ise 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
This Torah portion is about how rebellion against Mosheh and the Torah of YHVH brings
destruction and death
-
Listen to how King
David describes the prevailing spiritual condition when the spiritual pillars
of YHVH are pulled down and destroyed:
Psa 11:3
When the foundations are destroyed, What shall the righteous do?
Literally - When the settled things are being
pulled down, what effect do the righteous still have?
When the ancient paths are being pulled down
we are all in trouble - Isa 59:14
And right-ruling is driven back, and righteousness stands far off. For truth
has fallen in the street, and right is unable to enter.[a] Footnote: a Amo_5:7.
Isa 59:15 And the
truth is lacking, and whoever turns away from evil makes himself a prey. And יהוה
saw, and it displeased Him that there was no right-ruling.
Isa 59:16 And He saw
that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no intercessor. So His
own arm saved for Him, and His righteousness upheld him.
Rom 3:10 As it has
been written, “There is none righteous, no, not one!
Rom 3:11 “There
is no one who is understanding, there is none who is seeking Elohim.
Rom 3:12 “They
all have turned aside, they have together become worthless. There is none who
does good, no, not one.” Psa_14:1-3, Psa_53:1-4. (without
exception we have all rebelled against the truth)
Jas 2:10 For whoever
shall guard all the Torah, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of
all.
Multitudes of people in the world unknowingly embrace the spirit of
Korach?
The spirit of Korach and his followers is
still alive and well in our world. You can kill Korach and his followers, but
you cannot kill the spirit of rebellion that inspired him. This spirit has
always had many willing followers, sadly many of them believers.
If we are the people of the “second exodus” Jer
16:14-21 – those who could return to the land of Israel in this generation,
then maybe we can assume that spiritual conditions prior to the first exodus
will be similar for believers of the second exodus – Is 46:10
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, (correction
and discipline) 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.
Aliyah Rishon 16:1-13
Let us first examine the anatomy and origin of sedition:
Definition - ‘’conduct
or language inciting rebellion against the authority of a state or other lawful
government”
In one sense, sedition was the first sin in recorded history when Lucifer (Satan) led a revolt against the Most High in heaven and was thrown to the earth, along with one third of the messengers (Isaiah 14:12; Ezekiel 28:12–18). Lucifer wanted to be worshiped and obeyed instead of YHVH, and his pride led to sedition. This desire for prominence that incites public revolt is the common thread in most acts of sedition.
The first example of human sedition in the Bible is Numbers 16. YHVH had appointed Moses and Aaron as His spokesmen, but Korah and several other men, moved by jealousy, led a revolt against them. YHVH judged the rebels harshly, causing the ground beneath them to collapse and bury them alive (Numbers 16:31–33). A second wave of sedition came the next morning, when the rest of the Israelite camp grumbled that Moses and Aaron had killed godly men (verse 41). YHVH was angry with His people and sent a plague among them that killed an additional 14,700 people (verses 46–50). 2Thess 2:1-12 Dan 11:37
Jas 2:10 For whoever shall guard all the Torah, and yet stumble in
one point, he is guilty of all.
Note the pattern of
lawlessness and the use of the first three verbs of our Torah portion (vss1-3)
he shall take, he shall rise
up and he shall assemble – a pattern
repeated ‘’ad nauseum’’ throughout history.
א וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח,
בֶּן-יִצְהָר בֶּן-קְהָת בֶּן-לֵוִי;
ב וַיָּקֻמוּ לִפְנֵי
מֹשֶׁה, וַאֲנָשִׁים מִבְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל
ג וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל-מֹשֶׁה וְעַל-אַהֲרֹן
Num 16:1 And Qoraḥ (Korach), son of Yitshar, son of Qehath, son of
Lĕwi, took both Dathan and Aḇiram the sons of Eliyaḇ, and On, son of
Peleth, sons of Re’uḇĕn,
Num 16:2 and they rose up before Mosheh with some of the
children of Yisra’ěl, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, called
ones of the meeting, men of name.
Num 16:3 And they assembled against Mosheh and against
Aharon, and said to them, “Enough of you! For all the congregation is
set-apart, all of them, and יהוה is in their midst. Why then do you lift up
yourselves above the assembly of יהוה?”
‘’Dathan,
together with his brother Abiram, were among the quarrelsome and seditious
personages in Egypt and in the wilderness who sought, on every
occasion, to place difficulties in the way of Moses. Being identified with the
two Israelites at strife who were the cause of Moses' flight from Egypt (Ex.
ii. 13–15) – Wikipedia’’
The Torah reading starts with a verb “vayikach
Korach”- ‘Korach took’ these two men who were determined to undermine Moshe,
even while in Egypt. “Vayikach comes from the root Hebrew word “lakach” which
means to take.
The
Hebrew meaning of ‘’Korach’’ is ‘’bald or frosted over’’ – perhaps this speaks
to a heart condition unable to receive instruction and truth from the writings
and authority of Moshe – The Torah. YHVH’s wisdom and favour is unable (sometimes
never) to penetrate the mind or the heart of such a person.
The breeding ground for Korach’s rebellion was due to his jealousy over
his younger cousin (Mosheh) who was appointed leader over him. Moshe was called
and gifted by YHVH – Korach deeply resented this and tried to illegitimately
claim(take) this gift and calling for himself – a self -appointed man not an
Elohim appointed man.
Levi had three sons – Gershon, Kohath and
Merari. Kohath had four sons – Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron and Uziel. Amram was the father of Moshe and Yitzar was
the father of Korach. They were therefore cousins.
Num
16:2 and they rose up before Mosheh with
some of the children of Yisra’ĕl, two
hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, called ones of the meeting,
men of name.
The gematria for the Hebrew word “rebellious”
Strongs 4805 “meriy” (mem, reish,yud) equals 250.
“Appointed men of name” These were not just
ordinary men, they were well known and respected men that people looked up to.
Num
16:3 And they assembled against Mosheh
and against Aharon, and said to them, “Enough of you! (rav lachem) For all the congregation is set-apart, all of them,
and יהוה is in their midst. Why then do you lift up yourselves above the
assembly of יהוה?”
The rebellion of Korach was not just some sudden
impulse, it had been coming a long time, thus the words “rav lechem” or in
other words “Moshe we have had enough of you…” Note how this self- appointed
leader is speaking on the behalf of ‘’all the people’’. This is a common
pattern to this day.
Num 16:4 And
when Mosheh heard, he fell on his face,
(he must have realized how very, very serious this situation was going to
become)
Num 16:5 and
spoke to Qoraḥ and all his company,(“kol
adato” - all of his congregation, including future generations) saying,
“Tomorrow morning (in the dawning of a
new day) יהוה shall make known who is His and who is set-apart, and bring him
near to Him. And let Him bring near to Him the one whom He chooses. (Moshe was implying that only one of the
parties was going to survive – this too has end time implications – the great
tribulation is also going to be about this issue)
Eze 34:17
‘And as for you, O My flock, thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am
judging between sheep and sheep
Perhaps this issue of whose worship and service is acceptable to YHVH
will be finally determined in the last days. Perhaps many will repent and
change their ways before that great terrible day of YHVH –see Joel/Yoel 2
Bemidbar/Num 16:6
“Do this: Take fire holders,
Qoraḥ and all your company,
The Hebrew word for
“fire holder” is Strongs 4289 “machtah”
this word is very closely related to Strongs 4288 “mechitah” which means
destruction. Lev 10:1 Nadab and Abihu ‘’took’’(vayikach)
a fire holder (S4289)
Luk 12:49 “I came
to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! Acts
17:30-31
Yahshua said:
Yochanan/Joh 4:23 “But the hour is
coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father
in spirit and truth, for the Father also does seek such to worship Him.
Most people
including believers have no idea who YHVH is and we are about to find out. Jn
17:3
Num 16:7 and
put fire in them and put incense in them before יהוה tomorrow. And
it shall be that the one whom יהוה chooses is the set-apart one. Enough of
you, sons of Lĕwi!” (rav lachem)
Num 16:8 And
Mosheh said to Qoraḥ, “Hear now, you sons of Lĕwi:
Num 16:9 “Is
it little to you that the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl has separated you from the
congregation of Yisra’ĕl, to bring you near to Himself, to perform the service
of the Dwelling Place of יהוה, and to stand before the congregation to
serve them,
Num 16:10
and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brothers,
the sons of Lĕwi, with you? Yet you seek the priesthood as well?
Num 16:11
“Therefore you and all your company are set against יהוה. And Aharon, what is he that you grumble against him?”
Num 16:12
And Mosheh sent to call Dathan and Aḇiram the sons of Eliyaḇ, but they
said, “We are not coming up!
Num
16:13 “Is it little that you have
brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the
wilderness, that you would also seize total rule over us?
Aliyah Sheni 16:14-19
Num 16:14 “Also, you have not brought us into a land
flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards.
Would you bore out the eyes of these men? We are not coming up!”
Num 16:15 And Mosheh became very displeased, and said
to יהוה, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey
from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.”
Num 16:16
Then Mosheh said to Qoraḥ, “Tomorrow, you and all your company shall be
there before יהוה, you and they and Aharon.
“tomorrow”
Hebrew “machar” can also mean at a “future time.” The modern praise and worship
movement for the most part is birthed from the Korach spirit by implying their
Jesus came to do away with Torah of Moshe.
Num 16:17 “And
take each one his fire holder, and you shall put incense in it. And let each
one bring his fire holder before יהוה, two hundred and fifty fire holders, and
you and Aharon, each one with his fire holder.”
Num 16:18 So
each one took his fire holder, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and
stood at the door of the Tent of Meeting with Mosheh and Aharon.
Num 16:19
And Qoraḥ assembled all the congregation against them at the door of
the Tent of Meeting. Then the esteem of יהוה appeared to
all the congregation.
Aliyah Shlishi 16:20-43
Num 16:20 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, and to Aharon, saying,
Num 16:21
“Separate yourselves from the midst of this congregation, and let Me
consume them in a moment.”
Num 16:22
But they fell on their faces, and said, “O Ěl, Elohim of the spirits of
all flesh! When one-man sins, are You wroth with all the congregation?”
We are to
separate ourselves from those who are determined to undermine the authority of
the Torah.
Num 16:23
And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Num 16:24
“Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Move away from around the tents of
Qoraḥ, Dathan, and Aḇiram.’ ”
Num
16:25 So Mosheh rose up and went to
Dathan and Aḇiram, and the elders of Yisra’ĕl followed him.
Num
16:26 And he spoke to the congregation,
saying, “Please turn away from the tents of these wrong men! Do not touch
whatever belongs to them, lest you be consumed in all their sins.”
Num 16:27
Then they moved away from around the tents of Qoraḥ, Dathan, and
Aḇiram. And Dathan and Aḇiram came
out and stood at the door of their
tents, with their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
Dathan in Hebrew means
“law” and Abiram means “strength” combined in the context of this narrative, we
assume that that there was a strength or stubbornness to establish their own
law and resist the law of YHVH.
We see this idea
supported using the word “stood” in vs 27 “natzav” which can also mean to
“stand erect” in defiance.
We must assume that there
are times when people have so hardened their hearts against the Torah of YHVH,
and they refuse to change their minds. There is a danger of this phenomenon in
the so called “grace movements” of our day.
Num 16:28
And Mosheh said, “By this you know that יהוה has sent me to
do all these works, that they are not from my own heart.
Num 16:29
“If these die as all men do, or if they are visited as all men are
visited, then יהוה has not sent me.
Num 16:30
“But if יהוה creates ( בריאה יברא or creation He will create ie something very creative or unique
that’s never been done before – see book of Revelation) what is unheard of, and
the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them,
and they go down alive into the grave, then you shall know that these men have
scorned יהוה.”
Num 16:31
And it came to be, as he ended speaking all these words, that the ground
under them split apart,
Num 16:32
and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their
households and all the men with Qoraḥ, with all their goods.
Num 16:33 So
they and all those with them went down alive into the grave, and the earth
closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.
Num 16:34
And all Yisra’ĕl who were round about them fled at their cry, for they
said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!”
Num 16:35
And a fire came out from יהוה and consumed the two hundred and fifty men
who were offering incense.
Num 16:36
And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Num 16:37
“Say to Elʽazar, son of Aharon the priest, to pick up the fire holders
out of the blaze, for they are set-apart, and scatter the fire some distance
away.
Num 16:38
“The fire holders of these men who sinned against their own lives, let
them be made into beaten plates as a covering for the altar. Because they
brought them before יהוה, therefore they are set-apart. And let
them become a sign to the children of Yisra’ĕl.”
Num 16:39
And Elʽazar the priest took the bronze fire holders, which those who
were burned up had brought, and they were beaten out as a covering on the altar
–
These fire
holders were set apart, because the original intention was to bring worship. However,
we know that it was not in spirit and in truth (Jn4:23).
This
should be a serious warning that worship is one of the set apart activities we
can participate in.
Num 16:40 a
remembrance to the children of Yisra’ĕl that no stranger who is not of the seed
of Aharon, should come near to offer incense before יהוה, and not be
like Qoraḥ and his company – as יהוה had said to him through Mosheh.
Num
16:41 But all the congregation of the
children of Yisra’ĕl grumbled against Mosheh and against Aharon on the next
day, saying, “You, you have killed the people of יהוה.”
Num 16:42
And it came to be, when the congregation assembled against Mosheh and
against Aharon, that they turned toward the Tent of Meeting. And see, the cloud
covered it, and the esteem of יהוה appeared.
Num 16:43 And Mosheh and Aharon came before the Tent of Meeting.
Aliyah Reviee 16:44-50
Num 16:44 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 16:45 “Arise
from amidst this congregation, and let Me consume them in a moment.” And they
fell on their faces.
Num 16:46 So
Mosheh said to Aharon, “Take the fire holder and put fire in it from the altar,
and lay incense on, and go, hurry to the congregation and make atonement for
them, for wrath has gone out from יהוה, the plague
has begun.”
Num 16:47
And Aharon took it as Mosheh commanded, and ran into the midst of the
assembly, and saw that the plague had begun among the people. And he laid on
the incense and made atonement for the people,
Num 16:48
and stood between the dead and the living. And the plague was stopped.
Num 16:49
And those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred,
besides those who died on account of Qoraḥ.
Num 16:50
Then Aharon returned to Mosheh at the door of the Tent of Meeting, for
the plague had stopped.
Sadly Rabbinic halacha supported by the teachings
of the Talmud have also been deeply influenced by the spirit of Korach – see –
http://www.messianicgoodnews.org/rabbinic-authority-and-the-oral-law/
The Rambam, Moses Maimonides, taught in his introduction to the Mishnah
that the rabbinic traditions were to be followed even if they contradicted the
plain, grammatical sense of the Torah and even if a prophet of God confirmed
that the plain, grammatical sense of the Torah was correct (using Deuteronomy 25:11-12 as his example). So, the
written Word, confirmed by a prophet, has less authority than the rabbinic
traditions! Add to this the Talmudic teaching in B. Bava Metzia 59b (cited
above, and based on a wrong interpretation of Exodus 23:2) that states that even divine
miracles and a voice from heaven cannot overrule the majority opinion of the
rabbis, and you realize just how extreme this position really is.
https://www.chosenpeople.com/rabbinic-objections/
Aaron's Staff Buds
Num 17:1 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 17:2 “Speak to the children of Yisra’ěl,
and take from them a rod from each father’s house, all their leaders according
to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each one’s name on his rod,
Num 17:3 and write Aharon’s name on the rod
of Lěwi, for there is one rod for the head of each father’s house.
Num 17:4 “You shall then place them in the
Tent of Appointment before the Witness, where I meet with you.
Num 17:5 “And it shall be that the rod of
the man whom I choose buds, and I shall rid Myself of the grumblings of the
children of Yisra’ěl, which they grumble against you.”
Num 17:6 And Mosheh spoke to the children of
Yisra’ěl, and all their leaders gave him a rod each, for each leader according
to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. And the rod of Aharon was among their
rods.
Num 17:7 So Mosheh placed the rods before יהוה in the Tent of the Witness.
Num 17:8 And it came to be on the next day
that Mosheh went into the Tent of the Witness and saw that the rod of Aharon,
of the house of Lěwi, had budded, and brought forth buds, and blossomed and
bore ripe almonds.
Num 17:9 And Mosheh brought out all the rods
from before יהוה to all the
children of Yisra’ěl. And they looked, and each man took his rod.
Num 17:10 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Bring Aharon’s rod back before the Witness, to
be kept as a sign against the rebels, so that you put an end to their
grumblings against Me, lest they die.”
Num 17:11 And Mosheh did as יהוה had commanded him, so he did.
Num 17:12 And the children of Yisra’ěl spoke
to Mosheh, saying, “See, we shall die, we shall perish, we shall all
perish!
Num 17:13 “Anyone who comes near the
Dwelling Place of יהוה dies. Shall we
be consumed – to die?”
During the latter part of the coming tribulation
there will also be 12000 sealed Levites – Rev 7 – We are uncertain as to their
role. However, the severity of this tribulation will bring about a restoration
of the truth such as the world has never seen. Mt 24:14 Heb 12:26
1Pe 2:6 Because it is contained in the
Scripture, “See, I lay in Tsiyon a chief corner-stone, chosen, precious, and
he who believes on Him shall by no means be put to shame.” Isa_28:16.
1Pe 2:7 This preciousness, then, is for you
who believe; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders
rejected has become the chief corner-stone,” Psa_118:22.
1Pe 2:8 and “A stone of stumbling and a
rock that makes for falling,” Isa_8:14 who stumble because they are
disobedient[a]to the Word, to which they also were appointed. Footnote: aSee Joh_3:36,
Heb_3:18.
1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen race,[b]
Deu_10:15 a royal priesthood,[c] Isa_61:6 a set-apart
nation,[d] Exo_19:6 a people for a possession,[e] Isa_43:2
that you should proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into
His marvellous light, Footnotes: bAlso see Isa_43:20. cAlso see Isa_66:21.
dAlso see Deu_7:6. eAlso see Exo_19:5, Tit_2:14.
1Pe 2:10 who once were not a people,[f]
but now the people of Elohim; [f] who had not obtained compassion,[f]
but now obtained compassion.[f] Hos_1:9-10, Hos_2:23.
Footnote: fAlso see Isa_65:1, Hos_1:9, Isa_63:16, Isa_64:8,
Rom_9:25-26.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et6qEE7RGlA
THE WHORE OF BABYLON: SO MUCH MORE THAN ROME
(UNDERSTANDING END TIMES BIBLE PROPHECY PT. 13)
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.