The title of this parasha “b’ha’alotcha” stems from the Hebrew word “alah” which means to ascend or “to go up.” In its ‘hiphyl’ form means ‘that which causes us to go up or ascend’.
What would cause us to want to ‘’ascend or go up’’?
Col 3:1 If, then, you were raised with Messiah, seek the matters which are above, where Messiah is, seated at the right hand of Elohim. Psa_110:1. Col 3:2 (Gk to exercise your mind) Mind the matters above not those on the earth.
Eph 2:6 and raised us
up together, and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Messiah יהושע,
Eph 2:7 in order to show in the coming ages the exceeding riches of His favour in kindness toward us in Messiah יהושע.
Why should we seek the ‘’matters’’ above?
2Co 4:18 We are not looking on what is seen, but on what is not seen. For what is seen passes away, but what is not seen is everlasting.
Mat 6:33 “But seek
first the reign of Elohim, and His righteousness, and all these shall be added
to you.
Mat 6:10 let Your reign come, let Your desire be done on earth as it is in heaven. Luke 17:20-21 Rom 14:17
בהעלתך
Num 8:1 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 8:2 “Speak to Aharon, and say to
him, ‘When you set up (בהעלתך) the lamps,
let the seven lamps give light in front of the lampstand.’ ”
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ב דַּבֵּר, אֶל-אַהֲרֹן,
וְאָמַרְתָּ, אֵלָיו: בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ, אֶת-הַנֵּרֹת, אֶל-מוּל
פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה, יָאִירוּ שִׁבְעַת הַנֵּרוֹת. |
2
'Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him: When thou lightest the lamps, the seven
lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick.' מנורה |
No dimensions are ever given of the size of
the menorah, because how can anyone measure the revelation of the Set Apart
Spirit. We do know that the Menorah was made form one talent of gold (about 50
kg or 1763,7 ounces worth 44,3 million dollars equals R800 million.
The revelation of the Ruach of Elohim is one
of the most precious blessings we have on earth.
When the high priest stood in front of the Menorah
and its light was shining upon him it was like standing in front of the Tree of
life –
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.
The Torah
has so much to teach His people and the nations. An appointed priesthood has
always been called for this purpose – to bring light (‘’mul’’ in front of their
faces) to His people and to the nations.
A Prophetic
image of the menorah is found in - Isa 11:1 And a Rod
shall come forth from the stump of Yishai, and a Sprout from his roots shall be
fruitful. Isa 11:2 The Spirit of יהוה 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 יהוה,
Isa
11:3 and shall make Him breathe in the fear of יהוה. And He
shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His
ears.
Rom
8:13 For if you live
according to the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you put to
death the deeds of the body, you shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as
many as are led by the Spirit of Elohim, these are sons of Elohim.
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the
spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by
whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
The Menorah or The Seven Lamps is also
compared to the Tree of Life – Torah - Pro
3:18 She is a tree of life to those taking hold of her, And blessed are
all who retain her.
Num 8:2 “Speak to Aharon, and say to
him, ‘When you set up the lamps, let the seven lamps give light in front of the
lampstand.’ ”
Num 8:3 And Aharon did so. He set up
the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as יהוה commanded
Mosheh.
The light of the menorah shone on the priest who was kindling the lamps.
It was the only light in the Set Apart place.
Leviticus 10:10 tells us what their duties were which would require the
gifts and callings of the Set Apart Spirit.
Lev 10:9 “Do not drink wine or strong drink, you, nor your sons with
you, when you go into the Tent of Appointment, lest you die – a law forever throughout
your generations,
Lev 10:10 so as to make a distinction between the set-apart and the
profane, and between the unclean and the clean,
Lev 10:11 and to teach the children of Yisra’ěl all the laws which יהוה has spoken to them by the hand of
Mosheh.”
A task that could only be established by a priesthood walking under the
power and guidance of the Set Apart Spirit of YHVH.
Num 8:4 And this is the work of the
lampstand: beaten work of gold, from its base to its blossoms it is
beaten work. According to the pattern which יהוה had shown Mosheh, so he made the lampstand.
Num 8:5 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 8:6 “Take the Lĕwites from among
the children of Yisra’ĕl, and you shall cleanse them,
Num 8:7 and do this to them to
cleanse them: Sprinkle water of sin offering on them, and they shall
shave all their body, and shall wash their garments, and cleanse themselves,
(‘’tahar’’ razor – be made completely naked – why? There is nothing the
priest is to hide or conceal from YHVH – see Lev 14:8)
Is 52:2 …..He has no form or
splendour that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should desire
Him –
Isa 53:3 despised and rejected
by men, a man of pains and knowing sickness. And as one from whom the face is
hidden, being despised, and we did not consider Him.
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die
(from the hymn ‘’Rock of Ages’’
Thomas Hastings)
Num 8:8 and shall take a young bull
with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, while you take another
young bull as a sin offering.
Num 8:9 “And you shall bring the
Lĕwites before the Tent of Meeting, and you shall assemble all the congregation
of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Num 8:10 “And you shall bring the
Lĕwites before יהוה, and the children of Yisra’ĕl shall lay their hands on the
Lĕwites, (Heb ‘’samech’’ ‘’support’’ or ‘’lean upon’’ the Levites)
This refers to the law of
transference …of blessings as well as iniquities. The priest
would both bring blessing as well as bear the burden of the sins of the people
before YHVH.
Num 8:11 and Aharon shall wave the Lĕwites before יהוה, a wave
offering from the children of Yisra’ĕl – so shall they be for doing the service
of יהוה.
Num 8:12 “And the Lĕwites shall lay
their hands on the heads of the young bulls. And one shall be prepared as a sin
offering and the other as a burnt offering to יהוה, to make atonement for the Lĕwites.
Num 8:13 “And you shall have the
Lĕwites stand before Aharon and his sons, and then wave them, a wave offering
to יהוה.
Num 8:14 “Thus you shall separate
the Lĕwites from among the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the Lĕwites shall be Mine. (Levites joined the people to YHVH)
Num 8:15 “Then after that the
Lĕwites shall go in to do service in the Tent of Meeting, when you have
cleansed them and waved them as a wave offering.
Num 8:16 “For they are given ones, (נתנים נתנים)given to Me from among the children of Yisra’ĕl. I have
taken them for Myself instead of all who open the womb, the first-born of all
the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Num 8:17 “For all the first-born
among the children of Yisra’ĕl are Mine, both man and beast. On the day
that I smote all the first-born in the land of Mitsrayim I set them apart unto
Myself.
Exo 4:22 “And you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Yisra’ěl is My son, My first-born,
Exo 4:23 so I say to you, let My son go to serve Me. But if you
refuse to let him go, see, I am killing your son, your first-born.” ’ ”
Num 8:18 “And I have taken the
Lĕwites instead of all the first-born of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Num 8:19 “And I have given the
Lĕwites as a gift to Aharon and his sons from among the children of Yisra’ĕl,
to do the service of the children of Yisra’ĕl in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of
Yisra’ĕl, that there be no plague among
the children of Yisra’ĕl when the children of Yisra’ĕl come near the set-apart
place.” (religion likes to replace YHVH’s truth with rabbis and pastors)
Num 8:20 Thus Mosheh and Aharon and
all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl did to the Lĕwites according
to all that יהוה commanded Mosheh concerning the Lĕwites, so the children of
Yisra’ĕl did to them.
Num 8:21 And the Lĕwites cleansed
themselves and washed their garments, and Aharon waved them, a wave offering
before יהוה, and Aharon made atonement for them to cleanse them.
Num 8:22 Then after that the Lĕwites
went in to do their service in the Tent of Meeting before Aharon and his
sons as יהוה commanded
Mosheh concerning the Lĕwites, so they did to them.
Num 8:23 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 8:24 “This applies to the
Lĕwites: From twenty-five years old and above let him come into active
service in the service of the Tent of Meeting,
Num 8:25 and at the age of fifty
years they retire from active service of the service, and serve no more,
Num 8:26 but they shall attend with
their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to guard the duty, but shall do no
service. Thus you shall do to the Lĕwites regarding their duties.”
Num 9:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the first
month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Mitsrayim,
saying,
Num 9:2 “Now, let the children of
Yisra’ĕl perform the Passover at its appointed time.
Num 9:3 “On the fourteenth day of
this month, between the evenings, perform it at its appointed time. According
to all its laws and right-rulings you perform it.”
Num 9:4 And Mosheh spoke to the
children of Yisra’ĕl to perform the Passover.
Num 9:5 So they performed the
Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, between the evenings, in the
Wilderness of Sinai. According to all that יהוה commanded Mosheh, so the children of Yisra’ĕl did.
Num 9:6 But there were men who were defiled for a
being of a man, so that they were not able to perform the Passover on that day.
So they came before Mosheh and Aharon that day,
Num 9:7 and those men said to him,
“We are defiled for the being of a man. Why
are we withheld from bringing near the offering of יהוה at its appointed time among the children
of Yisra’ĕl?”
Num 9:8 And Mosheh said to them, “Wait,
let me hear what יהוה commands concerning you.”
Num 9:9 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 9:10 “Speak to the children of
Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘When any male of you or your generations is unclean1
for a being, or is far away on a journey, he shall still perform the Passover
of יהוה. Footnote: 1Defilement
can be imparted from one to another.
Num 9:11 ‘On the fourteenth day
of the second month, between the evenings, they perform it – with
unleavened bread and bitter herbs they eat it.
Num 9:12 ‘They do not leave of it
until morning, and they do not break a bone of it. According to all the laws of
the Passover they perform it.
Num 9:13 ‘But the man who is clean
and is not on a journey, and has failed to perform the Passover, that same
being shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the
offering of יהוה at its appointed time – that man bears his sin.
Joh 6:53 יהושע
therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh
of the Son of Aḏam and drink His blood, you possess no life in
yourselves. (without Messiah we only possess death)
Num 9:14 ‘And when a stranger
sojourns among you, then he shall perform the Passover of יהוה. He shall do
so according to the law of the Passover and according to its right-ruling. You
have one law, both for the stranger and the native of the land.’” (religion has created many other laws)
Num 9:15 And on the day that the
Dwelling Place was raised up, the
cloud covered the Dwelling Place, the Tent of the Witness. From evening until morning,
it was above the Dwelling Place like the appearance of fire. (His Presence was
protection)
Num 9:16 Thus it was continually:
the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
Num 9:17 And whenever the cloud was
taken up from above the Tent, after that the children of Yisra’ĕl would depart.
And in the place where the cloud dwelt, there the children of Yisra’ĕl would
camp. (42x)
Num 9:18 At the command of יהוה the children
of Yisra’ĕl departed, and at the command of יהוה they camped. They remained camped as long as the cloud dwelt
above the Dwelling Place.
Num 9:19 Even when the cloud
lingered many days above the Dwelling Place, the children of Yisra’ĕl guarded
the Charge of יהוה, and did not depart.
Num 9:20 And so it was, when the
cloud was above the Dwelling Place a few days: according to the command of יהוה they camped,
and according to the command of יהוה they would depart.
Num 9:21 And so it was, when the
cloud dwelt only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the
morning, then they departed. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was
taken up, they departed.
Num 9:22 Whether two days, or a
month, or a year(or prolonged period of time) that the cloud lingered
above the Dwelling Place to dwell upon it, the children of Yisra’ĕl camped, and
did not depart. But when it was taken up, they departed. (See Num 33 – there
are 42 stops in the wilderness)
Num 9:23 At the command of יהוה they camped,
and at the command of יהוה they departed. They guarded the Charge of יהוה, at the
command of יהוה by the hand of Mosheh.
Let us consider how YHVH sends the Spirit to help (Gk ‘’parakletos’’ or
helper) us in our wilderness journey to the promised land (it all just the ‘’scaffolding’’
needed to get us to our destination)
Yahshua Promises the Set Apart Spirit
Joh 14:15 “If you love Me, you shall guard My commands.[a] Footnote:
aSee also Joh_14:21 and Joh_14:23, Exo_20:6, 1Jn_5:2-3
and 2Jn_1:6.
Joh 14:16 “And I shall ask the Father, and He shall give you another
Helper, to stay with you forever –
Joh 14:17 the Spirit of the Truth, whom the world is unable to
receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. But you know Him, for He
stays with you and shall be in you.
Joh 16:7 “But I say the truth to you. It is better for you that I go
away, for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you at all, but if
I go, I shall send Him to you.
Joh 16:8 “And having come, He shall convict (Gk to prove wrong) the
world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment –
Gifts Callings and Ministry of the Set Apart Spirit.
1Co 12:4 And there are different kinds of gifts, but the same
Spirit.
1Co 12:5 There are different kinds of services, but the same
Master.
1Co 12:6 And there are different kinds of workings, but it is the
same Elohim who is working all in all.
1Co 12:7 And to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for
profiting,
1Co 12:8 for to one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit, and
to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
1Co 12:9 and to another belief by the same Spirit, and to another
gifts of healing by the same Spirit,
1Co 12:10 and to another operations of powers, and to another
prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, and to another kinds of
tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.
1Co 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these, distributing
to each one individually as He intends.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the favour which has been given to me, to
everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he
should think, but to think soberly, as Elohim has given to each a measure of
belief.
Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, but all members do
not have the same function,
Rom 12:5 so we, the many, are one body in Messiah, and members each
one of one another.
Rom 12:6 Now having different gifts, according to the favour which
was given to us, let us use them accordingly: if prophecy, according to
the proportion of belief;
Rom 12:7 if serving, in the serving; or he who is teaching, in the
teaching;
Rom 12:8 or he who encourages, in the encouragement; or he who is
sharing, in sincerity; he who is leading, in diligence; he who shows
compassion, joyously.
Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some as emissaries, and some as
prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers
Eph 4:12 for the perfecting of the set-apart ones, to the work of
service to a building up of the body of the Messiah,
Eph 4:13 until we all come to the unity of the belief and of the
knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature
of the completeness of Messiah,
Eph 4:14 so that we should no longer be children, tossed and borne
about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of men, in cleverness, unto
the craftiness of leading astray,b Footnote: bSee Eph_5:6, also 2Co_10:5,
2Co_11:3-14, Gal_1:6-9, 2Ti_3:1-8, 2Ti_4:2-4, 2Pe_2:2-22,
Jud_1:10-19.
Eph 4:15 but, maintaining the truth in love, we grow up in all
respects into Him who is the head, Messiah,
This is all the ‘’scaffolding’’ for the kingdom, to bring us into the
eighth day and the Renewed Yerushalayim.
A Vision of a Golden Lampstand
Zec 4:1 And the messenger who
was speaking to me came back and woke me up as a man is awakened from
sleep.
Zec 4:2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I have
looked, and see: a lampstand all of gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the
stand seven lamps with seven spouts to the seven lamps.
Zec 4:3 “And two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl
and the other at its left.”
Zec 4:4 Then I responded and spoke to the messenger who was speaking
to me, saying, “What are these, my master?”
Zec 4:5 And the messenger who was speaking to me answered and said to
me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my master.”
Zec 4:6 And he answered and said to me, “This is the word of יהוה to Zerubbaḇel, ‘Not by might nor by power,
but by My Spirit,’ said יהוה of
hosts.
Zec 4:7 Who are you, great mountain, before Zerubbaḇel? A plain! And
he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of “Favour, favour to it!” ’
”
Zec 4:8 And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,
Zec 4:9 “The hands of Zerubbaḇel have laid the foundation of this
House, and his hands shall complete it. And you shall know that יהוה of hosts has sent Me to you.
Zec 4:10 “For who has despised the day of small beginnings?
They shall rejoice when they see the plumb-line in the hand of Zerubbaḇel.
These seven are the eyes of יהוה, which
diligently search throughout all the earth.”
Zec 4:11 Then I responded and said to him, “What are these two olive
trees, one at the right of the lampstand and the other at its left?”
Zec 4:12 And I responded a second time and said to him, “What are
these two olive branches which empty golden oil from themselves by means
of the two gold pipes?”
Zec 4:13 And he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these
are?” And I said, “No, my master.”
Zec 4:14 And he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand
beside the Master[a] of all the earth.” Footnote: aSee Zec_4:3, Zec_4:11,
also Mat_17:3-4, Rev_11:3-10.
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.