corrupt practices that cause misfortune to befall them in the first place.

 

Num 10:10 “And in the day of your gladness, and in your appointed times, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over your peace offerings. And they shall be a remembrance for you before your Elohim. I am יהוה your Elohim.” - The trumpet must be sounded in conjunction with the communal elevation and peace offerings of the Sabbath and Feast days, which include the New Moon and full Moon. This was in addition to the musical accompaniment of the Levites at the appropriate parts of the scarified service.

 

The Torah in verse 11 to 28 describe in detail the order in which the four tribal groups and the Levites were to break camp. This was the standard for all future journeys while in the Wilderness.

The first such journey took place from Sinai on the twentieth of Iyar (second month), only ten days short of a full year from the day the Hebrew arrive there to receive the Torah.

 

Num 10:11 And it came to be on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from above the Dwelling Place of the Witness. – This seems to imply that our spiritual journey cannot begin without the presence of the Torah. 

 

Num 10:12 And the children of Yisra’ĕl departed, setting out from the Wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud dwelt on it in the Wilderness of Paran. – This is the first sign of the people of Yisrael start to carry their Cross-, the Menorah, and the Torah. Paran was a large area that comprised several of the resting places listed in chapter 33. The exact part of Paran where they camped at this point was Kibroth-hattaavah.

 

Num 10:13 Thus they departed the first time, according to the command of יהוה by the hand of Mosheh. – The children of Yisrael had failed to qualify for a higher spiritual standard. Now they were given an opportunity to start the march all over again to the promise land.

 

Num 10:14 And the banner of the camp of the children of Yehuḏah departed first according to their divisions. And over their army was Naḥshon, son of Amminaḏaḇ. – The Kingdom of Heavens is a very organized place. Every thing, every person must be in his or her right place. We read in Genesis 1 that the earth was without form, meaning that things were not in the right place.

The whole purpose of the recreation story is to set the Kingdom back into the form it had before the rebellion. After the recreation is completed, the Kingdom of Heavens would be considered restored. Every thing in its right place.

 

Num 10:15 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Yissasḵar was Nethanĕ’l, son of Tsuʽar. - Here we see the Government of Twelve in action. Moses is a form of the Messiyah, and the twelve-tribe leaders under him, with their respected banner, or in Military term, their colors.

 

Num 10:16 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Zeḇulun was Eliyaḇ, son of Ḥĕlon. - 

 

Num 10:17 And the Dwelling Place was taken down. And the sons of Gĕreshon and the sons of Merari departed, bearing the Dwelling Place. -  Then came those two families of the Levites which were entrusted to carry the tabernacle. As soon as ever the cloud was taken up, the tabernacle was taken down, and packed up for removing. And here the six wagons came laden with the more bulky part of the tabernacle. This frequent removing of the tabernacle in all their journeys signified the movableness of that ceremonial dispensation. That which was so often shifted would at length vanish away, Heb. 8:13. 3.

 

Num 10:18 And the banner of the camp of Re’uḇĕn departed according to their divisions. And over their army was Elitsur, son of Sheḏĕy’ur. -  The leading standard, now lodged with that tribe, was an earnest of the sceptre which in David’s time should be committed to it, and looked further to the captain of our salvation, of whom it was likewise foretold that unto him should the gathering of the people be.

 

Num 10:19 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Shimʽon was Shelumi’ĕl, son of TsuriSHADDAI. -  Reuben’s squadron marched forward next, taking place after Judah, according to the commandment of the YAHVEH.

 

Num 10:20 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Gaḏ was Elyasaph, the son of Deu’ĕl. - 

 

Num 10:21 And the Qehathites departed, bearing the set-apart objects, while the Dwelling Place was set up before they came. -  Then the Kohathites followed with their charge, the sacred furniture of the tabernacle, in the midst of the camp, the safest and most honorable place. And they (that is, says the margin, the Gershonites and Merarites) did set up the tabernacle against they came; and perhaps it is expressed thus generally because, if there was occasion, not those Levites only, but the other Israelites that were in the first squadron, lent a hand to the tabernacle to hasten the rearing of it up, even before they set up their own tents.

 

Num 10:22 And the banner of the camp of the children of Ephrayim departed according to their divisions. And over their army was Elishama, son of Ammihuḏ. - 

 

Num 10:23 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Menashsheh was Gamli’ĕl, son of Peḏahtsur. -  Ephraim’s squadron followed next after the ark (verse 22–24), to which some think the psalmist alludes when he prays (Ps. 80:2), Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, the three tribes that composed this squadron, stir up thy strength (and the ark is called his strength, Ps. 78:61), and come and save us.

 

Num 10:24 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Binyamin was Aḇiḏan, son of Giḏʽoni. - 

 

Num 10:25 Then the banner of the camp of the children of Dan, which formed the rear guard of all the camps, departed according to their divisions. And over their army was Aḥiʽezer, son of AmmiSHADDAI. -  Dan’s squadron followed last. It is called the rearward, or gathering host, of all the camps, because it gathered up all that were left behind; not the women and children (these we may suppose were taken care of by the heads of their families in their respective tribes), but all the unclean, the mixed multitude, and all that were weak and feeble, and cast behind in their march. He that leadeth Joseph like a flock has a tender regard to the hindmost (Eze. 34:16), that cannot keep pace with the rest, and of all that are given him he will lose none, Jn. 17:11.

 

Num 10:26 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Ashĕr was Paḡʽi’ĕl, the son of Oḵran. - 

 

Num 10:27 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Aḥira, the son of Ěnan. - 

 

Num 10:28 Such was the order of setting out of the children of Yisra’ĕl, according to their divisions, when they departed. -  Moses invites Jethro to join the nations. The journey about to begin would have taken Yisrael to the Promise Land in three days, had it not been for the succession of sins describe in the next several chapters.

Moses now asked his father in law, who had arrived from Midian nearly a year ago, bringing back Moses first wife. He was given the opportunity to join them in their journey to the Promise Land. Often time some one will come into our midst and may even contribute substantially to our camp, yet they will refuse to journey with us to the promise land. Do not beg them to come.

 

Num 10:29 And Mosheh said to Ḥoḇaḇ, the son of Reʽuw’ĕl the Miḏyanite, Mosheh’s father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which יהוה said, ‘I give it to you.’ Come with us, and we shall do good to you, for יהוה has spoken good concerning Yisra’ĕl.” – One of the name given to Jetro was Hobab meaning love. It was given to him because of his love for Torah.

 

Num 10:30 And he replied to him, “I am not going, but I am going to my own land and to my relatives.” – There is a tremendous lesson to be learnt here. When we are exposed to Torah, it is essential that we take Torah back to our people, back to our land, back to our relatives.

 

Num 10:31 then he said, “Please do not leave us, because you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you shall be our eyes. – Moses offered Jethro several reasons why Jetro should remain with Yisrael. The first was that he had been with them in the Wilderness and seen firsthand the miracles that EL YAHVEH had done, and had been like the people’s eyes in perceiving the wonders.

 

Num 10:32 “And it shall be, when you go with us, then it shall be that whatever good יהוה does to us, the same we shall do to you.” – The Torah does not tell us if Jetro acceded to Moses’ pleas, but most commentators assume that he did.

 

Verse 33 – 34 illustrate the first journey. The nation of Yisrael journey, notice it did not say the Children of Yisrael. EL YAHVEH was now looking at the people in the positive sense, not as mere children.

They journey as a nation towards they next experience. They left mount Sinai for a journey that should have taken them directly to the Land, but they did not.

Instead, there was a succession of three sins that impeded their progress. Although they traveled in compliance with Yah’s Will, their attitude made a sin of a journey that should have been the fulfillment of Yah’s oath to the Patriarchs.

 

Num 10:33 So they set out from the mountain of יהוה on a journey of three days. And the ark of the covenant of יהוה went before them for the three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. – Every journey has one goal in mind, to seek out a resting place for Yah’s people. The symbolic gesture of the Ark is a constant reminder of the objective of our very existence. 

 

Num 10:34 And the cloud of יהוה was above them by day when they went out from the camp. – He who starts a good word in us is faithful to complete it. The Constance protection of our Heavenly Father will always be with us as we journey on to perfection. The Story of Job is an example of such a journey. Job in the aftermath say, “I use to hear of you from the hearing of my ears but now mine eyes have seen your Glory.”

 

Num 10:35 And it came to be, whenever the ark set out, that Mosheh said, “Rise up, O יהוה! And let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You.” – Our Heavenly father is very informed to every detail require for our spiritual development. Every resting place that the children of Yisrael stayed was design to teach them spiritual lessons. Therefore when we as believers set out on a journey we should repeat as Moses did in this verse “Rise up, O יהוה! And let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You.”

Recognizing that Yisrael would always have foes and haters who strive to prevent submission to Yah from holding any influence on earth. Moses began every journey with a plea that YAHVEH protect His children from those who would seek to frustrate the realization of His Will.

Moses realize that when the children is been led by the Ark into Yah’ rest, he prayed that the vast number of the nations and its future descendant would feel the same Divine Presence, unopposed, in their midst.

Therefore, understanding these two verses indeed comprise a separate book, for they encompass the striving and final triumph of the Divine ideal, which is full maturity.

 

Num 10:36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O יהוה, to the countless thousands of Yisra’ĕl.” -  His prayer when the ark rested, was that YAHVEH would cause HIS people to rest. So some read it, "Return, YAHEEH, the many thousands of Israel, return them to their rest again after this fatigue.’’

Therefore it is said (Isa. 63:14), The Spirit of YAHVEH caused him to rest. Thus he prays that יהוה would give Yisrael success and victory abroad, and peace and tranquillity at home.

That יהוה himself would take up his rest among them. So we read it: Return to the thousands of Yisrael, the ten thousand thousand, so the word is. First, The Assembly of יהוה is a great body; there are many thousands belonging to YAH’s Israel. Secondly, We ought in our prayers to concern ourselves for this body. Thirdly, The welfare and happiness of the Yisrael of יהוה  consist in the continual presence of YAHVEH among them.

Their safety consists not in their numbers, though they are thousands, many thousands, but in the favour of יהוה, and HIS gracious return to them and residence with them. These thousands are cyphers; he is the figure: and upon this account, Happy art thou, O Yisrael! who is like unto thee, O people!

 

 

Chapter 11

 

One off the hallmark of children is there ability to complain. The term children of Yisrael are a fitting name for them, as this chapter seems to elucidate. The narrative of this chapter starts with the complaining of the people or should I say spiritual children.

 

When the children of Yisrael left Sinai, which was not far from the populated area or frequent travel route, to venture into the great unknown of the Wilderness, they grew frantic and wonder how they would be able to survive.

These children acted as if they were truly in pain and had a right to complain and bemoan their faith. Are we there yet, to coin the popular phrase?

In their mood of complaining, lay the seed of rebellion, and self-pity, they wanted EL YAHVEH to hear and be angered; they succeeded, and paid a heavy price.

When they left the spiritually elevating atmosphere of Sinai, where they had experience the Revelation of Torah, they reverted to the corrupt nature of their spiritual existence.

 

Num 11:1  And it came to be, when the people were as complainers, it was evil in the ears of יהוה. And יהוה heard it, and His displeasure burned. And the fire of יהוה burned among them, and consumed those in the outskirts of the camp. – The fire consumes the masses of the people, who were concentrated at the edge of the camp, instead of the middle of the camp where the Tabernacle was. They gathered together on the fringe of the camp, I am in the camp but I am not really in the camp. Those who tend to complain a lot usually congregate on the outer limit, trying to draw other people to their way of thinking.

 

Num 11:2 And the people cried out to Mosheh, and Mosheh prayed to יהוה, and the fire died down. -  Notice what the scripture says, the people called out in one voice. Not the children of Yisrael who called out. If there are two in the midst, it will be enough to squelch the fire of EL YAHVEH.

 

Num 11:3 then he called the name of the place Taḇʽĕrah, because the fire of יהוה had burned among them. – The name commemorated the burning that took place there. They did not journey from there, but continued to sin in the very same place.

 

Num 11:4 And the mixed multitude who were in their midst lusted greatly, so the children of Yisra’ĕl also wept again and said, “Who is giving us meat to eat? – The mixed multitude showed their spiritual maturity, they succeeded in influencing the rest of the children of Yisrael in complaining.

The complaint was especially galling, for not only did they complain that their diet was insufficient, which was obviously not true according to verse 7 – 9, they went so far as to say that they preferred to be back in Egypt.

This is usually the action off children in the natural, when they want to have their own way; they find every conceivable reason to show their displeasure. As believers we should never compare the life in Egypt with the journey to perfection.

Can you imagine our Heavenly Father taking us on the journey to prepare us to be the Bride for His Son, to hear us complain that we would prefer to be harlots in Egypt instead of been a wife in the promise land.

There were not shortages of meat, yet they cry out who will feed us. The talk of meat was only a pretext for them to complain about the Manna, which is the Torah. In the more literal sense, it is true that there was meat; Ruben and Gad had enormous flocks.

Fish, however, was but a nostalgic memory, as implied by the next verse, for in the wilderness they had no access to fish. 

 

Num 11:5 “We remember the fish which we ate without cost in Mitsrayim, the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic, - While in Egypt, they had received food from their task master, fish from the fisherman, and fruits and vegetable from the farmers. Fish was so plentiful in the Nile that it was virtually free.

The protesters wanted to convey the message to the others that, the food in Egypt was free in the sense that it came without any obligation to perform an commandment.

 

Num 11:6 but now our throat is dried up. There is naught to look at but this manna!” – In order for one to developed them selves certain discipline is required. Certain behavior pattern must be altered, this was what the mix multitude we against. However, like most people who complain, the action usually escalates until truth become an obnoxious.

 

Num 11:7 now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like the appearance of bdellium. – In order to cleanse one’s body from the corruption of the Egyptian food, certain food was require to help us remove the contamination of years of eating the contamination food in Egypt.

The Manna from Heavens was such a food. I can almost guarantee that this manna was a type of detoxify, as the Torah is to our spiritual life.

 

Verse 7 – 9 Torah now refutes the complaints against the manna by describing it. It was shaped like coriander seed, a strong smelling seed like plant of the carrot family. Its color was like that of a gem identified as crystal or pearl.

The Hebrew people could gather it effortlessly, merely by strolling near their dwelling, and it tasted like dough rich in oil.

 

Num 11:8 The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, and cooked it in a pot, and made cakes of it. And its taste was as the taste of cakes baked with oil.  - To show how unreasonable their complaint was, it is here described. It was good for food, and pleasant to the eye, every grain like an orient pearl; it was wholesome food and nourishing. It was not to be called dry bread, for it tasted like fresh oil; it was agreeable (the Jews say, Wisd. 16:20) to every man’s palate, and tasted as he would have it.

Though it was still the same, yet, by the different ways of dressing it, it yielded them a grateful variety; it cost them no money, nor care, for it fell in the night, while they slept; and the labour of gathering it was not worth speaking of.

They lived upon free quarter, and yet could talk of Egypt’s cheapness and the fish they ate there freely. Nay, which was much more valuable than all this, the manna came from the immediate power and bounty of YAHVEH, not from common providence, but from special favour. It was, as YAH’s compassion, new every morning, always fresh, not as their food who live on shipboard.

 

Num 11:9 And when the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna fell on it.  – Dew represents our imagination, at night when we are in the quite confines of our bed, it is a good time to reflect on the Eternal unchanging Word of EL YAHVEH. At night is when we have dreams, sometime our Heavenly Father speaks to us in dreams which is a form of manna. When we awake in the morning we should gather ourselves together and remember our dream, which could be our spiritual food for the day. However many of us never gather our revelation that we had the night before.

 

Num 11:10 And Mosheh heard the people weeping throughout their clans, each man at the door of his tent. And the displeasure of יהוה burned exceedingly. And in the eyes of Mosheh it was evil, - To vent their resentment publicly whole family us to gather outside their tents and complain. Could the underlying reason behind their complaint was the new family restriction that was now place upon them. The commandment was truly a privilege; but to some of the people they seemed like an unbearable burden.

In our spiritual journey, we will be require to separate ourselves from certain mentality, this incident was a case in point. Even in the church there are people whose constant complaining will stifle our spiritual development.

EL YAHVEH can understand if people are overcome by the lust of the flesh, but to say they wanted to go back to Egypt, to go back to been a harlot, this was intolerable.

We may choose to complain that the journey is hard, even El Yahushua complain that if it was possible to take this cup away from Him, nevertheless let your will be done. But to complain that we want to go back, is totally a different thing.

 

Num 11:11 so Mosheh said to יהוה, “Why have You done evil to Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your eyes, to put the burden of all these people on me? – Every good leader whenever they see the people go a stray, their first response is to get on their knees in prayer. This is exactly what Moses did. It was Moses’ burden as it is the burden of the leaders today to bring the people to maturity. Leadership must also realize that, like sheep that start the clime up the mountain every spring some might not make it down the mountain again. Pitfalls alone the way are design for wayward sheep that refuse to follow the instruction of the Shepherd; harm will come their way.

 

Num 11:12 “Was it I who conceived all these people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as the foster father carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers? – To these entire questions Moses ask EL YAHVEH I say YES. It is the Evangelist who conceived them spiritually, it is the Pastor who brings them forth, and it is the teacher who carries them in his bosom until they are strong enough to walk on their own.

 

Num 11:13 “Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat.’ – Torah is our meat at whatever age we are spiritually. If we are children it is the pure milk of the Word, if we are young men it is the strong meat of the Word; If we are Fathers, it is the difficult Word that we debate over.

Whatever stage of our spiritual development we are at, it will suffice our needs.

 

Num 11:14 “I am unable to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. – Moses was indeed despair or depress. But led he must. As leaders we have no choice to stop leading, even if one of the sheep that wonder away and fall off a cliff, led we must. During the trek in the desert, the freed slaves complain about the lack of water and particularly, about having no meat to eat. Moses is overwhelmed by their harsh words and rebellious attitude.

 

Num 11:15 “And if You are doing this to me, please slay me altogether, if I have found favor in Your eyes, and let me not see my evil!” – Moses plea to EL YAHVEH if this is my test, then I do not want to continue. I love to be tested, but not in this manner, to see my people backsliding. I hope this is not a test of my leadership. I do not want this leadership if people are going to be destroyed in order to prove my loyalty. I cannot do this alone.

 

Num 11:16 Then יהוה said to Mosheh, “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Yisra’ĕl, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them. And bring them to the Tent of Meeting, and let them stand there with you. – In response to Moses’ complaint that he could not carry on alone. EL YAHVEH commanded Moses to select seventy elders who would constitute a governing body to help Him. This was not a new concept, for there had been elders in Egypt before.

This new leadership was to help perform judicial functions; that task was done by the hierarchy of leadership and judges appointed in response to Jetro’s advice.

These seventy men were needed to help Moses in leading the Nations. Divine Tribunal is comprised of the seventy guardian angels of the seventy nations, presided over, as it were, by EL YAHVEH.

Modeled after the Heavenly Court, this group includes seventy judges, presided over by Moses, and later by his successors, as Nasi, or president.

In a general way, the number seventy represents all the different aspects of humanity mentality, just as the entire human race is composed of the seventy primary nations enumerated in Genesis 10.

 

Num 11:17 “And I shall come down and speak with you there, and shall take of the Spirit that is on you, and put on them. And they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you do not bear it yourself alone. – Moses was the main Menorah in the group; his spiritual character was to be the standard for the other leaders among the group. By saying that Moses’ spirit would inspire the other elders, EL YAHVEH was conveying to Moses that their vision, understanding, knowledge and wisdom would come about through him, it would be a set of people who he had brought to maturity. Therefore they would not exercise their prophetic spirit independent of his.

 

Verse 18 – 24 we read about הוה response to the people. הוה instructed Moses to inform the people that they would eat meat for a full month, that they would have so much that it would become nauseating to them and they would regret their declaration that they would prefer to be back in Egypt, to which Moses express skepticism.

This doubt seems both implausible and sinful in the extreme. How could Moses doubt יהוה ability? When יהוה told Moses to go talk to Pharaoh, he too doubt יהוה and He gave him Aaron, now we see Moses again doubting יהוה and יהוה gave him seventy elders to help him.

There seems to be a spiritual parallel here; whenever we doubt יהוה ability to do His job, some of our own responsibility will be given to others.

Moses doubt stems from his understanding that יהוה perform miracles either to show His compassion for His people or to inflict quick punishment upon the disobedient. But Moses had never seen a long drawn-out miracle that are ambiguous in nature, to fulfilled the people’ request in a way that will eventually result in a lesson to them.

Consequently, Moses was sure that the month-long supply of meat would be given by natural means. That this was the indeed יהוה intention by the use of the word, “come to pass” in verse 23, which comes from the Hebrew word meaning coincidence.

Therefore, Moses questioned how so much meat could be provided in a wasteland without a miracle. יהוה responded that it would indeed be natural and that even a seeming impossible event is not beyond His means.

 

Num 11:18 “And say to the people, ‘Set yourselves apart for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, because you have wept in the hearing of יהוה, saying, “Who is giving us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Mitsrayim.” And יהוה shall give you meat, and you shall eat. -  Prepare yourself for what you have so arrogantly requested. Tomorrow you will learn that nothing is beyond capability. Did they learn the lesson?

Even the humour of the discontented people shall be gratified too, that every mouth may be stopped. They are ordered to sanctify themselves , that is, to put themselves into a posture to receive such a proof of YAH’s power as should be a token both of mercy and judgment. Prepare to meet thy Elohim, O Israel, Amos 4:12.

 

Num 11:19 ‘You are going to eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, - I will give you meat for a month, perhaps this will teach you a lesson in faith. YAHVEH promises (shall I say?)—HE threatens that they shall have their fill of flesh, that for a month together they shall not only be fed, but feasted, with flesh, besides their daily manna; and, if they have not a better government of their appetites than now it appears they have they shall be surfeited with it.

 

Num 11:20 but for a month of days, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes an abomination to you, because you have rejected יהוה who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we come up out of Mitsrayim? – When I was a boy I found a pack of cigarette and I foolishly smoke it. It become so nauseating to me that I never place a cigarette to my lips again. Was this the lesson יהוה was trying to teach His people about requiring the meat of Egypt? As cigarette is not essential for human, is meat also not essential for the redeem community?

You shall eat till it come out at your nostrils, and become loathsome to you. The vanity of all the delights of sense; they will cloy, but not satisfy: spiritual pleasures are the contrary. As the world passes away, so do the lusts of it, 1 Jn. 2:17. What was greedily coveted in a little time comes to be nauseated.

What brutish sins (and worse than brutish) gluttony and drunkenness are; they put a force upon nature, and make that the sickness of the body which should be its health; they are sins that are their own punishments, and yet not the worst that attend them.

What a righteous thing it is with YAHVEH to make that loathsome to men which they have inordinately lusted after. YAHVEH could make them despise flesh as much as they had despised manna.

 

Num 11:21 And Mosheh said, “The people in whose midst I am are six hundred thousand men on foot, and You, You have said, ‘I give them meat to eat for a month of days.’ – Moses must have been in awe. I cannot believe that you are going to provide meat for over six hundred thousand of my finest foot solders, You יהוה are going provide meat for all of them for a month to teach them a lesson!

Moses objects the improbability of making good this word. It is an objection like that which the disciples made, Mk. 8:4, Whence can a man satisfy these men? The same excuse Moses made here, and construe what he says as only a modest enquiry which way the supply must be expected. But it savours too much of diffidence and distrust of YAHVEH to be justified. He objects about the number of the people, as if he that provided bread for them all could not, by the same unlimited power, provide flesh too.

He reckons it must be the flesh either of beasts or fishes, because they are the most numerous animals, Moses did not imagine that the flesh of birds, little birds, should serve the purpose. YAHVEH sees not as man sees, but HIS thoughts are above ours.

 

Num 11:22 “Could flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Or could all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?” – After seeing the miracle in Egypt Moses should be the last one to show this lack of faith. Moses should have been saying, “This one I got to see.”

Moses objects about the greediness of the people’s desires in that word, to suffice them. Even mature believers sometimes find it hard to trust YAHVEH under the discouragements of second causes, and against hope to believe in hope. Moses himself could scarcely forbear saying, Can YAHVEH furnish a table in the wilderness? when this had become the common cry. No doubt this was his infirmity.

 

Num 11:23 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Is the arm of יהוה too short? Now see whether My word meets you or not!” – One of the impressive qualities of יהוה is His ability to used one miracle to teach different individual different things all at the same time.

YAHVEH gives a short but sufficient answer to the objection in that question, Has YAHVEH’s hand waxed short?  If Moses had remembered the years of the right hand of the Most High, he would not have started all these difficulties.

Therefore, YAHVEH reminds him of them, intimating that this objection reflected upon the Divine power, of which he himself had been so often, not only the witness, but the instrument.

Had he forgotten what wonders the Divine power had wrought for that people, when it inflicted the plagues of Egypt, divided the sea, broached the rock, and rained bread from heaven?

Had that power abated? Was YAHVEH weaker than HE used to be? Or was HE tired with what HE had done? Whatever our unbelieving hearts may suggest to the contrary, it is certain,

That YAH’s hand is not short; HIS power cannot be restrained in the exerting of itself by any thing but his own will; with him nothing is impossible. That hand is not short which measures the waters, metes out the heavens (Isa. 40:12), and grasps the winds, Prov. 30:4. That it has not waxed short. He is as strong as ever he was, fainteth not, neither is weary. And this is sufficient to silence all our distrusts when means fail us, Is any thing too hard for YAHVEH? YAHVEH here brings Moses to this first principle, sets him back in his lesson, to learn the ancient name of YAHVEH, The EL YAHVEH Almighty, and puts the proof upon the issue: Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to pass or not. This magnifies YAH’s word above all his name, that his works never come short of it. If he speaks, it is done.

 

Num 11:24 And Mosheh went out and spoke to the people the words of יהוה, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the Tent. -  Moses informed the people that a month of meat eating awaited them in response to their frivolous and defiant complaint, and at the same time he public designation of the seventy newly appointed elders.

In the plain sense of this verse, he was showing them that their recalcitrance had made it impossible for him to continue to function on his own.

Here is the case of the seventy privy-counsellors in general. Moses, though a little disturbed by the tumult of the people, yet He was thoroughly composed by the communion he had with YAHVEH, they would soon came to himself again.

According as the matter was concerted, he did his part; he presented the seventy elders before the YAHVEH, round the tabernacle , that they might there stand ready to receive the grace of YAHVEH, in the place where he manifested himself, and that the people also might be witnesses of their solemn call. Those that expect favour from YAHVEH must humbly offer themselves and their service to him.

 

Num 11:25 And יהוה came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders. And it came to be, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, but did not continue. – יהוה  took of the Menorah, the Holy Spirit that was on Moses and transplanted it to the seventy elders. The gift of prophecy is a gift of restoration. Now there was more of Moses with the same spirit to minister to the people. When there is an incident like this one, good leaders used it as a pretext to ask for help. It was obvious that Moses needed help, and the help was given.

 

Num 11:26 However, two men had remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldaḏ, and the name of the other Mĕyḏaḏ. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but did not go out to the Tent. And they prophesied in the camp. - They were nominated by Moses to be assistants in the government, but they went not out unto the tabernacle as the rest did. but that it did not find them, they being somewhere out of the way; so that, though they were written, yet they were not called. Most think that they declined coming to the tabernacle out of an excess of modesty and humility; being sensible of their own weakness and unworthiness, they desired to be excused from coming into the government. Their principle was their praise, but their practice in not obeying orders was their fault.

The Spirit of YAHVEH found them out in the camp, where they were hidden among the people, and there they prophesied, that is, they exercised their gift of praying, preaching, and praising YAHVEH, in some private tent.

The Spirit of YAHVEH is not tied to the tabernacle, but, like the wind, blows where he listeth, Jn. 3:8. Whither can we go from that Spirit? There was a special providence in it that these two should be absent.

For it appeared that it was indeed a divine Spirit which the elders were actuated by, and that Moses gave them not that Spirit, but YAHVEH Himself. They modestly declined preferment, but YAHVEH forced it upon them. They have the honor of being named, which the rest have not: for those that humble themselves shall be exalted, and those are most fit for government who are least ambitious of it.

 

Num 11:27 And a young man ran and informed Mosheh, and said, “Eldaḏ and Mĕyḏaḏ are prophesying in the camp.” - Information of this was given to Moses. "Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp; there is a conventicle in such a tent, and Eldad and Medad are holding meeting there, from under the inspection and presidency of Moses, and out of the communion of the rest of the elders.’’ Whoever the person was that brought the tidings, he seems to have looked upon it as an irregularity.

 

Num 11:28 And Yehoshua son of Nun, Mosheh’s assistant from his youth, answered and said, “Mosheh my master, forbid them!” – Yehoshua”Joshua” was a young man spiritually at this point of his life. His entire spiritual faculty was not yet developed. He asked Moses to stop the two men from prophesying. It is the goal of EL YAHVEH to have all of His people Prophesying at all times. This simple means that the Holy Spirit is upon them or is fully developed within that person.

 

Num 11:29 Then Mosheh said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Oh, that all the people of יהוה were prophets, that יהוה would put His Spirit upon them!” – The question Moses poses to Joshua is are you doing this for my sake, to protect Moses position among the people or is there another reason. Moses assured Joshua that he was not worried about the men who were prophesying, for it is his desire that all of EL YAHVEH people should be prophets.

My desire is that all of the redeemed community should possess the Spirit of Wisdom, Knowledge, and understanding.

 

Num 11:30 And Mosheh returned to the camp, both he and the elders of Yisra’ĕl. -  In verse 18 we see Moses separate the 70 elders out-side of the camp at the tent of meeting, now we see them returning as one.

 

Num 11:31 And a wind went forth from יהוה, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground. -  And the Spirit went forth from יהוה and it brought forth the birds from the sea and let them fall around the camp about a day journey on both side. The height was about two cubic high. And Moses thought that it could not be done. Way to go Father YAHVEH.

 

Num 11:32 And the people were up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail. He who has least gathered ten ḥomers. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. -  How greedy they were of this flesh that YAHVEH sent them. They flew upon the spoil with an unsatiable appetite, not regarding what Moses had told them from YAHVEH, that they would surfeit upon it, 5:32.

Two days and a night they were at it, gathering flesh, till every master of a family had brought home ten homers (that is, ten ass-loads) at least. David longed for the water of the well of Bethlehem, but would not drink it when he had it, because it was obtained by venturing, much more reason these Yisraelites had to refuse this flesh, which was obtained by murmuring, and which, they might easily perceive, by what Moses said, was given them in anger. But those that are under the power of a carnal mind will have their lusts fulfilled, though it be to the certain damage and ruin of their precious souls.

 

Num 11:33 The meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, and the wrath of יהוה burned against the people, and יהוה smote the people with an exceeding great plague. – The instigators of the people’s complaint died immediately; the rest of the nations ate birds for a month. Before inflicting the death penalty, EL YAHVEH demonstrated that He could easily provide more than enough food to satisfy anyone’s need.

The very same mouth that was used to complain became the source of their death. It was their mouth that they used to vocalize the complain, it was the same mouth that the food became a poison to those who were eating it.

 

Num 11:34 Then he called the name of that place Qiḇroth Hatta’awah, because there they buried the people who had lusted. -  Lust is the desire for those things we are not allowed to have. What we inordinately desire, if we obtain it (we have reason to fear), will be some way or other a grief and cross to us.

YAHVEH satiated them first, and then plagued them, to save the reputation of his own power, that it might not be said, "He would not have cut them off had he been able to supply them.’’

To show us the meaning of the prosperity of sinners; it is their preparation for ruin, they are fed as an ox for the slaughter. Lastly, The remembrance of this is preserved in the name given to that place. There come a time when every believer must come face to face with the desire of the flesh, we either overcome it or let is overcome us.

 

Num 11:35 From Qiḇroth Hatta’awah the people set out for Ḥatsĕroth – and they were at Ḥatsĕroth. – After every major teaching experience the Assembly move on to another experience. However, not every person who was at that experience learns their lesson. It is too bad that we as believers do not learn from the experience of other, instead of making the same mistake over and over again.

 

 

Chapter 12

         

          Aaron and Miriam was critical of Moses because of his wife the Kushite, this was Moses second wife. His first wife was from Midian, not Ethiopia. Could it be that they were cruising her because she was of a different color?

When ever a person become critical of another person they never speak the truth. The excuse Aaron and Miriam use, was, are we not all prophets? Is Mosses the only one EL YAHVEH can speak to?

EL YAHVEH Himself appeared to them, to chastise them, and to testify that Moses was indeed His prophet, and a higher one than anyone else. Because of his pureness of character.

EL YAHVEH punish Miriam for instigating this criticism of Moses, even though she may have done it out of a sincere desire to correct what she may have convinced was his error. She spoke out only to Aaron who shared her devotion to Moses. This mistake became an eternal teaching to the Hebrew community of the gravity of the sin of slander.

 

Num 12:1  Now Miryam and Aharon spoke against Mosheh because of the Kushite woman whom he had taken, for he had taken a Kushite woman. -  The Kushite, and Ethiopians woman. Zipporah was from Midian, not Ethiopia, she was Moses first wife. The description of her as a Cushite was a euphemistic reference to her great beauty.

 

Num 12:2 And they said, “Has יהוה spoken only through Mosheh? Has He not also spoken through us?” And יהוה heard it. -   Like all criticism, the truth is hidden within the objection, one only need to dig to find it. The second accusation against Moses, was he the only one that יהוה had spoken to. A true criticism never take a strait forward approach, they always hid their true nature behind something else.

 

Num 12:3 And the man Mosheh was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth. – Let us now look at the character of Moses. Torah teacher us here that there was no other man singular, who was more humble than Moses. So if Moses wanted to have two wives it was not for his own political motivation. It was not in his character.

Moses knew that in order to be ready to hear Yah’s Word at any time, he had to be ritually pure at all times, which meant that he had to refrain from marital relations with his wife Zipporah. Some people like Miraim might have taught that now that Moses had two wives, he had to spend more time performing his material responsibility to his two wives, which is a Torah requirement. Exodus 21:10.

Because of his humility Moses would not have defended himself against the charge; therefore, EL YAHVEH had to intervene on Moses behalf.

The Torah’s characterization of Moses as being humble sheds light on the nature of true humility. It is commonly assumed that humble people are afraid to speak up or assert their authority.

This surely does not apply to the most humble man on the face of the earth. Moses did not hesitate to confront Pharaoh or castigate the entire nation of Yisreal; his humility did not deter him from doing what was right, even if it was unpopular or dangerous.

True Spiritual humility refers to someone’s personal assessment of himself. He may feel humble that he has not achieved his true physical potential, or that, even if he has, his greatest innate ability puts greater responsibility on him to grow spiritually. No one has the right to feel inadequate merely for doing what one is spiritually obligated to do.

Num 12:4 And suddenly יהוה said to Mosheh, and Aharon, and Miryam, “You three, come out to the Tent of Meeting!” So the three came out. -  The suddenness of EL YAHVEH’S command was part of the demonstration of Moses’ uniqueness. Moses was always prepared for prophecy, but Aaron and Miriam who had been critical of Moses for discontinuing family life by taking a black woman as a wife.

They had to hurry to purify themselves before appearing before EL YAHVEH, while Moses did not.

 

Num 12:5 And יהוה came down in the column of cloud and stood in the door of the Tent, and called Aharon and Miryam. And they both went forward. – Aaron and Moses had to be called, while it was told of Moses that EL YAHVEH simply talk to Him.  The cause is called, and the parties are summoned forthwith to attend at the door of the tabernacle. Moses had often shown himself jealous for YAH’s honor, and now YAHVEH showed Himself jealous for his reputation; for those that honor YAHVEH  HE will honor, nor will HE ever be behind-hand with any that appear for him. Judges of old sat in the gate of the city to try causes, and so on this occasion the shechinah in the cloud of glory stood at the door of the tabernacle, and Aaron and Miriam, as delinquents, were called to the bar.

 

Num 12:6 And He said, “Hear now My words: If your prophet is of יהוה, I make Myself known to him in a vision, and I speak to him in a dream. -  If one is a true prophet, EL YAHVEH will make Himself known in a vision and He will talk to him in a dream. However, men will mocked them and misused them, they were the favourites and intimates of The heavens. YAHVEH made HIMSELF known to them, either by dreams when they were asleep or by visions when they were awake, and by them made himself known to others. And those are happy, those are great, truly great, truly happy, to whom EL YAHVEH makes himself known, Now he does it not by dreams and visions, as of old, but by the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, who makes known those things to babes which prophets and kings desired to see and might not.

Hence in the last days, the days of the Messiyah, the sons and daughters are said to prophesy (Joel 2:28), because they shall be better acquainted with the mysteries of the kingdom of grace than even the prophets themselves were; see Heb. 1: YAHVEH, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by HIS Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also HE made the worlds.

 

Num 12:7 “Not so with My servant Mosheh, he is trustworthy in all My house. -  This is not so for Moses. EL YAHVEH speaks mouth-to-mouth, audible and not in riddles. He will also see the form of EL YAHVEH and did not die.

It was true that YAHVEH put a great deal of honor upon the prophets. However men mocked them and misused them, they were the favourites and intimates of heaven. YAHVEH made Himself known to them, either by dreams when they were asleep or by visions when they were awake.

Bby them HE made Himself known to others, and those are happy, those are great, truly great, truly happy, to whom YAHVEH makes himself known.  Now He does it not by dreams and visions, as of old, but by the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, who makes known those things to babes which prophets and kings desired to see and might not.

Therefore in the last days, the days of the Messiyah, the sons and daughters are said to prophesy (Joel 2:28), because they shall be better acquainted with the mysteries of the kingdom of grace than even the prophets themselves were; see Heb. 1:1, 2.

 

Num 12:8 “I speak with him mouth to mouth, and plainly, and not in riddles. And he sees the form of יהוה. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Mosheh? - Now let Miriam and Aaron consider who it was that they insulted: Were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? Against my servant, against Moses? so it runs in the original.

"How dare you abuse any servant of mine, especially such a servant as Moses, who is a friend, a confidant, and steward of the house?’’ How durst they speak to the grief and reproach of one whom YAHVEH had so much to say in commendation of? Might they not expect that YAHVEH would resent it, and take it as an affront to himself?

We have reason to be afraid of saying or doing any thing against the servants of YAHVEH; it is at our peril if we do, for YAHVEH will plead their cause, and reckon that what touches them touches the apple of his eye.

It is a dangerous thing to offend Messiyah’s little ones, Mt. 18:6. Those are presumptuous indeed that are not afraid to speak evil of dignities, 2 Pt. 2:10.

 

Num 12:9 And the displeasure of יהוה burned against them, and He left. -  He was angry by their failure to express regret immediately. YAH’s abrupt departure was a signal that Aaron and Miriam had been placed in a ban. Before imposing the ban, however, Yah had informed them of the gravity of their sin; surely, therefore, a human being should never express his anger at someone before telling them of his or her grievance.

 

Num 12:10 And the cloud turned away from above the Tent, and look: Miryam was leprous, as white as snow! And Aharon turned toward Miryam, and look: a leper! -  Tzaraas is the Divinely imposed skin condition, often confused with leprosy, that is describe in Leviticus 13; This is the often prescribe punishment for slander, which explain why Miriam was afflicted and not Aaron.

Only Miriam was afflicted  because she had instigated the criticism of Moses. If she was punished even though her intention was not demeaning Moses, surely people should beware of truly speaking ill of anyone.

 

Num 12:11 And Aharon said to Mosheh, “Oh, my master! Please do not hold against us the sin in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. -  The truly humble person Moses was he immediately seeks forgiveness for his brother and sister.

 Aaron’s submission himself to Moses, confesses his fault, and begs pardon. He who had just now joined with his sister, in speaking against Moses is here forced to make penitent for himself and his sister to him.  In the highest degree he magnify  Moses (as if he had the power of  YAHVEH to forgive and heal) whom he had so lately vilified.

Those that trample upon the saints and servants of YAHVEH will one day be glad to make court to them; in the other world, as the foolish virgins to the wise for a little oil, and the rich man to Lazarus for a little water. Or perhaps in this world, as Job’s friend ask for his prayers, and here Aaron to Moses. Rev. 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

In his submission, Aaron confesses his own and his sister’s sin. He speaks respectfully to Moses, of whom he had spoken slightly, calls him his lord, and now turns the reproach upon himself, speaks as one ashamed of what he had said: We have sinned, we have done foolishly. Those sin, and do foolishly, who revile and speak evil of any, especially of good people or of those in authority. Repentance is the unsaying of that which we have said amiss, and it had better be unsaid than that we be undone by it.

Aaron begs Moses’s pardon: Lay not this sin upon us. Aaron was to bring his gift to the altar, but, knowing that his brother had something against him, he of all men was concerned to reconcile himself to his brother, that he might be qualified to offer his gift. Some think that this speedy submission which YAHVEH saw him ready to make was that which prevented his being struck with a leprosy as his sister was.

 

Num 12:12 “Please do not let her be as one dead when coming out of its mother’s womb, with our flesh half consumed!” -  Someone with Tzaraas is regarded as a dead person. Aaron said, In the normal course of events, only death separates brothers and sisters, but the laws of Tzaraas force us to separate ourselves from Miriam while she is still alive.

Aaron went on to say that since they were brothers and sister, the affliction of her flesh was tantamount to their own. It was as if Moses and Aaron, who were born from the same womb as Miriam, had had half their own flesh eaten away.

 

Num 12:13 And Mosheh cried out to יהוה, saying, “O Ěl, please heal her, please!” – The compassionate person Moses was, all the fruit of the spirit was manifested in him. It is no wonder that he was consider the humbelist man on earth. This famous story in this Torah Portion of Beha’alotcha where Aaron and Miriam spoke negatively off Moses, resulting in Miriam’s leprosy.

The Torah says: “Moses cried out to the CREATOR, saying ‘El na refa na lah.’ ” The Hebrew word El means God; na means please; refa means heal, and la means her, referring to his sister Miriam.

I have learned that all our prayers should be only for the desire to bestow to others and not for ourselves. Why does a person get sick in this world? It is because we have not build our Menorah! Why does a person need food or money in this world? It is only because there is a lack in the Spiritual realm.

How can we talk about a lack in the Spiritual when we know that the Light has no lack? Within the light of the CREATOR, there is no lack, but the Shechinak is an intermediary level of light created specifically for the purpose of being with the Children of Yisrael during their journey to perfection. As Aaron and Miriam manifest a lack of wisdom which manifest in leprosy for Miriam.

Moses prayer was to correct his sister in the Spiritual, that would manifest itself in the physical. Our prayer should never be for the visible, it should be for the invisible realm. Please allow my prayer to influence the specific lack in the Spiritual realm. I know that if that specific lack in our physical world will be filled.

As believers we can create miracles when we make this shift in emphasis from the visible to the invisible.

 

Num 12:14 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and after that let her be readmitted.” -  Miriam’ tzaraas was healed immediately after Moses request, but because she had suffered Yah’s rebuke, she had to remain in quarantine for another seven days, as if he father had humiliated her publicly.

She did not have to go through the normal purification process of a metzora, either because Yah had decreed that she could return to the camp unconditionally after seven days, or because one does not get the formal status of metzora unless a Kohen declares the affliction to be tzaraas and this had not happened.

 

Num 12:15 And Miryam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not set out until Miryam was readmitted. -  The decision on when to journey depended solely on when the pillow of cloud lifted. Our verse indicate, however, that the people had decided to honor Miriam by remaining at the camp until she could join them, especially since they knew that their water supply was in her merit.

 

Num 12:16 And afterward the people departed from Ḥatsĕroth, and they camped in the Wilderness of Paran. – They were already in the Paran, but their next resting place of experience, would be kodesh Barnea, was still in the same wilderness.

 

 

Haftarah

Zechariah 2:14 – 4:7

 

There was Yehoshua a principal agent in the first settling of Yisrael in Canaan; here is another of the same name very active in their second settlement there after the captivity.

Yahushua is the same name, and it signifies Saviour; and they were both figures of him that was to come, our chief captain and our chief priest. The angel that talked with Zechariah showed him Yoahushua the high priest; it is probable that the prophet saw him frequently, that he spoke to him, and that there was a great intimacy between them.

But, in his common views, he only saw how he appeared before men; if he must know how he stands before the YAHVEH, it must be shown him in vision; and so it is shown him.  Men are really as they are with YAHVEH, not as they appear in the eye of the world.

He stood before the angel of the YAHVEH, EL of the angels, to whom even the high priests themselves, of Aaron’s order, were accountable. He stood before the angel of the YAHVEH to execute his office, to minister to YAHVEH under the inspection of the angels. He stood to consult the oracle on the behalf of Yisrael, for whom, as high priest, he was agent.

Guilt and corruption are our two great discouragements when we stand before יהוה . By the guilt of the sins committed by us we have become obnoxious to the justice of יהוה . By the power of the sin that dwells in us we have become odious to the holiness of יהוה.

All YAH’s Yisrael are in danger upon these two accounts. Yashushua was so here, for the law made men priests that had infirmity, Heb. 7:28. And, as to both, we have relief from Yahushua our Messiyah, who is made of יהוה  to us both righteousness and sanctification.

 

Zec 3:1  And he showed me Yehushua the high priest standing before the messenger of יהוה, and Satan standing at his right hand to be an adversary to him. – Yehushua is accused as a criminal, but is justified.

A violent opposition is made to him. Satan stands at his right hand to resist him to be a Satan to him, a law-adversary. He stands at his right hand, as the prosecutor, or witness, at the right hand of the prisoner. The devil is the accuser of the brethren, that accuses them before יהוה day and night, Rev. 12:10. Some think the chief priest was accused for the sin of many of the inferior priests, in marrying strange wives, which they were much guilty of after their return out of captivity, Ezra 9:1,

Neh. 13:28. When יהוה is about to reestablish the priesthood Satan objects the sins that were found among the priests, as rendering them unworthy the honor designed them. It is by our own folly that we give Satan advantage against us and furnish him with matter for reproach and accusation.

If anything should be amiss, especially with the priests, Satan will be sure to aggravate it and make the worst of it. He stood to resist him, that is, to oppose the service he was doing for the public good. He stood at his right hand, the hand of action, to discourage him, and raise difficulties in his way.

When we stand before יהוה to minister to Him, or stand up for יהוה to serve His interests, we must expect to meet with all the resistance that Satan’s subtlety and malice can give us. Let us then resist him that resists us and he shall flee from us.

 

Zec 3:2 And יהוה said to Satan, “יהוה rebuke you, Satan! יהוה who has chosen Yerushalayim rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” - A victorious defence is made for him: YAHVEH (that is, the Yahushua our Messiyah) said unto Satan, The יהוה rebuke thee.  It is the happiness of the saints that the Judge is their friend; the same that they are accused to is their patron and protector, and an advocate for them, and HE will be sure to bring them off.

Satan is here checked as one that has authority, that has conquered him, and many a time silenced him. The accuser of the brethren, of the ministers and the ministry, is cast out; his indictments are quashed, and his suggestions against them as well as his suggestions to them, are shown to be malicious, frivolous, and vexatious.

The יהוה rebuke thee, O Satan! The יהוה said (that is, the יהוה our Redeemer), YAHVEH rebuke thee, that is, the יהוה the Creator. The power of יהוה is engaged for the making of the grace of Messiyah effectual. "The יהוה restrain thy malicious rage, reject thy malicious charge, and revenge upon thee thy enmity to a servant of his.’ Those that belong to Messiyah have Him ready to appear vigorously for them when Satan appears most vehement against them.

He does not parley with him, but stops his mouth immediately with this sharp reprimand: YAHVEH rebuke thee, O Satan! This is the best way of dealing with that furious enemy. Get thee behind me, Satan.

Satan argued with. He resists the priest, but let him know that his resistance, will be fruitless; it will be to no purpose to attempt any thing against Yerushalayim, for יהוה has chosen it, and he will abide by his choice. Whatever is objected against YAH’s people, יהוה saw it.

יהוה foresaw it when HE chose them and yet HE hose them, and therefore that can be no inducement to him now to reject them; he knew the worst of them when he chose them; and his election shall obtain.

It is unreasonable; for is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Yehoshua is so, and the priesthood, and the people, whose representative He is. Messiyah has not that to say for them for which they are to be praised, but that for which they are to be pitied.

Messiyah is ready to make the best argument for His people, and takes notice of everything that is pleadable in excuse of their infirmities, He does not look at our weakness but he extenuate our strength. He argue that they have been in the fire lately, no wonder they are black and smoked, and have the smell of fire upon them, but they are therefore to be excused, not to be accused.

Yahushua went on to argue that one cannot expect no other result from those who was just a few days ago were captives in Babylon. How can they appear before the King in any other garment. They have been lately brought out of great affliction; and is Satan so barbarous as to desire to have them thrown into affliction again?

They have been wonderfully delivered out of the fire, that יהוה might be glorified in them; and will HE then cast them off and abandon them? No, HE will not quench the smoking flax, the smoking fire-brand; for HE snatched it out of the fire because he intended to make use of it.

Narrow escapes from imminent danger are happy presages and powerful pleas for more eminent favours. A converted soul is a brand plucked out of the fire by a miracle of free grace, and therefore shall not be left to be a prey to Satan.

 

Zec 3:3 And Yehoshua was dressed in filthy garments, and was standing before the messenger. – Yehoshua appears as one polluted, but is purified; for he represents the Yisrael of יהוה , who are all as an unclean thing, till they are washed and sanctified in the name of Yahushua HaMashiach and by the Spirit of our יהוה. Now observe here,

The impurity wherein Yehoshua appeared: He was clothed, not only in coarse, but in filthy garments, such as did very ill become the dignity of his office and the sanctity of his work. By the law of Moses the garments of the high priest were to be for glory and for beauty, Ex. 28:2.

But Joshua’s garments were a shame and reproach to him; yet in them he stood before the angel of the יהוה; he had no clean linen wherein to minister and to do the duty of his place. Now this intimates, not only that the priesthood was poor and despised, and loaded with contempt, but that there was a great deal of iniquity cleaving to the holy things.

The returned Jews were so taken up with their troubles that they thought they needed not complain of their sins, and were not aware that those were the great hindrances of the progress of YAH’s work among them; because they were free from idolatry they thought themselves chargeable with no iniquity.

But יהוה showed them there were many things amiss in them, which retarded the advances of YAH’s favours towards them. There were spiritual enemies warring against them, more dangerous than any of the neighbouring nations. The Chaldee paraphrase says, Joshua had sons who took unto them wives which were not lawful for the priests to take; and we find it was so, Ezra 10:18. And, no doubt, there were other things amiss in the priesthood, Mal. 2:1.

Yet Yehushua was permitted to stand before the angel of YAHVEH. Though His children did not as they should, yet the covenant of priesthood was not broken. Note, Messiyah bears with His people, whose hearts are upright with him, and admits them into communion with himself, notwithstanding their manifold infirmities.

The provision that was made for his cleansing. Messiyah gave orders to the angels that attended him, and were ready to do his pleasure, to put Joshua into a better state. Joshua presented himself before YAHVEH in his filthy garments, as an object of his pity; and Messiyah graciously looked upon him with compassion, and not, as justly he might have done, with indignation.

Messiyah loathed the filthiness of Joshua’s garments, yet did not put him away, but put them away. Therefore by HIS grace does with those whom he chooses to be priests to himself; he parts between them and their sins, and so prevents their sins parting between them and their Elohim; He reconciles himself to the sinner, but not to the sin. Two things are here done for Joshua, representing a double work of divine grace wrought in and for believers.

 

Zec 3:4 And He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your guilt from you, and shall put costly robes on you.” - His filthy garments are taken from him.

 The meaning of this is given us in what Messiyah said, and He said it as one having authority, Behold, I have caused thy iniquity to pass from thee. The guilt of it is taken away by pardoning mercy, the stench and stain of it by peace spoken to the conscience, and the power of it broken by renewing grace.

When יהוה forgives our sins he causes our iniquity to pass from us, that it may not appear against us, to condemn us; it passes from us as far as the east is from the west. When he sanctifies the nature he enables us to put off the old man, to cast away from us the filthy rags of our corrupt affections and lusts, as things we will never have any thing more to do with, will never gird to us or appear in.

Yahushua HaMashiach washes away their sins  by the Blood and Water that flow from His Side making us kings and priests to יהוה , Rev. 1:5, 6. Either we must be cleansed from the pollutions of sin or we shall, as polluted, be put from that priesthood, Ezra 2:62.

He is clothed anew, has not only the shame of his filthiness removed, but the shame of his nakedness covered: I will clothe thee with change of raiment. Yehushua had no clean linen of his own, but Messiyah righteousness will provide for him, for he will not let a priesthood of his own instituting be lost, be either contemptible before men or unacceptable before יהוה.

The change of raiment here is rich costly raiment, such as is worn on high days. Yehoshua shall appear as lovely as ever He appeared loathsome. Those that minister in holy things shall not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well. יהוה

will make them wise, and humble, and diligent, and faithful, and examples of every thing that is good; and then Yehusha is clothed with change of raiment. Therefore those whom Messiyah makes spiritual priests are clothed with the spotless robe of his righteousness and appear before יהוה in that, and with the graces of His Spirit, which are ornaments to them. The righteousness of saints, both imputed and implanted, is the fine linen, clean and white, with which the bride, the Lamb’s wife, is arrayed, Rev. 19:8.

 

Zec 3:5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” Then they put a clean turban on his head, and they put garments on him. And the messenger of יהוה stood by. – Yehoshua is in danger of being turned out of office; but, instead of that, he is reinstalled and established in his office.

He not only has his sins pardoned, and is furnished with grace sufficient for himself, but, as acquitted in court, he is restored to his former honors and trusts.

The crown of the priesthood is put upon him. This was done at the special instance and request of the prophet: I said, "Let them set a fair mitre upon his head, as a badge of his office. Now that he looks clean, let him also look great; let him be dressed up in all the garments of the high priest.’’

When יהוה designs the restoring or reviving of religion He stirs up His prophets and people to pray for it, and does it in answer to their prayers. Zechariah prayed that the angels might be ordered to set the mitre on Yehoshua’s head, and they did it immediately, and clothed him with the priestly garments; for no man took this honor to himself, but he that was called of יהוה to it.

The angel of the יהוה stood by, as having the oversight of the work which the created angels were employed in. He stood by, as one well pleased with it, and resolved to stand by the orders he had given for the doing of it and to continue his presence with that priesthood.

 

Zec 3:6 And the messenger of יהוה witnessed to Yehoshua, saying,

 

Zec 3:7 “Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘If you walk in My ways, and if you guard My duty, then you shall also rule My house, and also guard My courts. And I shall give you access among these standing here. – The covenant of the priesthood is renewed with him, which is called YAH’S covenant of peace, Num. 25:12. The angel of the יהוה having taken care to make him fit for his office (and all that יהוה calls to any office he either finds fit or makes so), invests him in it.

Though he is not made a priest with an oath (that honor is reserved for him who is a priest after the order of Melchisedek, Heb. 7:21), yet, being a type of him, he is inaugurated with a solemn declaration of the terms upon which he held his office. The angel of YAHVEH protested to Joshua that, if he would be sure to do the duty of his place, he should enjoy the dignity and reward of it.

What the conditions are upon which he enters into his office. Let him know that he is upon his good behaviour; he must walk in YAH’s ways, that is, he must live a good life and be holy in all manner of conversation; he must go before the people in the paths of YAH’s commandments, and walk circumspectly.

He must also keep YAH’s charge, must carefully do all the services of the priesthood, and must see to it that the inferior priests performed the duties of their place decently and in order. He must take heed to himself, and to all the flock, Acts 20:28. Good ministers must be good Yisraelites.

Yet that is not enough: they have a trust committed to them, they are charged with it, and they must keep it with all possible care, that they may give up their account of it with joy, 1 Tim. 6:14.

What the privileges are which we may expect, and be assured of, in the due discharge of his office. His patent runs, During good behaviour. Let him be sure to do his part, and יהוה will own him.

"Thou shalt judge my house; thou shalt preside in the affairs of the temple, and the inferior priests shall be under thy direction.’’  The power of the Yisrael and of Torah rulers, is not a legislative, but only a judicial power. The high priest might not make any new laws for YAH’s house, nor ordain any other rites of worship than what יהוה had ordained.

He must judge YAH’s house, that is, he must see to it that YAH’s laws and ordinances were punctually observed, must protect and encourage those that did observe them, and enquire into and punish the violation of them.

"Thou shalt also keep my courts; thou shalt have oversight of what is done in all the courts of the temple, and shalt keep them pure and in good order for the worship to be performed in them.’’  The Mighty Hand “Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teachers” are YAH’s stewards, and they are to keep his courts, in honor of Him who is the King of The Universe, and for the preserving of equity and good order among His subjects.

"I will give thee places to walk among those that stand by, among these angels that are inspectors and assistants in this instalment.’’ They shall stand by while Joshua is at work for יהוה and shall be as a guard to him, or he shall be highly honored and respected as an angel of יהוה, Gal. 4:14.

Ministers are called angels, Rev. 1. 20. Those that walk in YAH’s ways may be said to walk among the angels themselves, for they do the will of יהוה as the angels do in the heavens and are called fellow-servants, Rev. 19:10.

Some make it a promise of eternal life, and of a reward of his fidelity in the future state. Heavens is not only a palace, a place to repose in, but a paradise, a garden, a place to walk in; and there can walks among the angels, in a spiritual society with that holy and glorious company. See Eze. 28:14.

 

As the promises made to David often slide insensibly into promises of the Messiyah, whose kingdom David’s was a type of, so the promises here made to Yehoshua immediately rise as far upward, and look as far forward, as to Messiyah; whose priesthood Yehushua’s was now a shadow of.

Not only in general, as it kept up the line of Aaron’s priesthood, but especially as it was the reviving of that happy method of correspondence between heaven and earth. To which a great interruption had been given by the iniquity and captivity of Yisrael. Messiyah is a High Priest, as Yehoshua was, for sinners and sufferers, to mediate for those that have been under guilt and wrath.

It was fit that Yehoshua should understand the priesthood of Messiyah, because all the virtue of his priesthood, its value and usefulness to Yisrael, depended upon and was derived from the priesthood of Yahushua HaMashiach.

 

Zec 3:8 ‘Now listen, Yehoshua the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are men of symbol. For look, I am bringing forth My Servant – the Branch¹. Footnote: ¹Or Sprout. See Isa. 4:2, Isa. 11:1, Jer. 23:5, Jer. 33:15, Zech. 6:12. – To whom this promise of Messiyah is directed."Hear now, O Yehoshua Thou hast heard with pleasure what belongs to thyself; but, behold, a greater than Joshua is at hand.

Hear now concerning him, you and the rest of the priests, thy fellows, who sit before thee, at thy feet, as learners, to whom thou art to look upon as thy fellows, for all you are brethren; let the high priest, and all the inferior priests, take notice of this, for they are men wondered at.’’

They are set for signs, for types and figures of Messiyah’s priesthood. What יהוה did for Joshua and his fellows was a happy omen of the coming of the Messiyanic promised, and would be so interpreted, with a pleasing wonder, by all that had understanding of the times.

They are men wondered at for their singularity, hooted at as strange sort of people, because they run not with others to the same excess of riot (1 Pt. 4:4), or for their strange afflictions and surprising deliverance out of them, as Ps. 71:7, I am as a wonder unto many.

They are men of wonder; they are a wonder to themselves, are amazed to think how happily their condition is altered. Yah’s people and ministers are, upon many accounts, men wondered at. The high priest and his fellows here (as the prophet and his children, Isa. 8:18) are for signs and for wonders. But men’s wonder at them will cease when the Messiyah comes, as the stars are eclipsed by the light of the sun; for his name shall be called Wonderful.

 

Zec 3:9 ‘See the stone which I have put before Yehoshua: on one stone are seven eyes. See, I am engraving its inscription,’ declares יהוה of hosts, ‘and I shall remove the guilt of that land in one day. – The promise itself, which consists of several parts, all designed for the comfort and encouragement of Yehoshua and his friends in that great good work of building the temple, which they were now engaged in.

An eye to Messiyah, and a believing dependence upon the promises relating to him and his kingdom, would carry them through the difficulties they met with in that and their other services.

The Messiyah shall come: Behold, I will bring forth my servant the branch. He has been long hid, but the fulness of time is now at hand, when he shall be brought forth into the world, brought forth among His people Yisrael.

יהוה himself undertakes to bring him forth, and therefore, no doubt, he will own him and stand by him. He is YAH’s Mighty Hand, employed in His work, obedient to His will, and entirely devoted to His honor and glory.

He is the branch; so he was called Isa. 4:2, The branch of YAHVEH. Isa. 11:1, A branch out of the roots of Jesse. Jer. 23:5, A righteous branch; and Jer. 23:15, The branch of righteousness. His beginning was small, as a tender branch, but in time he should become a great tree and fill the earth, Isa. 53:2.

He is the branch from which all our fruit must be gathered. Many eyes shall be upon him. He is the stone laid before Yehoshua, alluding to the foundation or chief corner-stone, of the temple, which probably was laid, with great solemnity, in the presence of Joshua.

Messiyah is not only the branch, which is the beginning of a tree, but the foundation, which is the beginning of a building; and, when He shall be brought forth, seven eyes shall be upon him. The eye of his Father was upon him, to take care of him, and protect him, especially in his sufferings.

When he was buried in the grave, as the foundation-stones are under ground, the eyes of Heaven were still upon him, buried out of men’s sight, but not out of YAH’s.

The eyes of all the prophets and Old-Covenant saints were upon this one stone; Abraham rejoiced to see Messiyah’s day, and he saw it and was glad. The eyes of all believers are upon him; they look unto him and are saved, as the eyes of the stung Israelites were upon the brazen serpent.

Some understand this one stone to have the seven eyes of the Holy Spirit in it as the wheels had in Ezekiel’s vision, and think it denotes that perfection of wisdom and knowledge which Yahushua Messiyah was endued with, for the good of Yisrael. His eyes run to and fro through the earth.

YAHVEH יהוה himself will beautify him, and put honor upon him: I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the יהוה of hosts. This stone the builders refused, as rough and unsightly.  But יהוה undertakes to smooth and polish it, and to carve it so that it shall be the head stone of the corner, the most beautiful in all the building. Messiyah was YAH’s workmanship; and abundance of his wisdom appears in the contrivance of our redemption, which will appear when the engraving is perfected.

This stone is a precious stone, though laid for a foundation; and the graving of it seems to allude to the precious stones in the breast-plate of the high priest, which had the names of the tribes graven upon them, as the engraving of a signet, Ex. 28:21, 22.

In that breast-plate there were twelve stones laid before Aaron, and for aught that appears those were lost; but there shall be one worth them all laid before Joshua, and that is Messiyah Himself. This precious stone shall sparkle as if it had seven eyes; there shall appear a perfection of wisdom and prudence in the oracles that proceed from the breast-plate of judgment.

YAHVEH will engrave the engraving thereof; HE will entrust Messiyah with all HIS elect, and he shall appear as their representative, and agent for them, as the high priest did when he went in before YAHVEH with the names of all Yisrael engraven in the precious stones of his breast-plate. When YAHVEH gave a remnant to Messiyah, to be brought through grace to glory, then he engraved the graving of this precious stone.

By HIM sin shall be taken away, both the guilt and the dominion of it: I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. When the high priest had the names of Yisrael engraven on all the precious stones he was adorned with he is said to bear the iniquity of the holy things (Ex. 28:38).

The law can make no sinner perfect, Heb. 10:1. He bore the iniquity of the land, as a type of Messiyah, but he could not remove it; the proformance of that was reserved for Messiyah that blessed Lamb of YAHVEH  that takes away the sin of the world.

 He did it in one day, that day in which He suffered and died on the stake; that was done by the sacrifice offered that day which could not be done by the sacrifices of animal, no, not by all the days of atonement which from Moses to Messiyah returned every year. This agrees with the angel’s prediction (Dan. 9:24): He shall finish transgression and make an end of sin. And some make the engravings wherewith YAHVEH him to signify the wounds and stripes which were given to his blessed body, which he underwent for our transgression, for our iniquity, and by which we are healed.

 

Zec 3:10 ‘In that day,’ declares יהוה of hosts, ‘you shall invite one another, under the vine and under the fig tree. - The effect of all this shall be the sweet enjoyment which all believers shall have with YAHVEH, and the sweet communion they shall have with one another : In that day you shall call every man his neighbour under the vine and the fig-tree, which yield most pleasant fruit, and whose leaves also afford a refreshing shade for arbours. When iniquity is taken away, we reap precious benefits and privileges from our justification, more precious than the products of the vine or the fig-tree, Rom. 5:1.

We repose in a sweet tranquillity and are quiet from the fear of evil. What should terrify us when iniquity is taken away, when nothing can hurt us? We sit down under Yahushua HaMashiach’s shadow with delight, and by it are sheltered from the scorching heat of the curse of the law. We live as Yisrael in the peaceable reign of Solomon (1 Ki. 4:24, 25); for he is the prince of peace.

We ought to invite others to come to partake with us in the enjoyment of these privileges, to call every man his neighbour to come and sit with him, for mutual converse, under the vine and fig-tree, and to share with him in the fruits he is surrounded with. Gospel-grace, as far as it comes with power, makes men neighbourly; and those that have the comfort of acquaintance with Messiyah themselves, and communion with יהוה  through Yahushua HaMashiach, will be forward to court others to it. Let us go unto the house of YAHVEH.

 

Chapter 4

 

In this chapter we have another comforing vision, which, as it was explained to the prophet, had much in it for the encouragement of the people of YAHVEH in their various stage of spiritual development, which many thaught were so great that they thought their journey was useless, that their personal temple could never be rebuilt nor their city replenished.

Therefore the scope of the vision is to show that YAHVEH would, by his own power, perfect the work, though the assistance given to them by Yahushua HaMashiach Here is, 

I.             The awakening of the prophet to observe the vision verse 1.

II.   The vision itself, of a candlestick with seven lamps, which were supplied with oil, and kept burning, immediately from two olive-trees that grew by it, one on either side verse 2, 3.

III. The general encouragement hereby intended to be given to the builders of the temple to go on in that good work, assuring them that it should be brought to perfection at last verse 4 – 10.

 

Zec 4:1  And the messenger who was speaking to me came back and woke me up as a man is awakened from sleep. -  The prophet prepared to receive the discovery that was to be made to him: The angel that talked with him came and waked him. It seems, though he was in conference with an angel, and about matters of great and public concern, yet he grew dull and fell asleep, as it should seem, while the angel was yet talking with him.

Thus the disciples, when they saw Yahushua transfigured, were heavy with sleep, Lu. 9:32. The prophet’s spirit, no doubt, was willing to attend to that which was to be seen and heard, but the flesh was weak. His body could not keep pace with his soul in divine contemplations, the strangeness of the visions perhaps stupefied him, and so he was overcome with sleep, or perhaps the sweetness of the visions composed him and cause him to sleep.

Daniel was in a deep sleep when he heard the voice of the angel’s words, Dan. 10:9. We shall never be fit for converse with spirits till we have got clear of these bodies of flesh. It should seem, the angel let him lose himself a little  sleep, that he might be fresh to receive new discoveries, but then awaked him, to his surprise, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.

 We need the Spirit of YAHVEH not only to make known to us divine truths, but to assist us in taking notice of them. He wakens morning by morning, he wakens my ear, Isa. 50:4. We should beg of YAHVEH that, whenever HE speaks to us, HE would awaken us, and we should then stir up ourselves.

 

Zec 4:2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I have looked, and see: a lampstand all of gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven spouts to the seven lamps. -  The discovery that was made to him when he was prepared. The angel asked him, What seest thou? . When he was awake perhaps he would not have taken notice of what was presented to his view, if he had not thus been excited to look about him.

When he observed he saw the Menorah, such as the one that was in the temple formerly, and with the like this temple should in due time be furnished. The Yisrael is a Menorah to the world, set up for the enlightening of this dark world and the holding forth of the light of divine revelation to it.

The Menorah is YAH’s; the Holy Spirit “Isaiah 11:2 And the Spirit of YAHVEH shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of YAHVEH; Yisrael is like the Menorah, but all of gold, denoting the great worth and excellence of Yisrael of יהוה. This Menorah had seven lamps branching out from it, so many sockets, in each of which was a burning and shining light.

The Hebrew Assembly was but one, and though the Hebrew people were dispersed, it is probable, had synagogues in other countries, yet they were but as so many lamps belonging to one Menorah; but now, under the gospel, Messiyah is the centre of unity, and not Yerushalayim, or any one place; and therefore seven particular churches are represented, not as seven lamps, but as seven several Menorah, Rev. 1:20.

 

Zec 4:3 “And two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” -  This candlestick or Menorah had one bowl, or common receiver, on the top, into which oil was continually flowing, and from it, by seven secret pipes, or passages, it was distribut to the seven lamps, so that, without any further care, they received oil as fast as they burnt it (as in those which we call fountain-ink-horns, or fountain-pens).

They never in wanted for oil, and so kept the flams of the seven spirits always burning clear. The bowl too was continually supplied, without any care or attendance of man; for  he saw two olive-trees, one on each side of the Menorah, that were so fat and fruitful, to their own accord they poured plenty of oil continually into the bowl, which by two larger pipes dispersed the oil to tubes and finally to the seven lamps or the seven spirits: the spirit of the YAHVEH shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the fear of the YAHVEH.

So that nobody needed to attend to this Menorah, to furnish it with oil (it tarried not for man, nor waited for the sons of men), the scope of which is to show that יהוה  easily can, and often does, accomplish HIS gracious purposes concerning HIS Yisrael by HIS own Wisdom and Power, without any art or labour of man, and that though sometimes HE makes use of instruments, yet HE neither needs them nor is tied to them, but can do HIS work without them, and will rather than it shall be undone.

It is Father YAHVEH that place the Set Apart “Holy Spirit” in us. Ezekiel 36:²⁶ A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. ²⁷And I will put MY Spirit “Menorah”within you, and cause you to walk in MY statutes, and ye shall keep MY judgments, and do them.

The two trees are the two stone tables that the commandments was written on, that supply the pure uncontaminated Word “Oil” for the Menorah.

The goal of the devil is to interupt the flow of this oil to humans. By changing Scripture we change the quality of oil. From a Oil produce by the two tree to a oil produce by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

 

Zec 4:4 Then I responded and spoke to the messenger who was speaking to me, saying, “What are these, my master?” - The enquiry which the prophet made concerning the meaning of this, and the gentle reproof given him for his dulness. I answered and spoke to the angel, saying, What are these, my lord?

Observe how respectfully he speaks to the angel; he calls him my lord. Those that would be taught must give honor to their teachers. He saw what these were, but asked what these signified.

It is very desirable to know the meaning of YAH’s manifestations of Himself and His Spirit both in HIS word and by HIS ordinances and providences. What mean you by these services, by these signs? Those that would understand the Spirit of YAHVEH should be inquisitive.

Then shall we know if we follow on to know, if we not only hear, but, as Messiyah, ask questions upon what we hear, Lu. 2:46. The angel answered him with a question, Knowest thou not what these be?

Intimating that if he had considered, and compared spiritual things with spiritual, he might have guessed at the meaning of these things; for he knew that there was a Menorah in the tabernacle, which it was the priests’ constant business to supply with oil and to keep burning, in the Tabernacle.

When therefore he saw, in vision, such a Menorah “candlestick” with lamps always kept burning, and yet no priests to attend it, nor any occasion for them, he might discern the meaning of this to be that though YAHVEH had set up the priesthood again, yet HE could carry on His own work for and in HIS people without them.

We have reason to be ashamed of ourselves that we do not readily apprehend the meaning of divine discoveries. The angel asked the prophet this question, to draw from him an acknowledgment of his own dulness, darkness, slowness to understand, and he had it immediately.

 "I said, No, my lord; I know not what these are.’’ Visions had their significance, but often dark and hard to be understood, and the prophets themselves were not always aware of it at first.

But those that would be taught of The Spirit must see and acknowledge their own ignorance, and their need to be taught, and must apply to YAHVEH for instruction. To him that gave us the cabinet we must apply for the key wherewith to unlock it. YAHVEH will teach the meek and humble, not those that are conceited of themselves and lean on the broken reed of their own understanding.

 

Zec 4:5 And the messenger who was speaking to me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my master.” -  The general intention of this vision, is to assure the prophet, and by him the people, that this good work of building the individual and corporate tabernacle should be, by the special care of divine Providence, and the immediate influence of divine grace, be brought to fruition, even though the enemies of it were many and mighty and the friends and furtherers of it few and feeble.

In the explication of visions and parables, we must look at the principal scope of them, and be satisfied with that, if that be clear, though we may not be able to account for every circumstance, or accommodate it to our purpose.

The angel lets the prophet know, in general, that this vision was designed to illustrate a word which the יהוה had to say to Zerubbabel, to encourage him to go on with the building of the temple. Let him know that he is a worker together with יהוה in it, and that it is a work which יהוה will own and crown.

 

Zec 4:6 And he answered and said to me, “This is the word of יהוה to Zerubbaḇel, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ said יהוה of hosts. -  יהוה will carry on and complete this work, as HE had begun their deliverance from Babylon, not by external force, but by secret operations and internal influences upon the minds of men.

He says this who is יהוה Tsebaota, and could do it by force, has legions at command; but HE will do it, not by human might or power, but by HIS own Spirit. What is done by HIS Spirit is done by might and power, but it stands in opposition to visible force. Yisrael was brought out of Egypt, and into Canaan, by might and power, in both these works of wonder great slaughter was made.

 But they were brought out of Babylon, and into Canaan the second time, by the Spirit of the YAHVEH TSEBAOTE working upon the spirit of Cyrus, and inclining him to proclaim liberty to them, and working upon the spirits of the captives, and inclining them to accept the liberty offered them.

It was by the Spirit of the YAHVEH TSEBAOTE that the people were excited and animated to build the temple; and therefore they are said to be helped by the prophets of YAHVEH, because they, as the Spirit’s mouth, spoke to their hearts, Ezra 5:2.

It was by the same Spirit that the heart of Darius was inclined to favour and further that good work and that the sworn enemies of it were infatuated in their councils, so that they could not hinder it as they designed. The work of YAHVEH is often carried on very successfully when yet it is carried on very silently, and without the assistance of human force. The gospel-temple is built, not by might or power (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal), but by the Spirit of the YAHVEH TSEBAOTE “Lord of hosts”, whose work on men’s consciences is mighty to the pulling down of strong-holds; thus the excellency of the power is of YAHVEH, and not of man. When instruments fail, let us therefore leave it to YAHVEH to do HIS work Himself by His own Spirit.

 

Zec 4:7 ‘Who are you, great mountain, before Zerubbaḇel? A plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of “Favour, favour to it!” ’- All the difficulties and oppositions that lie in the way shall be gotten over and removed, even those that seem insuperable. Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain.

How difficulty is represented; it is a great mountain, impassable and immovable, a heap of rubbish, like a great mountain, which must be got away, or the work cannot go on. The enemies of the Hebrew are proud and hard as great mountains; but, when YAHVEH has work to do, the mountains that stand in the way of it shall dwindle into mole-hills; for see here,

How these difficulties are despised: "Who art thou, O great mountain! that thou shouldst stand in YAH’s way and think to stop the progress of HIS work? Who art thou that lookest so big, that thus threatenest, and art thus feared? Before Zerubbabel, when he is YAH’s agent, thou shalt become a plain. All the difficulties shall vanish, and all the objections be got over.

Every mountain and hill shall be brought low when the way of the YAHVEH is to be prepared,’’ Isa. 40:4. Faith will remove mountains and make them plains. Yahushua is our Zerubbabel; mountains of difficulty were in the way of His undertaking, but before Him they were all levelled; nothing is too hard for His grace to do.

 

 

Brit Chadasha

Hebrew 4:1 - 16

 

 

The apostle declares that our privileges in Messiyah under the Gospel are not only as great, but greater than those enjoyed under the Old Covenant. He specifies this, that we have a promise left us of entering into his rest; that is, of entering into a covenant-relation in Messiyah and a state of communion with YAHVEH through Messiyah, and of growing up therein, till we are made perfect in glory.

We have discoveries of this rest, and proposals, and the best directions how we may attain unto it. This promise of spiritual rest is a promise left us by Yahushua HaMashiach in his last will and testament, as a precious legacy. Our business is to see to it that we be the legatees, that we lay our claim to that rest and freedom from the dominion of sin, Satan, and the flesh, by which the souls of men are kept in servitude and deprived of the true rest of the soul.

 

Heb 4:1  Therefore, since a promise remains of entering into His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. – The whole purpose of Creation is to produce perfect sons. These sons are the one who manage to enter the perfect rest of Creation. The sixt days of creation is to fulfilled the seventh day spiritually.

There is still a promise remaining that more sons should enter this rest. Or there is still a vacency for perfect sons in the Heavens.

We who are alive are the one’s who this verse is speaking to, it is not speaking to those who have already departed, nor is it speaking to those who maybe born soon, it is for this present generation.

It is warning so to be carefull that the promise should be taken away from us and given to to our sons or our grand children. As believer we must make every efffort to enter the Holy of Holies or it will be given to someone who desire it more.

 

Heb 4:2 For indeed the Good News was brought to us as well as to them, but the word which they heard did not profit them, not having been mixed with belief in those who heard it. – He demonstrates the truth of his assertion, that we have as great opportunity as those in the past had the same opportunity.

For this verse says - To us was the gospel preached as well as unto them; the same gospel for substance was preached under both Testaments; not in so comfortable a manner under the Old as under the New.

The same word that was given to Moses is also given in Messiyah, the law has not change it is only the application of it. Those who preach that the law was done away with need to read this verse again.

He again assigns the reason why so few of the ancient Hebrew did not profited from the  dispensation of the gospel which they enjoyed, and that was their lack of faith: The word preached did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard him.

The word is preached to us that we may profit by it, that we may gain spiritual riches by it; it is a price put into our hands to get wisdom, the rich endowment of the soul.

There have been in all ages a great many unprofitable hearers; many who seem to deal much in sermons, in hearing the word of YAHVEH, but did not grow spiritually, thereby; and those who did not grow and reach  spiritually maturity were the great losers.

That which is at the bottom of all our unprofitableness under the word is our unbelief. We do not mix faith with what we hear; it is faith in the hearer that is the life of the word. Though the preacher believes the gospel, and endeavours to mix faith with his preaching, and to speak as one who has believed and so spoken.

Yet, if the hearers have not faith in their souls to mix with the word, they will be never the better for it. This faith must mingle with every word, and be in act and exercise while we are hearing; and, when we have heard the word, assenting to the truth of it, approving of it, accepting the mercy offered, applying the word to ourselves with suitable affections, then we shall find great profit and gain by the word preached.

When the commandment says to keep the 7^th day and Christian keep the 1^st they are not mixing the Word with Faith.

This was the scripture the Holy Spirit used to convert me from Sunday worship to Sabbath keepting. The Holy Spirit says to me if I want to come into the Fulness of YAHVEH I must obey His Rest, because they are speaking of the same spiritual achievement.

 

Heb 4:3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest, as He has said, “As I swore in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest...” And yet His works have come into being from the foundation of the world. – Those who practice the sabbath rest while on earth, will be given the chance to enter the eternal rest. This also apply for all the sabbath discribe in Leviticus 23.

By asserting so positively the truth of it, from the experience of himself and others: "We, who have believed, do enter into rest. We enter into a blessed union with Messiyah, and into a communion with YAHVEH through Messiyah, who will rule and reign in the Mellinium 7^th thousand year.

This was establish in the story of the sixt days of creation when we are told what was created on each day of creation. When we establish our spiritual life after the sixth days of Creation we will enter the seventh sabithical day.

The foundation of the world was establish in the seven days of creation, that is to create many perfect sons, which Yahushua our Messiyah is number one.

 

Heb 4:4 For somewhere He has said thus about the seventh day, “And Elohim rested on the seventh day from all His works,” – He illustrates and confirms it that those who believe in the sabbath and carefully observe it are thus happy, and do enter into rest.

For as YAHVEY finishing His work of creation, and so entering into His rest, He appointing our first parents to rest the seventh day, to rest in promise He had made. Now as YAHVEHfinished His work, and then rested from it, and acquiesced in it, so he will cause those who believe to finish their work, and then to enjoy their rest.

YAH’s continuing the requirement to observance of the sabbath, after the fall, and the revelation of a Redeemer. They were to keep the seventh day a holy sabbath in faith of this great promise, therein praising him who had raised them up out of nothing by creating power, and praying to Him that He would create them anew by his Spirit of grace, and direct their faith to the promised Redeemer and restorer of all things, by which faith they find rest in their souls.

From YAH’s proposing Canaan as a typical rest for the Yisrael who believed: and as those who did believe, Caleb and Joshua, did actually enter into Canaan; so those who now believe shall enter into rest.

This rest that YAHVEH speak about is the restoration of HIS Kingdom, after the rebillion where one-third of the Angel revolt with Lucifer. The restoration of the Kingdom was His first priority. He made earth to produce faithfull soul who would never again consider the possiblity of revolting ever again.

This revelation came to me when I ask why did YOU make human. It was to restore the Kingdom of Heavens, by producing faithfull spirit to be in the new Kingdom, where Yahushua is the second in Command.

 

Heb 4:5 and in this again, “If they shall enter into My rest...”- Anyone who do not fulfilled the requirement of the LAW, will never enter into YAHVEH Rest. It just wount happen, regardless on how much faith we have. The Law without faith in Messiyah is useless, Faith with works “Law” is also a waste of time. We require faith in Messiyah to help us keep the Law. That is why there are three thing in the Ark: the Law, the Holy Spirit and the Pot of Manna.

 

Heb 4:6 Since then it remains for some to enter into it, and those who formerly received the Good News did not enter in because of disobedience,¹ Footnote: ¹See 3:18. -  As long as there are life on earth there remain a promise. Since there is still life on earth we can be assured that the promise still exist.

We are warned here again that it was dispbedience that cause those in the past to fall short of the Mark. Torah defines the standart of this rest, and it will never change for you or form me. The same standard for Moses, is the same standard for you.

Heb 4:7 He again defines a certain day, “Today,” saying through Dawiḏ so much later, as it has been said, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” – in every age, the cry still went out, today we must work to enter into that perfect rest. Let us not harden our heart in unbelief, tomarrow is not gurantee to those who came late. Remember the story of the foolish virgin who came to maturity after the marriage feast of the lamb. Sorry the door is close you are too late.

 

Heb 4:8 For if Yehoshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. – When YAH’s proposing Canaan as a typical rest for the Hebrew who believed: and as those who did believe, Caleb and Joshua, did actually enter into Canaan; so those who now believe shall enter into rest. The certainty of a spiritual rest the seventh day of rest  was instituted to be observed both before and after the fall, Canaan-rest was a shadow of that promise land, which most of the Jews fell short of by unbelief; for the Psalmist has spoken of another day and another rest, whence it is evident that there is a more opportunity avaliable to enter this excellent sabbath as the one that Joshua led the Yisraelites and this rest remaining.

 

Heb 4:9 So there remains a Sabbath-keeping for the people of Elohim. – as long as there is life on earth the Sabbath must be kept, therefore a sabbath rest still remain for those who whish to enter into it. When heavens and earth past away then the sabbath will cease, untill then it is incumbent on all believers to obey the 4^th commandment.

 

Heb 4:10 For the one, having entered into His rest, has himself also rested from his works, as Elohim rested from His own. – The apostle confirms the misery of those who do not believe; they shall never enter into this spiritual rest, either of grace or the glory hereafter. This is as certain as the word and oath of YAHVEH can make it. As sure as Yahushua has entered into his rest, so sure it is that obstinate unbelievers shall be excluded. As sure as the unbelieving hebrew fell in the wilderness, and never reached the promised land, so sure it is that unbelievers shall fall to achieve full maturity, and never reach the Holy of Holies.

As sure as Joshua, the great captain of the Hebrew people, could not give them possession of Canaan because of their unbelief, notwithstanding his eminent valour and conduct, so sure it is that even Yahushua himself, and captain of our salvation, notwithstanding all that fulness of grace and strength that dwells in him, will not, cannot, give to those who do not keep the sabbath spiritual or eternal rest: it remains only for the people of YAHVEH who obey the 4^th commandment.

 

Heb 4:11 Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.¹ Footnote: ¹See 3:18. – Here is a very stern warning! We must be very carefull not to fall short of the Holy Place, as the children of Yisrael who fall short of the promise land of Cannan, because of disobedience. Then we should ask the Christian why are they disobeying the forth commandment.

 

Heb 4:12 For the Word of Elohim is living, and working, and sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting through even to the dividing of being and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. – From the clear and decisive warning we have from the word of יהוה to strengthen our faith, and excite our diligence, that we may obtain this rest:.

The Word of יהוה is quick and powerful,. By the word of יהוה  we may understand either the essential or the written word: the essential Word, that in the beginning was The Word, and the word was יהוה (Jn. 1:1), the word was created before the heavens and earth, and indeed what is said in this verse is true concerning it; but most understand it of the written word, the holy scriptures, which are the word of יהוה. Now of this word it is said,

That is quick; it is very lively and active, in all its efforts, in seizing the conscience of the sinner, in cutting him to the heart, and in comforting him and binding up the wounds of the soul. Those who no not know not the word of יהוה who call it a dead letter; it is quick, compared to the light, and nothing quicker than the light.

It is not only quick, but quickening; it is a vital light; it is a living word. Saints die, and sinners die; but the word of יהוה lives. All flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of יהוה for ever, 1 Pt. 1:24, 25. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live for ever? But my words, which I commanded the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? Zec. 1:5, 6.

It is powerful. When יהוה sets it home by HIS Spirit, it convinces powerfully, converts powerfully, and comforts powerfully. It is so powerful as to pull down strong holds (2 Co. 10:4, 5), to raise the dead, to make the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the dumb to speak, and the lame to walk. It is powerful to batter down Satan’s kingdom, and to set up the kingdom of Messiyah upon the ruins thereof.

It is sharper than any two-edged sword; it cuts both ways; it is the sword of the Spirit, Eph. 6:17. It is the two-edged sword that cometh out of the mouth of Messiyah, Rev. 1:16. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, for it will enter where no other sword can, and make a more critical dissection: it pierces to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, the soul and its habitual prevailing temper; it makes a soul that has been a long time of a proud spirit to be humble, of a perverse spirit to be meek and obedient. Those sinful habits that have become as it were natural to the soul, and rooted deeply in it, and become in a manner one with it, are separated and cut off by this sword. It cuts off ignorance from the understanding, rebellion from the will, and enmity from the mind, which, when carnal, is enmity itself against YAHVEH. This sword divides between the joints and the marrow, the most secret, close, and intimate parts of the body; this sword can cut off the lusts of the flesh as well as the lusts of the mind, and make men willing to undergo the sharpest operation for the mortifying of sin.

 It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, even the most secret and remote thoughts and designs. It will discover to men the variety of their thoughts and purposes, the vileness of them, the bad principles they are actuated by, the sinister and sinful ends they act to. The word will turn the inside of a sinner out, and let him see all that is in his heart. Now such a word as this must needs be a great help to our faith and obedience.

King James bible says in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The Hebrew text say In the beginning the gods created the word, the heaven and the word the earth.

The word is the constitution of the Kingdom of Heavens, every thing in the Heavens was created according to the word. Nothing was created that was not created according to the Word. Even Yahushua HaMashiach came and live according to the Word, therefore He became the living Word.

As believer when we have the Word written on our heart, Hebrew 8:10, we will become the Word, for the Word dwell inside of us. When we have the Holy Spirit in us also we will live our lives according to the Word. Ezekiel 36:26.

 

Heb 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all are naked and laid bare before the eyes of Him with whom is our account. - Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight. This is agreeable to what Messiyah speaks of Himself: All Yisrael shall know that I am He that searches the reins and hearts, Rev. 2:23. None of the creatures can be concealed from the Word.

None of the creatures of יהוה, escape the Word, for The Word is the Creator of them all, everything in creation was spoken into existance. For it says that Elohim spoke

Saying And Elohim said, Let there be: Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 29. In each of the preceeding Scripture The Elohim spoke the Word and things happen.

 

Heb 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, יהושע the Son of Elohim, let us hold fast our confession. – WE have an High Priest that was created according to the Word, for He came to earth to do His Father will, which is the Written Word.

What kind of high priest Yahushua is: Seeing we have such a high priest; that is, First, A great high priest, much greater than Aaron, or any of the priests of his order. Yahushua have fulfil the requirement of the Law, perfectly. He is the only human whoever lived without sinning, he has passed into the heavens, to take the government of all upon him, to send the Spirit to prepare a place for His people, and to make intercession for them. Messiyah executed one part of His priesthood on earth, in dying for us; the other He executes in the  Heavens, by pleading the cause, and presenting the offerings, of his people Yisrael.

 

Heb 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was tried in all respects as we are, apart from sin. – We have a High Priest who is familiar with the requirement of the Law, and who also knew the weakness of the flesh. He is more than capable to mediate for our weakness.

 

 

Heb 4:16 Therefore, let us come boldly to the throne of favour, in order to receive compassion, and find favour for timely help.- We should encourage ourselves, by the excellency of our high priest, to come boldly to the throne of grace. Here observe,

There is a throne of grace set up, a way of worship instituted, in which God may with honor meet poor sinners, and treat with them, and they may with hope draw night to him, repenting and believing. יהוה might have set up a tribunal of strict and inexorable justice, dispensing death, the wages of sin, to all who were convened before it; but he has chosen to set up a throne of grace. A throne speaks authority, and bespeaks awe and reverence. A throne of grace speaks great encouragement even to the chief of sinners. There grace reigns, and acts with sovereign freedom, power, and bounty.

It is our duty and interest to be often found before this throne of grace, waiting on YAHVEH in all the duties of his worship, private and public. It is good for us to be there.

Our business and errand at the throne of grace should be that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Mercy and grace are the things we want, mercy to pardon all our sins and grace to purify our souls.

Besides the daily dependence we have upon יהוה for present supplies, there are some seasons in which we shall most sensibly need the mercy and grace of YAHVEH, and we should lay up prayers against such seasons, times of temptation, either by adversity or prosperity, and especially a dying time: we should every day put up a petition for mercy in our last day.a