Journey

The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Massai, meaning "Journey", and is found in Numbers 33. What an enlightening picture it contains for all who follow the Lord! In this Sabbath reading, Moses was given a commandment from God. He was to make a record of all the places the Israelites had journeyed up to the point where they are encamped by the Jordan River, across from Jericho, at the crossing point into the Promised Land. We usually consider a journey to be about where we are going to, or our destination. However, the LORD had a different viewpoint in recording the journey. He wanted the journey to record where the Israelites had departed from at each stage of travel. Although our Hebrew title, Massei, means "journey", its root word is massa, which means "pulling up of stakes, breaking camp, point of departure, removed, go forth, set aside, be plucked up, to bend a bow". "Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the LORD. And these are their journeys according to their starting points..." (Num. 33:2). The Hebrew word used here for "starting points" is the word and root, mosa/yasa, which mean "watersprings, go out (forth), come out, source of a spring of water, place of departure, exit, lead out, deliver, to come out of". The journey was not just about "the going to", but more importantly "the departure from". In Moses' list of departures, there are forty-two named places, covering forty years (v. 38) of journeys. The number forty-two, which is the list of places of departure in Num. 33, also has a profound meaning in the Hebrew tradition, and rabbinical teaching. I will just give you some of the more important points here: The number 42 is written as the Hebrew letters mem bet. Those two letters refer to the written Torah, which begins with the letter beth, and the oral Torah, which begins with the letter mem. The Kaddish is a series of prayers said in the synagogue sanctifying the name of God. That name, according to rabbinical teaching, is composed of 42 letters from the Genesis account of creation. Here also is a direct quote: "The Kaddish is the means for the elevation of the sons of Israel from one stage to the next in their journey of life, leading ultimately to "Olam Haba", the world to come." (See 2 Pet. 3:11-13: "...we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."). The name of God in Ex. 3:13-14, "I AM THAT I AM", equals the number 42 in gematria, which is the number value assigned to Hebrew letters. The Messiah's genealogy is expressed in three sets of fourteen, which equals forty-two (see Mt. 1:17). Forty-two months is alo involved in the revealing of end time events and the antichrist figure (Rev. 11:2, 12:6, 13:5). So, the forty-two places of departures listed in the journeys of Israel in Numbers 33 has great significance in scripture. The first place of departure from this week's Sabbath reading, which took place on the first dy after Passover, was from the Egyptian city of Rameses (Num. 33:1), which means "child of the sun (god). Rameses was built with the slave labor of the Israelites, and named after the Pharaoh. The Israelites would later speak of wanting to go back to Egypt, but once God causes us to depart a place in our journey, we are not to go back unless He brings us back. Some of the places departed from by Israel had pleasant names like "tabernacle"/Succoth, "resting place"/Rephidim, "beauty, goodness, glisten"/Mount Shapher, "sweetness, sweet fountain"/Mitheah, "pleasantness, goodness, acceptance"/Jotbathah. Many places departed from had unpleasant names like "to beat violently"/Dophkah, "graves of lust, longing, desire"/Kibrothhattavah, "bonds, prisoner"/Moseroth, "the slashing place, cut"/Horhagidgad, "shadow of death, deep darkness"/Zalmonah, "darkness, perplexed"/Punom, "familiar spirit, practice of necromancy/Oboth, "wasting, to pine and pass away/Dibongad, and their final place of departure when they cross the Jordan River will be: "house of desolation" and "meadow of whipping and scourging"/Bethjesimoth-Abelshittim. The LORD had stated that He would bring judgment against all the gods of Egypt (Ex. 12:12), and many of these places of departure represented those demon gods of darkness and suffering. One place of departure, Pi Ha hiroth, was a place sacred to Typhon, a demon god of Egypt. The departures in the journeys of the Israelites therefore evidently involved God's subduing of the powers of darkness. When the Israelites stayed or "encamped" at a place, the Hebrew word and root hana/hanan was used, which means "dwell, abide, lay siege against/mercy, gracious, favored, pity". The LORD laid siege through the presence of His people and His tabernacle, which was the foreshadowing of His Son, the Messiah Jesus, while at the same time, protecting and covering them with His mercy and favor (when they cooperated!). When the Israelites departed from Egypt, they departed as the armies of the LORD (Ex. 12:41). They were a spiritual army as well as a natural army, I believe. What does all of this mean regarding our walk in Christ? We also are being brought to a destination, and the journey is filled with a series of departures, as well as the reaching of an expected conclusion or end (see Jer. 29:11). Each departure in that journey accomplishes God's victory in spiritual warfare through His Work of Christ in us. Paul wrote: "...if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (ktisis - the act of creating, of God creating the worlds, complete change or transformation); old things (archaios/arche/archo - from the beginning, original; the first place: principality, rule of angels, demons; to rule over) have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:17). This verse, according to the Greek meanings of the words used here, refers to the passing away of the ancient spiritual rulers of darkness. Within us, as we abide in Christ, the God of creation is causing the ancient principalities and rulers to pass away, and a new (never before seen, unheard of, unprecedented) creation pertaining to all things has come to pass. We see this same idea in the rabbinical teachings, as discussed above, in the meaning of the number forty-two. Paul also wrote: "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus...For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working (energeia - by superhuman power, energy, operation) by which He is able even to subdue (hypotasso - put in subjection underneath, put in a certain order) all things to Himself." (Phil. 3:14-15, 20-21). Christ is able to subdue all things beneath Him, including the primeval spiritual rulers of wickedness and chaos, through His transformational work in us, and into His body. This is a fulfillment of one of the prophetic shadows found in the forty-two "departures" of the Israelites throughout their forty year journey to the Promised Land. Our spiritual journey in Christ is essential, and accomplishes a finished work that re-orders and re-news creation. Are we willing to accept the departures, and their work of subduing spiritual powers, that the Lord has placed in our journey, or are we continually looking back (see also Gen. 19:24-26), going back, and repeatedly rehearsing the old things of the past in our minds, resulting in the re-enpowering of those ancient evils, and the undoing of His accomplished work through us? Let us accept the departures, if we wish to move upward in Him. If you would like to experience the beginning point and the departures found in a walk with Christ, you can pray with me: "Father, as you have shown us through the journeys of the Israelites, You led Your people by pillars of smoke and fire, and caused them to depart, or be removed from, places of spiritual strongholds as You judged the gods of Egypt. You accomplish a transformational work in and through me also as I continue my journey of departures with Jesus Christ that affects all things, including rulers and principalities of spiritual powers of wickedness. I can see the creation power of God at work in this journey, bringing me to new heavens and a new earth. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Who leads me to follow the path of Christ in my journey. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Tribes

This week's Sabbath reading from Numbers 32 titled Mattot, meaning "Tribes", deals with a strange event. Moses and the children of Israel were encamped on the east side of the Jordan River. Soon, under the leadership of Joshua, they would cross over the Jordan River, and secure their inheritance in the land promised by God which was located west of the River. However, the leaders of the tribes of Reuben and Gad approached Moses and Eleazar the high priest (Aaron had died earlier), and the other leaders of the congregation with a shocking request: "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan." (Num. 32:5). The tribes of Reuben and Gad, who had "a very great multitude of livestock", had seen how excellent the land on the eastern side of the Jordan was for grazing livestock, and wanted to remain there. This was shocking to Moses, who angrily told them that their request to remain behind, east of the Jordan, would discourage the rest of the Israelites from crossing over, just like the bad report of the ten spies had done previously. That previous failure to enter the land had caused the LORD to become angry, and the Israelites had had to wander the wilderness as a result for forty years! (v. 6-13). Moses said to the leaders of the two tribes: "And look! You have risen in your fathers' place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel. For if you turn away from following Him, He will once again leave them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people." (v. 14-15). These are strong words of condemnation for what Moses saw as an act that would bring destruction to all of the people of God. It might also have been shocking to Moses personally, because God had already told him that he would not enter the promised land himself. He would later beg God to let him go into the land, but be denied: "I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains and Lebanon." (Deut. 3:25). Moses might have wondered how these two tribes could refuse the land that God had apportioned for them, when Moses loved the promise of it so much, but could never enter it himself. We do not know how the LORD felt about the request of the two tribes to remain on the eastern side of the River, because we have no indication in scripture that Moses consulted the LORD on this issue. We will perhaps have a glimpse of the LORD's thoughts on it because later when six cities of refuge were commanded by God as a haven for those who kill accidently, He assigned three of the cities of refuge to be located on the eastern side of the Jordan, as well as the three cities of refuge that were to be located on the western side of the River. (Josh. 20:1-3, 7-9). Meanwhile back to our story: upon hearing how angry Moses was, the leaders of the two tribes of Reuben and Gad assured him that while they would leave their wives, children, and livestock settled on the eastern side of the Jordan, the men of the tribes would arm themselves and fight with the rest of the Israelites to subdue the promised land on the other side of the River, until Israel was securely inhabiting the land (v. 16-28). Moses agreed that if they kept this commitment to fight with the rest of Israel for the land, they could then return to the eastern side of the Jordan "and be blameless before the LORD and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD." (v. 20-22). The half-tribe of Manasseh, who descended from Joseph, also split at this time, with half of the half-tribe wanting to remain on the eastern side of the Jordan, and half planning to cross over with the other tribes. Moses agreed (v. 33). We would read later that under the leadership of Joshua (Moses had died by that point), the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of the half-tribe of Manasseh did keep their commitment to fight on the western side of the River with Israel, and Joshua therefore released them to return to their homes on the eastern side. (Joshua 22:1-4). However, Joshua gave them this warning before the men returned to the east: "But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan...to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul. So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents." (Josh. 22:4-6). It must have been a heartbreaking moment for Israel to watch the men of those tribes who had fought with them, walking eastward, and leaving them. There came another issue concerning the tribes on the eastern side of the Jordan River. A "report" had gotten back to Joshua and the children of Israel that the eastern tribes had built a great, impressive altar on their land, and Israel prepared itself to go to war against those eastern tribes. They sent Phinehas and ten rulers from the western tribes to find out what was happening across the Jordan (Josh. 22:10-14). These leaders spoke sternly to the eastern tribes of Reuben, Gad, and part of Manasseh, calling the building of an altar, other than the altar of the LORD in the tabernacle, treachery and rebellion against the LORD that would cause the anger of the LORD to break out on the whole congregation of Israel (v. 15-19). The three eastern tribes explained that their altar was not in rebellion to God, but that they wanted it to stand as a witness (ed - witness, testimony, evidence, recorder; affirm solemnly, restore, give warning) to future generations that while they were physically separated by the River from the other tribes, they had not separated themselves from the service and worship of the LORD God (v. 21-29). Phinehas and the rulers of the western tribes found this to be acceptable. Where there had previously been a situation of impending war between the western tribes and the eastern tribes, Phinehas now said instead: "This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this treachery against the LORD. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD." (v. 30-31). Divisions as seen by the eyes of men, are not always seen as such in the eyes of the LORD. He knows who is with Him, and who is against Him. Many centuries later, Jesus had no problem preaching and healing on the eastern side of the Jordan River. The Gospel accounts (Mt. 8:28-34, Mk. 5:1-20, Lk. 8:26-37) tell of a miraculous delivery by Jesus of a maniacal man living among the tombs in Gadarene/Gergesenes who was possessed by many demons. Jesus freed him and restored his right mind. Gadarene/Gergesenes was on the eastern side of the Jordan River, and Jesus is recorded as having "crossed over" to get to that side. We see recorded in the Gospels that Jesus travelled and ministered in the Decapolis (Mk. 5:20, Mt. 4:25), which is a large territory of ten cities. Some of the cities of the Decapolis were on the eastern side of the Jordan River according to maps of the region. The title of this Sabbath's reading is Mattot in Hebrew, meaning "tribes". The singular is matte, meaning "tribe, staff, rod, branch (of a vine), company led by a chief with a staff, branch as extending, rod- whether for chastening, ruling (sceptre), throwing (lance) or walking (as support of life)". The Hebrew word for tribe seems to be more about the rod and staff, and who leads, corrects, guides and supports the walk with that rod and staff, and only then, includes the company that follows after that rod and staff. The believers in Christ follow Him as He leads us with His rod and His staff (Ps. 23, Rev. 2:26-27, Rev. 19:11-16) . According to the Hebrew meaning of the word, we can say that we are of the matte, or tribe of Christ. The believers in Christ unfortunately appear to have many divisions among them of geography, culture, customs, traditions, denominations, even doctrines. Although we may look at each other suspiciously, and sometimes even look to make war with each other, if we are following Christ and His rod and staff, we are united with each other as His tribe. Regardless of those things that divide us, what will continue to unite us is our common faith in the Lord, Who died for our sin, and raised us from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of our Father in heaven. Paul described the believers in Christ as individual members, but joined and working together in one Body - the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-20, Eph. 4:15-16). This is our unity, and our common identity in our faith, and in our tribe. If you would like to know more about being part of the tribe of Jesus Christ, you can pray with me: "Lord Jesus, Your rod and staff guide me, correct me, support my walk, and comfort me. They identify me as being part of Your tribe. Your Words of Truth guide Your tribe, and not the words or ideas of men. By the presence of Your Holy Spirit, keep me under Your direction, and lead me into the unity of the faith of the Son of God. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Remnant

Often our eyes become focused on the horrible events happening across the world. Right has become wrong, and wrong has become right, and often it seems that the Church is silent. However, this week's Sabbath reading, titled Pinchas, which is the Hebrew version of the name Phinehas, focuses our eyes on something else - the faithful "remnant" of God. No matter how far astray God's people had gone from Him, He assured us in His Word that He always had a remnant, or preserved remainder, who continued to worship Him, remain obedient to Him, and accomplish great things in His name. We will see the qualities that make up the faithful remnant from this Sabbath's reading. From Number 25, we read that the congregation of the children of Israel had begun to join with idolatrous Moabite women. As they joined themselves to these idolators, the Israelites began to worship the Moabite god, Ba'al, instead of the God of Israel. In last week's entry, we read that Balak, the king of Moab, and also the Midianite people, sought out a soothsayer named Balaam, to get him to curse the Israelites for a reward. God did not allow Balaam to curse His people, but Balaam, we find out later in scripture, told the king of Moab how he could destroy God's people from within the congregation by sending the idolatrous Moabite women into their midst (see Num. 31:16). The Israelites would then leave the worship of their God and turn to the false god, Ba'al, Balaam promised the king. Jesus warned the Church that this kind of strategy is still being used to try to destroy the Body of Christ from within, turning the Church away from the Word of God to embrace the lies of men and devils (see Rev. 2:14-15). Once we fall for a lie, we fall period. This is what the Israelites experienced. As they joined themselves to the Moabite women, they also joined themselves to Ba'al: "...the women of Moab...invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to (samad - to fasten to, attach oneself to, to combine with) Ba'al of Pe'or, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel. Scripture later tells us that the god Ba'al also required the sacrifice of living children in fire (see Jer. 19:4-6, Jer. 32:35, 2 Chron. 28:1-3). As a result of their idolatry, a plague broke out among the congregation of the children of Israel. One man dared to bring his Midianite woman in front of Moses and the weeping congregation standing before the tabernacle. "When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel and the Midianite woman, into the tent, and thrust both of them through...So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand." (Num. 25:6-9). The LORD said: "Phinehas...has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My Zeal. Therefore...behold, I give to him My covenant of peace;... to him and his descendants... a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel." (v. 11-13). Phinehas, out of the whole congregation, acted in zeal (qana -jealousy) for God. God allowed the zeal of Phinehas to satisfy His own, and the plague was stopped. A remnant is zealous for God. However, we are not zealous with natural javelins hurled into flesh and blood. The remnant of the new covenant in Christ is a remnant of the Spirit of God. This remnant does not use natural weapons, but spiritual weapons against spiritual powers, and that warfare begins within ourselves, through our obedience. By this spiritual warfare, we "make atonement" for many. This warfare is so powerful that it pulls down evil spiritual powers and strongholds over whole nations (2 Cor. 10:3-6, Eph. 6:11-18). Although this is spiritual warfare, it comes from the same place of zeal within the remnant as the zeal of Phinehas. The remnant is not here to gaze in horror at the trainwreck of wickedness in the world, but to spiritually act in the zeal of God. In another portion of this Sabbath's reading in Numbers 27, five daughters of Zelophehad (meaning "first born"), were denied their father's inheritance because they were not numbered among the men of Israel. As a result of that omission, they came before Moses and stood for their deceased father's inheritance saying: "Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the LORD...Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son?..." (v. 1-4). Moses brought the issue before God and the LORD agreed with Zelophehad's daughters, and commanded that they should receive the inheritance in their father's name. Not only did they inherit, but it became the commandment of God that if a man died with no son, his inheritance should go to his daughter(s) (v. 7-8). A faithful remnant brings an injustice before God, and not only causes the injustice to be changed for themselves, but, as a result of the power of God's righteousness, for many others at the same time. In the same manner, the faithful remnant of the new covenant also stands in the inheritance of the Father's Firstborn Son, Jesus, not only on their own behalf, but on the behalf of many, even all creation (see Rom. 8:16-21, Eph. 1:11-14, Gal. 3:26-29). In another portion from this Sabbath's reading, the great prophet of Israel, Elijah, became overcome with fear and with bitterness against the people of Israel, believing that only he was left to defend the LORD before a wicked, and idolatrous queen and her false prophets (1 Kings 19:10, 14). In bitterness he prayed that he might die, that he had had enough! (1 Kings 19:1-4). It was wrong for Elijah to despise the people, because he was unintentionally despising the remnant in the midst of the people. Although he was a prophet, Elijah was unaware that God had kept a remnant for Himself among the people. God answered Elijah: "Yet I have reserved ( sa'ar- remain, remnant, survive, spare, keep over, to leave as a gift, reserve) seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Ba'al, and every mouth that has not kissed him." (v. 18). The LORD then commanded Elijah to anoint Elisha to be prophet in his place (v. 16). Elijah was to be removed from his position, and, in a miraculous way, he would be called home to God. In the first chapter of Isaiah, the LORD reveals His Word to the prophet regarding the nation of Israel's evil ways and rebellion against God (v. 2-4). As a result, the nation had been stricken with terrible spiritual wounds (v. 5-6). The nation was desolate in the sight of God, with this exception: "Unless the LORD of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah..." (v. 7-9). In our despair over rampaging sin and violence, we tend to forget about the remnant of God, and its purpose. However, God does not forget. Their presence in a nation can act as a restraint against total destruction, as the LORD revealed to Isaiah, above. In this case, the LORD directed the remnant into repentance. Would they obey and heed the LORD for the sake of the land? Phinehas made atonement for the people by the zeal of the LORD. In this example From Isaiah 1, atonement could be made by the remnant only through repentance. Do we understand the responsibility and the grace of God given to His remnant? Paul had to remind the smug and prideful Gentile Church that God had a remnant in Israel which He had not forgotten, beloved for the sake of the fathers, called to receive salvation, and that He would keep His promise that "All Israel shall be saved." (Rom. 11:5, 26, 28-29). The hidden remnant in Israel that Paul recognized would act as a seed of salvation for all Israel. Micah 5:7 describes His remnant as being "...like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass..." in the midst of many peoples. God always has a remnant in the earth, although we may not always see or know them. The remnant stands with and for the LORD, and brings changes to the earth. If you would like to know more about being part of the remnant of God, you can join me in my prayer: "Heavenly Father, You have called a remnant in Your Son, Jesus, led by Your Holy Spirit, to stand in the earth among the people and the nations. Show me how to walk as part of Your remnant, zealous in the Spirit, but not warring against flesh and blood, standing for the name and inheritance of our Father, not to consume it upon myself, but for the benefit of many. In these challenging times, help me to pray for the remnant so that we will walk in obedience, wisdom, truth, and revelation. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Balak

This week's Sabbath reading is titled, Balak, and refers to the name of an enemy king of Israel. His name in Hebrew means "devastator, empty, void, to lay waste, annihilate, make empty". These meanings make me think of the character and identity of Satan immediately, and I also think of the condition of the earth before the creation as described in Gen. 1:2: "The earth was without form and void...". God alleviated this condition of devastation by speaking to it as we read the account of creation. In our Sabbath reading from Numbers 22, Balak is the name of the king of Moab who sought a man, Balaam (bal/am - foreigner, not of the people; nothing, not, else, become old, wear out like a garment, to fall away; grow dark; not of the people, not of the flock) to speak a curse against the vast number of the children of Israel, who were encamped by his land. King Balak sent messengers from the elders of Moab (meaning seed, progeny of a father) and Midian (meaning strife, contention, quarrel, brawling, discord), to bring this request to Balaam: "Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed." (Num. 22:6). We can see that King Balak, who represents the qualities of Satan, needs someone to speak the words of cursing over Israel. He can't do it himself. He has to find a man who is gifted in this prophetic speech. Both nations of Moab and Midian are familiar with God. Moab is descended, through an act of incest, from Abraham's nephew, Lot. Moses' father-in-law, who provided him with godly counsel, came from Midian. He was a priest of Midian, in fact (see Ex. 2:15-21, Ex. 18:6-24). So both of these nations had a relationship by blood or marriage to the Israelites, and had been at least familiar with God. Now both nations sought to have a curse spoken over the Israelites. Balaam, whom King Balak sought to hire in order to speak the curse, had a known skill in divination (Num. 22:7), and was paid with the rewards of divination. Divination here is the Hebrew word qesem, meaning "witchcraft, false prophet, to determine by using a magical scroll"). He also operated in sorcery (Num. 24:1). In addition, Balaam lived in Pethor meaning "soothsayer". Although Balaam used divination and sorcery, he was also familiar with the God of Israel, and understood that the Word of Israel's God was greater than any words of witchcraft, and His Words would prevail in any situation. So Balaam answered King Balak's request saying: "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less, or more." (Num. 22:18). However, God had already told Balaam: "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed." (v. 12). As King Balak continued to send more impressive messengers to Balaam, the soothsayer finally told them: "Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me." (v. 19). Balaam already knew what the LORD had commanded him, but he intended to press the LORD into saying something "more". As Balaam agreed to go to King Balak against the command of the LORD, the LORD even sent the Angel of the LORD to stand in the narrow path in order to obstruct Balaam (v. 24-27). Balaam had to strike his donkey to try to force the animal to continue. Again we see the will of a man trying to force its way past God. The capitalization of the words "Angel of the LORD" in my version of the Bible would indicate that the Angel is a pre-incarnate form of Christ, especially as the Angel confronted Balaam on an increasingly narrowing path (see Mt. 7:13-15). As Balaam accompanied King Balak to three different locations from which to try to curse God's people, he was shown, instead, the prophetic presence of the Messiah to be born among them: "The LORD his God is with him (Jacob), and the shout of a King is among them...a people rises like a lioness, and lifts itself up like a lion..." (Num. 23:20-24), and "...his King shall be higher than Agag (meaning "I will overtop", and future king of the Amalekites), and His Kingdom shall be exalted...he lies down as a lion, and as a lion, who shall rouse him?" (Num. 24:7-9). Balaam also prophesied concerning the latter days and the Messiah saying: "I see Him. but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel...Out of Jacob, One shall have dominion..." (Num. 24:14-19). As Balaam looked upon the Israelites camped by tribes, the Spirit of God came upon him, rather than the usual spirit of sorcery, he pronounced the third blessing of God over Israel. Seeing Israel camped by tribes around the tabernacle in the order commanded by God, Balaam would have seen the shape of a cross formed by the encampment. Balaam was not able to curse the Israelites as King Balak had requested, and said: "God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Num. 23:19-20). Later, the Apostle Peter wrote of those who are like Balaam: "...those who walk according to the flesh...have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness." (2 Pet. 2:15). Balaam got involved and tried to force the Word of God to change, because there would be great rewards to him from King Balak for doing so. This also applies today. There is still, like King Balak, a "devastator, waster, and annihilator" among men, Satan, who is looking for someone to curse God's people for him, because, although he can lie and accuse, he cannot curse the people of God himself. Where better to find such a Balaam to do it than among those of whom Jesus said: "Assuredly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven" (Mt. 18:18), and "...whoever...believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says...whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them..." (Mk. 11:23-24). Because we are part of Him, Jesus gave this authority to believers. It is a great blessing in the earth, but has it been misused as a cursing by those who name themselves after Jesus? Jesus also said this: "...I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you." (Lk. 6:27-28). The Apostle Paul wrote: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." (Rom. 12:14). The Apostle James wrote that this was a serious problem among believers: "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity...it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell...every kind of beast...has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude (likeness) of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so." (James 3:6-10). Perhaps if King Balak were alive today, he would not have to look too far or too long to find his willing Balaam. If you would like to know more about speaking by the Spirit of God, rather than by the soul of man, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, forgive me when I have spoken in an unrighteous manner towards anyone. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit who will teach me how to correctly use the authority that Jesus has put in my mouth and prayers. Teach me how to bless and not curse, so that I may be trusted with the Words and thoughts of God. Isaiah said that he was a man of unclean lips, and that the lived among a people of unclean lips. I ask in Jesus' name that my lips, and the heart from which they speak, would be cleansed. AMEN."

Contention

The people of God, the Israelites, were surrounded by enemy nations that stood between them and the Promised Land. However, they were never more weakened, and fatally threatened than when they were in contention with each other, with their leadership, and with God. The title of this week's Sabbath reading is Chukkat, meaning "Ordinance of". Some commentaries on this Sabbath's title include the idea that there are ordinances (huqqa - statute, custom, manners, rites, appointed; root meaning: decree, bounds, commandment, lawgiver, governor, engrave, cut in, to trace, mark out) of God that are not necessarily written, but taught and frequently passed along orally. The ordinances of God reflect Who He is, what He does, and how this should mold our lives and understanding. We will see examples of that in this reading portion. Moses' father-in-law offered him this counsel from God: "And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do." (Ex. 18:20 KJV). Let's look at some of the contentions that opposed the ordinances of God in this Sabbath reading portion from Num. 20. Numbers 20 opens with important information: "Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there." We already are told that this involves "the children of Israel", so why does the LORD further tell us it was "the whole congregation"? The Hebrew word used is eda, with the root words ed, and ud. The meanings include: witness, testimony, evidence (of things), a recorder, prince, commander, legislator, to return, repeat, do again, go round and round, say again and again, give warning, to restore, relieve. "The whole congregation" were to be witnesses, and those who say again and again, who were to give evidence of something, to give warning, to restore something. They were to be witnesses to the ordinances of God. It turned out, however, that they "spoke again and again" something completely different, as we will see. We are also dealing here, according to that first verse, with the time of "the first month". This would have been the month of Passover, as commanded by God to Moses (Ex. 12:1-14). In fact, the LORD described the keeping of Passover in the first month as an everlasting ordinance (v. 14). It was by the Passover that the Israelites were delivered from deth miraculously by the blood of the Passover lamb, and brought out of slavery in Egypt. However, did the Israelites really understand the ordinance of Passover- not just as an appointed feast for a specific day- but as a continual way by which to walk with the LORD? We will see that they did not. Then we are told in Numbers 20 that the Israelites were camped in the Wilderness of Zin (meaning flat, to prick). The word "wilderness is midbar, and can mean a desert, a pasture, mouth and speech. The root word of midbar, or wilderness, is dabar, which has a deep meaning: to speak, say, promise, utter, command, declare, put to flight, destroy, subdue, to be a spokesman. The individual Hebrew letters (Mem, Daleth, Beth, Reysh) in midbar, or wilderness when placed together could mean "mighty (water) source which is a door, a path, a way of life that moves one into the house or family of the Highest". The wilderness could be a desert or a pasture based upon the witness and repeated spoken testimony of the people of God. In the wilderness, the people of God had the opportunity to know the way of life, or ordinances, that would lead them into the house of the Highest. Another event that occurred at this time was the death of Miriam, Moses' sister. Although Miriam committed a grave error, and suffered for it (Num. 12:1-15), she was also called a prophetess, who led the women of the congregation in celebration and praise of the greatness of God (Ex. 15:20-21). Her death would have probably caused a great spiritual change within Israel (see Num. 12:15). It is a truth that every soul that enters or leaves the earth is of importance, and changes the earth (see Gen. 1:26-28, Gen. 2:7, Ps. 139:13-17, Jn. 1:3-5). The Wilderness of Zin, where the people were encamped, was located in a place south of Palestine known as Kadesh, meaning "holy, sanctuary, dedicate, consecrate, purified". This is what the people of God, these witnesses, said or testified to in this place of holiness, sanctification and dedication during the first month, which contained Passover: "...the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: 'If only we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! Why have you brought up the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink." (v. 3-5). Their witness and spoken declaration is that they wished they had died with the others who had been killed previously in the rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16). This is not a testimony that reflects the ordinances of God that can change a desert wilderness into a pasture for God's people. The people spoke the testimony that they had been brought to a place that was without grain, figs, grapevines or pomegranates. However, God had tried to bring them into such a fruitful land, but they had refused to go because of their fear of the giants and hostile Canaanite tribes there (Num. 13:23-24). The ordinances of God would have led His people into the way of truth that God is greater than any giant, especially in the face of His covenant promises. Above we read that the people also contended with Moses because they didn't have water in the wilderness. As Moses and Aaron sought the LORD regarding the need for water, the LORD gave them this instruction: "Take the rod; you and your brother, Aaron, gather the congregation (witnesses, give testimony, give evidence of a thing, say again and again) together. Speak (dabar - see above) to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals." (v. 8). As Moses, Aaron and the congregation gathered before the rock, again the ordinance of God was not kept. Instead of speaking to the rock, Moses spoke to the people: "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" (v. 10). Then again another ordinance of God was not kept: "Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals draank." (v. 11). Moses did not walk in the ordinances of the LORD before the people. He did not speak to the rock, but struck it. This is the word naka, which means "smite, slay, kill, murderer, slaughter, wound, stripes, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage, chastise, send judgment upon". This is the same manner in which men would later seek to destroy their Living Water of Salvation, Christ the Messiah. Not only did Moses strike the rock, but it is written that he struck it twice (pa'am - beat persistently, to impel, to disturb, to agitate, to trouble). The LORD then said to Moses and Aaron: "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." (v. 12). Moses' unbelief, and failure to obey the ordinances of God given to him, affected what God had planned to accomplish among His people through the event, and would change Moses' life. Earlier we read that Moses' father-in-law had instructed him to teach Israel not only the Law, but the ordinances also, and how to walk and work in them. He did not teach them the ordinances here. Instead of becoming a place and situation where God could hallow Himself before the people, it became a place called Meribah, or "Contention". How and what are we speaking in our wilderness? Is our testimony and witness in agreement with the ordinances of God? Are we speaking and working obediently in a manner that allows God to hallow Himself before the people? In another part of this Sabbath's reading, we are shown how to "speak" as witnesses to the ordinances of God: "Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with Psalms. For the LORD is the great God, and the great King above all gods...Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand." (Ps. 95:1-3, 6-7). We can see the great difference here between a song/psalm that follows the ordinances of God, contrasted with the people who got caught up in contention instead. The Apostle Paul wrote: "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances (paradosis - the substance of a teaching, the transmission of a precept; to deliver to one something to keep, use, take care of, manage)), as I delivered them to you." (1 Cor. 11:1-2). Paul passed along to the churches the ordinances of Christ, which are His precepts, His ways. Paul was diligent to pass the ordinances to those whom he called "brethren", or adelphos, meaning "Christians, as those who are exalted to the same heavenly place". Christ's ordinances exalt Him, His Word, His ways, and those who follow Him (see Mt. 4:18-22, Mt. 16:24-25). As witnesses in the wilderness who testify and deliver the evidence of the ordinances of God, we can do so with these scriptures in mind: "He turns a wilderness into pools of water, and dry land into watersprings. There He makes the hungry dwell, that they may establish a city for a dwelling place, and sow fields and plant vineyards, that they may yield a fruitful harvest. He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly..." (Ps. 107:35-38, see also Isa. 41:17-20 and Isa. 58:10-12). If you would like to know more about walking in the ordinances of God, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, Your ordinances bring life and transformation even in the driest places. Make me a witness of Your testimony, giving evidence by the words of my mouth, so that I speak and walk in Your ordinances, and follow the ways of Christ with all of the brethren. You are the Rock of my Salvation, and You fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I may remember Your Words and am led in Your ordinances. Let the wilderness become a well-watered pasture for me, and for Your people, as we humble ourselves, seek Your face, repent, turn from wickedness, and obediently follow the paths of Your righteousness. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."