Parashat 43 Portion 123 – Massei - B’Midbar 33:1-56 Yesh 11:16-12:6 Eph 6:10-18

Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has made us set apart through His commandments and commanded us to actively study Torah. Please YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, YHVH, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, YHVH, Giver of the Torah.

Introduction to Parashat 43:

“Massei” means an “exodus, journey a march a point of reference, station, a pulling up of stakes, breaking camp, a journey repeated again and again.

“Massei” is the plural possessive of “massah” and implies “the journeys in the lives of believers.”

“Massei” could also prophetically describes different facets of a journey that an end time remnant will undertake during the last days. At some time in the future the Ruach Ha Kodesh will lead a chosen group of people through a wilderness journey in preparation for their unification with the Messiah –

1Co 10:11  And all these came upon them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come,

1Co 10:12  so that he who thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall.

We assume from the book of Revelation that the final seven years of this age will consist of two 42-week periods.

Dan 9:27  “And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week (7 years). And in the middle of the week (42 weeks) he shall put an end to slaughtering and meal offering. And on the wing of abominations he shall lay waste, even until the complete end and that which is decreed is poured out on the one who lays waste¹.” Footnote: ¹Mt. 24:15.

We assume something dramatic will take place between these two 42 month periods.

Rev 11:2  … and they shall trample the set-apart city under foot for forty-two months.

 

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the beast. And they worshipped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to fight with him?”

Rev 13:5  And he was given a mouth speaking great matters and blasphemies, and he was given authority to do so forty-two months.

Rev 13:7  And it was given to him to fight with the set-apart ones and to overcome them. And authority was given to him over every tribe and tongue and nation.

Rev 13:8  And all those dwelling on the earth, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the slain Lamb, from the foundation of the world shall worship him.

Rev 13:9  If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

 

Rev 12:6  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by Elohim, to be nourished there one thousand two hundred and sixty days (42 months)

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was thrown out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who leads all the world astray. He was thrown to the earth, and his messengers were thrown out with him.

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in the heaven, “Now have come the deliverance and the power and the reign of our Elohim,¹ and the authority of His Messiah, for the accuser of our brothers, who accused them before our Elohim day and night, has been thrown down. Footnote: ¹See 11:15.

Rev 12:11  “And they overcame him because of the Blood of the Lamb, and because of the Word of their witness, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Rev 12:12  “Because of this rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has little time.”

Rev 12:14  And the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, to fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. (42 months)

Rev 12:16  And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.

Rev 12:17  And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to fight with the remnant of her seed, those guarding the commands of Elohim and possessing the witness of יהושע Messiah. (Messianic believers)

 

It is my opinion that during these two 42 month periods we will be given an opportunity to go through two Triennial(Septennial) cycles of the Torah’s Parashiot. It will only be in the light of the weekly study of the Torah that we will be able to understand the hidden matters of the last days.

 

“The object of the whole Torah is that man should become a Torah himself.” – Baal Shem Tov.

Listen to what the sages say about the triennial cycle”

“The Triennial Torah cycle is a miraculous way of reading the Torah, in three years, that provides a prophetic insight into the events that will happen during the week that it is read!

The Septennial (Shmita) Torah cycle is two, three and a half year periods. This seven year Torah reading schedule matches the Sabbatical cycle described in the Torah. Dev 15:1

The Hebrew word Shmita - שמיטה, literally release, is normally translated as Sabbatical.”

We assume that Yahshua’s ministry lasted only three and half years – 42 months/

Massei:

Num 33:1  These are the departures(massei) of the children of Yisra’ĕl, who went out of the land of Mitsrayim by their divisions under the hand of Mosheh and Aharon.

Num 33:2  And Mosheh wrote down the starting points of their departures(massei) at the command of יהוה,(lit. by the mouth of YHVH) and these are their departures(exits) according to their starting points:

 

Num 33:3  So they departed from Raʽmeses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month, on the morrow of the Passover the children of Yisra’ĕl went out with boldness before the eyes of all the Mitsrites,

Num 33:4  and the Mitsrites were burying all their first-born, whom יהוה had smitten among them. Also on their mighty ones יהוה had executed judgments.

They left Egypt from Ramases – “child of the sun”

Before we can even embark on this journey we have got to make a break with all forms of sun worship – “Sunday worship” Everything that has the remotest link to Egypt must be severed. See Christianity and Mithras Worship describing Christianity’s pagan Egyptian origins.

 

Mat 3:10  “And the axe is already laid to the root of the trees. Every tree, then, which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Yahshua did not come to start a new religion called Christianity. The real Messiah severs all pagan roots of the faith. Now we are grafted into the pure Hebrew tree – Rom 11.

 

Disclaimer: The content and order of the camps as I have given them are simply midrashic.

 

Num 33:5  Then the children of Yisra’ĕl departed from Raʽmeses and camped at Sukkoth.

1.Sukkot or temporary shelters – camp # 1 – We embark on these journeys because of our desire for him to tabernacle with us and we with him. We want to share the same space. It’s all about intimacy – about a Bride and a Bridegroom.

Heb 11:13  In belief all these died, not having received the promises,[a] but seeing them from a distance, welcomed and embraced them, and confessed that they were aliens and strangers(NKJV strangers and pilgrims) on the earth. Footnote: aSee Heb_11:39. 

Psalm 84:5 New King James Version ⁵ Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,

Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

Psa 84:6 Passing through the valley of weeping, They make it a fountain; The Teacher also covers it with blessings. (The tears of their trails along this journey form pools of living water giving life and instruction to weary pilgrims whose destiny is to travel along the same path)

Psa 84:7  They go from strength to strength, Appearing before Elohim in Tsiyon.  

Num 33:6  And they departed from Sukkoth and camped at Ětham, which is on the edge of the wilderness.

2. Etham - camp #2 - plowshare" or a place of “Contemplation.” The Hebrew way is to stop at least once a week on the shabbat and reflect and contemplate on his or her pilgrimage on earth.

Luk 9:62  And Yeshua said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of Elohim.

Num 33:7  And they departed from Ětham and turned back to Pi Haḥiroth, which is east of Baʽal Tsephon. And they camped near Miḡdol.

3. Pi Hahiroth camp #3 (S6367) consists of two Hebrew words – “pi’ which is opening or mouth and “chor” which means a hole – in this case the plural is used. Therefore, we assume it’s a place of holes.

Perhaps our greatest challenge on this journey is going to be our words. Wrong words can put you and others in holes. It was almost an entire generation of Yisraelites that were buried before they could reach the Promised Land.

Mic 7:5  Trust no friend, rely on no companion, guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom. 

Mic 7:6  For son is despising father, daughter rises up against her mother, daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, the enemies of a man are the men of his own house. 

Mic 7:7  As for me, I look to יהוה, I wait for the Elohim of my deliverance, my Elohim does hear me. 

Mic 7:8  Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. When I have fallen I have risen, when I sit in darkness יהוה is a light to me. 

Rom 3:13  “Their throat is an open tomb, with their tongues they have deceived,” Psa_5:9 “The poison of adders is under their lips,” Psa_140:3. 

Num 33:8  And they departed from before Haḥiroth and passed over through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, went three days’ journey in the Wilderness of Ětham, and camped at Marah.

4. Marah camp #4 - Drinking the waters of bitterness (Marah) without grumbling, you will not understand many things now but later you will see that even these bitter waters were for the cleansing of the soul.

5. Elim camp #5 – Elim was a place where there were 12 fountains and 70 palm trees – the fountains speak of the 12 tribes and 70 palm trees speak to us of the seventy elders of the Sanhedrin (or 70 nations).

6.The Yam Suf  - Red Sea - Camp # 6 – Maybe this speaks of Mikveh – immersion into the faith into Yahshua.

Eph 4:4  one body and one Spirit, as you also were called in one expectation of your calling, 

Eph 4:5  one Master, one belief, one immersion, 

Eph 4:6  one Elohim and Father of all, who is above all,[a] and through all, and in you all. Footnote: aSee Mar_12:32, Mar_12:34, 1Co_8:6, 1Ti_2:5, Mar_12:29-34. 

7.(Sin camp #7). (S5512 and 5514)Hebrew -  sîyn or Sin = “thorn” or “clay”  This could be a reference to the giving of the Torah on mount Sinai. This was the same place Moshe saw the burning bush which is believed to have been a thorn bush.

8. Dophkah camp #8). – “knocking or beating” – Messiah was “beaten” as we also will be when we receive the Torah which YHVH gave on Mount Sinai

9. (Alush camp #9). - Alush = “I will knead (bread)” (We will be sustained) However like Messiah we too must become the bread of life. Yosef’s Egyptian name – Zaphenath Paneah – could mean “bread man” Before bread is made it needs to be gently pounded.

10. Rephidim camp #10 – Wiki – “At Rephidim, they can find no water to drink, and angrily demand that Moses give them water. Moses, fearing they will stone him, calls on Yahweh for help and is told to strike a certain "rock in Horeb," which causes a stream to flow from it, providing ample water for the people. He names the place Massah (meaning 'testing') and Meribah (meaning 'quarreling').(Exodus 17:1-7).

Afterwards, the Amalekites attack the Israelites encamped at Rephidim, but are defeated.”11. They left Rephidim and camped in the “Wilderness of Sinai camp #11.  Wilderness - Hebrew “Midbar” as in the title of this book of Numbers – this is the place to speak the words of YHVH.

12. Graves of Craving (Kibroth Hattaavah camp #12) – where your desire for the pleasures of the past will cause your death.

13. The Courtyard (Chazeroth camp #13) This is a very, very dangerous place. This is possibly where Korach went into rebellion also where Miriyam and Aharon grumbled against Moshe because he married a Cushite woman. You speak judgment against YHVH’s anointed in your self-appointed ‘’courtyard’’.

14. Smoldering place (Rithmah camp #14). The spies were sent out from here.

Bamidbar (Numbers) 13:1-3 – Tisah b Av  - the saddest day in Yisrael’s history.

Everything seems to go up in smoke – smoulders. One bad decision can bring you great harm and cause your journey to your destiny to be prolonged or even ended.

15. Spreading, or heavy fruited, Pomegranate Tree (Rimmon Perez camp #15). S7428 “pomegranate of the breakthrough” Almost 613 seeds in pomegranate fruit. Fruitfulness in Torah brings bring break-throughs.

16. White Brick place. (Livnah camp #16). - Livnah comes from the root meaning “white,” which is often associated with purity

Mat 5:8 “Blessed are the clean in heart,¹ because they shall see Elohim. Footnote: ¹Ps. 24:3-4.

17. The Well Stopped Up With Stones - ruin - (Rissah camp #17). – There will be times when we will have to dig and remove rubble before we get to the truth. We will have to be patient and willing to work hard when necessary.

18. The Assembly (Kehelathah or Mak'helath camp #18). Now Israel is becoming a close knit community - a kehelah – there is unity. They are close to the place where they are about to receive the Torah. Unity brings great blessings from Yahveh.

Psa 133:1 See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity –

For there יהוה commanded the blessing, Life forever!

19.  Beautiful mountain vs 24 (Shepher camp #19). – Son 8:5  Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved?

Hos 2:14  “Therefore, see, I am alluring her, and shall lead her into the wilderness, and shall speak to her heart,

 

Isa 52:7  How pleasant (Heb -beautiful) upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good news, who proclaims deliverance, who says to Tsiyon, “Your Elohim reigns!” 

20. Terror – Strongs 2732 (Haradah camp #20). The Korach-incident.

'Trembling' -This is where they trembled because of the plague (Bamidbar 17:12 Targum Yonathan)

21.    Assemblies (Makheloth camp #21).Kehelah or assembly. Being part of an assembly is going to be extremely important for us to complete our journey. Lone rangers will be in danger of being separated.

22.  To be under (Tahath camp #22). 1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves, then, under(Heb ‘’tachat’’) the mighty hand of Elohim, so that He exalts you in due time,

23.    Delay (Terah camp #23)– Terah was Abram’s father who he was instructed to leave behind in Mesopotamia.

Gen 12:1  And יהוה said to Aḇram, “Go yourself out of your land, from your relatives and from your father’s house, to a land which I show you. 

Gen 12:2  “And I shall make you a great nation, and bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing! 

Gen 12:3  “And I shall bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you. And in you all the clans of the earth shall be blessed.” 

24.    The place of Sweet delight (Mithcah camp #24). Vs 29

 “Motke-מֹתֶק” means sweeti or darling in Hebrew. Modern Hebrew use ‘’motek’’

 

25.    Fruitfulness place (Chashmonah camp #25). The Chasmonian family came from here.

Group of Jews (Maccabees) who rose up against the Greek ruler Seleucid who tried to force evil paganism upon the Jews (Chanukah) the Jews successfully revolted against him and began a dynasty of Jewish rule where Torah observance was encouraged.

The victory of Hebrew thinking over Greek thinking, pagan worship and mixture.

26. Correction place (Moseroth camp #26). According to tradition, the Yisraelites returned as far as Moserah after Aharon's death. This was an act of rebellion, and a large number of Yisraelites were killed (Yerushalmi, Yoma 2:2, 2a).

There is a real danger that during this journey, some people may feel they have suffered enough trial and simply decide to go their own way.

Heb 12:5 And you have forgotten the appeal which speaks to you as to sons, “My son, do not despise the discipline of יהוה, nor faint when you are reproved by Him,

Heb 12:6 for whom יהוה loves, He disciplines, and flogs every son whom He receives.”¹ Footnote: ¹Prov. 3:11-12.

Heb 12:7 If you endure discipline, Elohim is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom a father does not discipline?

27.Wells of the Narrow Path (Bene Jaakan camp #27). Hebrew means “sons of twisting” these refer possibly to the descendants of Esav – who twist the truth and persecute those who seek the truth. 

Mat 7:13 “Enter in through the narrow gate! Because the gate is wide – and the way is broad – that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in through it.Mat 7:14 “Because the gate is narrow and the way is hard pressed¹ which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Footnote: ¹Or the way is afflicted.

28. Hole of the Cleft (Char Haggidgad camp #28). Also called the “cavern of pleasantness”. Yahveh will hide us in the cleft of the Rock when the storms seem most severe.

29. Place of Pleasantness (Yotvathah camp #29). A place described as having flowing brooks. A good, calm place. “Targum Yonathan”

30. They left the pleasant place (Yotvathah) and camped at the Transitional place (Avronah camp #30).

From the same root as our namesake, Ivrim—Hebrews/ Border-Crossers.

Heb 11:10 for he was looking for the city having foundations, whose builder and maker is Elohim.

31. Man's backbone (Ezion Geber camp #31). A place where men are required to be strong and to take responsibility.

32.The set apart camp (Kadesh camp #32) They arrived on Nisan 1 (Aviv 1).

Remind us we are a set apart people. Pilgrims on a journey to the Promised Land.

This is the Rosh Chodesh (New moon/month) of the First Month. The First month is called the Month of the Aviv. Since Babylonian captivity it is also called Nissan. In the First Month of the New Spiritual Year the first Moed, Pesach starts. A Moed or plural Moadim means Appointments. ( Some places the word Chag or Chaggim which mean Feats/s is used.) We will be reminded and guided by these Appointments as we wander through the wilderness.

33. Mountain of mountains vs 38 (Hor camp #33) - Repetition of the same word – ‘’hor harar’’ Mountain of the mountain.  This camp was just before entering the land. Possibly a time to reflect on the enormous challenges YHVH has guided us through during this wilderness period.

34. A place of Shadiness (Tzalmonah camp #34).

This is where the people began complaining again. “Targum Yonathan” – Desire to seek shelter (shade) from the extreme desert heat caused some people to complain.

There will be times of strong desire for seeking relief from the harsh conditions.

35. Perplexity (Punon camp #35). Vs 43  Or darkness - We are not always going to understand. In fact we will often be perplexed on our journey in the wilderness.

36. Necromancer (Oboth camp #36). Originated from drum beats on a wineskin used to call up ancestral spirits by non believers – pagans.

 MAYBE THERE IS NOTHING ON THIS EARTH THAT CAN PREPARE US FOR THE COMING GREAT TRIBULATION.

Only the guidance of 144000 witnesses of Rev 7&14 – will guide us by showing us of the ancient paths and wisdom of the patriachs – Avraham Yitzchaq and Yakov.

37. - Desolate Passes (Iye Abarim camp #37)  -“ the ruins of those who tried to cross over and never made it”

38. Sorrowing over wastefulness (Divon Gad camp #38). Many will regret wasted opportunities in the past and not repeat them again.

39. (Almon Diblathaim camp #39). “Concealing two cakes’ of possibly dry figs – points to hidden resources.

40. The regions beyond (Abarim camp #40), near the place called Nebo. (Heb word avar)

Also connected to the word ‘’ivri’’ a Hebrew - one who who looks to regions beyond and crosses over.

41. (Moab camp #41) Our success has come from our Father – Moav = from father. We are not illegitimate children; we are true sons and daughters of Elohim.

42. (Beth Yeshimoth - camp #forty-two) “house of desolation” place in Moav given to Reuven.

 Dan 11:12 Matt 24:15 – Abomination of desolation in the last days.

This is where Balaam tried to curse Yisrael and also where Phineas killed the two fornicators.

Mat 24:15  “So when you see the ’abomination that lays waste,’[b] Dan_11:31 spoken of by Dani’ěl the prophet, set up in the set-apart place” – he who reads, let him understand – Footnote: bSee also Dan_9:27 and Abomination that lays waste in Explanatory Notes. 

Mat 24:15  לכן כאשר תראו את־שקוץ משמם אשר אמר דניאל הנביא עומד

במקום קדוש הקרא יבין׃ 

 

Num 33:50  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh in the desert plains of Mo’aḇ by the Yardĕn of Yeriḥo, saying,

Num 33:51  “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to them, ‘When you have passed over the Yardĕn into the land of Kenaʽan,

Num 33:52  then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and shall destroy all their engraved stones, and shall destroy all their moulded images, and lay waste all their high places,

Num 33:53  and you shall possess the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land to possess.

Num 33:54  ‘And you shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance among your clans. To the larger you give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you give a smaller inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to anyone, that is his. You inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.

Num 33:55  ‘And if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. (Modern day Palestianian problem)

Num 33:56  ‘And it shall be that I do to you as I thought to do to them.’ ”

 

No person who has not been refined by the wilderness experience of the remnant will be in the land – see haftarah Yesh 11:16

Isa 11:16  And there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people, those left from Ashshur, as it was for Yisra’ěl in the day when he came up from the land of Mitsrayim. 

 

Only in Messiah with the assistance of the 14400 end time witnesses can one complete this journey – See Yesh 11:16 Eph 6:10-18  Yesh 59:15-17  Luke 9:23-26

 

The secret of this journey is to move when the cloud moves and to camp when the cloud does not move.

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you Yahweh, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn