Bar’chu et YHVH ha-m’vorach, Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed!Baruch ata YHVH Eloheinu melech ha-olam asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim, v’na-tan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
Parashat
Naso seems to have a common theme of “lifting up” or ‘’taking an account of’’ a
set apart priesthood. Possibly herein lies a hidden mystery which includes the ‘’Ephraimites’’
– Jer 31:1-21. This priesthood includes the other Levites who were not commissioned
to take care of the most set apart matters; individual men and woman who
undergo the Nazarite vow and even the nation of Yisrael, who bring set apart
offerings for the functioning of the priesthood – see beginning of this parasha
– Num 4:22 – ‘’Gershom’’ Hebrew – ‘’garash’’ to drive out from a possession –
an exile.
The
apostolic scriptures confirm this priesthood. 1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a set-apart nation, a people for a possession, that you should
proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous
light,
1Pe 2:10
who once were not a people, but now the people of Elohim; who had not
obtained compassion, but now obtained compassion. (conditional upon context ‘’if
we guard His Covenant – His Torah – Ex 19:5-6’’)
Yahshua stated that only a few would be faithful to
this calling.
Luk 13:23
and someone said to Him, “Master, are there few who are being saved?”
And He said to them,
Luk 13:24
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, because many, I say to you,
shall seek to enter in and shall not be able.
Luk 13:25
“When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and
you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Master, Master, open
for us,’ and He shall answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are
from,’
Luk 13:26
then you shall begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You
taught in our streets.’
Luk 13:27
“But He shall say, ‘I say to you I do not know you, where you are from.
Depart from Me, all you workers of unrighteousness.’ (teaching disobedience to
Torah is unrighteous)
Luk 13:28
“There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq and Yaʽaqoḇ and all the prophets
in the reign of Elohim, and yourselves thrown outside.
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.
Mat 7:15
“But beware of the false prophets,1 who come to you in
sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are savage wolves. Footnote: 1See
v. 23
Many Believers in the ‘’galut’’(dispersion) have
been robbed and plundered from being included in this set apart priesthood. In
the last days this will change.
Isa 42:19
“Who is blind but My servant, or deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who
is blind as he who is at peace, and blind as servant of יהוה?
Isa 42:20 “You see much, but do not observe; ears are
open, but do not hear.”
Isa 42:21 It has
delighted יהוה, for the sake of His righteousness, to
make the Torah great and esteemed.
Isa 42:22 But this is a people robbed and plundered,
all of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison houses. They
have become a prey, with no one to deliver – for plunder, and no one to say, “Restore!” (“ha shav” or return)
Isa 42:23 Who among you gives ear to this, pays
attention and hears for the time to come?
Isa 42:24 Who gave Yaʽaqoḇ (you and me) for plunder, and Yisra’ĕl to the robbers? Was it not יהוה, He against whom we sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, and
they did not obey His Torah!
Isa 42:25 So He has poured on him His burning
displeasure and the strength of battle, and it set him on fire all around, yet
he did not understand. And it burned against him, yet he did not take it to
heart!
We see
in the prayer that YHVH gave Aharon that YHVH really, really wants to and will
bless us, so that we can walk in all the fulness of our calling and inheritance
in the Kingdom.
This
week’s Torah portion teaches us about this blessing.
Num 6:22
And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Num 6:23 “Speak to Aharon and his sons, saying, ‘This
is how you bless the children of Yisra’ĕl. Say to them:
The Hebrew word for “bless”
comes from the Hebrew verb “barach.” This verb means to kneel. The image is
created of YHVH “kneeling” down to reach mankind on their level of need. This
reminds us of a parent kneeling down to the level of their child to connect and
love them in their need.
The
Aharonic blessing consists of three sections:
1.The
first section is in vs 24.
Num 6:24 “יהוה bless you and
guard you;
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כד יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה, וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ. {ס} |
Php 1:6 being persuaded
of this, that He who has begun a good work in you shall perfect it until the
day of יהושע Messiah.
Joh 15:7 “If you stay in
Me, and My Words stay in you, you shall ask whatever you wish, and it shall be
done for you.
Joh 15:8 “In this My
Father is esteemed, that you bear much fruit, and you shall be My taught
ones.
Joh 15:9 “As the Father
has loved Me, I have also loved you. Stay in My love.
Joh 15:10 “If you guard
My commands, you shall stay in My love,(a) even
as I have guarded My Father’s commands and stay in His love. Footnote: aSee Joh_14:15.
Joh 15:11 “These words
I have spoken to you, so that My joy might be in you, and that your joy might
be complete.
Joh 15:16 “You did not
choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit,
and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My
Name He might give you.
Joh 15:17 “These words
I command you, so that you love one another.(c)
Footnote: cSee Joh_13:34 and Joh_15:12.
1Jn 2:3 And by this we
know that we know Him, if we guard His commands.(a)
Footnote: aSee 1Jn_3:6.
1Jn 2:4 The one who
says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth
is not in him.
1Jn 2:5 But whoever
guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected (b) in him.
By this we know that we are in Him.(c) Footnotes b Gen_17:1, Psa_119:1,
Mat_5:48. cSee 1Jn_3:24.
1Jn 2:6 The one who says
he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.
2Jn 1:6 And this is the
love, that we walk according to His commands.(a) This
is the command, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in
it. Footnote: aSee 1Jn_5:3 and Joh_14:15.
]
2. The second section of the blessing is in vs 25.
כה יָאֵר יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וִיחֻנֶּךָּ
Literary ‘’YHVH shall cause His Faces to be illuminated on you so as
to grant you amnesty’’.
YHVH will bring
light into any and every dark situation in our lives. It may not be immediately
seen but if we wait and trust Him – His light will come upon us.
The very first
act of YHVH’s Creation - Gen 1:3 And Elohim said, “Let light come
to be,” and light came to be.
Gen 1:2 (just before
Elohim said in verse 3: ”Let light come to be”…) describes the condition of the earth before
His light came.
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ב וְהָאָרֶץ, הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, וְחֹשֶׁךְ, עַל-פְּנֵי תְהוֹם; וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, מְרַחֶפֶת עַל-פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. |
The earth became
astonishingly chaotic and empty and darkness covered the abyss and the Ruach of
Elohim vibrated over the faces of the waters.
What caused this
catastrophic event? We don’t know. Maybe it was when Lucifer rebelled against
YHVH.
Speaking of
Lucifer (one who brings the light)
Isa 14:12 “How you have fallen from the heavens, O Hělěl,[c] son of the
morning! You have been cut down to the ground, you who laid low the nations!
Footnote: cThe Shining One.
Isa 14:13 “For you have said in your heart, ‘Let me go up to the
heavens, let me raise my throne above the stars of Ěl, and let me sit in the
mount of appointment on the sides of the north;
Isa 14:14 let me go up above the heights of the clouds, let me be
like the Most High.’
Isa 14:15 “But you are brought down to She’ol, to the sides of the
pit.
Isa 14:16 “Those who see you stare at you, and ponder over you,
saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook reigns,
Isa 14:17 who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its
cities, who would not open the house of his prisoners?’
Isa 14:18 “All the sovereigns of the nations, all of them, were
laid in esteem, everyone in his own house;
Isa 14:19 but you have been thrown from your burial-site like an
abominable branch, like the garment of those who are killed, thrust through
with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a trampled
corpse.
Eze 28:11 And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,
Eze 28:12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the sovereign of
Tsor, and you shall say to him, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “You were sealing up a pattern, complete in wisdom and perfect
in loveliness.
Eze 28:13 “You were in Ěḏen, the garden of Elohim. Every precious
stone was your covering: the ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, shoham, and
jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald and gold. The workmanship of your
settings and mountings was prepared for you on the day you were created.
Eze 28:14 “You were the anointed keruḇ that covered. And I placed
you, you were on the set-apart mountain of Elohim. You walked up and down in
the midst of stones of fire.
Eze 28:15 “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were
created, until unrighteousness was found in you.
Eze 28:16 “By the greatness of your trade you became filled with
violence within, and you sinned. So I thrust you from the mountain of Elohim,
and I destroyed you, O covering keruḇ, from the midst of the stones of
fire.
Eze 28:17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your loveliness, you
corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendour. I threw you to the earth,
I laid you before sovereigns, to look at you.
Eze 28:18 “You profaned your set-apart places by your many
crookednesses, by the unrighteousness of your trading. Therefore I brought
forth fire from your midst. It has devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon
the earth before the eyes of all who see you.
Eze 28:19 “All who knew you among the peoples were astonished at
you. Waste you shall be, and cease to be, forever.” ’ ”
2Co 4:3 And indeed, if our Good News has been veiled, it has been
veiled in those who are perishing,
2Co 4:4 in whom the mighty one ( false mighty one) of this age(a) has blinded the
minds of the unbelieving, so that the enlightening of the Good News of the
esteem of Messiah, who is the likeness of Elohim, does not shine on them.
Footnote: aSee Luk_4:6.
2Co 11:14 And no wonder! For Satan himself masquerades as a
messenger of light!
2Co 11:15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also
masquerade as servants of righteousness,(c) whose end shall
be according to their works!d Footnotes: cSee Mat_7:15-23, 2Pe_2:1-22.
dSee Mat_13:41-42.
This is why YHVH shall cause
His Faces to be illuminated on you so as to grant you amnesty’’ Protection from
all deception.
Pro 6:23 For the command is a lamp, And the Torah a
light.
Psa 119:130
The opening up of Your words gives light, Giving understanding to the
simple.
The
third section of blessing in in vs 26.
כו יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם
Num 6:26 יהוה lift up His
face upon(to) you, and give you peace.” ’ Footnote: Verses 24 to 26 is YHVH’S
Blessing THAT He commanded the priests to speak over all the sons of Yisrael.
When you stood before a king
and he would not look at you, you could be in trouble. When a king lifted up
his head and took notice of you, you knew he was granting you favour.
When YHVH lifts up His Faces
on you everything about your life comes into focus and begins to make sense and
you have peace that surpasses all understanding.
Num 6:27 “Thus they shall put My Name on the children
of Yisra’ĕl, and I Myself shall bless them.”
כז וְשָׂמוּ
אֶת-שְׁמִי, עַל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַאֲנִי, אֲבָרְכֵם.
When
YHVH’s Name is put on someone, He is declaring that this person and people
BELONG TO HIM. They are His exclusive property.
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,
Jud
1:25 to the only wise Elohim, our Saviour, be esteem and greatness and
might and authority, both now and forever. Aměn.
The letter ‘yud’ used most in
this blessing – 13 times – the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The
secret of spiritual power is smallness and anonymity.
The gifts of the tribal leaders:
On the day when the Tabernacle was
inaugurated, the tribal leaders wished to bring inauguration gifts.
Collectively they brought six covered wagons and twelve oxen to assist in
transporting the Tabernacle when the Yisraelites travelled. In addition, as
representative of their respective tribes, they wished to offer individual
gifts and offering. YHVH instructed Moshe to accept these gifts, and that on
each the following twelve days one of the leaders should bring his individual
gifts. Although each leader brought identical gifts, the Torah describes each
one individually.
Num 7:1 And it came to be, when Mosheh finished
setting up the Dwelling Place, that he anointed it and set it apart and all its
furnishings, as well as the altar and all its utensils. Thus he anointed them
and set them apart.
Num 7:2
And the leaders of Yisra’ĕl, heads of their fathers’ houses who were the
leaders of the tribes and over the ones registered, drew near,
Num 7:3
and they brought their offering before יהוה: six covered
wagons and twelve cattle, a wagon for every two of the leaders, and for each
one a bull. And they brought them near before the Dwelling Place.
Num 7:4 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 7:5 “Accept these from them, and they
shall be used in doing the service of the Tent of Meeting. And you shall give
them to the Lĕwites, each one according to his service.”
Num 7:6 And Mosheh took the wagons and the cattle,
and gave them to the Lĕwites.
Num 7:7 He gave two wagons and four cattle to the
sons of Gĕreshon, according to their service.
Num 7:8 And he gave four wagons and eight cattle to
the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the hand of Ithamar, son
of Aharon the priest.
Num 7:9 But to the sons of Qehath he gave none,
because theirs was the service of the set-apart objects, which they bore
on their shoulders….. vs 88
The offerings each consist of
one silver bowl, one silver basin, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil;
one gold ladle filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one sheep as an
elevation offering;(a) he-goat as a sin offering; and two cattle, five rams,
five he-goats and five sheep for a peace offering. This makes a total of
12 bowls, 12 basins, 12 ladles, 36 bulls, 72 rams, 72 sheep, and 72 he-goats.
Each prince brings his offering on a different day.
These are repeated again for
all the twelve tribes of Yisrael – 89 verses- Why? This blessing of YHVH is
vitally connected with the whole sacrificial system and the Tabernacle/Temple.
Heb 10:28 Anyone who has
disregarded the Torah of Mosheh dies without compassion on the witness of two
or three witnesses.
Heb 10:29 How much worse
punishment do you think shall he deserve who has trampled the Son of Elohim
underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was set apart as common,
and insulted the Spirit of favour? (disregarding the sacrificial system)
Num
7:89 And when Mosheh went into the Tent
of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from
above the lid of atonement that was on the ark of the Witness, from between the
two keruḇim.
Thus He spoke to him.
Pro 10:22 The blessing of יהוה makes one rich, And He adds no pain (painful toil and labour) with it.
Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheinu,
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 Yahveh, 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.)