4/13/2024

Parashat 34 Portion 110 Bmidbar 2:1-34 Is 55:13-56:8 Is 54:11-Is 55:12 Yesh 8:18-22 Yoh 6:26-51

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.

The following diagram is a summary of this Torah portion:

     





    Correction re the diagram:

      The Camp of Judah must actually be 186.

The second chapter of the book of Bemidbar/Numbers describes the arrangement of the tribal camps around the tabernacle. It describes where each tribe was to be when camped, and it specifies the order in which each tribe was to embark when marching to the Promised Land.

      The time covered in this book is about 40 years.

      In Numbers, it is describing a very hot, dry climate, where it was almost impossible to survive.

 

This book of Bemidbar (Numbers) has a profound prophetic significance for an end time generation of believers and most probably refers to a group of end time believers who come together in the second part of the final 7-year end time tribulation – it is a survival guide and road map to the Promised Land for an end time remnant.

 

YHVH Will Restore Israel

Eze 20:33  “As I live,” declares the Master יהוה, “do not I, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, reign over you? 

Eze 20:34  “And I shall bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. 

Eze 20:35  “And I shall bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and shall enter into judgment with you face to face there. 

Eze 20:36  “As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Mitsrayim, so I shall enter into judgment with you,” declares the Master יהוה

Eze 20:37  “And I shall make you pass under the rod, and shall bring you into the bond of the covenant, 

Eze 20:38  and purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me. From the land where they sojourn I bring them out, but they shall not come into the land of Yisra’ěl. And you shall know that I am יהוה. Mat 22:14  “For many are called, but few are chosen.

 

Num 2:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying, 

Num 2:2  “The children of Yisra’ěl are to camp, each one by his own banner, beside the sign of his father’s house. Let them camp around the Tent of Appointment at a distance.” 

Num 2:3  And on the east side, towards sunrise: those of the banner of the camp of Yehuḏah camp according to their divisions. And the leader of the children of Yehuḏah: Naḥshon, son of Amminaḏaḇ. 

Num 2:4  And his army with their registered ones: seventy-four thousand six hundred. 

Num 2:5  And those camping next to him is the tribe of Yissasḵar, and the leader of the children of Yissasḵar: Nethan’ěl, son of Tsu‛ar. 

Num 2:6  And his army with its registered ones: fifty-four thousand four hundred. 

Num 2:7  Then the tribe of Zeḇulun, and the leader of the children of Zeḇulun: Eliyaḇ, son of Ḥělon. 

Num 2:8  And his army with its registered ones: fifty-seven thousand four hundred. 

Num 2:9  All the registered ones of the camp of Yehuḏah, according to their divisions: one hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. These depart first. 

Num 2:10  On the south side: the banner of the camp of Re’uḇěn according to their divisions, and the leader of the children of Re’uḇěn: Elitsur, son of Sheḏěy’ur. 

Num 2:11  And his army with its registered ones: forty-six thousand five hundred. 

Num 2:12  And those who camp next to him: the tribe of Shim‛on, and the leader of the children of Shim‛on: Shelumi’ěl, son of Tsurishaddai. 

Num 2:13  And his army with their registered ones: fifty-nine thousand three hundred. 

Num 2:14  Then the tribe of Gaḏ, and the leader of the children of Gaḏ: Elyasaph, son of Reʽuw’ĕl.

Num 2:15  And his army with their registered ones: forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

Num 2:16  All the registered ones of the camp of Re’uḇĕn, according to their divisions: one hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. And they are the second to depart.

Num 2:17  And the Tent of Meeting, the camp of the Lĕwites, shall move out in the middle of the camps. As they camp, so they move out, everyone in his place, by their banners.

Num 2:18  On the west side: the banner of the camp of Ephrayim according to their divisions, and the leader of the children of Ephrayim: Elishama, son of Ammihuḏ.

Num 2:19  And his army with their registered ones: forty thousand five hundred.

Num 2:20  And next to him the tribe of Menashsheh, and the leader of the children of Menashsheh: Gamli’ĕl, son of Peḏahtsur.

Num 2:21  And his army with their registered ones: thirty-two thousand two hundred.

Num 2:22  Then the tribe of Binyamin, and the leader of the children of Binyamin: Aḇiḏan, son of Giḏʽoni.

Num 2:23  And his army with their registered ones: thirty-five thousand four hundred.

Num 2:24  All the registered ones of the camp of Ephrayim, according to their divisions: one hundred and eight thousand one hundred. And they are the third to depart.

Num 2:25  On the north side: the banner of the camp of Dan, according to their divisions, and the leader of the children of Dan: Aḥiʽezer, son of Ammishaddai.

Num 2:26  And his army with their registered ones: sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

Num 2:27  And those who camp next to him: the tribe of Ashĕr, and the leader of the children of Ashĕr: Paḡʽi’ĕl, son of Oḵran.

Num 2:28  And his army with their registered ones: forty-one thousand five hundred.

Num 2:29  Then the tribe of Naphtali, and the leader of the children of Naphtali: Aḥira, son of Ěnan.

Num 2:30  And his army with their registered ones: fifty-three thousand four hundred.

Num 2:31  All the registered ones of the camp of Dan: one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They depart last, with their banners.

Num 2:32  These were registered ones of the children of Yisra’ĕl by their fathers’ houses. All who were registered according to their divisions of the camps: six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

Num 2:33  But the Lĕwites were not registered among the children of Yisra’ĕl, as יהוה commanded Mosheh.

Num 2:34  And the children of Yisra’ĕl did according to all that יהוה commanded Mosheh. So, they camped by their banners and so they departed, each one by his clan, according to their fathers’ houses.

 

Midrash on our journey back to the Promised Land:

 

Mat 22:14  “For many are called, but few are chosen  – only two men out of 603550 men made it.

 

Act 14:22  strengthening the beings of the taught ones, encouraging them to continue in the belief, and that through many pressures we have to enter the reign of Elohim. 

 

Most of us – if not all of us – are not ready or prepared to face what is about to come upon all the people of this world. In these last days the Set Apart Spirit is calling and preparing YHVH’s people.

 

The book of Numbers (Bemidbar)  serves as a travel guide and survival manual for the most epic journey to face called out believers in the last days.

 

The first three and a half years of the final 7 years of this age are a ‘’warm up’’ for what will take place in the last three and a half years - This last three and a half year period begins with the events described in Rev 7 where a faithful called out people will lead a remnant through the great tribulation – these are the 144 000 sealed witnesses from the 12 tribes of Israel and will enjoy special protection and blessing from YHVH to lead His people through the darkest period of time in human history – such as the world has ever seen – Mat 24:21  “For then there shall be great distress, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Or great pressure, or great affliction.) Ex 8:22 – Goshen.

 

 Joh 15:14  “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 

Joh 15:15  “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, for all teachings which I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 

 

As usual these end time events will begin in Israel:

 

The Woman and the Dragon

Rev 12:1  And a great sign was seen in the heaven: a woman clad with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 

Like the celestial events that preceded the birth of Messiah in Beit -Lechem.

Rev 12:2  And being pregnant, she cried out in labour and in pain to give birth.

Gal 4:19  My little children, for whom I am again in birth pains until Messiah is formed in you, 

Rev 12:3  And another sign was seen in the heaven: and see, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns on his heads. (combined religious and civil rule of the anti-messiah)

Rev 12:4  And his tail draws a third of the stars of the heaven and throws them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, to devour her child as soon as it was born. 

A similar attempt to destroy the Messianic witness as was at Messiah’s birth – Matt 2:16

Rev 12:5  And she bore a male child[a] who was to shepherd all nations with a rod of iron. Psa_2:9 And her child was caught away to Elohim and to His throne. Footnote: aSee also Isa_26:17, Isa_66:7, Mic_4:9-10

Rev 12:6  And the woman fled into the wilderness,(Bemidbar) where she has a place prepared by Elohim, to be nourished there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. (Second half of the last 7 year tribulation)

Satan Thrown Down to Earth

Rev 12:7  And there came to be fighting in the heaven: Miḵa’ěl and his messengers fought against the dragon. And the dragon and his messengers fought, 

Rev 12:8  but they were not strong enough, nor was a place found for them in the heaven any longer. 

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[b] 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: bSee Rev_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.” 

Satan in one last desperate attempt will do all he can to try and stop the Messiah from returning to earth

Rev 12:13  And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. (Israel)

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, Dan_7:25, Dan_12:7 from the presence of the serpent. 

Rev 12:15  And out of his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river after the woman, to cause her to be swept away by the river. (Acts 8:39-40 – Phillips transport)

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. (Petra?)

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. Ezek 20:35

Ingathering of the tribes

Isa 66:19  “And I shall set a sign (144000) among them, and shall send some of those who escape to the nations – Tarshish and Pul and Lu, who draw the bow, and Tual and Yawan, the coastlands afar off who have not heard My report nor seen My esteem. And they shall declare My esteem among the nations. 

Isa 66:20  “And they shall bring all your brothers as an offering to יהוה out of all the nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My set-apart mountain Yerushalayim,” declares יהוה, “as the children of Yisra’ěl bring an offering in a clean vessel into the House of יהוה

Isa 66:21  “And from them too I shall take for priests – for Lěwites,” declares יהוה

 Isa 49:6  and He says, “Shall it be a small matter for You to be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Ya‛aqo, and to bring back the preserved ones of Yisra’ěl? And I shall give You as a light to the nations, to be My deliverance to the ends of the earth!”

Isa 49:13  Sing, O heavens, rejoice, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For יהוה shall comfort His people and have compassion on His afflicted ones. 

Isa 49:14  But Tsiyon says, “יהוה has forsaken me, and יהוה has forgotten me.” 

Isa 49:15  “Would a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Though they forget, I never forget you. 

Isa 49:16  “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are always before Me. 

Isa 49:17  “Your sons shall hurry, your destroyers and those who laid you waste depart from you. 

Isa 49:18  “Lift up your eyes round about and see, all of them gather together and come to you. As I live,” declares יהוה, “you shall put on all of them as an ornament, and bind them on you as a bride does. 

Isa 49:19  “For your wastes, and your deserted places, and the land of your destruction, shall soon be too narrow for the inhabitants, while those who swallowed you up are far away. 

Isa 49:20  “The sons of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, ‘The place is too narrow for me, make room for me to live.’ 

Isa 49:21  “And you shall say in your heart, ‘Who has brought forth these for me, since I am bereaved and barren, an exile, and wandering to and fro? And who reared them? See, I was left alone – from where did these come?’ ” 

Isa 49:22  Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I lift My hand up to the nations, and set up My banner for the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters carried on their shoulders; 

Isa 49:23  “And sovereigns shall be your foster fathers, and their sovereignesses your nursing mothers. They bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet. And you shall know that I am יהוה – those who wait for Me shall not be ashamed.” 

And so this book of Numbers is about the preparation of an end time remnant and the coming together of the 12 tribes of Israel -  this will bring sanity to a completely out of control insane world in the last days.

Most people on earth don’t really take the Torah seriously, however in the last days this will change dramatically. All religious indoctrination that opposes the Torah will be exposed and many believers will be unable to accept and endure the harsh reality of the coming worldwide apocalypse. Mt 24:14

Eze 6:8  “But I shall leave a remnant, in that some of you shall escape the sword among the nations, when you are scattered throughout the lands. 

Hos 4:6  “My people have perished for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest for Me. Since you have forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I also forget your children. 

Isa 8:14  “And He shall be for a set-apart place, but a stone of stumbling and a rock that makes for falling to both the houses of Yisra’ěl, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim. 

Isa 8:15  “And many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken and snared and taken.” 

Isa 8:16  Bind up the witness, seal the Torah among my taught ones.  

Psa 119:118  You have made light of all those Who stray from Your laws, For falsehood is their deceit.

Psa 119:126  It is time for יהוה to act! For they have broken Your Torah. 

Psa 119:136  Streams of water have run down from my eyes, Because they did not guard Your Torah. 

Psa 119:142  Your righteousness is righteousness forever, And Your Torah is truth.

Psa 119:155  Deliverance is far from the wrong ones, For they have not sought Your laws. 

Psa 119:165  Great peace have those loving Your Torah, And for them there is no stumbling-block. 

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.

Parashat 34 Portion 109 Bemidbar – Numbers 1:1-54 Ezek 47:13-23 Luke 15:1-7

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.

The title of this portion “Bemidbar”- wilderness, is also associated with two other Hebrew words “devar” to speak and “davar” a word. This then can also be understood to mean “a word in the wilderness”

אלוהים מדבר אלינו במדבר or Elohim speaks to us in the wilderness – see the similarity in the use of ‘’midbar’’

Joh 1:1  בראשית היה הדבר והדבר היה את האלהים ואלהים היה הדבר׃

In truth it could be said that as long as we are not in the promised land or physically in the presence of YHVH we are in some form of ‘’wilderness’’

Could it be that YHVH will once again call His beloved bride into the wilderness of the nations to establish covenant faithfulness once again? Ezek 20:35

MessageTranslation (which is a paraphrasing version):

Hos 2:14  "And now, here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to start all over again. I'm taking her back out into the wilderness where we had our first date, and I'll court her.

Hos 2:15  I'll give her bouquets of roses. I'll turn Heartbreak Valley into Acres of Hope. She'll respond like she did as a young girl, those days when she was fresh out of Egypt.

Hos 2:16  "At that time"--this is YHVH’s Message still-- "you'll address me, 'Dear husband!' Never again will you address me, 'My slave-master!'

Hos 2:17  I'll wash your mouth out with soap, get rid of all the dirty false-god names, not so much as a whisper of those names again. (like the days of the week named after false deities- emphasis mine)

Hos 2:18  At the same time I'll make a peace treaty between you and wild animals and birds and reptiles, And get rid of all weapons of war. Think of it! Safe from beasts and bullies!

Hos 2:19  And then I'll marry you for good--forever! I'll marry you true and proper, in love and tenderness.

Hos 2:20  Yes, I'll marry you and neither leave you nor let you go. You'll know me, YHVH, for who I really am.

כא  וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי, לְעוֹלָם; וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי בְּצֶדֶק וּבְמִשְׁפָּט, וּבְחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים.

 

Hos 2:19  “And I shall take you as a bride unto Me forever, and take you as a bride unto Me in righteousness, and in right-ruling, and loving-commitment and compassion. (this verse is traditionally recited when fastening the tefillin)

 

במדבר סיני

 

Num 1:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Mitsrayim, saying,

Num 1:2  “Take a census (שׂאו את ראשׁ כל עדת בני ישׂראל)of all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head, (כל זכר לגלגלתם) Jn 12:32 If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto myself –

 

Act 4:12  “And there is no deliverance in anyone else, for there is no other Name under the heaven given among men by which we need to be saved.” 

 

Num 1:3  from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army in Yisra’ĕl. Number them by their divisions, you and Aharon.

 

This book of the Torah – Bamidbar is about YHVH calling and counting His bride to be. This counting or taking of census is expressed in a rather strange Hebrew idiom viz “to count the skulls” see Num 1:2  “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head (gulguletam)

The Hebrew word for head here is “skulls” or “gulgoleth” Strongs 1538. This is where we get the word “Golgotha” - “only in Messiah can we be counted” (unique ish)

 

Joh 19:17  And bearing His stake, He went out to the so-called Place of a Skull, which is called in Heḇrew, Golgotha,

Joh 19:18  where they impaled Him, and two others with Him.

 

Num 1:4  “And a man from every tribe should be with you, each one the head of his father’s house.

Num 1:5  “And these are the names of the men who stand with you. From Re’uḇĕn: Elitsur, son of Sheḏĕy’ur.

Num 1:6  “From Shimʽon: Shelumi’ĕl, son of Tsurishaddai.

Num 1:7  “From Yehuḏah: Naḥshon, son of Amminaḏaḇ.

Num 1:8  “From Yissasḵar: Nethanĕ’l, son of Tsuʽar.

Num 1:9  “From Zeḇulun: Eliyaḇ, son of Ḥĕlon.

Num 1:10  “From the sons of Yosĕph: From Ephrayim: Elishama, son of Ammihuḏ. From Menashsheh: Gamli’ĕl, son of Peḏahtsur.

Num 1:11  “From Binyamin: Aḇiḏan, son of Giḏʽoni.

Num 1:12  “From Dan: Aḥiʽezer, son of Ammishaddai.

Num 1:13  “From Ashĕr: Paḡʽi’ĕl, son of Oḵran.

Num 1:14  “From Gaḏ: Elyasaph, son of Deu’ĕl.

Num 1:15  “From Naphtali: Aḥira, son of Ěnan.”

Num 1:16  These are the ones called from the congregation, leaders of their fathers’ tribes, heads of the thousands of Yisra’ĕl.

Num 1:17  And Mosheh and Aharon took these men who were called by name,

Num 1:18  and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month. And they declared their ancestry by clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, each one head by head. (Gulgelotam)

Num 1:19  As יהוה commanded Mosheh, so he registered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.

Num 1:20  And the children of Re’uḇĕn, Yisra’ĕl’s first-born, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, every male head by head, (skull by skull)from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:21  those who were registered of the tribe of Re’uḇĕn were forty-six thousand five hundred.

Num 1:22  From the children of Shimʽon, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, of those who were registered, according to the number of names, every male head by head, (skulls) from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:23  those who were registered of the tribe of Shimʽon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

Num 1:24  From the children of Gaḏ, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:25  those who were registered of the tribe of Gaḏ were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

Num 1:26  From the children of Yehuḏah, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:27  those who were registered of the tribe of Yehuḏah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

Num 1:28  From the children of Yissasḵar, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:29  those who were registered of the tribe of Yissasḵar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

Num 1:30  From the children of Zeḇulun, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:31  those who were registered of the tribe of Zeḇulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

Num 1:32  From the sons of Yosĕph, the children of Ephrayim, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:33  those who were registered of the tribe of Ephrayim were forty thousand five hundred.

Num 1:34  From the children of Menashsheh, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:35  those who were registered of the tribe of Menashsheh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

Num 1:36  From the children of Binyamin, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:37  those who were registered of the tribe of Binyamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

Num 1:38  From the children of Dan, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:39  those who were registered of the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

Num 1:40  From the children of Ashĕr, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:41  those who were registered of the tribe of Ashĕr were forty-one thousand five hundred.

Num 1:42  From the children of Naphtali, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army,

Num 1:43  those who were registered of the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

Num 1:44  These were those registered, whom Mosheh and Aharon registered, with the leaders of Yisra’ĕl, twelve men, each one for his father’s house.

Num 1:45  And all those that were registered of the children of Yisra’ĕl, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army in Yisra’ĕl,

Num 1:46  all those that were registered were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. Ex 38:26

Num 1:47  But the Lĕwites were not registered among them by their fathers’ tribe,

Num 1:48  because יהוה had spoken to Mosheh, saying,

Num 1:49  “Only the tribe of Lĕwi you do not register, nor take a census of them among the children of Yisra’ĕl.

Num 1:50  “Instead, appoint the Lĕwites over the Dwelling Place of the Witness, over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They bear the Dwelling Place and all its furnishings, and they attend to it, and camp around the Dwelling Place.

Num 1:51  “And when the Dwelling Place is to go forward, the Lĕwites take it down. And when the Dwelling Place is to be set up, the Lĕwites set it up. And the stranger who comes near is put to death.

Num 1:52  “And the children of Yisra’ĕl shall pitch their tents, everyone by his own camp, everyone by his own banner, according to their divisions,

Num 1:53  but let the Lĕwites camp around the Dwelling Place of the Witness, so that there be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl. And the Lĕwites shall guard the duty of the Dwelling Place of the Witness.”

Num 1:54  And the children of Yisra’ĕl did according to all that יהוה commanded Mosheh, so they did.

Note the profound prophecy of Ezekiel concerning those of us who are grafted into Israel – ‘’erev rav’’

Eze 47:21  “And you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Yisra’ĕl.

Eze 47:22  “And it shall be that you divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who sojourn in your midst and who bear children among you. And they shall be to you as native-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl – with you they have an inheritance in the midst of the tribes of Yisra’ĕl1. Footnote: 1Isa. 14:1, Isa. 56:6-8, Rom. 11:17-26, Eph. 2:19, Eph. 3:6, Rev. 21:12.

Eze 47:23  “And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger sojourns, there you give him his inheritance,” declares the Master יהוה.

It is important to note that YHVH ‘’counts’’ those who are in covenant with Him through Messiah - YHVH keeps a registry of His Bride -we see this in the genealogies of Messiah.

Why does a Good Shepherd always count His sheep? He wants to make sure who have strayed from the flock, so that he can go and find them and bring them back into the flock - Mat 18:11  “For the Son of Aḏam has come to save what was lost. 

Mat 18:12  “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, would he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, going to seek the one that is straying? 

Mat 18:13  “And if he should find it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 

Mat 18:14  “Thus it is not the desire of your Father who is in the heavens that one of these little ones should be lost. 

 

Joh 10:4  “And when he has brought out his own sheep, he goes before them. And the sheep follow him, because they know his voice

Joh 10:11  “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

Joh 10:16  “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold – I have to bring them as well, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one shepherd.1 Footnote: 1Ezek. 34:23, Ezek. 37:24.

Joh 10:27  “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.1 Footnote: 1Rev. 14:4-5.

Joh 10:28  “And I give them everlasting life, and they shall by no means ever perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.

Joh 10:29  “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

 

There can be nothing more important in this life than to be counted as one of Messiah’s sheep.

The highest calling and reward possible in this life and in the life to come is to be counted as part of His flock.

Can there be anything in this world that is as important and desirable than to be part of His family?

To become part of His family required nurturing from birth.

The Torah gives clear instruction on how to raise children – the goal of raising children was to guide them and prepare them to enter into a set-apart covenant relationship with YHVH – We also learn from ancient Jewish writings such as ‘’Pirkei Avot” and the “Shulcan Aruch’’(set table) that the Jews were instructed from childhood about the halachic requirements of the teachings of the Torah. ‘’Discipleship’’ was a way of life since birth.

Pirkei Avot 5:21

He used to say:
At five years of age the study of Scripture; At ten the study of Mishnah;(rote memorization) At thirteen subject to the commandments; At fifteen the study of Talmud; At eighteen the bridal canopy; At twenty for pursuit [of livelihood]; At thirty the peak of strength; At forty wisdom; At fifty able to give counsel; At sixty old age; At seventy fullness of years; At eighty the age of “strength”; At ninety a bent body; At one hundred, as good as dead and gone completely out of the world.

Sadly, many of these ancient customs became ‘’diluted’’ through many manmade regulations and additional teachings that obscured the real intent of the Torah.

In the Christian world too, many traditions and teachings were introduced that have also diluted the teachings of the scriptures. (Theology can often alienate people from the truth or parts of it)

Col2:8 Message -  Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that's not the way of Messiah.

There are however good traditions we need to follow - 1Co 11:2  And I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in every way and keep the traditions as I delivered them to you. 

2Th 2:15  So, then, brothers, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or by our letter. (Gk ‘’tradition’’ is παράδοσις – which implies passing on from generation to generation)

The Fellowship of the Believers

Act 2:42  And they were continuing steadfastly in the teaching of the emissaries, and in the fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers. (there  was aso a fixed prayer liturgy used by early believes)

We need to realize that YHVH is not only committed to blessing a single generation (end time generation) but thousands of generations - Deu 7:9  “And you shall know that יהוה your Elohim, He is Elohim, the trustworthy Ěl guarding covenant and loving-commitment for a thousand generations with those who love Him, and those who guard His commands,

Righteous people with righteous traditions can strengthen YHVH’s commands and help us to walk in them but we are warned not to teach our traditions as commandments from YHVH - Mar 7:7  And in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.’a Isa_29:13. Footnote: aAlso see 2Ki_17:19 and Mat_15:3-9. 

Mar 7:8  “Forsaking the command of Elohim, you hold fast the tradition of men.” 

Mar 7:9  And He said to them, “Well do you set aside the command of Elohim, in order to guard your tradition. 

 

A tradition can change but His commandments never change.

 

 “G'mar Chatimah Tovah” — may you be inscribed in the Book of Life.

 

May we be found worthy to be counted amongst His people.

 

כא  וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי, לְעוֹלָם; וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי בְּצֶדֶק וּבְמִשְׁפָּט, וּבְחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים.

Traditionally we recite these words under our ‘’talit’’ (marriage chuppah) while binding ourselves to His covenant (tefillin)

 

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

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