4/27/2024

Parashat 34 Portion 111 Bmidbar 3:1-4:16 Yesh 43:8-13 Eph 4:11-16


Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, You have set us apart by Your commandments and have commanded us to actively study Your Torah. Please YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May You open our eyes to see marvellous truths from Your Torah. Thank You for calling us who were once gentiles excluded from the citizenship of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no expectation and without Elohim- but now through the blood of Messiah we have gained access into the covenants and have obtained citizenship into the commonwealth of Israel.
  Blessed are You, YHVH, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Blessed are You, YHVH, Giver of the Torah.

So why Levites?

YHVH chooses His instruments of deliverance.

Eph 3:9  and to make all see how this secret is administered, which for ages past has been hidden in Elohim who created all through יהושע Messiah,[b] Footnote: bSee Joh_1:3

Eph 3:10  so that now, through the assembly,(not the church, but a restored Israel guided by a Levitical priesthood) the many-sided wisdom of Elohim might be known to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies, (YHVH does not change Mal 3:6)


Eph 1:9  having made known to us the secret of His desire, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him, 

Eph 1:10  to administer at the completion of time, to gather together in one all in Messiah, both which are in the heavens and which are on earth, in Him, 

Eph 1:11  in whom also we did obtain an inheritance, being previously ordained according to the purpose of Him working all matters according to the counsel of His desire, 

 

Eph 2:11  Therefore remember that you, once nations[c] in the flesh, who are called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called ‘the circumcision’ made in the flesh by hands, Footnote: cSee 1Co_12:2

Eph 2:12  that at that time you were without Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Yisra’ěl and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no expectation and without Elohim in the world. 

Eph 2:13  But now in Messiah יהושע you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. 

 

Some Torah teachers believe the events of this parashah take place during the second half of the tribulation as preparation for the return of Messiah.

 

Jer 33:14  See, the days are coming,’ declares יהוה, ‘when I shall establish the good word which I have promised to the house of Yisra’ěl and to the house of Yehuḏah: Jer 33:20  “Thus said יהוה, ‘If you could break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there be not day and night in their season, 

Jer 33:21  then My covenant could also be broken with Dawiḏ My servant – so that he shall not have a son to reign upon his throne – and with the Lěwites, the priests, My attendants. 

Jer 33:22  As the host of the heavens is not counted, nor the sand of the sea measured, so I increase the descendants of Dawiḏ My servant and the Lěwites who attend upon Me.’ ” 

 

So then, what about the ‘’Renewed covenant’’? It has been described by some to ‘’restore the old covenant or restore the ancient paths – Jer 6:16-19 – The Torah of YHVH –

Then why the Apostolic Scriptures?

Their purpose too, was to show us a way back to the ancient paths – Mat 5:17-19.

ואלה תולדת אהרן

Num 3:1  And these are the generations of Aharon and Mosheh when יהוה spoke with Mosheh on Mount Sinai. 

Num 3:2  And these are the names of the sons of Aharon: Naḏaḇ, the first-born, and Aḇihu, El‛azar, and Ithamar. 

Num 3:3  These are the names of the sons of Aharon, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to act as priests. 

Num 3:4  And Naḏaḇ and Aḇihu had died before יהוה when they brought strange fire before יהוה in the Wilderness of Sinai. And they had no children. So El‛azar and Ithamar acted as priests in the presence of Aharon their father. 

Duties of the Levites

Num 3:5  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, 

Num 3:6  “Bring the tribe of Lěwi near, and set them before Aharon the priest, and they shall serve him, 

Num 3:7  and shall guard his duty and the duty of all the congregation before the Tent of Appointment, to do the service of the Dwelling Place. 

Num 3:8  “And they shall guard all the furnishings of the Tent of Appointment, and the duty of the children of Yisra’ěl, to do the service of the Dwelling Place. 

Num 3:9  “And you shall give the Lěwites to Aharon and his sons. They are the given ones, נתונם נתונם given to him from among the children of Yisra’ěl. (Mat 5:17-19)

Num 3:10  “And appoint Aharon and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. And the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.” 

Num 3:11  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, 

Num 3:12  “Now look, I Myself have taken the Lěwites from among the children of Yisra’ěl instead of every first-born who opens the womb among the children of Yisra’ěl. And the Lěwites shall be Mine, 

Num 3:13  because all the first-born are Mine. On the day that I struck all the first-born in the land of Mitsrayim, I set apart to Myself all the first-born in Yisra’ěl, both man and beast. They are Mine, I am יהוה.” 

Num 3:14  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying,

Num 3:15  “Register the children of Lĕwi(joined to) by their fathers’ houses, by their clans. Register every male from a month old and above.”

Num 3:16  So Mosheh registered them according to the word of יהוה, as he had been commanded.

Num 3:17  And these were the sons of Lĕwi by their names: Gĕreshon, and Qehath,(beginning of wisdom and instruction) and Merari.

Num 3:18  And these are the names of the sons of Gĕreshon by their clans: Liḇni and Shimʽi.

Num 3:19  And the sons of Qehath by their clans: Amram and Yitshar, Ḥeḇron and Uzzi’ĕl.

Num 3:20  And the sons of Merari by their clans: Maḥli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Lĕwites by their fathers’ houses.

Num 3:21  From Gĕreshon came the clan of the Liḇnites and the clan of the Shimʽites. These were the clans of the Gĕreshonites.

Num 3:22  Their registered ones, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, their registered ones were seven thousand five hundred.

Num 3:23  The clans of the Gĕreshonites were to camp westward, behind the Dwelling Place,

Num 3:24  and the leader of the fathers’ house of the Gĕreshonites: Elyasaph, son of La’ĕl.

Num 3:25  And the duty of the children of Gĕreshon in the Tent of Meeting was the Dwelling Place, and the tent with its covering, and the covering of the door of the Tent of Meeting,

Num 3:26  and the screens of the courtyard and the covering of the door of the courtyard, which is around the Dwelling Place and the altar, and their cords, according to all its service.

Num 3:27  And from Qehath came the clan of the Amramites, and the clan of the Yitsharites, and the clan of the Ḥeḇronites, and the clan of the Uzzi’ĕlites. These were the clans of the Qehathites.

Num 3:28  In number, all the males, from a month old and above, were eight thousand six hundred, guarding the duty of the set-apart place.

Num 3:29  The clans of the children of Qehath(meaning to ally oneself - implying obedience also the beginning of wisdom and obedience) were to camp on the south side of the Dwelling Place.

Num 3:30  And the leader of the fathers’ house of the clans of the Qehathites was Elitsaphan, son of Uzzi’ĕl.

Num 3:31  And their duty was the ark, and the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the utensils of the set-apart place used in the service, and the covering, and all its service.

Num 3:32  And Elʽazar, son of Aharon the priest, was to be chief over the leaders of the Lĕwites, with oversight of those who guard the duty of the set-apart place.

 

Num 3:33  From Merari came the clan of the Maḥlites and the clan of the Mushites. These were the clans of Merari.

Num 3:34  And the number of their registered ones, all the males from a month old and above, were six thousand two hundred.

Num 3:35  And the leader of the fathers’ house of the clans of Merari was Tsuri’ĕl, son of Aḇiḥayil. These were to camp on the north side of the Dwelling Place.

Num 3:36  And the appointed duty of the children of Merari was the boards of the Dwelling Place, and its bars, and its columns, and its sockets, and its utensils, and all its service,

Num 3:37  and the columns of the courtyard all around, with their sockets, and their pegs, and their cords.

Num 3:38  And those who were to camp before the Dwelling Place on the east, before the Tent of Meeting, were Mosheh and Aharon, and his sons, guarding the duty of the set-apart place, and the duty of the children of Yisra’ĕl. But the stranger who came near was to be put to death.

Num 3:39  All the registered ones of the Lĕwites, whom Mosheh and Aharon registered at the command of יהוה, by their clans, all the males from a month old and above, were twenty-two thousand.

Num 3:40  And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Register all the first-born males of the children of Yisra’ĕl from a month old and above, and take the number of their names.

Num 3:41  “And you shall take the Lĕwites for Me – I am יהוה – instead of all the first-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the livestock of the Lĕwites instead of all the first-born among the livestock of the children of Yisra’ĕl.”

Num 3:42  And Mosheh registered all the first-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl as יהוה had commanded him.

Num 3:43  And all the first-born males, by the number of names, from one month old and above of their registered ones, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

Num 3:44  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Num 3:45  “Take the Lĕwites instead of all the first-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the livestock of the Lĕwites instead of their livestock. And the Lĕwites shall be Mine, I am יהוה.

Num 3:46  “And for the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the first-born of the children of Yisra’ĕl, who are more than the number of the Lĕwites,

Num 3:47  you shall take five sheqels for each one, head by head – take it by the sheqel of the set-apart place, the sheqel of twenty gĕrahs.

Num 3:48  “And you shall give the silver, the ransom of those who are in excess among them, to Aharon and his sons.”

Num 3:49  And Mosheh took the ransom silver from those who were over and above those who were ransomed by the Lĕwites.

Num 3:50  From the first-born of the children of Yisra’ĕl he took the silver, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five pieces, according to the sheqel of the set-apart place. (273x5shekels)

Num 3:51  And Mosheh gave their ransom silver to Aharon, and to his sons, according to the word of יהוה, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh.

Num 4:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, and to Aharon, saying,

Num 4:2  “Take a census of the sons of Qehath from among the children of Lĕwi, by their clans, by their fathers’ house,

Num 4:3  from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

Num 4:4  “This is the service of the sons of Qehath in the Tent of Meeting, the most set-apart matters:

Num 4:5  “At the breaking of camp, Aharon and his sons shall come, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of the Witness with it,

Num 4:6  and shall put on it a covering of fine leather, and spread over that an all-blue wrapper,(techlet) and shall insert its poles.

Num 4:7  “And on the table of showbread they shall spread a blue wrapper, and shall put on it the dishes, and the ladles, and the bowls, and the jars for pouring, and the showbread on it.

Num 4:8  “And they shall spread over them a scarlet (tola-at—Yesh 1:18)wrapper, and cover the same with a covering of fine leather, and shall insert its poles,

Num 4:9  and shall take a blue wrapper and cover the lampstand of the light, with its lamps, and its snuffers, and its trays, and all its oil vessels, by which they serve it.

Num 4:10  “And they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of fine leather, and put it on a bar.

Num 4:11  “And over the golden altar they shall spread a blue wrapper, and cover it with a covering of fine leather, and shall insert its poles,

Num 4:12  and shall take all the utensils of service with which they serve in the set-apart place, and shall put them in a blue wrapper, cover them with a covering of fine leather, and put them on a bar,

Num 4:13  and shall remove the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple wrapper over it,

Num 4:14  and shall put on it all its utensils by which they serve there: the fire holders, the forks, and the shovels, and the basins, and all the utensils of the altar, and shall spread on it a covering of fine leather, and insert its poles.

Num 4:15  “And when Aharon and his sons have finished covering the set-apart objects and all the furnishings of the Set-apart Place at the breaking of camp, then the sons of Qehath shall come to lift them, but let them not touch that which is set-apart, lest they die. These matters are the burden of the sons of Qehath in the Tent of Meeting.

Num 4:16  “And the oversight of Elʽazar, son of Aharon the priest, is the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the Dwelling Place and all that is in it, with the set-apart place and its furnishings.”

Num 4:17  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, and to Aharon, saying,

Num 4:18  “Do not cut off the tribe of the clans of the Qehathites from among the Lĕwites,

Num 4:19  but do this to them, and they shall live and not die when they approach the most set-apart objects: Aharon and his sons shall go in and appoint each of them to his service and his burden.

Num 4:20  “They are not, however, to go in to watch while the set-apart objects are being covered, lest they die.”

 

Midrash:

 

This Torah portion reminds us that YHVH selects and calls a special group of people to minister to Him. Even among these Levites some are called to minister to Him personally and some are not – Koathites. Even among the Koathites only one – the high priest - is allowed into His presence once a year on the day of Yom Ha  Kippurim.

Today the Koathites seem to have been “cut off” and have been replaced by rabbi’s and pastors and all kinds of various priests and self-appointed men and women who claim to be personally called by YHVH.

Yet YHVH still appoints those who must represent Him and proclaim His entire counsel– Eph 4:11-16. Who confirm all the teachings of the Torah.

Jer 33:18  ‘And for the priests, the Lĕwites, there is not to cease a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to slaughter continually.’ ”

For the past few millennia a huge spiritual vacuum has been created because YHVH’s people have abandoned His Torah and its instructions.  This vacuum has been filled by religious men and women teaching all kinds of idolatrous abominations.

Gal 1:8  However, even if we, or a messenger out of heaven, bring a ‘Good News’ to you beside what we announced to you, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:9  As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone brings a ‘Good News’ to you beside what you have received, let him be accursed.

 

Isa 43:9  All the nations shall be assembled, and the peoples be gathered. Who among them declares this, and show us former events? Let them give their witnesses, to be declared right; or let them hear and say, “It is truth.” 

Isa 43:10  “You are My witnesses,” declares יהוה, “And My servant whom I have chosen, so that you know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no Ěl formed, nor after Me there is none. 

Isa 43:11  “I, I am יהוה, and besides Me there is no saviour. 

 

Rom 8:4  so that the righteousness of the Torah should be completed in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

Rom 8:5  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the matters of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the matters of the Spirit. 

Rom 8:6  For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. 

Rom 8:7  Because the mind of the flesh is enmity towards Elohim, for it does not subject itself to the Torah of Elohim, neither indeed is it able, 

Rom 8:8  and those who are in the flesh are unable to please Elohim. 

Rom 8:9  But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, this one is not His. 

Gal 5:19  And the works of the flesh are well-known, which are these: adultery[a], whoring, uncleanness, indecency, Footnote: aSome manuscripts omit adultery

Gal 5:20  idolatry, drug sorcery, hatred, quarrels, jealousies, fits of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 

This world including all its inhabitants have been thoroughly soaked and drenched with the spirit of idolatry. What is the cure? –  There is no cure – only death – Gal 2:20

Jer 30:11  For I am with you,’ declares יהוה, ‘to save you. Though I make a complete end of all nations[a] where I have scattered you, yet I do not make a complete end of you. But I shall reprove you in judgment, and by no means leave you unpunished.’ Footnote: aSee Jer_46:28, Isa_34:2, Isa_45:17, Dan_2:44, Amo_9:8, Hag_2:22

Jer 30:12  “For thus said יהוה, ‘Your breach is incurable, your wound is grievous. 

Jer 30:13  No one pleads your cause, to bind up. There are no healing medicines for you. 

Jer 30:14  All those loving you have forgotten you, they do not seek you. For I struck you as an enemy strikes, with cruel chastisement, because your crookedness (idolatry) is great, your sins have increased. 

Jer 30:15  Why do you cry about your breach? Your pain is incurable. Because of your many crookednesses, because your sins have increased, I have done this to you. 

Jer 30:16  However, all those who devour you shall be devoured. And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity. And those who exploit you shall be exploited, and all who prey upon you I shall make a prey. 

Jer 30:17  For I restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,’ declares יהוה, ‘for they have called you an outcast saying, “This is Tsiyon, no one is seeking her.” ’ 

Jer 30:18  “Thus said יהוה, ‘See, I turn back the captivity of Ya‛aqo’s tents, and have compassion on his dwelling places. And the city shall be built upon its own mound, and the palace stand on its right place. 

Jer 30:19  And out of them shall arise thanksgiving and the voice of those who are laughing. And I shall increase them, and they shall not diminish. And I shall esteem them, and they shall not be small. 

Jer 30:20  And his children shall be as before, and his congregation shall be established before Me. And I shall punish all who oppress them. Jer 30:21  And his Prince shall be from him, and his Ruler shall come from among him. And I shall bring him near, and he shall approach Me, for who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ declares יהוה. Jer 30:22  And you shall be My people, and I shall be your Elohim.’ ”

Jer 30:23  See, the storm of יהוה shall go forth in a rage, a whirling storm! It bursts upon the head of the wrong. Jer 30:24  The burning displeasure of יהוה shall not turn back until He has done and established the purposes of His heart. In the latter days you shall understand it.[b] Footnote: bSee Jer_23:20

The world is about to find out how evil and widespread idolatry is and how much YHVH loves and protects His people – even if it comes with severe chastisement.

Blessed are you YHVH, 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 – Amein.