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This week’s
Sedra begins in 25:10 with the commendation of
Pinchas. Remember that before Bilam left, knowing
that he couldn't curse Israel, and still wanting
to get that money that was promised to him if
he would curse the Jewish people, Bilam instructed
Balak to set a trap for the children of Israel.
If we could be corrupted by engaging in sexual
immorality and idolatry, God Himself would judge
us. So, Bilam devised a plan whereby the daughters
of Moab and Midian would seduce the Jewish people,
and have sex with our men, and then lead us to
sacrifice to Baal.
Sure enough,
the plan worked, and God's judgment fell on Israel
because many of us engaged in sexual immorality
and idolatry. 24,000 were killed by a plague,
and the leaders who engaged in this were executed.
Pinchas, the son of Eliezar the High Priest, was
particularly zealous, and took a spear, and killed
Zimri, a Jewish man, and Cozbi, a Midianite woman,
who were together in a tent, for which he was
commended. His action saved the people of Israel
from complete destruction.
That was
very radical. Sometimes we have to do radical
things to turn people away from the sin that will
destroy them. I approve of those who are taking
radical action in the fight against abortion -
picketing, protesting close to abortion clinics.
I commend those ministries like Brother Andrew,
taking Bibles into communist and muslim nations.
I commend groups like Jews for Jesus who are willing
to take radical action, and stand out in public,
on the streets of the major cities of the world,
and hand out literature and tell people that they
need to turns from their own ways, and turn to
the Living God and His Messiah, who is our only
Salvation.
One rabbi
perceived that each one of us needs to have a
Pinchas in us. Each one of us needs to put to
death the deeds of the flesh like Pinchas did,
just as Rabbi Paul stated: “We are under obligation,
not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh
- for if you live according to the flesh, you
must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting
to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Each one
of us enjoys doing things that are wrong. We know
that we
-
shouldn’t be looking at
that ...
-
shouldn’t be doing that
...
-
Shouldn’t be saying that
...
-
shouldn’t be eating that
...
-
shouldn’t be touching that
...
-
shouldn’t be thinking about
that ...
And, we
can get trapped, and then get sucked deeper and
deeper into the black hole of sin. After all,
what’s wrong with a little pornography? Stealing
small things isn’t so bad, is it? Everyone is
having sex outside of marriage these days, so
a little sex is no big deal, right? What’s wrong
with doing some drugs? After all, I can stop doing
them whenever I want to.
Ask Kayin
if a little sin crouching at the door like a lion,
ready to burst through and devour him, was no
big deal.
With the
help and power that comes from the indwelling
Spirit of God, we can stop doing these things.
If we
do, we show that we are true children of God,
genuine followers of Messiah, and we will be accepted
by God and live with God and Messiah forever.
When we do this, it pleases the Lord and stays
His wrath. It prevents God’s judgment from being
unleashed upon us.
If necessary,
we are to take radical action to put to death
our sinful desires! Messiah warned us, “If
your hand or your foot causes you to stumble,
cut it off and throw it from you; it is better
for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to
have two hands or two feet and be cast into the
eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble,
pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better
for you to enter life with one eye, than to have
two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell.”
Because
of his hatred of sin, and his zeal that God would
be honored by Israel, and because of the radical
action that Pinchas took against these sins of
immorality and idolatry, that brought atonement
for the Jewish people; because he stood in the
gap for us, and mediated for us, God made a brit
shalom - a covenant of peace and well-being with
him, promising the High Priesthood to him and
his descendants. What an honor!
And, God
will make a covenant of peace with us. He will
bring us into a state of everlasting well-being.
God took
radical action for us, didn’t He? When He looked
down from Heaven, and saw us dying in our sins,
He sent Yeshua, His Son to Earth, to become a
man, and suffer all the indignities that He suffered,
and be rejected by the majority of the Holy People,
and die a horrible, slow, cruel, painful death
on a cross. That was radical, wasn’t it? Aren’t
you willing, in turn, willing to take some radical
action for Him?
Chapter
26 records the new numbering of the new generation.
We’ve been in the wilderness for 40 years, a year
for each day that the spies spied out the Land.
The entire generation that was saved out of Egypt,
and crossed the Red Sea, which was faithless,
disloyal, unbelieving, in spite of all the miracles
that they had witnessed, had now died out, as
God said they would. Not one man survived, for
the Lord had said, “Mot ya-moo-too - they shall
surely die in the wilderness.” And they all did,
except Joshua and Caleb.
About
1,200,000 people perished during those forty years.
But, during those forty years, a new generation
had arisen. Those under twenty at the time of
the first numbering became adults. Children were
born subsequently and had become adults. Some
tribes experienced population growth, and some
tribes went down in population, but the overall
population remained roughly the same - around
600,000 people.
We need
to learn the lesson from that generation’s failure
in the wilderness, so that we don’t make the same
mistake. We don’t want to be like that generation
that knew much about God, and saw His miracles,
and were delivered out of Egypt, and were miraculously
provided for, but who didn’t enter into the rest
God had for us in the Promised Land.
That entire
generation died in the wilderness, and were never
allowed to enter the land flowing with milk and
honey, only a few short days walk away. So close,
and yet so far!
We don’t
want to get close to the Kingdom of God, close
to salvation, close to eternal life, and miss
out on it! What a tragedy, what a horror, that
would be! Yet, there are millions of religious
people today, who go to a Church or Messianic
Synagogue, who because they know about God and
Messiah, who may have even experienced the miraculous,
may be deceiving themselves into thinking that
they will enter into eternal rest, when they won’t.
Let’s
carefully examine our hearts. Let’s peer into
our souls. Let’s ask ourselves, “do I really know
the Lord? Am I really committed to serving Him,
putting Him first in my heart, my affections,
my priorities? Am I willing to love the Lord with
all my heart, all my soul, all my strength?” I
would hate to have anyone who is connected to
Congregation Shema Yisrael fall short, and die
in the wilderness of this world.
Part of
the purpose of this new numbering was to help
allot the land within Israel. Those tribes that
had a larger population were to have a larger
inheritance in Israel. Chapter 27 records that
the issue came up regarding women inheriting land.
The five daughters of Tz’lof-chad came to the
leaders of Israel with a problem. Their father
had died, and left no sons - only the five daughters.
Shouldn’t they receive his inheritance in Israel?
The matter
was taken by Moses to the Lord, who ruled that
the daughters of Tz’lof-chad were correct - in
the case of a man who died without sons, his daughters
have the same right to inherit land as if they
were sons.
Further,
property within the land of Israel was to pass
on from father to son. If there was no son - it
went to the daughter. If there was no daughter,
then to other close relatives, so that the memory
of the person who died might be perpetuated as
much as possible, and the land remain close to
the family, and within the tribe.
History
tells us that many successful businesses have
failed, many good churches have faltered, many
governments have fallen apart, because after a
good leader, the man who take his place is not
qualified. Moses will not be allowed to enter
the Land of Israel. That is his punishment for
dishonoring the Lord in front of the Jewish people,
when he struck the rock instead of speaking to
it, and when he said, “shall we bring forth water
out of this rock,” taking credit for something
that only God can do. Since Moses, our great leader
won’t enter Israel, a new leader must be appointed
to take his place. Who will it be? Will he be
qualified? Will he lead us well, or into disaster?
So Moses
prays that the God of the spirits of all flesh,
who knows every human being way down deep, in
the innermost being, who understands what is in
their spirit, and who will be faithful and who
will be unfaithful, who will have genuine integrity,
and who will merely look good on the outside,
will appoint the right man to take over the leadership
of Israel, so that the Jewish people will be led
properly, and be protected from going the wrong
way, and be protected from all evil, and won’t
be like sheep without a shepherd - wandering aimlessly,
without direction, and unprotected.
Adonai
listens to the prayer of Moses, and tells him
to take Joshua, and lay his hands on him publicly,
in front of the whole congregation, and thereby
transfer his authority to Joshua.
I pray
even now, that should it be the Lord’s will, and
I am not available to be the leader of our synagogue,
that God would appoint the right man to take my
place.
Chapters
28-29 give us the various korbanot - the sacrifices
that enabled the Holy People, to draw near to
God. Every day, 365 times a year, we offered up
two males lambs, one year old, along with grain,
oil and wine, for burnt offerings of dedication,
declaring that the life of our nation was given
exclusively to God to accomplish His purposes.
One lamb was offered up in the morning, and one
was offered in the evening.
Then,
on the Sabbath, not only were the regular two
lambs offered up, along with grain, oil and wine,
but on God’s holy day an additional two lambs
were offered. That took place 52 times a year.
Then,
on Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of every month,
two bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs, one
year old, along with grain, oil and wine, were
offered. Also, a male goat was a sin offering
was offered. Israel was atoned for a devoted to
the Lord!
Then,
on the holidays, special sacrifices were offered.
On the first evening of Passover, for the Seder,
all the men were required to go to the Temple,
and each family offer a lamb. In the First Century,
Josephus, the historian records that during one
Passover, the sacrifices were counted and 265,500
animals were sacrificed! More than a quarter of
a millions animals were slaughtered just on that
one day!
Then,
the other seven days of Passover, two bulls, one
ram, and seven male lambs, one year old, along
with grain, oil and wine, were offered. Also,
a male goat was offered as a sin offering. Israel
was atoned for and devoted to the Lord!
On Shavuot,
two bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs, one
year old, along with grain, oil and wine, were
offered. Also, a male goat was offered as a sin
offering. Israel was atoned for and devoted to
the Lord!
On the
day to blow the shofars, one bull, one ram, and
seven male lambs, one year old, along with grain,
oil and wine, were offered. Also, a male goat
was offered as a sin offering. This was in addition
to the sacrifices of the beginning of the month
- two bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs, one
year old, along with grain, oil and wine, and
a male goat was a sin offering was offered. What
a great day that was to bring us nearer to our
wonderful God!
Then,
on Yom Kippur, one bull, one ram, and seven male
lambs, one year old, along with grain, oil and
wine, were offered. Also, a male goat was offered
as a sin offering. This was in addition to the
sacrifices of Yom Kippur described in Leviticus
16, and the daily sacrifices. What a great day
Yom Kippur was for cleansing our sins, being atoned
for, and drawing closer to the Lord.
Finally,
on Sukkot, an eight day long holiday, there was
an interesting progression of sacrifices. One
the first day, in addition to the daily offering,
thirteen bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs,
along with grain, oil and wine, for a burnt offering
of dedication, along with one male goat for a
sin offering. Then, on each subsequent day, one
less bull was offered up.
The number
of bulls totaled 70, which corresponds to the
original 70 nations of the world (See Genesis
10), and so some think that they were intended
to bring the whole world closer to the God of
Israel!
On the
eighth day of Shemini Atzeret, which was a quieter
day, only one bull, one ram, seven male lambs
were offered up as burnt offerings of dedication,
along with one male goat to atone for sin.
All these
offerings were in addition to the other sacrifices
that the Jewish people offered during the year:
offerings given as vows, and freewill offerings,
and burnt offerings and grain and drink offerings
and peace offerings.
So, let’s
make some calculations:
Every
day, 365 times a year, we offered up two males
lambs. That’s 730 lambs per year.
On Shabbat,
we killed an additional two lambs. 2 times 52
is 104 lambs.
Rosh
Chodesh: usually 12 per year, but sometimes
13, comes to 24 bulls, 12 rams, 84 lambs, 12
male goats.
The
first day of Passover: say, 200,000 lambs. The
rest of Passover: 14 bulls, 7 rams, 49 lambs,
7 goats.
Shavuot:
2 bulls, 1 ram, 7 lambs, 1 goat.
Shofar:
1 bull, 1 ram, and 7 male lambs, 1 goat.
Yom
Kippur: 1 bull, 1 ram, and 7 male lambs, 1 goat.
Plus, 1 bull, 2 goats.
Sukkot:
70 bulls, 14 rams, 98 lambs, 7 goats
Shemini
Atzeret: 1 bull, 1 ram, 7 lambs, 1 goat.
It comes
to 114 bulls, 32 goats, 37 rams, and 201,093 lambs
per year. Now, multiply that by 1500, roughly
the number of years from the time this was written,
until the coming of the Son of God. The total
is astounding: 171,000 bulls, 48,000 goats, 55,500
rams, 301,639,500 lambs.
Under
the Mosaic covenant, with its constantly repeated
sacrifices by the Levitical priests, there was
no ultimate and final forgiveness for sin - only
a temporary covering. Aaron and all the priests
that descended from him stood before the bronze
altar to repeat the same sacrifices, year after
year, which could not fully atone for our sins.
If they had completely atoned for our sins, they
would have stopped offering them, because they
would have done the job.
Yet from
the time of Moses until 70 AD, when the sacrifices
stopped, there was a continual shedding of the
blood of bulls, goats, lambs and rams, day after
day, Sabbath after Sabbath, month after month,
holiday after holiday, year after year - millions
upon millions of animals, rivers and rivers of
blood that did not permanently take away our sins.
Israel could never say, “It is finished!”
Why couldn’t
the blood of bulls, goats, lambs, and rams fully
take away our sins? They are animals - they are
worth less than a human being. On the Scale of
Being, one man is more valuable than all the animals
in the world. Also, their sacrifice wasn’t voluntary.
The sacrificed animals were killed against their
wills to obtain their blood.
Now, under
the New Covenant, the sacrifice made by the Messiah,
and His blood that was shed, is infinitely superior.
He is a better sacrifice because He was a willing
sacrifice. He died voluntarily. The One who was
perfect, and needed no sacrifice for Himself,
was willing to give His life that we might live!
The sacrifice
of Yeshua is better because Messiah is a man -
far more valuable than all the animals ever slaughtered.
And, not only is He a man, He is also fully God.
So, the sacrifice which the One who is fully God
and fully Man willingly brought was of infinite
value and delight to His Father.
It is
eternally powerful and everlastingly effective.
Therefore it accomplished infinite redemption,
perfect and full and eternal atonement. The one
sacrifice of the Messiah possesses absolute perfection,
and never ceasing effectiveness. His one sacrifice
was far better sacrifice than all the combined
millions of sacrifices that came before. Therefore,
it never needs to be repeated. His one sacrifice
is sufficient for all human beings.
It only
needs to be accepted, believe in, welcomed, and
applied to our lives. If it is, then:
We have
a better relationship with God, a new and eternal
covenant, by His blood - this is the blood of
the New Covenant in My blood (Luke 22:20).
We have
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of our all of us sins (Ephesians 1:7).
We have
peace by His blood: through Messiah God reconciled
all things to Himself, having made peace through
the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20). We
can draw near to God, and get close to the Almighty,
and be accepted by Him, because of Messiah’s
blood.
We have
sanctification by His blood: We have been sanctified,
set apart to accomplish God’s special purpose
for us, through the offering of the body of
Messiah Yeshua (Hebrews 10:10).
We have
continual cleansing by His blood: if we walk
in the light as He Himself is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another and the
blood of Yeshua His Son cleanses us from all
sin (1 John 1:7).
We are
spared from God’s anger by His blood: Having
been justified (made right with God, and declared
right by God,) by His blood we shall be saved
from the wrath of God (Romans 5:9).
We have
victory by His blood: they overcame him because
of the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11).
Thank
God for His blood, the most powerful, valuable,
precious substance in the universe!
By trusting
in God, in Messiah, have you been sprinkled by
His blood? You have got to be crazy not to! |
