Parasha KORACH
Numbers
16:1 – 18:32
(Geneva
Bible)
Please
Pray this
Prayer,
before reading
Prayer
In the name of Yahushua
Our Messiyah,
I pray for the Spirit
of Understanding
The Spirit of Knowledge
and
The Spirit of Wisdom
As I read through this
Parasha
That the Truth of Torah
may
Come forth. Amen
Chapter
16
Num 16:1 Now Korach the son of Izhar,
the son of Kohath, the son of Levi went apart with Dathan, and Abiram the sons
of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, the sons of Reuben: - At this point in his life Korach had already separate himself
spiritually from Moses and his leadership. Korach placed himself at odds with
the goal and direction with the rest of the leadership. This is one of the
greatest sin a person can ever commit. It was this same division that causes
Lucifer to rebel against EL YAHVEH.
Korach was a Levi who should
have known better. Since he is a part of the Levites those who have a heart for
Torah. This just goes to show that it is not everyone who have the desire to serve
יהוה have a heart for Him.
Korach found other with the same
spirit, one such persons was Dathan, Abiram and On. My mother uses to tell me;
show me your company I tell you who you are!
The tribe of Rueben who was
situate next to Korach and his followers, must have listed to the mumbling of Korach
over a period of time. That is why we should not pay any attention to anyone
who gossip.
The tribe of Ruben, which
supplies most of Korach’s followers, encamped near the family of Korach, the
evildoer, which brought tragedy to the Reubenites.
Num 16:2
And they rose up against Moses, two hundreth and fifties captains of
the assembly, of the children of Yisrael, everyone famous in the Congregation,
and men of renoume, - The Torah describe Korach’s
followers as prestigious people. They were leaders of the tribe or heads of
courts, and they were men of renown who were called to important meeting and
consultations. The presence of such a respected delegation naturally lent
credence to Korach and his cause.
When my assembly rebelled
against me, it was led by a guy name Darin one of my lieutenants, very
eloquent, a man who rigorously stood up for Torah. Or that what he seems to
portray. If Darin can object to me, then I must be wrong, was the thinking of
those who followed him.
Num 16:3 who gathered themselues
together against Moses, and against Aaron, and said unto them, You take too much
upon you, seeing all the Congregation is holy, everyone of them, and YAHVEH is
among them: wherefore then lift ye your selves above the Congregation of YAHVEH?
– When I was overthrown, I was told we do not want a leader; all
the men are all leaders. Does this sound familiar? Moses you took upon yourself
to much responsibility, are we not all equal. Equality seems to be the general
cry for those who wish to overthrow the spiritual head of the family. Women
liberation movement also preaches this tune, of equality. Lucifer also promises
Satan that he too would become the ruler of his own part of the Galaxies;
people will pay tithes to you.
Num 16:4
But when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face, - Moses did not say, I am the leader here, it was יהוה who put me here. Moses just drop to his knee and maybe said
Father forgive them. When people rebel against you, our first action id to drop
to our knee and submit to YAHVEH EL ElYON.
Num 16:5
And spake to Korah and unto all his companie, saying, in the morning
YAHVEH will show who is His, and who is holy, and who ought to approaches near
unto Him: and whom He hath chosen, He will cause to come near to Him. - Total confidence. YAHVEH
will show, was Moses reply to the rebellion. Do not defend yourself when there
is a struggle for who is in charge. Since Moses knew that he heard for יהוה he made it clear, tomorrow, Father יהוה
will make it clear. Moses asserts himself, he did not wait for Korach to act,
and Moses was the one who decide the tempo or the direction of the meeting.
True leaders led, rebels follow.
Moses confronted the rebels,
point blank; he did not try to reason with them. The Leviathan spirit is one
that cannot be reason with, as you cannot reason with an Alligator its only
goal is to destroy you.
Num 16:6 this doe therefore, Take you
censers, both Korach, and all his companies, -
Moses continue to assert himself by giving instruction to Korach, take your
censers and all your friends and come.
The sacred utensils that were
used as censers in the daily incense service in the Tabernacle. Moses told
Korah’s followers that the way to determine whom יהוה had
chosen was through the incense, service. Moses said here is a service that יהוה desire above all others, but it contains the penitential of
death.
Nada and Abihu died when they
brought unauthorized incense. Therefore, Moses offered them an opportunity and
a challenge. They could prove themselves if their incense was accepted; but if
not, they could expect to die.
Moses had hoped that this threat
would have ended their fantasy and causes them to withdraw from the rebellion.
Furthermore, by emphasizing that
יהוה would make His choice, Moses implied that
only יהוה not Moses or korach, had the power to choose
the leadership of Yisrael.
Num 16:7
and put fire therein, and put incense in the before YAHVEH tomorrow:
and the man whom YAHVEH doeth chooses, the same shall be holy: you take too
much upon you, you sons of Levi. - In this verse we see the term he is the holy
one. Moses used the present tense to imply that the true Kohen Gadol is already
the holy one.
Moses went on to say to them
that the position that they were seeking was too much for them. In other words
they were not mature enough. Moses hurled back the same warning Korach had used
against him. Moses was addressing the Levites in the group, telling them that
they had already been given a high honor and should not be asking for more.
Rebellion is a condition of the
heart, which has its roots in pride. Moses was implying that Korah’s motives
was a desire for personal aggrandizement, because he was dissatisfied with
being only a Levite, and wanted to usurp Aaron or Moses’ position.
In an assembly, when you see
anyone challenging a leader, the root of rebellion is in that person heart. In
my last congregation, the man Darin who was expelled from another church by the
Rabbi, he came to our assembly, and one day when I told the group it is time
for us to take a break and meet back in thirty minutes, he boldly confronted me
in the present of the people, saying; he did not think that they needed a
break.
What I did not realize that this
was the first appearance of the spirit of rebellion. Within a month a meeting
was called under the pretense of discussing certain issues, when he brought up
the idea that anyone should not be required to tithe to Beyt Lechem ministry.
That there should not be one
leader since all the men of the group were leaders. So I was push out. Within
two month after that rebellion, the same people turned against Darin.
Leadership should never fight for your position. Always let יהוה be our judge.
Num 16:8
Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi. – I believe that the humble man that Moses was, he spoke to Korach
with a soft voice, he address his remarks to the entire group, out of fear that
they might be entice to follow Korach.
It seems inconceivable that
Moses acted on his own volition in ordering the entire group to bring incense.
He was under the influence of the Spirit of Wisdom, and Understanding, the
Spirit of Council and Might, and the Spirit of Knowledge and the Fear of יהוה. A form of revelation higher than that of a Prophet. That is
why the Torah never say that יהוה spoke to Him.
Num 16:9
Seemeth it a small thing unto you that the Elohim of Yisrael hath separated you from the multitude of Yisrael, to
take you near to himself, to do the service of the Tabernacle of YAHVEH, and to
stand before the Congregation and to minister unto them? – Lucifer was the second in charge in the Heavens, one could not
get any higher than that. That is why rebellion is so hurtful, for it usually
comes from those who are most closest to you. The one who is been rebel against
is usually the last one to know about it. Even though there are tell-tale sign
that something is brewing.
Even if the Pastor is the most
incompetent person in the world, it does not give anyone the reason to rebel.
If we do not like what is going on, just leave and allow our Heavenly Father to
keep His church in order.
Num 16:10 He hath also taken thee to him, and all
thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee, and seek ye the office of the Priest
also? – Moses took the time to scold the Levites,
by reminding them that they were chosen for a grand position to serve in the
Tabernacle, now you want to take over the priesthood as well.
It is quite certain that even if
someone becomes a father spiritually, he or she can be convince by an even
stronger or a more charismatic leader to become rebellious. This was the case
of Lucifer and Satan. Satan was already a leader in a certain part of the Galaxies
when he was asked by Lucifer to rebelled against YAHVEH.
We can learn from the rebellion
in the Heavens that Lucifer took or manage to convince a third of the angel to
act contrary to Torah. If Lucifer was indeed perfect, how is it that he
developed a rebellious spirit? It there a subroutine in our mental programming
that causes us to react contrary to our established way of thinking. We cannot
say it is the flesh, for Lucifer did not have a flesh to encourage him.
Can it be said then that it is a
learnt trait. If this is true. Then this trait can be erased by experience
learnt in the flesh. If this is true. What El Yahushua the Messiyah experiences
in the flesh help Him to erase this negative subroutine called rebelliousness?
When we make it a policy to
negate rebelliousness in the flesh, we are in essence erasing that rebellious
spirit from our spiritual man. As El Yahushua learnt obedience by the things He
suffered, we too must experience these test and pass them seven times, before
we can be consider a rebellious free spirit.
Num 16:11 for which cause, thou, and all thy
companie are gathered together against YAHVEH: and what is Aaron, that ye
murmured against him? – Moses close his
rebuttal by saying unequivocally that despite Korach’s populist reference to
the people’s shared and equal holiness, Moses knew the truth and he knew
against Whom he was rebelling. His complaint was not truly against Moses and
Aaron, but against יהוה. Moses like all good leaders dismissed Korach’s claim
that he and Aaron had taken authority on their own.
When that Karraite came to our
assembly and said he does not want to be require to tithe to us, yet he want to
come there every week to teach. It was not about tithing, it was about placing
himself in the position of leadership.
Num 16:12 And Moses sent to call Dathan, and Abiram
the sonnes of Eliab: who answered, we will not come up. - Having failed to sway Korach,
Moses appealed to the other leaders of the revolt, even to the veteran
provocateurs, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiran uttered an unwitting
prophecy, for they indeed descended alive to the pit. We shall not go up. They
would truly not go up into the Holy of Holies, they would certainly not attain
that lofty spiritual goal, which is the purpose of life. They would however go
down into the grave or hell, which is the final destination for all those who
is of a rebellious nature, like Lucifer and his angels.
Num 16:13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought
us out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the
wildernesses, except thou make thy self lord and ruler outer us also? – Notice very carefully their reply, finally the true meaning of
the rebellion comes to the front. It is about leaving Egypt. The spirit behind
this rebellion was Lucifer himself. He does not want any human to leave the
clutches of Egypt, his kingdom.
Their second reply was also
miss-guided. The whole purpose of the exodus was to kill or destroy a certain
mindset that was so prevalent in Egypt, the influence of the flesh. So in a way
they were right. Moses did carry the people into the Wilderness to destroy the
influence of the flesh over the spirit of man. But not in the manner in which
they are describing it.
EL YAHVEH had to take the
Children of Yisrael on a forty year journey to destroy the slavery mentality,
which was so prevalent in the community. This mindset could not be allowed to
strive even for an instance in the Kingdom.
Moses like all good leaders
never dominate, they exercise dominion over the people. Dominion says; I know
the way to the top of the mountain, will you come with me? Domination says: we
are going on a journey; you will go where I go, you will say what I say, and
you will say what I say and how I say. The Apostle Paul said it best; follow me
as I follow Yahushua.
Num 16:14 Also thou hast not brought us unto a land
that floweth with milk and honey, neither given us inheritance of fieldes and
vineyardes: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. - You have not done what
you said you would do! They forget very easily that it was the ten spies who
prevented the people from going into the land flowing with milk and honey.
People who take the truth and
twist it to fit their interpretation have the same spirit of rebellion. It is a
spirit that will try to win at any cost. Even if it means taking the truth and
interpreting it out of context as Dathan and Abiram obviously just did.
Num 16:15 Then Moses waxed very angry, and said unto
YAHVEH, Look not unto their offering: I have not taken so much as an ass from
them, neither have I hurt any of them. - Moses was obviously angry at this point. But
his anger was due to their disobedience. I was not a personal thing with Moses,
it was more of a violation of Torah.
Mosses when on to beseech יהוה to pay no attention to the incense that Korach and his cronies
would offer the next day. Moses knew Torah principle, which one should never be
punish until they have been given a chance to make amends for their sins. Moses
exercise the Torah principle perfectly, that why he was able to ask יהוה to
disregard the offerings. We too can ask EL YAHVEH not to bless a person, only
if we follow Torah’s principle.
The complaint by the rebellious
people, is always the say, they will accuses the leadership of doing things for
their personal gain and not for the Kingdom. Moses defended himself, that he
has not even taken compensation for anything even though he was entitled to it.
This was the same thing I went
through. I would spend my own money to pay the rent for the church, when the
people were not paying their tithes. They would accuse me of using the little
money they had given to the church as offering.
Num 16:16 And Moses said unto Korach, Be
thou and all thy companies before YAHVEH: both thou, they, and Aaron tomorrow:
-
Though this passage seems to be a repetition of Moses’ call in verse 6 – 7,
there is an significant difference: Here he added Aaron to those who would
offer incense. Had Aaron not been with them, the rebels could have argued that
the absence of Aaron and the Divine fire in response to their offering would
not prove that they were impostor; perhaps there would have been no fire for
Aaron either.
That a Heavenly Fire had greeted
his offerings during the inauguration was no proof of his legitimacy, for any
Hebrew would have achieved the same result on that auspicious occasion. To
forestall such protestation, Moses now includes Aaron in the test.
Num 16:17 and take every man his censor, and put
incense in them, and bring ye every man his censor before YAHVEH, two hundreth
and fifties censors: thou also and Aaron, everyone his censor. – Issue joined between Moses and his
accusers.
Moses
challenges them to appear with Aaron next morning, at the time of offering up
the morning incense, and refer the matter to YAH’s judgment. Since he could not
convince them by his calm and affectionate reasoning, he is ready to enter into
bonds to stand YAH’s award, not doubting but that YAHVEH would appear, to
decide the controversy.
This
reference he had agreed to before, and here adds only one clause, which
bespeaks his great condescension to the plaintiffs, that Aaron, against whose
advancement they excepted, though now advanced by the divine institution to the
honor of burning incense within the tabernacle, yet, upon this trial, should
put himself into the place of a probationer, and stand upon the level with Korach,
at the door of the tabernacle; nay, and Moses himself would stand with them, so
that the complainant shall have all the fair dealing he can desire; and thus every
mouth shall be stopped.
Num 16:18 So they took every man his censor, and put
fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the Tabernacle
of the Congregation with Moses and Aaron. - Korach accepts the challenge, and makes his appearance
with Moses and Aaron at the door of the tabernacle, to make good his
pretensions. If he had not had a very great stock of impudence, he could not
have carried on the matter thus far. Had not he lately seen Nadab and Abihu,
the consecrated priests, struck dead for daring to offer incense with
unhallowed fire? And could he and his accomplices expect to fare any better in
offering incense with unhallowed hands?
Yet,
to confront Moses and Aaron, in the height of his pride he therefore employs
defiance to Heaven, and pretends to demand the divine acceptance without a
divine warrant; thus wretchedly is the heart hardened through the deceitfulness
of sin. They took every man his censer. Perhaps these were some of the
censers which these heads of families had made use of at their family-altars,
before this part of religious service was confined to the priesthood and the
altar in the tabernacle (and they would bring them into use and reputation
again); or they might be common chafing-dishes, which were for their ordinary
use.
Num 16:19 And Korach
gathered the entire multitude against them unto the door of the Tabernacle of
the Congregation: then the glory of YAHVEH appeared unto the entire
Congregation. - Korach made sure that all his people were
with him at the door of the Tabernacle, as if he taught that יהוה was going to be impress, by his ability to get the people to
act with him. It is quite obvious that Korach was a flamboyant character, to be
able to manipulate the other leaders to follow him.
Verse 20 – 27 we see יהוה responds. Although the active rebellion was still limited to Korach
and his company, his rhetoric had succeeded in planting doubt in the people’s
minds concerning the authenticity of Moses and his prophecy. This was a truly
grievous sin on the part of all those who choose to rebel.
Moses like all good leaders, he
interceded with YAHVEH in their defense, and he argued that the people should
distance themselves from Korach and his followers.
Num 16:20 And YAHVEH speak
unto Moses and to Aaron, saying - How many times have we
heard this same verse? The moment of climax was here. But, who did EL YAHVEH
talk to?
Num 16:21 Separate your selves from among this Congregation, that I
may consume them at once. – Separate your selves
from among them, that I may destroy them. Oh my oh my. What a surprise this
must have been to Korach. You mean that we have been following the wrong
person. The one third of the angel who had chosen to follow Lucifer, must have
surely been saying the same thing. Look what I have given up. For what?
Num 16:22 And they fell upon their faces and said, O
יהוה the Elohim
of the spirits, of all flesh, hath not one man only sinned, and wilt thou be
angry with all the Congregation? – Moses used the term King or
leader of the Spirits to imply, since You know the innermost thoughts of all
people, it is not necessary for You to punish the entire multitude.
A human ruler does not know who
is loyal and who is not, so he can quell a revolt only by lashing out
indiscriminately, but you need not do so. Moses went on to accuse korach of being
the guilty party because he had deceived the people.
It is the practice of those who
seek mercy for the masses to defend them by placing blame on the one who is
responsible for causing them to sin. So, too, in II Samuel 24:17, David pleaded
with יהוה to spare the people from a plague because
he, not they, had sinned.
Num 16:23 And YAHVEH spake unto Moses, saying, - How many time did Torah
ever say that YAHVEH spoke to Korach, yet it is about 63 times in Torah so far
that it says that YAHVEH spoke to Moses.
Num 16:24 Speak unto the Congregation and say, Get
you away from about the Tabernacle of Korach, Dathan and Abiram. - יהוה accepted Moses’ plea and, instead of
ordering him and Aaron to distance themselves from the rebellious group, יהוה Commanded Moses to instruct the people to withdraw from Korach
and his assembly, therefore giving them the opportunity to prove their allegiance to יהוה and to Moses.
Num 16:25 Then Moses rose up, and went unto Dathan
and Abiram, and the Elders of Yisrael followed him. – Moses and the others elders who were with him showed the sign of
echad, the oneness that should be so prevalent in the community. Unlike Korach
and his followers, they were not one in spirit. They were one in greed, but not
the spirit.
Moses went to make one final
plea to Dathan and Abiram, hoping that they would defer to him since he had the
backing of the elders.
Moses had failed to dissuade Korach,
but he was still trying to save the other rebels. Remember we cannot change the
nature of the Leviathan spirit as one cannot convince an Alligator not to bite.
In the presence of Dathan and
Abiram, Moses told the people that they would be destroyed unless they remove
themselves from any contact with the wicked people, hoping
that this would serve not only to protect the people, but also to frighten
Dathan and Abiram from following Korach. The people heeded his warning, but the
rebel leaders remained stubborn.
What we need to remember that rebellion is
the spirit of leviathan. It is like a crocodile, swimming silently under the
water, at the opportune time it surface to grab the unsuspecting prey. You
cannot reason with a rebellious person as you cannot reason with an alligator
or the Leviathan spirit. It has only one purpose, that is to overthrow the
leadership. This fellow Darin I was tell you about, has the same nature of a
Crocodile, very quiet, he chooses is moments very careful to attack. He uses
the Torah very efficiently to enforce his point of view.
It is only the Heavenly Father can deal with
a person who has the spirit of leviathan. Job 41:1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with
an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou
lettest down? Isa 27:1 In that day YAHVEH
with HIS swored and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing
serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that
is in the sea.
Num 16:26
And he speak unto the
Congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men,
and touché nothing of theirs, lest ye perish in all their sinnes. - In cases of rebellion, it is the
responsibility of the leader to warn the people to separate themselves from the
leaders of the rebellion. This I did not do when the person rebel against me.
Instead I walk away.
Num 16:27 So they move themselves away from the
Tabernacle of Korah, Dathan and Abiram on ever side: and Dathan, and Abiram
came out and stood in the door of their tents with their wives, and their sons,
and their little children. - Defiantly Dathan and Abiram left their tents
in a public display of defiance, refusing to show him any respect.
Num 16:28 And
Moses said, Hereby you shall know that YAHVEH hath sent me to do all these
acts: for I have not done them of mine own mind. - Korach had accused Moses of making appointments
on his own: Aaron as High Priest; Aaron’s sons as the supervisors of the
Levites; and Elizaphan as head of the Kohathites. Now Moses declared that every
one of those appointments had been commanded by יהוה.
Num 16:29 If these men die the common death of all
men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men, YAHVEH hath not
sent me. – Moses’ authority had been
defied before, but he had never made such a request. It was the nature of Korach’s
challenge that impelled Moses to seek such a stark punishment.
The reason for this is impelled
by his statement that if יהוה did not grant his plea
it would prove that יהוה did not send him.
This also implies that Korach
and his followers denied the Divine nature of Moses’ mission, and if they were
permitted to prevail, anyone could claim that even the Exodus was done at
Moses’ initiative, and not at יהוה.
Even though Moses knew that if
the phenomenon he was proposing were not to occur, he and his entire prophecy
would have been called into doubt. Did he take a very great risk or was he
displaying a profound confidence, every human should have in Father יהוה.
Num 16:30 But if YAHVEH make a new thing, and the
earth open her mouth, and swallowe them up with all that they have, and they go
down quick into the pit, then ye shall understand that these men have provoked
YAHVEH. - Moses faith in Father יהוה was
so absolute, that he wanted something unprecedented to happen, something so
unusual that it would convince everyone of his truthfulness. This plea was not
for an ordinary earthquake; such an event, thought unusual, is not totally
unnatural.
In this case, the earth opened
up and swallowed the rebels, without a trace of their existence to show.
Num 16:31 And as soon as he had made an end of
speaking all these words, even the ground under them split open. – The ground is the building block of the flesh. The very
substance that we live by will be our life or our death. Those who live by the
spirit of Leviathan will die by it.
Num 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and
swallowed them up, with their families, and all the men that were with Korah,
and all their goods. - This was indeed a new thing. This goes to
show us that יהוה indeed has total control over nature, to
cause the earth to suddenly open up and swallow the people.
All the people who were with Korach,
this means those who were of the same spirit, were consumed, even their
belongings. Scripture declares that his own children were not consumed. His
children must have been grown, and not living in his household at the time.
The two hundred and fifty men
who followed him were not included in this catastrophe, since they were
consumed separately.
Num 16:33 So they and all
that they had, went down alive into the pit, and the earth covered them: so
they perished from among the Congregation. - Rebellion will cause a person to be totally
wipeout from among his people. This spirit of leviathan is like a weed, if one
small root remains it will resurface.
Num 16:34 And all Yisrael that were about them, fled at the cry of
them: for they said, Let us flee, least the earth swallow us up. – Today if this was publicly displayed, someone would say that the
people would be traumatized. יהוה would be considered
cruel for displaying such carnage. However, it is an effective deterrent
against further rebellion. People sometime make the comment, “why would a
loving god allow these things to happen”.
It is because of the callousness
of our heart and the blindness of our eyes why we cannot see what is happening
around us today. The Leviathan spirit like that of Korach, his skin like that
of the Alligator or Crocodile, it is immune to outside influence. It must be
destroyed totally.
Num 16:35 But there came out a fire from YAHVEH, and
consumed the two hundredth and fifties men that offered the incense. - The second part of this
judgment, was a fire from יהוה and consumes the
others. If it was just the hole in the ground it could be justified as natural
phenomena, but a hole that devour a certain group and a fire that consume the
rest. This can only be from one source, Divinely inspired.
In the Hebrew Scripture chapter
17 starts here. In the Christian scripture this is verse 35 and end at 50.
All major events in our lives
should be a signposts of the future, and to that end יהוה
command that the remains of the tragedy should be used as a permanent reminder
of that catastrophic error in judgment, by those in the redeemed community and
their failure of belief.
But far from putting a
conclusive end to the rebellion, the miraculous demise of Korach and his
followers gave new birth to a new protest, for the people were not yet ready to
accept what their own eyes had seen.
The result was that Aaron was
put to a new test, the outcome of which demonstrated not merely the
shortcomings of others, as had happened to Korach’s company, but showed Aaron
to be the epitome of goodness and flourishing growth. A far cry from the timed
person who made the golden calf.
Num 16:36 And YAHVEH speak unto Moses, saying,
Num 16:37 Speak unto Eleazar, the son of Aaron the
Priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter the fire
beyond the altar: for they are halowed -
To Elazar, the task of disposing of their censers. The two hundred and fifty
men had sanctified censers for the use in incense service. Ordinarily
sanctification for a self proclaimed service would have no effect, but in this
case, Moses had commanded them to bring the incense.
Alternatively, not they but יהוה had sanctified the censers by using them as the instrument for
sanctifying His Name. Therefore, the censers were now an instrument for holiness.
From the burning will always
produce a certain degree of holiness. When we go through our burning it is to
remove from us the things we need to get rid of, after the burning the ash must
be remove and life continue as before.
Num 16:38 The censers, I say, of these sinners, that
destroyed themselves: and let them make of them broader plates for a covering
of the Altar: for they offered them before YAHVEH, therefore they shalbe holy,
and they shall be a sign unto the children of Yisrael. – These censers were used to make plates to be used in the
Tabernacle. Instead of been an instrument of praise and worship, it became of
instrument that remind the people of a failed dream, that was cut short by a
wrong taught pattern.
How many believers over the history
of the world, have seen their spiritual aspiration cut short because of a
wrong, flawed, or misguided belief system. As one wise person once said the
road to hell is paved with misguided intention.
Num 16:39 Then Eleazar the Priest took the brazen
censers, which they, that were burnt, had offered, and made broad plates of
them for a covering of the Altar. - Once any object has been dedicated for
service to יהוה it cannot, or should I say, it should never
be removed from that service. Even though the individual may no longer be with
us. Instrument that is to be used for my spiritual growth, share in my
inheritance. If I fail to walk accordance to the pattern laid out in Torah,
those instrument them become instrument of lost potential, it become instrument
for display. Display to other of what could have been achieved.
Num 16:40 It is a remembrance unto the children of Yisrael, that no
stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before
YAHVEH, that he be not like Korach and his company, as YAHVEH said to him by
the hand of Moses. – It is a reminder that a person
who have not reach certain level of spiritual growth, should not come near to
offer incense before יהוה.
We are admonished by El Yahushua
our Messiyah that we must worship יהוה in
spirit and in truth. Korach did not have the spirit or the truth. He had the
spirit of Leviathan, and was destitute of the truth.
Num 16:41 But on the morrow all the multitude of the
children of Yisrael murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have
killed the people of YAHVEH. - One of the Seven Spirit of יהוה is the Spirit of the Fear of יהוה. After seen what was done to
the ten spies, the incident with the quail, and with Korach. The children of
Yisrael find it necessary to continue to murmur. They were rightly called children,
who have an unbroken desire to complain.
It is obvious that Moses had not
told the people that יהוה had ordered the rebels
to offer the incense that resulted in their deaths. They assumed that the incense
offering was Moses’ own initiative and that he knew it would cause them to die.
If so, the people complained, he should have chosen a more non-lethal means to
prove his point.
This complaint did not apply to Korach,
Dathan and Abiram, for their deaths were clearly by the Hand of יהוה, who cause the earth to swallow them. That could not be blamed
on Moses. Alternatively, the people accused Moses of causing the death through
his prayer.
Num 16:42 And
when the Congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, then they
turned their faces toward the Tabernacle of the Congregation: and behold, the
cloud covered it, and the glory of YAHVEH appeared. - It is the nature of EL
YAHVEH to destroy sin, wherever it may be. But is also his desire to forgive
sin.
Num 16:43 Then Moses and Aaron were come before the
Tabernacle of the Congregation. - Moses and Aaron were able to come before the
presence of יהוה, without been consumed, this was due to
their holiness factor. As believers we must always remember that, absolute
holiness was required in our approach to יהוה. Even in our prayers, we just can’t come any
how! We must wash ourselves in the Blood and the Water that flows from the side
of El Yahushua.
Verse 44 – 50 once again the
intransigence of the people nearly caused their destruction, and again Moses
intervened. This time, he used incense as the agency of atonement, to prove to
the children that the incense service was not a killer, as they had thought.
Num 16:44 And YAHVEH speak unto Moses, saying, -
Num 16:45 Get you up from among this Congregation: for I will consume
them quickly: then they fell upon their faces. –
It is the Nature of יהוה to destroy sin,
wherever it may be. It is also His desire to forgive sin. Moses been a type of
Messiyah, he had the responsibility to intercede on the behalf of the people.
Were the people listening to the
instruction or the conversation between יהוה and Moses? They certainly acted very quickly, by submitting in the
Presence of יהוה.
How many times have יהוה, meant to strike us
down for disobedience and El Yahushua stood up for us. I cannot begin to count.
All I can say: Thank You for Your Blood!
Num 16:46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take the censer
and put fire therein of the Altar, and put therein incense, and go quickly unto
the Congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out
from YAHVEH: the plague is began. – The action of a true
Redeemer. He instructs the High Priest to quickly take up his censer and make
atonement. Today our High Priest El Yahushua, just show His wounded Side for
our atonement. It is that wounded side, were the Blood and the Water flows;
that atone and remove our sinful nature.
Num 16:47 Then Aaron took as Moses commanded him,
and ran into the middes of the Congregation, and behold, the plague was begun
among the people, and he put in incense, and made an atonement for the people.
– When Moses ascended to Heavens to receive the Torah, each of the
ministering angels taught him a lesson. That incense can check a plague.
The people had misunderstood the
service of incense, saying that it had caused the death of Nadad and Abihu as
well as Korah, Dathan and Abiran. יהוה
wanted to teach them a lesson by seen that incense is not lethal. On the
contrary, it will stop a plaque; it is sin that is deadly.
Num 16:48 And when he stood
between the dead, and them that were alive, the plague was stayed. – Moses was a forerunner to our Master and Savior El Yahushua our
Messiyah the Anointed One. He stands between the wrath of יהוה and
show His Wounded Hands, as He intercedes on our behalf.
Num 16:49 So they died of this plague fourteen
thousand and seven hundredth, beside them that dyed in the conspiracies of Korach.
– The
result and issue of the whole matter. YAH’s justice was glorified in the death
of some. Great execution the sword of YAHVEH did in a very little time. Though
Aaron made all the haste he could, yet, before he could reach his post of
service, there were 14,700 men laid dead upon the spot. There were but few
comparatively that died about the matter of Korach, the ring-leaders only were
made examples; but, the people not being led to repentance by the patience and
forbearance of YAHVEH with them, justice is not now so sparing of the blood of
Yisraelites.
They
complained of the death of a few hundreds as an unmerciful slaughter made among
the people of YAHVEH, but here YAHVEH silences that complaint by the
slaughter of many thousands. Those that quarrel with less judgments prepare
greater for themselves; for when YAHVEH judges he will overcome. His mercy was
glorified in the preservation of the rest. YAHVEH showed them what he could do
by his power, and what he might do in justice, but then showed them what he
would do in his love and pity: he would, notwithstanding all this, preserve
them a people to himself in and by a mediator. The cloud of Aaron’s incense
coming from his hand stayed the plague.
It
is much for the glory of YAH’s goodness that many a time even in wrath he
remembers mercy. Even when judgments have been begun, prayer puts a stop to
them; so ready is he to forgive, and so little pleasure does he take in the
death of sinners.
Num 16:50 And Aaron went again unto Moses before the
door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and the plague was stayed. – Aaron and Moses were both a type and shadow of our Yahushua
HaMashiach. One represents the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and the other the
Lamb slaying from the foundation of the world.
Chapter 17
This chapter does not start the same as the Hebrew Scripture, this
verse is the 16 verse of chapter 17.
In this section we see a
new proof of Aaron greatness. Since יהוה now require a new test
to firmly convince the nation once and for all that it is He, not Moses, who
made the choice of who would serve Him, apparently the children were still in
doubt about something.
One might have thought
that, whatever the question the people have had would have been answered, by
the last two situations. Obviously not.
There are many schools of thought
worth discussing here. One the people believe that Aaron had been chosen as the
head of a family distinct from the tribe of Levi, but that he was a
representative of the entire tribe, and the Levites had been specifically
chosen by יהוה to displace the firstborn as His servants.
Another was. The people even doubted even Aaron’s right to the priesthood. The
death of Korach and his followers, they reasoned, was well deserved because
they had vilified יהוה
prophet, and He would not tolerate that. But it was still possible that Aaron
was not entitled to be High priest.
Num 17:1
And YAHVEH speak unto Moses, saying, -
Num 17:2
Speak unto the children of Yisrael, and take of every one of them a
rod, after the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the
families of their fathers, even twelve rods: and thou shalt write every mans
name upon his rod. – The confirmation of Aaron as
High Priest represents a mile stone in
the understanding of the people. The illustration that יהוה would employ would have long reaching implication.
Who would be qualifying for this
position? Each of the twelve tribe was represented by one staff, upon which was
written only the name of its leader. Rod in scripture represents authority. The
authority of each tribe was then represented, even by the names of their
leader.
The illustration of the rod is a
symbol of the Spirit of that person. Each tribe was to present the spirit of
each leader, or the name of the spirit of that leader, for assessment.
It is usually the person with
the most develop spirit that would be chosen as leader. As it is the most
qualified son that will be chosen as the Messiyah, and we all know who that is.
The one who lived the perfect life, while living in the flesh on planet earth.
Num 17:3
And write Aarons name upon the rod of Levi: for every rod shall be
for the head of the house of their fathers. – Each of the twelve tribes was represented by
one staff, upon which was written only the name of its leader. Since it is
general rule that never more than twelve tribe are listed for any function,
whenever the tribe of Levi was represented, as it was here by Aaron, Menasha
and Ephraim were combined into one tribe.
The name of an individual is
also a symbolic of their character. However, as we grow spiritually we are
given a new name. Remember the story of Abraham his name was change to Abraham,
Jacob was change to Yisrael. Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of
the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name
written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. This verse is indeed a prophetic verse. Whatever tribe we are
from, it is important for us to have our names written under the rod of our
tribe. This rod could be one of many branches, as an Almond tree has many
branches.
Num 17:4 And thou shalt put them in the Tabernacle of the
Congregation, before the Ark of the Testimony, where I will declare my self to
you. – This verse describes a form of spiritual graduation, when we all
come before the Throne of Grace, were our assessment is determine.
Num 17:5 And the mans rod, whom I choose, shall blossom: and I will
make cease from me the grudging of the children of Yisrael, which grudge
against you. – The spirit that EL YAHVEH
shall choose, He will cause to produce the fruit of the spirit. This is a
Kingdom Principle we need to learn. It is those who exhibit the most fruit of
the Spirit that should be the leader.
Num 17:6
Then Moses speak unto the children of Yisrael, and all their princes
gave him a rod, one rod for every Prince, according to the houses of their
fathers, even twelve rods, and the rod of Aaron was among their roddes. – The rod that was given was a symbolic representation of the
Spirit of the individual. Every one of us represents a possible branch for
whatever tribe we are associated with. If we wanted to be graphite into the
true stem of our various tribes then we all need to prove our faithfulness and
loyalty by the fruits that we produce.
Num 17:7 And Moses laid the rods before EL YAHVEH in the Tabernacle
of the Testimonies. - Moses presented the various spirits before EL
YAHVEH for His assessment of them, and HE alone will choose, who is the most
qualified. This is what every human (Soul) and planet earth should strive for;
to be found qualified to become a chosen rod.
Num 17:8
And when Moses on the morrow went into the Tabernacle of the
Testimonies, beholder, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and
brought forth buddes, and brought forth blossoms, and bare ripe almonds. – Almonds blossom and grow to maturity rapidly. The growth of the
almonds on Aaron’s staff symbolized to the people that anyone who believes in
the Messiyah and Keep Torah, will also grows and beer fruit after their own
kind.
It is the desire of the Mighty
One of Yisrael to see His children grows into young people and finally into
spiritual parents. This is the fruit of the Spirit so to speak. Just as almond
tree grows rapidly, so the tribe of Levi those who have a heart for יהוה with enthusiasm, zeal, and energetic devotion, will also grows
and produce the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness,
and temperance.
Num 17:9
Then Moses brought out all the rods from before YAHVEH unto all the
children of Yisrael: and they looked upon them, and took every man his rod.
– Moses brought the spirit of each leader from before EL YAHVEH after He had assets them and
each person got their own spiritual assessment.
Num 17:10 After, YAHVEH said unto Moses, Bring
Aaron’s rod again before the Testimonies to be kept for a token to the
rebellious children, and thou shalt cause their murmurings to cease from me,
that they dye not. – Moses was instructed to keep
Aarons rod as an example, of a spiritually mature individual. Someone who had
build their Menorah: 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. Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo,
in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the
elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes,
which are the seven Spirits of EL YAHVEH sent forth into all the earth.
Num 17:11 So Moses did as YAHVEH had commanded him:
so did he. -
Num 17:12 And the children of Yisrael speak onto
Moses, saying, Behold, we are dead, we perish, we are all lost: - Notice here again that they were once again describe as
children. Notice their comments. Like children we are dead, we can’t make it,
we will never be able to achieve this perfection.
Num 17:13 Whosoever commeth near, or approached to
the Tabernacle of YAHVEH, shall die: shall we be consumed and die? - Who can approach the
Tabernacle and service? Is tired of saying, Moses a true servant of the Most
High Might One; show us the way to achieve perfection: as Aaron our height
priest, as El Yahushua our High Priest achieve perfection in His life time, so
can we.
Chapter
18
Num 18:1
And YAHVEH said unto Aaron, Thou, and thy sons and thy fathers house
with thee, shall bare the iniquities of the Sanctuaries: both thou and thy sons
with thee shall bear the iniquities of your Priests office. – This scripture speaks of another principle. It is the desire of
the Holy One that the sons and daughter of all mature believers should follow
in their father’s footsteps. As Yahushua father was a carpenter, so was He.
Today, son’s no longer follower after their father’s footsteps, much more do
they follow after their father spiritually.
The whole purpose of Creation is
for us to follow our parents before us as they strive for perfection. Today how
many Pastors son, end up in a compromising career far from their fathers. The
fathers have never make it to maturity, therefore the sons have nothing of
significance to focus on, just a life of contradiction.
Num 18:2
And bring also with thee thy brethren of the tribe of Levi of the
family of thy father, which shall be one with thee, and minister unto thee: but
thou, and thy sons with thee shall minister before the Tabernacle of the
Testimonies: - It is incumbent on all
believers to bring every other believers
with them as they too strive for perfection. The name Levi signifies, all those
who have a heart for Torah.
Num 18:3
And they shall keep thy charge, even the charge of all the
Tabernacle: but they shall not come near the instruments of the Sanctuary, nor
to the altar, lest they die, both they and you: -
The Charge of EL YAHVEH is to keep or observe His Commandments. The Charge of
the Tabernacle is to experience all the Altars of the Tabernacle, which
culminating in the Ark of the Covenant.
Num 18:4 And they shall be joined with thee, and keep
the charge of the Tabernacle of the Congregation for all the service of the
Tabernacle: and no stranger shall come near unto you: - The Levite, like all believers were to maintained the principles
of the Tabernacle, before the world. Nothing that associates with the world
should ever be allows to enter into the Tabernacle, nor, anything Holy should
ever be allowed to be contaminated.
Num 18:5
Therefore shall ye keep the charge of the Sanctuaries, and the charge
of the altar: so there shall fall no more wraths upon the children of Yisrael.
– The Mature believers should always remember to keep the
principles of the Tabernacle from those who would like nothing more than to
compromise the specific instruction which governs it, the dimensions, of every
Altar, also those whom are required to perform certain responsibility in the
Tabernacle.
Num 18:6
For lo, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the
children of Yisrael, which as a gift of yours, are given unto YAHVEH, to do the
service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
– EL YAHVEH has chosen those who have a specific love for Torah, to certain
specific activity within the Tabernacle.
The level of obedience we adhere
to while on earth, or in the flesh, will determine the reward, or the placement
we will receive when we are in the Kingdom. We will either get to sit on the
Throne, Stand around the Throne or stand in front of the Throne.
Num 18:7 But thou, and thy sons with thee shall keep your Priests
office for all things of the altar, and within the Vaile: therefore shall ye
serve: for I have made your Priests office an office of service: therefore the
stranger that cometh near, shall be slain. - The privilege of service in the Tabernacle
was an exclusive gift to a mature believer, therefore any immature believer
approaches these offices shall die. This death penalty mentioned here is a
Heavenly punishment, not one that is imposed by the courts. Ezekiel 34: 1
- 6.
Num 18:8
Again YAHVEH speak unto Aaron, Behold, I have given thee the keeping
of mine heave-offerings, of all the holy things of the children of Yisrael:
unto thee I have given them for a distinction, and to thy sons, for a perpetual
ordinance. – The Torah lists the gifts That
EL YAHVEH gave to the Kohanim as a reward for coming to Maturity. It was also a
public affirmation that those who reach this spiritual status become EL YAHVEH
personal legion, as it were. This declaration seems to be made, after the
challenge of Korah and his assembly. The office of a Kohanim, as seen in their
clothing, is an office of spiritual distinction.
Num 18:9
This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire:
all their offering of all their meat offering, and of all their sin offering,
and of all their trespass offering, which they bring unto me, that shall be
most holy unto thee, and to thy sons. –
The verse implies that the portion of the Kohanim, too, is considered EL
YAHVEH’s portion, as if it had come from the fire. Therefore, when the Kohanim
eat it, it is as if they are guests at Yah’s own table. This phrase “that which
they return to me” refers to the monetary payment describe in :6 – 8. When a
converted has no heir, the money is a gift to the Kohanim.
Num 18:10 In the most holy place shalt thou eat it:
every male shall eat of it: it is holy unto thee. –
Although the term most holy usually refers to the inner chamber of the
Tabernacle, where the Ark rested, here it means that Tabernacle Courtyard, the
only place where the Kohanim may eat the sacrificial portions mentioned in the
above verse.
It is most holy in comparison
with the areas where less holy offerings, such as the peace offering, may be
eaten.
Holy means to be set apart,
anything that is set apart for the kingdom of heavens is considered to be
holy.
Num 18:11 This also shall be thine: the heave offering
of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Yisrael: I have
given them unto thee and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, to be a
duty for ever clean person in your house shall eat of it. – This verse speaks of the parts of the peace, thanksgiving and Nazareth
offering that are separated from the wave offering and presented to the
Kohanim, as seen in Lev. 7:33 – 34.
Num 18:12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and
of the wheat, which they shall offer unto YAHVEH for their first fruits, I have
given them unto thee. – The best is referred to as the
Terumah portion of the crops, which are separated and given to the
Kohanim.
Num 18:13 And the first ripe of all that is in their
land, which they shall bring unto Lord, shall be thine: all the clean in thine
house shall eat of it. - This also applies to the individual, the
best and brightest among us should be reserved for further training as the
Torah Teachers.
Num 18:14 Everything separate from the common use in
Yisrael, shall be thine. – The Torah lists the
three kinds of laws that have been given in earlier passage such as Exodus
13:11 – 15, 34:19 -20: The first born male of a kosher animals, cow, sheep and
goats are sacred from birth and are given to the Kohanim to be brought as a
offering; the firstborn sons of a believers are redeemed for five shekels; and
the firstborn male donkey are redeemed for a sheep, which then becomes the
property of the Kohanim.
Num 18:15 All that first openeth the matrices of any
flesh, which they shall offer unto YAHVEH, of man or beast, shall be thine: but
the first borne of man shalt thou redeeme, and the first borne of the unclean
beast shalt thou redeemed. – In verse 15 to 17 the
Torah goes into more details pertaining to the qualification of this offering.
The first born male, should be dedicated to the study of Torah.
Num 18:16 And those that are to be redeemed, shalt thou redeem from
the age of a month, according to thy estimation, for the money of five shekels,
after the shekel of the Sanctuaries, which is twenties gerahs. – If a man has only one son, he may redeemed that son to carry on
the family business for five shekels.
Num 18:17 But the first borne of a cow, or the first
borne of a sheep, or the first borne of a goat shalt thou not redeemed: for
they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood at the altar, and thou shalt
burned their fat: it is a sacrifice made by fire for a sweet savor unto YAHVEH. – However,
this verse seem to imply that a animal may not be redeemed, since the owner may
produce another animal in a couple of months.
Num 18:18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as
the breast of the waving, and as the right shoulder shall be thine. – In this verse the Kohanim are given all the meat of the
firstborn offering; unlike other offering of similar sanctity, from which the
Kohanim receive only the breast of the waving and the right foreleg.
Num 18:19 All the heave offerings of the holy things
which the children of Yisrael shall offer unto YAHVEH, have I given thee, and
thy sons, and thy daughters with thee, to be a duties for ever: it is a
perpetual covenant of salt before YAHVEH, to thee, and to thy seed with thee.
– Ever things that is separated unto YAHVEH; essentially, this is
a repetition of the idea with which this passage was introduced: Because this
verse list a list of gifts to Yah’s most loyal servants, He introduced it to
them and to us and then summarized it after giving its details. Salt like
covenant; Because salt never spoils, it is a symbol of indestructibility.
Therefore, EL YAHVEH tells the Kohanim that HIS covenant with them is eternal,
as if it had been sealed with salt.
Num 18:20 And YAHVEH said unto Aaron, Thou shalt have none
inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am
thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Yisrael. – Since the verse has already said that the Kohanim do not receive
a share of the land, this verse teaches that the Kohanim will not share even in
the spoils of war against the Canaanite. This would seems to imply, that in the
world to come, even if the Kingdom were to expand using the means of conquest,
the Kohanim or those in the Throne Room would not share in the spoils of war.
Verse 21 – 24 explains the
tithes to the Levites. The Levites, too, are rewarded for their dedication to
the service of EL YAHVEH, by receiving one-tenth of the crops. In this passage,
the Torah states twice that the Levites receives tithes, because they are two
aspects to the gifts: first, they receive the tithes only after all of the
labor has been done by others, in return for the labor that they devote to
their sacred service; and second, they receive produce to make up for the
portion of the land that they were required to forgo.
Num 18:21 For behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth
in Yisrael for an inheritance, for their service which they serve in the
Tabernacle of the Congregation. – Every tithe. This term refers
only to the first tithe that is taken from the appropriate crops, and which
goes exclusively to the Levites. There are other tithes, however, that do not
go to them. They are the second tithe, which is taken after the Levite tithe
and the tithe for the poor.
Num 18:22 Neither shall the children of Yisrael any
more come near the Tabernacle of the Congregation, lest they sustained sin, and
die. – No spiritual children shall come near the
sacred things of the tabernacle even if they are among the assembly. They must
remain at arm’s length away from it. This position is not for children, but
mature fathers among the people.
Num 18:23 But the Levites shall do the service in the Tabernacle of
the Congregation, and they shall bear their sin: it is a law forever in your
generations, that among the children of Yisrael they possesses none
inheritance. – The Levite here speaks of a
group of people who possess a definite love for EL AHWEH and HIS Torah. They
are a particular set of people among the believers. They are the ones who are
completely sold out to Torah and to Yahushua.
Num 18:24 For the tithes of the children of Yisrael, which they shall
offer as an offering unto YAHVEH, I have given the Levites for an inheritance:
therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Yisrael ye shall possesses
none inheritance. – By referring to the Levite
tithe as Terumah “gift” the same name
used for the gift to the Kohanim, the Torah teaches that the tithe bears a
similarity to Terumah, in that the Levite may not use it until he separates
from it the Kohen’s portion, as set forth in verse 26. Until then, the Levite
tithe is treated as if Terumah is intermixed with it.
Revelation 3:21 illustrate a
group of Elohim that sits on the throne; Revelation 7:11 speaks of another
group that stands around the Throne, while Revelation 7:9, 15 shows still
another group that stands before the Throne. This would indicate that those who
stand before the Throne are the workers who tithe to those who stand around the
Throne, and those who stand around the Throne, tithes to those who sit on the
Throne.
The Levites are those who we
would called senior management, who gives the instructions to the middle
management, who instruct the workers as to what they must do. The senior
management is the position were all the final decision are made, they are the
seats of all authority; they are not required to work, or in Scripture term,
have a possession.
They receive a tithe from those
who carry out their instruction. This seems to imply that there is a chain of
command in Heavens, and the Levites are those who are at the second to the top
of the command chain. This position was acquired because of the level of
maturity they acquire while they were in the flesh, here on planet earth.
Verse 25 – 29 illustrate what
happen when the Levites receive their one-tenth share from the Yisraelites,
they must separate a tenth from it. A tithe from the tithe and give it to a
Kohen. That tithe has the status of Terumah, which means that only a Kohen may
eat it and it must be kept in a state of ritual purity until it is given.
The Torah describes Terumah as
grain from the threshing floor and the ripeness of the vat, for it is only
after the grain has been threshed and fluids of the grapes and olives have
flowed from the press into the vat, that Terumah must be separated from the
grain, grape juice, and olive oil.
Num 18:25 And YAHVEH speak unto Moses, saying -
Num 18:26 Speak also unto the Levites and say unto
them, When ye shall take of the children of Yisrael the tithes, which I have
given you of them for your inheritance, then shall ye take an heave offering of
that same for YAHVEH, even the tenth part of the tithe. – The day the tithe is collected from the people, a tithe of the
original tithe shall be put aside for the Kohan, who is a representative of
Yahushua our Messiyah.
Yahushua is the oldest of many
sons, who will also in turn tithe to their and our Father. That is why it is
important that we learn to tithe while we are here to learn the importance of
tithing here on Planet Earth.
Num 18:27 And your heave offering shall be reckoned
unto you, as the corned of the barn, or as the abundance of the wine press.
– The tithe must be taken from everything that we earn. Weather it
is farming, banking, fishing, or mining a tithe must go to the one in authority
over us.
Num 18:28 So ye shall also offer an heave offering
unto YAHVEH of all your tithes, which ye shall receive of the children of
Yisrael, and ye shall give thereof YAHVEHs heave offering to Aaron the Priest.
- An offering must be made
of the offering that the Priest receive from the people.
Num 18:29 Ye shall offer of all your gifts all YAHVEH heave
offerings: of all the fat ‘best’ of the same shall ye offer the holy things
thereof. – Tithing to the one in
authority is like tithing directly to EL YAHVEH. If we deny the tithe to those
who is over us, even if they are human, it is denying them from giving their
tithe to those in authority over them. It must be off the best parts. When
Yisraelites and Levites separate gifts for the Kohen from their produce, they
should take the gift from the best part of the Crop.
Num 18:30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have offered
the fat thereof, then it shall be counted unto the Levites, as the increase of
the corned floored, or as the increase of the wine press. – Moses addressed the Levites, saying that after they separate
their tithes for the Kohanim, the remaining nine tenths of the produce is
theirs.
It has no sanctity whatsoever;
the Torah refers to the Levites tithe as Terumah in verse 24 only before the
priestly tenth has been separated from
it.
The remainder may be used even
if it becomes contaminated and it may be eaten even by an ordinary person.
Num 18:31 And ye shall eat it in all places, ye, and your households:
for it is your wages for your service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation. – It shall be eaten in any place we required. It may be eaten even
if it has been contaminated by being in a cemetery, for, as noted above, there
is no requirement that the Levite tithe be kept in a state of spiritual purity.
The verse goes on to explain
that the tithe has no sanctity because it is a wage in exchange for their
service, meaning that the Levites should consider the tithe as payment for the
service that EL YAHVEH require of them, and there is nothing innately holy
about wages.
Num 18:32 And ye shall bear no sin by the reason of
it, when ye have offered the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy
things of the children of Yisrael, lest ye die. –
Just as one should not give his or her tithe in the hope of a blessing, one
should not give his contribution to a good cause contingent on his receiving
something in return, as in this case so one should not perform good deeds in
order to curry favor others, or for some other ulterior motive. If a farmer or
anyone else needs help, it should be rendered without regards to whether it
will result in future profit or favors.
Haftarah
I Samuel 11:14 – 12:22
Samuel took this occasion to call the
people together before יהוה in Gilgal, v. 14, 15. 1. That they
might publicly give יהוה
thanks for their late victory. There they rejoiced greatly, and, that יהוה might have the praise of that which they
had the comfort of, they sacrificed to him, as the giver of all their
successes, sacrifices of peace-offerings.
2. That they might confirm Saul in the
government, more solemnly than had been yet done, that he might not retire
again to his obscurity. Samuel would have the kingdom renewed; he would renew
his resignation, and the people should renew their approbation, and so in
concurrence with, or rather in attendance upon, the divine nomination, they
made Saul king, making it their own act and deed to submit to him.
I
Samuel 11:14 Then Samuel said to the
people, come and lets us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there. -
1Sa
11:15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king
before יהוה in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings
before יהוה; and there Saul and all the men of Yisrael rejoiced greatly.
1Sa
11:14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and
renew the kingdom there.
1Sa
11:15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king
before יהוה in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace
offerings before יהוה; and there Saul and all the men ofisrael
rejoiced greatly.
Chapter 12
We left the general assembly of the states together, in the close of
the foregoing chapter; in this chapter we have Samuel’s speech to them, when he
resigned the government into the hands of Saul, in which,
I. He clears himself from all
suspicion or imputation of mismanagement, while the administration was in his
hands (v. 1-5).
II. He reminds them of the great things God had done for them and
for their fathers (v. 6–13).
III. He sets before them good and evil, the blessing and the curse
(v. 14, 15).
IV. He awakens them to regard
what he said to them, by calling to God for thunder (v. 16–19).
V. He encourages them with hopes that all should be well (v. 20–25).
This is his farewell sermon to that august assembly and Saul’s coronation
sermon.
1Sa
12:1
And Samuel said unto all Yisrael, Behold, I have hearkened unto your
voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. – Here in this verse
Samuel began to gives them a short account of his ministry to them, and of the
present posture of their government, by way of preface to what he had further
to say to them.
1.
For his own part, he had spent his days in their service; he began at the time
when he began to be useful among them, and had continued long so: "I
have walked before you, as a guide to direct you, as a shepherd that leads
his flock (Ps. 80:1), from my childhood unto this day.’’ As soon as he
was illuminated with the light of prophecy, in his early days, he began to be a
burning and shining light to Yisrael; "and now my best days are done: I
am old and gray-headed;’’ therefore they were the more unkind to cast him
off, yet therefore he was the more willing to resign, finding the weight of
government heavy upon his stooping shoulders. He was old, and therefore the
more able to advise them, and the more observant they should have been of what
he said, for days shall speak and the multitude of years shall teach
wisdom; and there is a particular reverence due to the aged, especially
aged magistrates and aged ministers. "I am old, and therefore not likely
to live long, perhaps may never have an opportunity of speaking to you again,
and therefore take notice of what I say.’’
2. As for his sons, "Behold’’
(says he), "they are with you, you may, if you please, call them to
an account for any thing they have done amiss. They are present with you, and
have not, upon this revolution, fled from their country. They are upon the
level with you, subjects to the new king as well as you; if you can prove them
guilty of any wrong, you may prosecute them now by a due course of law, punish
them, and oblige them to make restitution.’’
1Sa 12:2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you:
and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are
with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. - As for their new king, Samuel had gratified
them in setting him over them (v. 1): "I have hearkened to your voice
in all that you said to me, being desirous to please you, if possible, and
make you easy, though to the discarding of myself and family; and now will you
hearken to me, and take my advice?’’ The change was now perfected: "Behold,
the king walketh before you’’ ; he appears in public, ready to serve you in
public business. Now that you have made yourselves like the nations in your
civil government, and have cast off the divine administration in that, take
heed lest you make yourselves like the nations in religion and cast off the
worship of יהוה.
1Sa 12:3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the יה וה, and before
his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I
defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine
eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. - He
solemnly appeals to them concerning his own integrity in the administration of
the government: Witness against me, whose ox have I taken?
1.
His design in this appeal. By this he intended,
(1.)
To convince them of the injury they had done him in setting him aside, when
they had nothing amiss to charge him with (his government had no fault but that
it was too cheap, too easy, too gentle), and also of the injury they had done
themselves in turning off one that did not so much as take an ox or an ass from
them, to put themselves under the power of one that would take from them their
fields and vineyards, nay, and their very sons and daughters (ch. 8:11), so
unlike would the manner of the king be from Samuel’s manner.
(2.)
To preserve his own reputation. Those that heard of Samuel’s being rejected as
he was would be ready to suspect that certainly he had done some evil thing, or
he would never have been so ill treated; so that it was necessary for him to
make this challenge, that it might appear upon record that it was not for any
iniquity in his hands that he was laid aside, but to gratify the humor of a
giddy people, who owned they could not have a better man to rule them, only
they desired a bigger man. There is a just debt which every man owes to his own
good name, especially men in public stations, which is to guard it against
unjust aspersions and suspicions, that we may finish our course with honor as
well as joy.
(3.)
As he designed hereby to leave a good name behind him, so he designed to leave
his successor a good example before him; let him write after his copy, and he
will write fair.
(4.)
He designed, in the close of his discourse, to reprove the people, and therefore
he begins with a vindication of himself; for he that will, with confidence,
tell another of his sin, must see to it that he himself be clear.
1.
In
the appeal itself observe,
(1.)
What
it is that Samuel here acquits himself from.
[1.]
He had never, under any pretense whatsoever, taken that which was not his own,
ox or ass, had never dis-trained their cattle for tribute, fines, or
forfeitures, nor used their service without paying for it.
[2.]
He had never defrauded those with whom he dealt, nor oppressed those that were
under his power.
[3.]
He had never taken bribes to pervert justice, nor was ever biased by favor
for affection to give judgment in a cause against his conscience.
(2.)
How he calls upon those that had slighted him to bear witness concerning his
conduct: "Here I am; witness against me. If you have any thing to
lay to my charge, do it before the YAHVEH and the king, the proper
judges.’’ He puts honor upon Saul, by owning himself accountable to him if
guilty of any wrong.
1Sa 12:4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us,
nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand. - Upon this appeal he is
honorably acquitted. He did not expect that they would do him honor at
parting, though he well deserved it, and therefore mentioned not any of the
good services he had done them, for which they ought to have applauded him, and
returned him the thanks of the house; all he desired was that they should do
him justice, and that they did readily owning,
1.
That he had not made his government oppressive to them, nor used his power to
their wrong.
2.
That he had not made it expensive to them: Neither hast thou taken aught of
any man’s hand for the support of thy dignity. Like Nehemiah, he did not
require the bread of the governor (Neh. 5:18), had not only been righteous,
but generous, had coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel, Acts
20:33.
1Sa 12:5 And he said unto them, יהוה is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that
ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. - This honorable testimony borne to
Samuel’s integrity is left upon record to his honor: " יהוה is witness, who searcher the heart, and his
anointed is witness, who trieth overt acts;’’ and the people agree to it: "He
is witness.’’ The testimony of our neighbors, and especially the testimony
of our own consciences for us, that we have in our places lived honestly, will
be our comfort under the slights and contempt that are put upon us. Demetrius
is a happy man, that has a good report of all men and of the truth itself,
3 Jn. 12.
1Sa 12:6 And Samuel said unto the people, It is יהוה that advanced Moses and
Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. -
Samuel,
having sufficiently secured his own reputation, instead of upbraiding the
people upon it with their unkindness to him, sets himself to instruct them, and
keep them in the way of their duty, and then the change of the government would
be the less damage to them.
1Sa 12:7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason
with you before יהוה of all the righteous acts of יהוה, which he did to you and to your fathers. - He reminds them of the great goodness
of יהוה to them and to their fathers, gives them an abstract of the
history of their nation, that, by the consideration of the great things יהוה
had done for them, they might be for ever engaged to love him and serve him.
"Come,’’ says he, "stand still, stand in token of reverence when God
is speaking to you, stand still in token of attention and composedness of mind,
and give me leave to reason with you.’’ Religion has reason on its side, Isa.
1:18.
The
work of ministers is to reason with people, not only to exhort and direct, but
to persuade, to convince men’s judgments, and so to gain their wills and
affections. Let reason rule men, and they will be good. He reasons of the
righteous acts of יהוה, that is, "both the benefits he hath
bestowed upon you, in performance of his promises, and the punishments he has
inflicted on you for your sins.’’ His favours are called his righteous acts
(Jdg. 5:11), because in them he is just to his own honour.
He
not only puts them in mind of what יהוה had done for them in their days, but of
what he had done of old, in the days of their fathers, because the present age
had the benefit of YAHVEH’s former favours. We may suppose that his discourse
was much larger than as here related.
1Sa 12:8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers
cried unto יהוה, then יהוה sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth
your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. - he reminds them of their deliverance
out of Egypt Canaan .
1Sa 12:9 And when they forgot יהוה their אלהים, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of
Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of
Moab, and they fought against them. - He reminds them of the
miseries and calamities which their fathers brought themselves into by
forgetting יהוה and serving other gods. They enslaved themselves, for they were
sold as criminals and captives into the hand of oppressors. They exposed
themselves to the desolation of war, and their neighbors fought against them.
1Sa 12:10 And they cried unto יהוה, and said, We have
sinned, because we have forsaken יהוה, and have served Baalim
and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will
serve thee. - He reminds them of their fathers’
repentance and humiliation before יהוה for their idolatries: They said, We
have sinned. Let not them imitate the sins of their fathers, for what they
had done amiss they had many a time wished undone again. In the day of their
distress they had sought unto יהוה, and had promised to serve him; let their
children then reckon that good at all times which they found good in bad times.
1Sa 12:11 And יהוה sent Jerubbaal, and
Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your
enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe. - He
reminds them of the glorious deliverances God had wrought for them, the
victories he had blessed
them with, and their happy settlements, many a time, after days of trouble and
distress. He specifies some of their judges, Gideon and Jephthah, great
conquerors in their time; among the rest he mentions Bedan, whom we read not of
any where else: he might be some eminent person, that was instrumental of
salvation to them, though not recorded in the book of Judges, such a one as
Shamgar, of whom it is said that he delivered Israel, but not that he judged
them, Jdg. 3:31.
Perhaps
this Bedan guarded and delivered them on one side, at the same time when some
other of the judges appeared and acted for them on another side. Some think it
was the same with Jair (so the learned Mr. Poole), others the same with Samson,
who was Ben Dan, a son of Dan, of that tribe, and the Spirit of the Lord came
upon him Be-Dan, inn Dan, in the camp of Can. Samuel mentions himself, not to
his own praise, but to the honour of יהוה, who had made him an instrument of
subduing the Philistines.
1Sa 12:12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the
children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall
reign over us: when יהוה your אלהים was your
king. - At
last he puts them in mind of YAHVEH’s late favor to the present generation, in
gratifying them with a king, when they would prescribe to יהוה by such a one to save them out of the hand
of Nahash king of Ammon.
1Sa 12:13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have
chosen, and whom ye
have desired! and, behold, יהוה hath set a king over you.
- Now it
appears that this was the immediate occasion of their desiring a king: Nahash
threatened them; they desired Samuel to nominate a general; he told them that YAH
was commander-in-chief in all their wars and they needed no other, that what
was wanting in them should be made up by his power: יהוה is your king. But they insisted on it, Nay,
but a king shall reign over us. "And now,’’ said he, "you have a
king, a king of your own asking—let that be spoken to your shame; but a king of
YAHVEH’s making—let that be spoken to his honor and the glory of his grace.’’ יהוה
did not cast them off, even when they in effect cast him off. He shows them that they are now upon their
good behaviour, they and their king. Let them not think that they had now cut
themselves off from all dependence upon יהוה, and that now, having a king of their own,
the making of their own fortunes (as men foolishly call it) was in their own
hands; no, still their judgment must proceed from יהוה. He tells them plainly,
1Sa 12:14 If ye will fear יהוה, and serve him, and obey
his voice, and not rebel against the command, then shall both ye and also the
king that reigneth over you continue following יהוה your אלהים: -
That
their obedience to יהוה would certainly be their happiness. If
they would not revolt from יהוה to idols, nor rebel against him by
breaking his commandments, but would persevere in their allegiance to him,
would fear his wrath, serve his interests, and obey his will, then they and
their king should certainly be happy; but observe how the promise is expressed:
Then you shall continue following the יהוה your God; that is,
(1.)
"You shall continue in the way of your duty to יהוה, which will be your honour and comfort.’’
Note, To those that are sincere in their religion יהוה will give grace to persevere in it: those
that follow יהוה faithfully will be divinely strengthened to continue following
him. And observe, Following יהוה is a work that is its own wages. It is the
matter of a promise as well as of a precept.
(2.)
"You shall continue under the divine guidance and protection:’’ You shall
be after יהוה,
so it is in the original, that is, "he will go before you to lead and
prosper you, and make your way plain. יהוה is with you
while you are with him.’’
1Sa 12:15 But if ye will not obey the voice of יהוה, but rebel against the commandment of יהוה, then shall the hand of יהוה be against you, as it was against your fathers. - That their disobedience would as certainly be their ruin:
"If you rebel, think not that your having a king will secure you
against YAHVEH’s judgments, and that having in this instance made yourselves like
the nations you may sin at as cheap a rate as they can. No, the hand of יהוה will be against you, as it was against your fathers when they offended him,
in the days of the judges.’’ We mistake if we think that we can evade YAHVEH’s
justice by shaking off his dominion. If יהוה shall not rule us, yet HE will judge us.
1Sa
12:16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing,
which יהוה will do before your eyes. - Two things Samuel here aims at:— To
convince the people of their sin in desiring a king. They were now rejoicing
before יהוה in and with their king (ch. 11:15), and offering to יהוה
the sacrifices of praise, which they hoped יהוה would accept; and this perhaps made them
think that there was no harm in their asking a king, but really they had done
well in it. Therefore Samuel here charges it upon them as their sin, as
wickedness, great wickedness in the sight of יהוה. Note, Though we meet with
prosperity and success in a way of sin, yet we must not therefore think the
more favorably of it. They have a king, and if they conduct themselves well
their king may be a very great blessing to them, and yet Samuel will have them
perceive and see that their wickedness was great in asking a king. We
must never think well of that which יהוה in his law frowns upon, though in his
providence he may seem to smile upon it.
1Sa
12:17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the יהוה, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and
see that your wickedness is
great, which ye have done in the sight of יהוה, in asking you a king. -
The
expressions YAHVEH’s displeasure against them for asking a king. At Samuel’s
word, יהוה sent prodigious thunder and rain upon them, at a season of the
year when, in that country, the like was never seen or known before. Thunder
and rain have natural causes and sometimes terrible effects. But Samuel made it
to appear that this was designed by the almighty power of יהוה on purpose to convince them that they had
done very wickedly in asking a king; not only by its coming in an
unusual time, in wheat-harvest, and this on a fair clear day, when there
appeared not to the eye any signs of a storm, but by his giving notice of it
before. Had there happened to be thunder and rain at the time when he was
speaking to them, he might have improved it for their awakening and conviction,
as we may in a like case; but, to make it no less than a miracle, before it
came.
1Sa
12:18 So Samuel called unto יהוה; and יהוה sent thunder and rain that day: and all
the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. - He spoke to them of it: Stand
and see this great thing. He had before told them to stand and hear
(v. 7); but, because he did not see that his reasoning with them affected them
(so stupid were they and unthinking), now he bids them stand and see. If
what he said in a still small voice did not reach their hearts, nor his
doctrine which dropped as the dew, they shall hear יהוה speaking to them in dreadful claps of
thunder and the great rain of his strength. He appealed to this as a sign: "I
will call upon יהוה, and he will send thunder, will send it just now, to
confirm the word of his servant, and to make you see that I spoke truly when I
told you that יהוה was
angry with you for asking a king.’’ And the event proved him a true
prophet; the sign and wonder came to pass.
He
spoke to יהוה for it. Samuel called unto יהוה, and, in answer to his prayer, even while
he was yet speaking, the Lord sent thunder and rain. By this Samuel made
it to appear, not only what a powerful influence יהוה has upon this earth, that he could, of a
sudden, when natural causes did not work towards it, produce this dreadful rain
and thunder, and bring them out of his treasures (Ps. 135:7), but also what a
powerful interest he had in heaven, that יהוה would thus hearken to the voice of a
man (Jos. 10:14) and answer him in the secret place of thunder, Ps.
81:7. Samuel, that son of prayer, was still famous for success in prayer. Now
by this extraordinary thunder and rain sent on this occasion,
[1.]
יהוה testified his displeasure against them in the same way in which
he had formerly testified it, and at the prayer of Samuel too, against the
Philistines. יהוה discomfited them with a great thunder, ch. 7:10. Now that Israel
[2.]
He showed them their folly in desiring a king to save them, rather than יהוה
or Samuel, promising themselves more from an arm of flesh than from the arm of יהוה
or from the power of prayer. Could their king thunder with a voice like יהוה
Job 40:9. Could their prince command such forces as the prophet could by his
prayers? [3.] He intimated to them that how serene and prosperous soever their
condition seemed to be now that they had a king, like the weather in
wheat-harvest, yet, if יהוה pleased, he could soon change the face of their heavens,
and persecute them with his tempest, as the Psalmist speaks.
1Sa
12:19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for
thy servants unto יהוה thy אלהים, that we die not: for we
have added unto all our sins this
evil, to ask us a king. - The impressions which this
made upon the people. It startled them very much, as well it might.
(1.)
They greatly feared יהוה and Samuel. Though when they had a king they
were ready to think they must fear him only, יהוה made them know that he is greatly to be
feared and his prophets for his sake. Now they were rejoicing in their
king, יהוה taught them to rejoice with trembling.
(2.)
They owned their sin and folly in desiring a king: We have added to all our
sins this evil. Some people will not be brought to a sight of their sins by
any gentler methods than storms and thunders. Samuel did not extort this
confession from them till the matter was settled and the king confirmed, lest
it should look as if he designed by it rather to establish himself in the government
than to bring them to repentance. Now that they were flattering themselves
in their own eyes, their iniquity was found to be hateful, Ps. 36:2.
(2.)
They
earnestly begged Samuel’s prayers: Pray for thy servants, that we die not.
They were apprehensive of their danger from the wrath of God, and could not
expect that he should hear their prayers for themselves, and therefore they
entreat Samuel to pray for them. Now they see their need of him whom awhile ago
they slighted. Thus many that will not have Missiyah to reign over them
would yet be glad to have him intercede for them, to turn away the wrath of יהוה.
And the time may come when those that have despised and ridiculed praying
people will value their prayers, and desire a share in them. "Pray’’
(say they) "to יהוהthy אלהים; we know not how to call
him ours, but, if thou hast any interest in him, improve it for us.’’
He
aims to confirm the people in their religion, and engage them for ever to
cleave unto the Lord. The design of his discourse is much the same with
Joshua’s, ch. 23 and 24.
1Sa
12:20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye
have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following יהוה, but serve יהוה with all your heart; - He cautions them against
idolatry: "Turn not aside from God and the worship of him’’ , and
again v. 21); "for if you turn aside from God, whatever you turn aside to,
you will find it is a vain thing, that can never answer your expectations, but
will certainly deceive you if you trust to it; it is a broken reed, a broken
cistern.’’ Idols could not profit those that sought to them in their wants, nor
deliver those that sought to them in their straits, for they were vain, and not
what they pretended to be. An idol is nothing in the world, 1 Co. 8:4.
1Sa
12:21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
1Sa
12:22 For יהוה will not forsake his
people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased יהוה to make you HIS people. - Fear not; for, though יהוה
will frown upon his people, yet יהוה will not forsake them for his great
name’s sake; do not you forsake him then.’’ Every transgression in the
covenant, though it displease יהוה, yet does not throw us out of covenant,
and therefore YAHVEH’s just rebukes must not drive us from our hope in his
mercy. The fixedness of YAHVEH’s choice is owing to the freeness of it; we may
therefore hope he will not forsake his people, because it has pleased יהוה to make them his people. Had he chosen them for their good
merits, we might fear he would cast them off for their bad merits; but,
choosing them for יהוה name’s sake, for יהוה name’s sake he will not leave them.
Brit
Chadasha
Jude 1:1 – 25
Jud 1:1 Yehuḏah, a servant of יהושע Messiyah, and brother of Yaʽaqoḇ, to those
who are called, set-apart by Elohim the Father, and preserved in יהושע Messiyah: - We have an account of the penman of this epistle,
Yahudah otherwise called Jude, or Judas, or Judah. He was
name-sake to one of his ancestors, the patriarch a son of Jacob, the most
eminent though not the first-born of his sons, out of whose loins (lineally, in
a most direct succession) the Messiyah came.
This was a name of worth, eminency, and honor; yet He had a wicked name-sake. There was one Judas (one of the twelve, surnamed Iscariot, from the place of his birth) who was a vile traitor, the betrayer of his and our Lord. The same names may be common to the best and worst persons. It may be instructive to be called after the names of eminently good men, but there can be no inference drawn thence as to what we shall prove, though we may even thence conclude what sort of persons our good parents or progenitors desired and hoped we should be.
This was a name of worth, eminency, and honor; yet He had a wicked name-sake. There was one Judas (one of the twelve, surnamed Iscariot, from the place of his birth) who was a vile traitor, the betrayer of his and our Lord. The same names may be common to the best and worst persons. It may be instructive to be called after the names of eminently good men, but there can be no inference drawn thence as to what we shall prove, though we may even thence conclude what sort of persons our good parents or progenitors desired and hoped we should be.
Our
Yahudah in this book was quite another man. He was an apostle, so was Iscariot;
but he was a sincere disciple and seeker of Messiyah, so was not the other. He
was a faithful servant of Yahushua Messiyah, the other was his betrayer and
murderer; therefore here the one is very carefully distinguished from the
other. that YAHVEH takes great care of the good name of his sincere and useful
servants. Why then should we be prodigal of our own or one another’s reputation
and usefulness? Our apostle here calls himself a servant of Yahushua Messiyah,
esteeming that a most honorable title.
It
is more honorable to be a sincere and useful servant of Messiyah than to be an
earthly king, how potent and prosperous so ever. He might have claimed kindred
to Christ according to the flesh, but he waives this, and rather glories in
being his servant.
It
is really a greater honor to be a faithful servant of Messiyah Yahushua than to
be akin to him according to the flesh. Many of Messiyah’s natural kindred, as
well as of his progenitors, perished; not from want of natural affection in him
as man, but from infidelity and obstinacy in themselves, which should make the
descendants and near relatives of persons most eminent for sincere and
exemplary piety jealous over themselves with a godly jealousy.
A
son of Noah may be saved in the ark from a flood of temporal destruction, and
yet be overwhelmed at last in a deluge of divine wrath, and suffer the
vengeance of eternal fire. Messiyah himself tells us that he that
heareth His word and doeth it (that is, he only) is as his brother, and
sister, and mother, that is, more honorably and advantageously related to
him than the nearest and dearest of his natural relatives, considered merely as
such. See Mt. 12:48–50.
In
that the apostle Yahudah styles himself a servant, though an apostle, a
dignified officer in Messiyah’s kingdom, it is a great honor to the meanest
sincere minister (and it holds proportionally as to every upright Messiyanic
principles) that he is the servant of Yahushua Messiyah. The
apostles were servants before they were apostles, and they were but servants
still. Away then with all pretensions in the ministers of Messiyah to lordly
dominion either over one another or over the flocks committed to their charge.
Let
us ever have that of our dear Redeemer in actual view, It shall not be so
among you, Mt. 20:25, 26. And brother of James, to wit, of him whom
the ancients style the first bishop of Yerushalayim, of whose character
and martyrdom Josephus makes mention, ascribing the horrible destruction of that
city and nation to this wicked cruelty, as one of its principal causes.
Of
this James our Jude was brother, whether in the strictest or a larger (though
very usual) acceptation I determine not. He however reckons it an honor to him
that he was the brother of such a one. We ought to honor those who are above us
in age, gifts, graces, station; not to envy them, yet neither to flatter them,
nor be led merely by their example, when we have reason to think they act
wrong.
Thus
the apostle Paul withstood his fellow-apostle Peter to the face,
notwithstanding the high esteem he had for him and the affectionate love he
bore to him, when he saw that he was to be blamed, that is, really blameworthy,
Gal. 2:11, and following verses.
We
are here informed to whom this epistle was directed; namely, to all those who
are sanctified by YAHVEH the Father, and preserved in Yahushua HaMashiach, and
called. I begin with the last called, that is, called Messiyanic,
in the judgment of charity, further than which we cannot, nor in justice ought
to go, in the judgments or opinions we form or receive of one another.
For
what appears not is not, nor ought to come into account in all our dealings
with and censures of one another, whatever abatement the divine goodness may
see fit to make for an honest though misguided zeal.
The
Assembly pretends not (I am sure it ought not) to judge of secret or hidden
things (things drawn into the light before time), lest our rash and
preposterous zeal do more harm than good, or I am afraid ever will do. The
tares and wheat (if Messiyah may be Judge) must grow together till the
harvest (Mt. 13:28–30); and then he himself will, by proper instruments,
take timely care to separate them.
We
ought to think the best we can of every man till the contrary appear; not being
forward to receive or propagate, much less invent, disadvantageous characters
of our brethren. This is the least we can make of the apostle’s large and
excellent description of charity (1 Co. 13), and this we ought to make
conscience of acting up to, which till we do, the Christian churches will be
(as, alas! they are at this day) filled with envying and strife, confusion
and every evil work, Jam. 3:16. Or, the apostle may speak of their being called
to be Messiyanic, by the preaching of the word, which they gladly received,
and professed cordially to believe, and so were received into the society and
fellowship of the Assembly of Messiyah the head, and believers the members;
real believers really, professed believers visibly.
Messiyanic
are the called, called out of the world, the evil spirit and temper of it,
above the world, to higher and better things, heaven, things unseen and
eternal, called from sin to Messiyah, from vanity to seriousness, from
uncleanness to holiness; and this in pursuance of divine purpose and grace; for
whom he did predestinate those he also called, Rom. 8:30.
Now those who are thus called, are,
Sanctified: Sanctified by YAHVEH the Father. Sanctification is usually
spoken of in scripture as the work of the Holy Spirit, yet here it is ascribed
to YAHVEH the Father, because the Spirit works it as the Spirit of the Father
and the Son. All who are effectually called are sanctified, made partakers
of a divine nature (2 Pt. 1:4); for without holiness no man shall see EL
YAHVEH, Heb. 12:14.
Our
sanctification is not our own work. If any are sanctified, they are so by
YAHVEH the Father, not excluding Son or Spirit, for they are ‘Echad” one, one
in Spirit with YAHVEH. Our corruption and pollution are of ourselves; but our
sanctification and renovation are of YAHVEH and his grace; and therefore if we
perish in our iniquity we must bear the blame, but if we be sanctified and
glorified all the honor and glory must be ascribed to YAHVEH, and to him alone.
I
own it is hard to give a clear and distinct account of this, but we must not
deny nor disregard necessary truth because we cannot fully reconcile the
several parts of it to each other; for, on that supposition, we might deny that
any one of us could stir an inch from the place we are at present in, though we
see the contrary every day and hour.
The
called and sanctified are preserved in Yahushua HaMashiach. As it is
YAHVEH who begins the work of grace in the souls of men, so it is he who
carries it on, and perfects it. Where he begins he will perfect; though we are
fickle, he is constant. He will not forsake the work of his own hands,
Ps. 138:8. Let us not therefore trust in ourselves, nor in our stock of grace
already received, but in him, and in him alone, still endeavoring, by all
proper and appointed means, to keep ourselves, as ever we would hope he should
keep us.
- Believers are preserved
from the gates of hell, and to the glory of heaven.
- All
who are preserved are preserved in Yahushua HaMashiach, in him as their citadel
and stronghold, no longer than they abide in him, and solely by virtue
of their union with him.
Jud 1:2 Compassion, and peace, and love be increased to you. – We have the apostolic benediction: Mercy to you,
etc. From the mercy, peace, and love of YAHVEH all our comfort flows, all our
real enjoyment in this life, all our hope of a better.
The
mercy of YAHVEH is the spring and fountain of all the good we have or
hope for; mercy not only to the miserable, but to the guilty.
Next
to mercy is peace, which we have from the sense of having obtained
mercy. We can have no true and lasting peace but what flows from our
reconciliation with YAHVEH by Yahushua HaMashiach.
As
from mercy springs peace, so from peace springs love, his love to us,
our love to him, and our brotherly love (forgotten, wretchedly neglected,
grace!) to one another. These the apostle prays may be multiplied, that
Messiyanic may not be content with scraps and narrow scantlings of them; but
that souls and societies may be full of them. YAHVEH is ready to supply us with
all grace, and a fullness in each grace. If we are straitened, we are not
straitened in him, but in ourselves.
Jud 1:3 Beloved ones, making all haste to write to you concerning
our common deliverance, I felt the necessity to write to you urging you to
earnestly contend for the belief which was once for all delivered to the
set-apart ones. – We have here,
The
design of the apostle in writing this epistle to the lately converted
Yisralites and Gentiles; namely, to establish them in the Messiyanic faith, and
a practice and conversation truly consonant and conformable thereunto, and in
an open and bold profession thereof, especially in times of notorious
opposition, whether by artful seduction or violent and inhuman persecution.
But
then we must see to it very carefully that it be really the Messiyanic faith
that we believe, profess, propagate, and contend for; not the discriminating
badges of this or the other party, not anything of later date than the inspired
writings of the holy evangelists and apostles.
The
good new salvation is a common salvation, that is, in a most sincere offer and
tender of it to all mankind to whom the notice of it reaches: for so the
commission runs (Mk. 16:15, 16), Go you into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature, etc. Surely YAHVEH means as he speaks; he does
not delude us with vain words, whatever men do; and therefore none are excluded
from the benefit of these gracious offers and invitations, but those who
obstinately, impenitently, finally exclude themselves.
Whoever
will may come and drink of the water of life freely, Rev. 22:17. The
application of it is made to all believers, and only to such; it is made to the
weak as well as to the strong. Let none discourage themselves on the account of
hidden decrees which they can know little of, and with which they have nothing
to do. YAH’s decrees are dark, his covenants are plain.
"All
good Messiyanic meet in Messiyah name the common head, are actuated by one and
the same Spirit, are guided by one rule, meet here at one throne of grace, and
hope shortly to meet in one common inheritance,’’ a glorious one to be sure,
but what or how glorious we cannot, nor at present need to know; but such it
will be as vastly to exceed all our present hopes and expectations.
This
common salvation is the subject-matter of the faith of all the saints. The
doctrine of it is what they all most heartily consent to; they esteem it as a faithful
saying, and worthy of all acceptation, 1 Tim. 1:15. It is the faith once, or
at once, once for all, delivered to the saints, to which nothing can be
added, from which nothing may be detracted, in which nothing more nor less
should be altered. Here let us abide; here we are safe; if we stir a step
further, we are in danger of being either entangled or seduced.
The
apostles and evangelists all wrote to us of this common salvation. This cannot
be doubted by those who have carefully read their writings. It is strange that
any should think they wrote chiefly to maintain particular schemes and
opinions, especially such as they never did nor could think of. It is enough
that they have fully declared to us, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, all
that is necessary for everyone to believe and do, in order to obtain a
personal interest in the common salvation.
Those
who preach or write of the common salvation should give all diligence to do it
well: they should not allow themselves to offer to YAHVEH or his people that
which costs them nothing, or next to nothing, little or no pains or thought, 2
Sa. 24:24. This were to treat YAHVEH irreverently, and man unjustly.
The
apostle (though inspired) gave all diligence to write of the common salvation.
What then will become of those who (though uninspired) give no diligence, or
next to none, but say to the people (even in the name of YAHVEH) whatever
comes next, who, so that they use scripture-words, care not how they
interpret or apply them? Those who speak of sacred things ought always to speak
of them with the greatest reverence, care, and diligence.
Those
who have received the doctrine of this common salvation must contend earnestly
for it. Earnestly, not furiously. Those who strive for the
Messiyanic faith, or in the Messiyanic walk, must strive lawfully, or they lose
their labor, and run great hazard of losing their crown, 2 Tim. 2:5.
The
wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of YAHVEH, Jam. 1:20. Lying for the
truth is good, just ask Rahab and Jacob.
Those who have received the truth must contend for it. But how? As the
apostles did; by suffering patiently and courageously for it, not by making
others suffer if they will not presently embrace every notion that we are
pleased (proved or unproved) to call faith, or fundamental.
We
must not suffer ourselves to be robbed of any essential article of the
Messiyanic faith, by the cunning craftiness or specious plausible pretenses of
any who lie in wait to deceive, Eph. 4:14.
The
apostle Paul tells us he preached the gospel (mind it was the gospel) with
much contention (1 Th. 2:2), that is (as I understand it), with
earnestness, with a hearty zeal, and a great concern for the success of what he
preached. But, if we will understand contention in the common
acceptation of the word, we must impartially consider with whom the apostle
contended, and how, the enlarging on which would not be proper for this place.
Jud 1:4 For certain men have slipped in, whose judgment was
written about long ago, wicked ones1 perverting the favor of our
Elohim for indecency, and denying the only Master יהוה and
our Master יהושע Messiyah. Footnote: 1See
Mt. 13, 2 Thess. 2. – The occasion the apostle
had to write to this purport. As evil manners give rise to good laws, so
dangerous errors often give just occasion to the proper defense of important truth.
Ungodly
men are the great enemies of the faith of Messiyah and the peace of the
Assembly. Those who deny or corrupt the one, and disturb the other, are here
expressly styled ungodly men. We might have truth with peace (a most
desirable thing) were there none (ministers or private Messiyanic) in our
particular Assembly and congregations but truly godly men, a blessing scarcely
to be looked or hoped for on this side heaven. Ungodly men raise scruples,
merely to advance and promote their own selfish, ambitious, and covetous ends.
This
has been the plague of the Assembly from
day one, and I am afraid no age is, or will be, wholly free from such men and
such practices as long as time shall last.
Nothing cuts us off from the Assembly but that which corrupt the Spirit
of off Messiyah; namely, reigning infidelity and ungodliness.
We
must abhor the thought of branding particular parties or persons with this
character, especially of doing it without the least proof, or, as it too often
happens, the least shadow of it.
Those
are ungodly men who live without YAHVEH in the world, who have no regard
to YAHVEH and conscience. Those are to be dreaded and consequently to be
avoided, not only who are wicked by sins of commission, but also who are ungodly
by sins of omission, who, for example, restrain prayer before YAHVEH, who dare
not reprove a rich man, when it is the duty of their place so to do, for fear
of losing his favor and the advantage they promise themselves from, who do
the work of YAHVEH negligently, etc.
Those
are the worst of ungodly men who turn the grace of YAHVEH into
lasciviousness, who take encouragement to sin more boldly because the grace
of YAHVEH has abounded, and still abounds, so wonderfully, who are hardened in
their impieties by the extent and fullness of gospel grace, the design of which
is to reduce men from sin, and bring them unto YAHVEH.
Thus
therefore to wax wanton under so great grace, and turn it into an occasion of
working all uncleanness with greediness, and hardening ourselves in such a
course by that very grace which is the last and most forcible means to reclaim
us from it, is to render ourselves the vilest, the worst, and most hopeless of
sinners.
Those
who turn the grace of Messiyah into lasciviousness do in effect deny the EL
YAHVEH, and our Yahushua HaMashiach; that is, they deny both natural and
revealed religion. They strike at the foundation of natural religion, for they deny
the only EL YAHVEH; and they overturn all the frame of revealed religion,
for they deny the Yahushua HaMashiach.
Now
his great design in establishing revealed religion in the world was to bring us
unto YAHVEH. To deny revealed religion is virtually to overturn natural
religion, for they stand or fall together, and they mutually yield light and
force to each other. Would to YAHVEH our modern deists, who live in the midst
of gospel light, would seriously consider this, and cautiously, diligently, and
impartially examine what it is that hinders their receiving the gospel, while
they profess themselves fully persuaded of all the principles and duties of
natural religion!
Never
to tallies answered more exactly to each other than these do, so that it seems
absurd to receive the one and reject the other. One would think it were the
fairer way to receive both or reject both; though perhaps the more plausible
method, especially in this age, is to act the part they do.
Those
who turn the grace of Yahushua into lasciviousness are ordained unto
condemnation. They sin against the last, the greatest, and most perfect remedy;
and so are without excuse. Those who thus sin must needs die of their wounds,
of their disease, are of old ordained to this condemnation, whatever that
expression means. But what if our translators had thought fit to have rendered
the words palai progegrammenoi—of
old fore-written of, as persons who would through their own sin and folly
become the proper subjects of this condemnation, where had the harm been?
Plain
Messiyanic had not been troubled with dark, doubtful, and perplexing thoughts
about re-probation, which the strongest heads cannot enter far into, can indeed
bear but little of, without much loss and damage. Is it not enough that early
notice was given by inspired writers that such seducers and wicked men should
arise in later times, and that every one, being fore-warned of, should be
fore-armed against them?
We
ought to contend earnestly for the faith, in opposition to those who would
corrupt or deprave it, such as have crept in unawares: a wretched
character, to be sure, but often very ill applied by weak and ignorant people,
and even by those who themselves creep in unawares, who think there should
stand for a law to all their followers and admirers.
Surely
faithful humble ministers are helpers of their people’s joy, peace, and
comfort; not lords of their faith! Whoever may attempt to corrupt the
faith, we ought to contend earnestly against them. The more busy and crafty the
instruments and agents of Satan are, to rob us of the truth, the more
solicitous should we be to hold it fast, always provided we be very sure that
we fasten no wrong or injurious characters on persons, parties, or sentiments.
Jud 1:5 But I intend to remind you, though you once knew this,
that יהוה, having saved a people out of the
land of Mitsrayim, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. – Now what are these things
which we as Messiyanic need to be put in remembrance of?
The
destruction of the unbelieving Yisraelites in the wilderness. Paul puts the
Corinthians in mind of this, 1 Co. 10. The first ten verses of that chapter (as
the scripture is always the best commentary upon itself) are the best
explication of the fifth verse of this epistle of Jude.
None
therefore ought to presume upon their privileges, since many who were brought
out of Egypt by a series of amazing miracles, yet perished in the wilderness by
reason of their unbelief. Let us not therefore be high-minded, but fear,
Rom. 11:20.
Let
us fear lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you
should seem to come short of it, Heb. 4:1. They had miracles in abundance: they were
their daily bread; yet even they perished in unbelief. We have greater (much
greater) advantages than they had; let their error (their so fatal error) be
our awful warning.
Jud 1:6 And the messengers who did not keep their own
principality, but left their own dwelling, He has kept in everlasting shackles
under darkness for the judgment of the great day. - We are here put in
remembrance of the fall of the angels. There were a great number of the angels
who left their own habitation; that is, who were not pleased with the
posts and stations the supreme Monarch of the universe had assigned and
allotted to them, but thought (like discontented ministers in our age, I might
say in every age) they deserved better.
They
would, with the title of ministers, be sovereigns, and in effect
their Sovereign should be their minister-do all, and only, what they would have
him; thus was pride the main and immediate cause or occasion of their fall.
Thus they quitted their post, and rebelled against YAHVEH, their Creator and
sovereign Lord. But YAHVEH did not spare them (high and great as they were).
He
would not truckle to them; he threw them off, as a wise and good prince will a
selfish and deceitful minister; and the great, the all-wise Elohim, could not
be ignorant, as the wisest and best of earthly princes often are, what designs
they were hatching. After all, what became of them?
They
thought to have dared and outfaced Omnipotence itself; but YAHVEH was too hard
for them, he cast them down to hell. Those who would not be servants to their
Maker and his will in their first state were made captives to his justice, and
are reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness. Here see what the
condition of fallen angels is: they are in chains, bound under the
divine power and justice, bound over to the judgment of the great day;
they are under darkness, though once angels of light; so horribly
in the dark are they that they continue to fight against YAHVEH, as if there
were yet some small hope at least left them of prevailing and overcoming in the
conflict.
Dire
infatuation! Light and liberty concur, chains and darkness how well do they
agree and suit each other! The devils, once angels in the best sense, are reserved,
etc. There is, undoubtedly there is, a judgment to come; the fallen angels are reserved
to the judgment of the great day; and shall fallen men escape it? Surely
not. Let every reader consider this in due time.
Their
chains are called everlasting, because it is impossible they should ever break
loose from them, or make an escape; they are held fast and sure under them. The
decree, the justice, the wrath of YAHVEH, are the very chains under which
fallen angels are held so fast. Hear and fear, O sinful mortals of mankind!
Jud 1:7 Even as Seḏom and Amorah and the
cities around them in a similar way to these, having given themselves over to
whoring and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, undergoing
judicial punishment of everlasting fire. – The apostle here calls to our attention the destruction
of Sodom and Gomorrah. Even as, etc.
It
is in allusion to the destruction of Pentapolis, or the five cities,
that the miseries of the damned are set forth by a lake that burneth with fire
and brimstone; they were guilty of abominable wickedness, not to be named or
thought of but with the utmost abhorrence and detestation; their ruin is a
particular warning to all people to take heed of, and fly from, fleshly
lusts that war against the soul, 1 Pt. 2:11. "These lusts consumed the
Sodomites with fire from heaven, and they are now suffering the vengeance of
eternal fire; therefore take heed, imitate not their sins, lest the same
plagues overtake you as did them. YAHVEH is the same holy, just, pure Being now
as then; and can the beastly pleasures of a moment make amends for your
suffering the vengeance of eternal fire? Stand in awe, therefore, and sin
not,’’ Ps. 4:4.
Jud 1:8 In the same way, indeed, these dreamers defile the
flesh, and reject authority, and speak evil of esteemed ones. – The apostle here exhibits a charge against deceivers who
were now seducing the disciples of Messiyah from the profession and practice of
his holy religion.
He
calls them filthy dreamers, inasmuch as delusion is a dream, and the
beginning of, and inlet to, all manner of filthiness. Sin is filthiness; it
renders men odious and vile in the sight of the most holy Elohim, and makes
them (sooner or later, as penitent or as punished to extremity and without
resource) vile in their own eyes, and in a while they become vile in the eyes
of all about them.
These
filthy dreamers
dream themselves into a fool’s paradise on earth, and into a real hell at last:
let their character, course, and end, be our seasonable and sufficient warning;
like sins will produce like punishments and miseries.
The
character of these deceivers is described. They defile the flesh. The
flesh or body is the immediate seat, and often the irritating occasion, of many
horrid pollution; yet these, though done in and against the body, do greatly
defile and grievously maim and wound the soul. Fleshly lusts do war against
the soul, 1 Pt. 2:11. and in 2 Co. 7:1 we read of filthiness of flesh
and spirit, each of which, though of different kinds, defiles the whole
man.
They
despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities, are of a disturbed mind
and a seditious spirit, forgetting that the powers that be are ordained of
YAHVEH, Rom. 13:1. YAHVEH requires us to speak evil of no man (Tit.
3:2.); but it is a great aggravation of the sin of evil-speaking when what we
say is pointed at magistrates, men whom YAHVEH has set in authority over us, by
blaspheming or speaking evil of whom we blaspheme YAHVEH Himself.
Or
if we understand it, as some do, with respect to religion, which ought to have
the dominion in this lower world, such evil-speakers despise the dominion of
conscience, make a jest of it, and would banish it out of the world; and as for
the word of YAHVEH, the rule of conscience, they despise it.
The
revelations of the divine will go for little with them; they are a rule of
faith and manners, but not till they have explained them, and imposed their
sense of them upon all about them. Or, as others account for the sense of this
passage, the people of YAHVEH, truly and specially so, are the dignities here
spoken of or referred to, according to that of the psalmist, Touch not mine
anointed, and do my prophets no harm, Ps. 105:15.
They
speak evil, etc. Religion and its serious professors have been always
and everywhere evil spoken of. Though there is nothing in religion but what is
very good, and deserves our highest regards, both as it is perfective of our
natures and as it is subservient to our truest and highest interests; yet this
sect, as its enemies are pleased to call it, is everywhere spoken
against, Acts 28:22.
Jud 1:9 But Miḵa’ĕl the chief messenger,
in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Mosheh,
presumed not to bring against him a blasphemous accusation, but said, “יהוה rebuke you!” - On this occasion the
apostle brings in Michael the archangel, etc. Interpreters are at a loss
what is here meant by the body of Moses. Some think that the devil
contended that Moses might have a public and honorable funeral, that the place
where he was interred might be generally known, hoping thereby to draw the
Jews, so naturally prone thereto, to a new and fresh instance of idolatry. The
body of Moses we are to understand the Hebrew Community, whose destruction the
devil strove and contended for, as the Messiyanic Assembly is called the body
of Messiyah.
Others
bring other interpretations, which I will not here trouble the reader with.
Though this contest was mightily eager and earnest, and Michael was victorious
in the issue, yet he would not bring a railing accusation against the devil
himself; he knew a good cause needed no such weapons to be employed in its defense.
It
is said, he durst not bring, etc. Why durst he not? Not that he was
afraid of the devil, but he believed YAHVEH would be offended if, in such a
dispute, he went that way to work; he thought it below him to engage in a trial
of skill with the great enemy of God and man which of them should out-scold or
out-rail the other: a memorandum to all disputants, never to bring railing
accusations into their disputes.
Truth
needs no supports from falsehood or scurrility. Some say, Michael would not
bring a railing accusation against the devil as knowing beforehand that he
would be too hard for him at that weapon. Some think the apostle refers here to
the remarkable passage we have, Num. 20:7–14.
Satan
would have represented Moses under disadvantageous colors, which he, good man,
had at that time, and upon that occasion, given but too much handle for. Now
Michael, according to this account, stands up in defense of Moses, and, in the
zeal of an upright and bold spirit, says to Satan, YAHVEH rebuke thee.
He would not stand disputing with the devil, nor enter into a particular debate
about the merits of that special cause.
He
knew Moses was his fellow-servant, a favorite of YAHVEH, and he would not
patiently suffer him to be insulted, no, not by the prince of devils; but in a
just indignation cries out, YAHVEH rebuke thee: like that of our MASTER
Himself (Mt. 4:10), Get thee hence, Satan. Moses was a dignity, a
magistrate, one beloved and preferred by the great Elohim; and the archangel
thought it insufferable that such a one should be so treated by a vile apostate
spirit, of how high an order so ever.
So
the lesson hence is that we ought to stand up in defense of those whom God
owns, how severe so ever Satan and his instruments may be in their censures of
them and their conduct. Those who censure (in particular) upright magistrates,
upon every slip in their behavior, may expect to hear, YAHVEH rebuke thee;
and divine rebukes are harder to be borne than careless sinners now think for.
Jud 1:10 But these blaspheme that which they do not know. And that
which they know naturally, like unreasoning beasts, in these they corrupt
themselves. – They
speak evil of the things which they know not, etc. Those who speak evil of authority
and godliness speak evil of the things which they know not; for, if they
had known them, they would have spoken well of them, for nothing but good and
excellent can be truly said of religion, and it is sad that anything different
or opposite should ever be justly said of any of its professors.
A
religious life is the most safe, happy, comfortable, and honorable life that
is. Men are most apt to speak evil of
those persons and things that they know least of. How many had never suffered
by slanderous tongues if they had been better known! On the other hand,
retirement screens some even from just censure.
But
what they know naturally,
etc. It is hard, if not impossible, to find any obstinate enemies to the
Messiyanic Faith, who do not in their stated course live in open or secret
contradiction to the very principles of natural religion: this many think hard
and uncharitable; but I am afraid it will appear too true in the day of the
revelation of the righteous judgment of YAHVEH.
The
apostle likens such to brute beasts, though they often think and boast
themselves, if not as the wisest, yet at least as the wittiest part of mankind.
In those things they corrupt themselves; that is, in the plainest and
most natural and necessary things, things that lie most open and obvious to
natural reason and conscience; even in those things they corrupt, debase, and
defile themselves: the fault, whatever it is, lies not in their understanding
or apprehensions, but in their depraved wills and disordered appetites and
affections; they could and might have acted better, but then they must have
offered violence to those vile affections which they obstinately chose rather
to gratify than to mortify.
Jud 1:11 Woe to them! Because they have gone in the way of Qayin,
and gave themselves to the delusion of Bilʽam for a
reward, and perished in the rebellion of Qoraḥ. – In the apostle represents
them as followers of Cain, and in verse 12, 13, as atheistically and
profane people, who thought little, and perhaps believed not much, of YAHVEH or
a future world, as greedy and covetous, who, so they could but gain present
worldly advantages, cared not what came next, rebels against YAHVEH and man,
who, like Core, ran into attempts in which they must assuredly perish, as he
did. Of such the apostle further says,
Jud 1:12 These are rocky reefs in your love feasts, feasting with
you, feeding themselves without fear, waterless clouds borne about by the
winds, late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots, - These are spots in your feasts of charity, the agapai or love-feasts, so
much spoken of by the ancients. They happened, by whatever means or mischance,
to be admitted among them, but were spots in them, defiled and defiling.
It is a great reproach, though unjust and
accidental, to religion, when those who profess it, and join in the most solemn
institution of it, are in heart and life unsuitable and even contrary to it: These
are spots. Yet how common in all Messiyanic societies here on earth, the
very best not excepted, are such blemishes! The more is the pity. YAHVEH remedy
it in his due time and way, not in men’s blind and rigorous way of plucking up
the wheat with the tares. But in the heaven we are waiting, hoping, and
preparing for, there is none of this mad work, there are none of these disorderly
doings.
When
they feast with you, they feed themselves without fear. Arrant gluttons, no
doubt, there were; such as minded only the gratifying of their appetites with
the daintiness and abundance of their fare; they had no regard to Solomon’s
caution, Prov. 23:2. In common eating and drinking a holy fear is necessary,
much more in feasting, though we may sometimes be more easily and insensibly
overcome at a common meal than at a feast; for, in the case supposed, we are
less upon our guard, and sometimes, at least to some persons, the plenty of a
feast is its own antidote, as to others it may prove a dangerous snare.
Clouds
they are without water,
which promise rain in time of drought, but perform nothing of what they
promise. Such is the case of formal professors, who at first setting out
promise much, like early-blossoming trees in a forward spring, but in
conclusion bring forth little or no fruit. Carried about of winds, light
and empty, easily driven about this way or that, as the wind happens to set;
such are empty, underground professors, and easy prey to every seducer. It is
amazing to hear many talk so confidently of so many things of which they know
little or nothing, and yet have not the wisdom and humility to discern and be
sensible how little they know. How happy would our world be if men either knew
more or practically knew how little they know.
Trees
whose fruit withereth,
etc. Trees they are, for they are planted in the YAHVEH’s vineyard, yet
fruitless ones. Those whose fruit withereth may be justly said to be without
fruit. As good never a whit as never the better. It is a sad thing when men
seem to begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh, which is almost as
common a case as it is an awful one.
The
text speaks of such as were twice dead. One would think to be once dead
were enough; we none of us, till grace renew us to a higher degree than
ordinary, love to think of dying once, though this is appointed for us all.
What then is the meaning of this being twice dead? They had been once dead in
their natural, fallen, lapsed state; but they seemed to recover, and, as a man
in a swoon, to be brought to life again, when they took upon them the
profession of the Messiyanic Faith. But now they are dead again by the evident
proofs they have given of their hypocrisy: whatever they seemed, they had
nothing truly vital in them. Plucked up by the roots, as we commonly
serve dead trees, from which we expect no more fruit. They are dead, dead,
dead; why cumber they the ground? Away with them to the fire.
Jud 1:13 wild waves of the sea foaming up their own shame,
straying stars for whom blackness of darkness is kept forever. – Raging waves of the sea, boisterous, noisy, and clamorous;
full of talk and turbulency, but with little (if any) sense or meaning: Foaming
out their own shame, creating much uneasiness to men of better sense and
calmer tempers, which yet will in the end turn to their own greater shame and
just reproach. The psalmist’s prayer ought always to be that of every honest
and good man, "Let integrity and uprightness preserve me (Ps.
25:21), and, if it will not, let me be unpreserved.’’ If honesty signify little
now, knavery will signify much less, and that in a very little while. Raging
waves are a terror to sailing passengers; but, when they have got to port, the
waves are forgotten as if no longer in being: their noise and terror are forever
ended.
Wandering
stars,
planets that are erratic in their motions, keep not that steady regular course
which the fixed ones do, but shift their stations, that one has sometimes much
ado to know where to find them. This allusion carries in it a very lively
emblem of false teachers, who are sometimes here and sometimes there, so that
one knows not where nor how to fix them. In the main things, at least, one would
think something should be fixed and steady; and this might be without
infallibility, or any pretensions to it in us poor mortals. In religion and
politics, the great subjects of present debate, surely there are certain stamina
in which wise and good, honest and disinterested, men might agree, without
throwing the populace into the utmost anguish and distress of mind, or blowing
up their passions into rage and fury, without letting them know what they say
or whereof they affirm.
The
doom of this wicked people is declared: To whom is reserved the blackness of
darkness forever. False teachers are to expect the worst of punishments in
this and a future world: not everyone who teaches by mistake anything that is
not exactly true (for who then, in any public assembly, durst open a Bible to
teach others, unless he thought himself equal or superior to the angels of
YAHVEH in heaven?) but everyone who prevaricates, dissembles, would lead others
into by-paths and side-ways, that he may have opportunity to make a gain or
prey of them, or (in the apostle’s phrase) to make merchandise of them, 2 Pt.
2:3. But enough of this. As for the blackness of darkness forever, I shall only
say that this terrible expression, with all the horror it imports, belongs to
false teachers, truly, not slanderously so called, who corrupt the Word of
YAHVEH, and betray the souls of men. If this will not make both ministers
and people cautious, I know not what will.
Jud 1:14 And Ḥanoḵ, the seventh from Adam,
also prophesied of these, saying, “See, יהוה comes
with His myriads of set-apart ones, - Of
the prophecy of Enoch, we have no
mention made in any other part or place of scripture; yet now it is scripture
that there was such prophecy. One plain text of scripture is proof enough of
any one point that we are required to believe, especially when relating to a
matter of fact; but in matters of faith, necessary saving faith, YAHVEH has not
seen fit (blessed be his holy name he has not) to try us so far.
There
is no fundamental article of the Messiyanic Faith, truly so called, which is
not inculcated over and over in the renewed Covenant, by which we may know on
what the Holy Spirit does, and consequently on what we ought, to lay the
greatest stress. Some say that this prophecy of Enoch was preserved by
tradition in the Jewish church; others that the apostle Jude was immediately
inspired with the notice of it: be this as it may, it is certain that there was
such a prophecy of ancient date, of long standing, and universally received in
the Old-Testament church; and it is a main point of our New-Testament creed.
Messiyah’s coming to judgment was prophesied
of as early as the middle of the patriarchal age, and was therefore even then a
received and acknowledged truth.—The Messiyah cometh with his holy
myriads, including both angels and the spirits of just men made perfect. What a
glorious time will that be, when Messiyah shall come with ten thousand of
these! And we are told for what great and awful ends and purposes he will
come so accompanied and attended, namely, to execute judgment upon all.
It
was spoken of then, so long ago, as a thing just at hand: "Behold,
YAHVEH cometh; he is just a coming, he will be upon you before you are
aware, and, unless you be very cautious and diligent, before you are provided
to meet him comfortably.’’ He cometh,
§ To execute judgment upon the wicked.
§
To
convince
them.
Messiyah
will condemn none without precedent, trial, and conviction, such conviction as
shall at least silence themselves. They shall have no excuse or apology to make
that they either can or dare then stand by. Then every mouth shall be
stopped, the Judge and his sentence shall be (by all the impartial)
approved and applauded, and even the guilty condemned criminals shall be
speechless, though at present they want not bold and specious pleas, which they
vent with all assurance and confidence; and yet it is certain that the
mock-trials of prisoners in the jail among themselves and the real trial at the
bar before the proper judge soon appear to be very different things.
Jud 1:15 to execute judgment on all, to punish all who are wicked
among them concerning all their wicked works which they have committed in a
wicked way, and concerning all the harsh words
which wicked sinners have spoken against Him.” – I cannot pass this verse
without taking notice how often, and how emphatically, the word ungodly
is repeated in it, no fewer than four times: ungodly men, ungodly sinners,
ungodly deeds, and, as to the manner, ungodly committed. Godly or ungodly
signifies little with men now-a-days, unless it be to scoff at and deride even
the very expressions; but it is not so in the language of the Holy Spirit.
Omissions,
as well as commissions, must be accounted for in the day of judgment. Further,
Hard speeches of one another, especially if ill-grounded, will most certainly
come into account at the judgment of the great day. Let us all take care
in time. "If thou,’’ says one of our good old puritans, "smite (a
miscalled heretic, or) a schismatic, and YAHVEH find a real saint bleeding,
look thou to it, how thou wilt answer it.’’ It may be too late to say before
the angel that it was an error, Eccl. 5:6. I only here allude to that
expression of the divinely inspired writer.
Jud 1:16 These are grumblers, complainers, who walk according to
their own lusts, and their mouth speaks proudly, admiring faces of others for the sake of gain. – Here, I. The apostle
enlarges further on the character of these evil men and seducers: they are
murmurers, complainers, etc. A murmuring complaining temper, indulged and
expressed, lays men under a very bad character; such are very weak at least,
and for the most part very wicked.
They
murmur against YAHVEH and His providence, against men and their conduct; they
are angry at everything that happens, and never pleased with their own state
and condition in the world, as not thinking it good enough for them. Such walk
after their own lusts; their will, their appetite, their fancy, are their
only rule and law. Those who please their sinful appetites are most prone to
yield to their ungovernable passions.
Jud 1:17 But you, beloved ones, remember the words spoken before
by the emissaries of our Master יהושע
Messiyah, - He
proceeds to caution and exhort those to whom he is writing. Here, He calls them
to remember how they have been forewarned: But, beloved, remember. "Remember,
take heed that you think it not strange (so as to stumble and be offended, and
have your faith staggered by it) that such people as the seducers before
described and warned against should arise (and that early) in the Messiyanic
Assembly, seeing all this was foretold by the apostles of our Yahushua
HaMashiach, and consequently the accomplishment of it in the event is a
confirmation of your faith, instead of being in the least an occasion of
shaking and unsettling you therein.’’
Those
who would persuade must make it evident that they sincerely love those whom
they would persuade. Bitter words and hard usage never did nor ever will
convince, much less persuade anybody.
The
words which inspired persons have spoken (or written), duly remembered and
reflected on, are the best preservative against dangerous errors; this will
always be so, till men have learnt to speak better than YAHVEH Himself.
We
ought not to be offended if errors and persecutions arise and prevail in the
Messiyanic Assembly; this was foretold, and therefore we should not think worse
of Christ’s person, doctrine, or cross, when we see it fulfilled. See 1 Tim.
4:1, and 2 Tim. 3:1, and 2 Pt. 3:3. We must not think it strange, but comfort
ourselves with this, that in the midst of all this confusion Messiyah will
maintain his Assembly, and make good his promise, that the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it, Mt. 16:18.
Jud 1:18 because they told you that there would be mockers in the
last time who would walk according to their own wicked lusts. – The more religion is ridiculed and persecuted the
faster hold we should take and keep of it; being forewarned, we should show
that we are fore-armed; under such trials we should stand firm, and not be
soon shaken in mind, 2 Th. 2:2.
Jud 1:19 These are the ones who cause divisions, not having the
Spirit. – He
guards them against seducers by a further description of their odious
character: These are those who separate, etc.
Sensualists
are the worst separatists. They separate themselves from YAHVEH, and Messiyah,
and His Assembly, to the devil, the world, and the flesh, by their ungodly
courses and vicious practices; and this is a great deal worse than separation
from any particular branch of the visible Assembly on account of opinions or
modes and circumstances of external government or worship, though many can
patiently bear with the former, while they are plentifully and almost
perpetually railing at the latter, as if no sin were damnable but what they are
pleased to call schism.
Sensual
men have not the Spirit, that is, of YAHVEH and Messiyah, the Spirit of
Holiness, which whoever has not, is none of Messiyah’s, does not belong
to him, Rom. 8:9.
The
worse others are the better should we endeavour and approve ourselves to be;
the more busy Satan and his instruments are to pervert others, in judgment or
practice, the more tenacious should we be of sound doctrine and a good
conversation, holding fast the faithful word, as we have been (divinely)
taught, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, Tit. 1:9;
1 Tim. 3:9.
Jud 1:20 But you, beloved ones, building yourselves up on your
most set-apart belief, praying in the Set-apart Spirit, - He exhorts them to
persevering constancy in truth and holiness.
Building
up yourselves in your most holy faith. The way to hold fast our profession
is to hold on in it. Having laid our foundation well in a sound faith, and a
sincere upright heart, we must build upon it, make further progress
continually; and we should take care with what materials we carry on our
building, namely, gold, silver, precious stones, not wood, hay,
stubble, 1 Co. 3:12.
Right
principles and a regular conversation will stand the test even of the fiery
trial; but, whatever we mix of baser alloy, though we be in the main sincere,
we shall suffer loss by it, and though our persons be saved all that part of
our work shall be consumed; and, if we ourselves escape, it will be with great
danger and difficulty, as from a house on fire on every side.
Praying
in the Holy Spirit.
Observe, prayer is the nurse of faith; the way to build up ourselves in our
most holy faith is to continue instant in prayer, Rom. 12:12.
Our
prayers are then most likely to prevail when we pray in the Holy Spirit,
that is, under his guidance and influence, according to the rule of his word,
with faith, fervency, and constant persevering importunity; this is praying in
the Holy Spirit, whether it be done by or without a set prescribed form.
Jud 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of Elohim, looking for the
compassion of our Master יהושע Messiyah unto
everlasting life. – Keep
yourselves in the love of YAHVEH. "Keep up the grace of love to YAHVEH in its
lively vigorous acting’s and exercises in your souls.’’
"Take
heed of throwing yourselves out of the love of YAHVEH to you, or its delightful,
cheering, strengthening manifestations; keep yourselves in the way of YAHVEH,
if you would continue in his love.’’ Looking for the mercy, etc.
Eternal
life is to be looked for only through mercy; mercy is our only plea, not
merit; or if merit, not our own, but another’s, who has merited for us what
otherwise we could have laid no claim to, nor have entertained any
well-grounded hope of.
It
is said, not only through the mercy of Elohim as our Creator, but through the
mercy of our Yahushua HaMashiach as Redeemer; all who come to heaven
must come thither through our Yahushua HaMashiach; for there is no other
name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, but that of
YAHVEH Jesus only, Acts 4:12, compared with v. 10.
A
believing expectation of eternal life will arm us against the snares of sin (2
Pt. 3:14); a lively faith of the blessed hope will help us to mortify our
cursed lusts.
Jud 1:22 And show compassion toward some who are doubting, - He directs them how to behave towards erring brethren: And
of some have compassion, etc.
We
ought to do all we can to rescue others out of the snares of the devil, that
they may be saved from (or recovered, when entangled therein, out of) dangerous
errors, or pernicious practices. We are not only (under YAHVEH) our own
keepers, but every man ought to be, as much as in him lies, his brother’s
keeper; none but a wicked Cain will contradict this, Gen. 4:9. We must
watch over one another, must faithfully, yet prudently, reprove each other, and
set a good example to all about us.
This
must be done with compassion, making a difference. How is that? We must
distinguish between the weak and the willful.
Of
some we
must have compassion, treat them with all tenderness, restore them in
the spirit of meekness, not be needlessly harsh and severe in our censures
of them and their actions, nor proud and haughty in our conduct towards them;
not implacable, nor averse to reconciliation with them, or admitting them to
the friendship they formerly had with us, when they give evident or even
strongly hopeful tokens of a sincere repentance: if YAHVEH has forgiven them,
why should not we? We infinitely more need his forgiveness than they do, or can
do, ours, though perhaps neither they nor we are justly or sufficiently sensible
of this.
Jud 1:23 but others save with fear, snatching them out of the
fire, hating, even the garment defiled by the flesh.1 Footnote: 1See
Gal. 5:19-21, Rom. 8:5-10. – Others save with fear, urging upon them the
terrors of YAHVEH; "Endeavour to frighten them out of their sins;
preach hell and damnation to them.’’ But what if prudence and caution in
administering even the most just and severe reproofs be what are primarily and
chiefly here intimated, (I do but offer it for consideration); as if he had
said, "Fear lest you frustrate your own good intentions and honest designs
by rash and imprudent management, that you do not harden, instead of
reclaiming, even where greater degrees of severity are requisite than in the
immediately foregoing instance.’’
We
are often apt to over-do, when we are sure we mean honestly, and think we are
right in the main; yet the very worst are not needlessly, nor rashly, nor to
extremity, to be provoked, lest they be thereby further hardened through our
default. "Hating even the
garment spotted with the flesh, that is, keeping yourselves at the utmost
distance from what is or appears evil, and designing and endeavoring that
others may do so too. Avoid all that leads to sin or that looks like sin,’’ 1
Th. 5:22.
Jud 1:24 And to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to
present you blameless before the presence of His esteem with exceeding joy, - The apostle concludes this
epistle with a solemn ascription of glory to the great Elohim.
Whatever
is the subject or argument we have been treating of, ascribing glory to God is
fittest for us to conclude with.
EL
YAHVEH is able, and HE is as willing as able, to keep us from falling, and
to present us faultless before the presence of HIS glory; not as those who
never have been faulty (for what has once been done can never be rendered
undone, even by Omnipotence itself, for that implies a contradiction), but as
those whose faults shall not be imputed, to their ruin, which, but for YAH’s
mercy and a Savior’s merits, they might most justly have been. Before the
presence of HIS glory.
The
glory of YAHVEH will shortly be present. We now look upon it as distant
activity, and too many look upon it as uncertain, but it will come, and it will
be manifest and apparent. Every eye shall see him, Rev. 1:7. This is now
the object of our faith, but hereafter (and surely it cannot now be
long) it will be the object of our sense; whom we now believe in, him we shall
shortly see, to our unspeakable joy and comfort or inexpressible terror and
consternation. See 1 Pt. 1:8.
All
real sincere believers shall be presented, and YAHVEH Redeemer’s appearance and
coming, by him their glorious head, to the Father, in order to his approbation,
acceptance, and reward. They were given to him of the Father, and of all
that were so given to him he has lost none, nor will lose any one, not an
individual, a single soul, but will present them all perfectly holy and happy,
when he shall surrender his mediatorial kingdom to his EL and our EL, his
Father and our Father, Jn. 6:39, with ch. 17:12, 1 Co. 15:24.
Jud 1:25 to the only wise Elohim, our Savior, be esteem and
greatness and might and authority, both now and forever. Amĕn. - When believers shall be presented
faultless it will be with exceeding joy. Alas! now our faults fill us with
fears, doubts, and sorrows. But be of good cheer; if we be sincere, we
shall be, our dear Redeemer has undertaken for it, we shall be presented
faultless; where there is no sin there will be no sorrow; where there is
the perfection of holiness, there will be the perfection of joy.
Surely,
the EL who can and will do this is worthy to have glory, majesty, dominion,
and power, ascribed to him, both now and forever! And to this we may
well, with the apostle, affix our hearty Amen.
