Beit El Messianic Congregation: 5/26/24

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. Amein

As a preparation for this week’s Torah portion, we will first consider the significance of the previous Torah portion and the ministry of the Set Apart Spirit. The message is clear, without the guidance and empowering of the Set Apart Spirit we will never enter the Messianic kingdom or be able to stand firm in the coming tribulation.

The Set Apart Spirit was not given to entertain us but to enable and assist us in the most terrifying times that await all mankind in the coming days.

Despite the many prophecies and predictions that have flooded our various media platforms and pulpits – nobody knows for sure exactly what is going to happen in these last days. What is very clear is that the world is clearly moving in a very destructive direction.

In this regard we take comfort from our Messiah’s words - Joh 3:7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You have to be born from above.’ Joh 3:8 “The wind[b] blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” Footnote: bWind and Spirit have the same underlying Hebrew and Greek words.

Paul goes on to confirm this message - 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.

So, once again the Torah gives a “road map’’ ‘on how we are to navigate our way through the treacherous journey which lays ahead of us.

עשׂה לך שׁתי חצוצרת – maybe the two trumpets can be compared to the two end time witnesses who will warn and prepare an end time remnant on how to navigate the great tribulation –Rev 11

Num 10:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Num 10:2 “Make two silver trumpets (Heb - chătsôtserâh) for yourself, make them of beaten work. And you shall use them for calling the congregation and for breaking camp.

This may also be a pattern of things to come in the last days. Also significant is that the events of the trumpet judgments in the book of Revelation may also correspond to the events found in the book of Numbers.

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.

Num 10:3 “And when they blow (S8628 – Takah – long blast) both of them, all the congregation shall meet before you at the door of the Tent of Meeting. (Hebrew defines different kinds of blasts from the trumpets)

Num 10:4 “And if they blow one, (takah - blast– long blow)then the leaders, the heads of the thousands of Yisra’ĕl, shall gather to you.

Num 10:5 “And when you blow a shout,(teruah – short blow - alarm) the camps that lie on the east side shall depart. (1 Thess 4:16)

Num 10:6 “And when you blow (teruah) a shout the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall depart – they blow a shout for them to depart.

Num 10:7 “And when the assembly is to be assembled, you blow (long blasts), but do not shout (short blasts).

Num 10:8 “And the sons of Aharon, the priests, blow (takah)with the trumpets. And it shall be to you for a law (chukat) forever throughout your generations.

One of the main differences between the ‘Shofar’ and the ‘trumpet’ is that everyone could blow the ‘Shofar,’ but the ‘trumpet’ -only the priests could blow.

Num 10:9 “And when you go into battle in your land against the enemy that distresses you, then you shall shout (Heb – ‘’rua’’) with the trumpets, and you shall be remembered before יהוה your Elohim, and you shall be saved from your enemies.

Num 10:10 “And in the day of your gladness (can be like Purim and Channukah), and in your appointed times, and at the beginning of your months (Rosh Chodesh), you shall blow(takah) the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over your peace offerings. And they shall be a remembrance for you before your Elohim. I am יהוה your Elohim.”

Num 10:11 And it came to be on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from above the Dwelling Place of the Witness. (Just after the seven days of chag ha matzot of pesach sheni – in the last days the stragglers and backsliders will be given a second chance to join the 12 tribes returning to the land, maybe also a few circumcisions will be performed)

Perhaps there was a delay to their journey because of “Pesach sheni” or second Passover – see previous portion.

Num 10:12 And the children of Yisra’ĕl departed, setting out from the Wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud dwelt on it in the Wilderness of Paran. (will this same pattern be repeated?)

Num 10:13 Thus they departed the first time, according to the command of יהוה by the hand of Mosheh.

This was the first time after camping at Mount Sinai that the nation moved. They had left Mitzraim/Egypt and now they were ready to move on.

Num 10:14 And the banner of the camp of the children of Yehuḏah departed first according to their divisions. And over their army was Naḥshon, son of Amminaḏaḇ.

Num 10:15 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Yissasḵar was Nethanĕ’l, son of Tsuʽar.

Num 10:16 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Zeḇulun was Eliyaḇ, son of Ḥĕlon.

Num 10:17 And the Dwelling Place was taken down. And the sons of Gĕreshon and the sons of Merari departed, bearing the Dwelling Place.

Num 10:18 And the banner of the camp of Re’uḇĕn departed according to their divisions. And over their army was Elitsur, son of Sheḏĕy’ur.

Num 10:19 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Shimʽon was Shelumi’ĕl, son of Tsurishaddai.

Num 10:20 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Gaḏ was Elyasaph, the son of Deu’ĕl.

Num 10:21 And the Qehathites departed, bearing the set-apart objects, while the Dwelling Place was set up before they came.

Num 10:22 And the banner of the camp of the children of Ephrayim departed according to their divisions. And over their army was Elishama, son of Ammihuḏ.

Num 10:23 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Menashsheh was Gamli’ĕl, son of Peḏahtsur.

Num 10:24 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Binyamin was Aḇiḏan, son of Giḏʽoni.

Num 10:25 Then the banner of the camp of the children of Dan, which formed the rear guard of all the camps, departed according to their divisions. And over their army was Aḥiʽezer, son of Ammishaddai.

Num 10:26 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Ashĕr was Paḡʽi’ĕl, the son of Oḵran.

Num 10:27 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Aḥira, the son of Ěnan.

Num 10:28 Such was the order of setting out of the children of Yisra’ĕl, according to their divisions, when they departed.

Num 10:29 And Mosheh said to Ḥoḇaḇ, the son of Reʽuw’ĕl (friend of Elohim)the Miḏyanite, Mosheh’s father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which יהוה said, ‘I give it to you.’ Come with us, and we shall do good to you, for יהוה has spoken good concerning Yisra’ĕl.”

Num 10:30 And he replied to him, “I am not going, but I am going to my own land and to my relatives.”

Num 10:31 Then he said, “Please do not leave us, because you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you shall be our eyes.

Num 10:32 “And it shall be, when you go with us, then it shall be that whatever good יהוה does to us, the same we shall do to you.”

According to the sages Yitro accompanied Moshe and received a 250 000sq cubits plot of land in Jericho.

“…and you shall be our eyes” is written in the future tense. Rashi translates this as “if anything should be hidden from our eyes, you will enlighten us”

This is a rather profound prophetic statement and is seen by some as a future prophecy of the significance of the “gerim” or the grafted in branches of Yisrael playing an extremely significant role in bringing light to the Torah of YHVH as it relates to end time issues and the returning of all exiles to the land of Yisrael.

Num 10:33 So they set out from the mountain of יהוה on a journey of three days (Messianic number). And the ark of the covenant of יהוה went before them for the three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them.

Rashi makes a very interesting comment on this ark. He says on page 787 in the Stones Chumash – “The commentators raise the difficulty that the ark traveled after the formations of Judah and Reuben (vs 17- see also verse 14) not at the forefront of the camp, this ark was not the ark that contained the Tablets but the second ark which contained the broken pieces of the first set of tablets which Moses had shattered. This is not only a picture of Messiah’s broken body resurrected after three days who will lead us in the way to the Kingdom of YHVH. This is also possibly a picture of our ‘’fragmented’’ understanding of Messiah before we meet Him face to face - 1Co 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know, as I also have been known.

Num 10:34 And the cloud of יהוה was above them by day when they went out from the camp.

Num 10:35 And it came to be, whenever the ark set out, that Mosheh said, “Rise up, O יהוה! And let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You.”

Num 10:36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O יהוה, to the countless thousands of Yisra’ĕl.”

Vs 35 speaks of Yahshua’s first coming and vs 36 speaks of his second coming.

These two verses (35 and 36) happen to fall between two inverted ‘nuns’ (a nun ‘’]’’ is one of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet and they appear here in these verses upside down) Whenever an oddity appears in the Torah we need to pay special attention to some hidden deeper message in the text.

“Nun” (5125) has a meaning to “resprout” and contains the idea of “life in perpetuation” or posterity. The verb ‘’nun’’ means ‘’to greatly increase’’ this verb relates to a similar verb ‘’daga’’ which also means ‘’to increase or multiply’’ the noun ‘’dag’’ in Hebrew means ‘’fish’’ Fish are known to multiply in great numbers. This was also the symbol of the early Nazarenes.

Why the inverted ‘nuns”? Maybe as long as Messiah is not on earth teaching the nations the Torah, the increase and blessings of life will be abrupt and seemingly upside down and not “perpetuating” as it was meant to be.

In the synagogues vs 35 is read when the Torah scroll is taken out of a closet called the “ark of the covenant/Aaron Kodesh” and verse 36 is read when the scroll is returned.

Even in our days I believe this action sends a message into the spiritual realm. It is stating that the Messiah has come and scattered and defeated his enemies and he will return with millions of his messengers and completely remove all our enemies. The rabbis consider these two verses as an entire separate book of the Torah.

Isa 27:12 And in that day it shall be that יהוה threshes, from the channel of the River to the wadi of Mitsrayim. And you shall be gathered one by one¹, O children of Yisra’ĕl. Footnote: ¹Jer. 3:14-15.

Isa 27:13 And in that day it shall be that a great horn is blown,(Heb ‘’shofar gadol’’) and those who were perishing in the land of Ashshur and the outcasts in the land of Mitsrayim shall come, and shall worship יהוה on the set-apart mountain, in Yerushalayim – see also 1 Thess 4:16.

Only a restored Levitical priesthood (accompanied by the 144 000 end time witnesses) will discern the sound of the trumpets in the book of Revelation and warn those called to guard the commandments and who have the testimony of Yahshua.

Rev 8:1 And when He opened the seventh seal, there came to be silence in the heaven for about half an hour.

Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven messengers who stand before Elohim, and to them were given seven trumpets.

Rev 8:3 And another messenger came and stood at the slaughter-place, holding a golden censer, and much incense was given to him, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the set-apart ones upon the golden slaughter-place which was before the throne.

Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the set-apart ones, went up before Elohim from the hand of the messenger.

Rev 8:5 And the messenger took the censer, and filled it with fire from the slaughter-place, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

The Seven Trumpets

Rev 8:6 And the seven messengers who held the seven trumpets (Heb – shofar)prepared themselves to sound (Heb ‘’takah’’)

Rev 11:15 And the seventh (trumpet)messenger sounded, and there came to be loud voices in the heaven, saying, “The reign of this world has become the reign of our Master, and of His Messiah, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

It is not difficult to see how this Torah portion can have meaningful significance for messianic believers.

If we observe the pattern and context of the book of revelation – we see similarities to this portion. In Revelation chapter seven it also mentions the 12 tribes – 144000. In chapter eight it speaks of the trumpets.

The comfort is that we will have the guidance and protection of the 144000 ‘’sealed Yisraelites’’ as well as the two end time witnesses – Moshe and Eliyahu - this time they will succeed and see the fruit of their labour.

We see a similar pattern in ‘’parashat matot’’ Numbers 31 – 12000 Yisraelites defeat Midianites and secure a massive booty that was divided amongst the Yisraelites.

Four times the word trumpet is used in this portion – compare to Gen 1:2 And the earth came to be[a] formless and empty, (תֹהוּ, וָבֹהוּ) and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of Elohim was moving (Heb ‘’merachefet’’ or vibrating) on the face of the waters. Footnote: aOr the earth became. . (See Jer 4:19-31- תֹהוּ, וָבֹהוּ)

Once again the ‘’breath vibrations’’ caused by trumpet sounds, will usher in a victorious new creation on earth in the last days. This time we will do it the right way

מי כמוךרק אתה יכול לעשות דבר נפלא כזה

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.