Dedicated

This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Naso, meaning "Elevate, Lift Up". I have always enjoyed Naso because it holds a wealth of new information everytime I study it. This Sabbath also falls around the LORD's Feast of Weeks/Shavuot/Pentecost. The reading begins in Num. 4, where Moses has been commanded to number the Kohaths, who were a family among the Levite priesthood. This is the very important command, given to Moses by God, from which we also get the title, Naso: "Take a (aleph-tav) census/sum of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their families, by their fathers' house, from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting." (Num. 4:2). These "Kohaths", a separate group from out of the Levites, will be commanded to carry the covered most holy furnishings from the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle. These furnishings would include, the ark of the Testimony (edu/ed/ud - witness, revelation/evidence of a thing, a witness of a people, a recorder a prince/return, restore, turn back, affirm, warn, exhort, admonish) with the Mercy Seat atop it, the table of showbread, the lampstand of the light, and the altar of incense. All of these items are of gold and have a direct connection to Christ. They would have previously been covered with cloths of blue, scarlet or purple, and badger skins. The Kohaths must carry these most holy furnishings with poles, and could not see nor touch the furnishings directly (see verses 4-15). Just in the two verses quoted above, there is so much important detail to be found in the Hebrew words used here, that I will have to summarize it for you. Let's start with the idea that from among the Levites, there is a group that is being separated out, or dedicated, by counting, to carry the most holy items found in the tabernacle, or Tent of Jehovah. The colors of cloth used to cover these items, blue (violet), scarlet and purple are the colors used in the tabernacle in general. These colors are found in a particular color spectrum, produced by a single wavelength of light, or a narrow band of light wavelengths, that goes from brilliant red through deep purple. The root meaning in Hebrew for this blue color spectrum (tekelet/sehelet) also relates to a concussion of sound. Another distinguishing characteristic of blue noise is that each successive octave increases by three decibels — this results in each octave packing as much energy as the two octaves below it combined. So we have light and sound waves going on here that create some serious energy output. We read an example of this concussive and colorful release of energy when the LORD descended on Mt. Sinai on Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost, and gave the Torah, His Word, to His people. The ground shook so hard with concussive lightnings and thunderings on the Mount that the people were terrified. Now let's look at the meanings of the Hebrew words used concerning the Kohaths in the verses above, who are to carry the most holy items. First Moses must take (nasa - bear up (continuously), carry, forgive, pardon, accept, lift, desire, long for, love, rise up, endure, lift up the head of a prisoner, lift up the voice, to offer a gift) an aleph-tav count/sum (ros- chief, head, beginning, first, company, division, captain, rulers, highest, supreme, prince) of them. [The aleph-tav connected to a Hebrew word, as mentioned in previous posts, is the Hebrew equivalent to the Greek "Alpha and Omega" by which Jesus refers to Himself in Revelation.] Why does God number His people in this fourth Book of the Torah? By numbering them, God is setting them apart, or dedicating them, for a speific purpose or identity in Him. They are sons of Kohath (meaning "assembly"). These are a set apart assembly of the sons of God, the sons of the King. They are from among (tavek - within, in your midst, the middle of a thing from its being divided) the Levites. The Kohaths are to be separated out from the Levites by their families (mispaha/sipha - family, clan, people, nation, kind, aristorats/female bond servant that is an extension of a family or household). These Kohaths, or assembly, are to range from thirty years old (selosim/salos - age of royal duty/three, triad, stones) upward even until (ad - as long as, eternity, perpetuity of time, everlasting, evermore) fifty (grace x completion). The Kohaths are "all (kol/kalal - whosoever/made perfect, complete, to put a crown upon) who enter the service (saba - host, warfare, army, battle, service, assembled, mustered, warred, appointed time) to do the work (melaka/malak - workman/ambassador/messenger of the prophet, teacher, priest, king) in the tabernacle of meeting (ohel/ahal moed/ya'ad - the clean, shining, bright tent or covering of the congregation, conspicuous from a distance (see Mt. 5:14-16) of the vision of the espoused assembly appointed to a certain time to come with Him to such a place) ". To me, considering the meanings of all of the Hebrew words used in these two verses, this smaller group of Levites, the Kohaths, being separated out and dedicated here as the carriers of the golden furnishings of the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, sounds very much like the called out assembly (ekklesia/church) of Christ, who carry Him in their hearts. Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 4:7-10: " But we have this treasure in earthen vessels...always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body." The Kohaths carried these most holy things for generations, without ever being able to see them. Jesus said to a disciple who had to see Him to believe: "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (Jn. 20:29). In another part from this week's Sabbath Naso reading, there is a different dedicated group set apart according to the Law of Moses as given by God. This type of group will have an unusual role to play in Israel's future. These dedicated people of God are called Nazirites (nazir/nazar - undressed, separated, consecrated or devoted one, untrimmed as a Sabbath-year vine: see Lev. 25:3-5, a prince as being consecrated to God). A Nazarite, according to the law of the Nazarite, could be either a man or a woman. The individual would make a vow, sealed with an offering, "to separate himself to the LORD". He/She would abstain from any product of the grape vine, from applying a razor to his head (hair), or from touching the unclean dead (Num. 6:1-8). This Nazarite vow of separation is not necessarily a lifelong commitment, and can be for a specified period of time. Others in scripture who were Nazarites include Samuel, possibly John the Baptist, and, as we will see, Samson. Believers in Christ are also told in scripture to be spiritual Nazarites: "...For you are the temple of the living God...Therefore 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty." (2 Cor. 6:17-18 from Isa. 52:11, see also Rev. 18:4-5, Jn. 17:14-17, Rom. 12:1-2). In the verse from Isa. 52:11, from which Paul was quoting above, the prophet also added: "Be clean, you who bear the vessels of the LORD", which also brings us back to the Kohaths above. I think we can also find another very important connection between the believer in Christ, and the Nazarite, in another portion of this week's Sabbath reading from Naso. It is found in Judges 13 and 16, involving the birth and life of Samson. Samson was a very unique individual in scripture, who was born under a Nazarite vow. His previously barren mother and father were to raise him as a Nazarite, and he was to remain one his whole life. His parents received the Word of the LORD from an Angel, as called in scripture, whose name is Wonderful, and whom the parents believed was God Himself (Judges 13:2-5, 17-22, see also Isa. 9:6-7). This child, who even while still in the womb, was under the Nazarite vow of separation or dedication, would have a very special purpose: "...and he shall begin to deliver aleph-tav Israel out of the hand of the Philistines (pelisti/palas - "immigrants"/to roll in ashes or dust)." (v. 5). It is noted above that the Hebrew word for Philistines, pelisti, means "immigrants". This is significant because we then have to ask, "Where were they from originally?" They were descendants of Mizraim, meaning "fortress, besieged, distress, adversaries, bulwarks, hemming in", a very oppressive spiritual stronghold (see Eph. 6:12, 2 Cor. 10:3-4), which is also known as Egypt. This is not about the ethnicity of a people, but the spiritual strongholds that rule over a region or nation. The Philistines did continually attack and oppress Israel at that time. Let's find out more about how Samson, whose (aleph-tav) name (Jud. 13:25) means "like the sun", sunrise, brilliant, shining shields, battlements", handled this, and how it applies to us. Samson had tremendous, supernatural strength that came out of his Nazirite vow, which included not taking a razor to his hair (se'ar/sa'ar - bristling up/bristle with horror, hurl as a storm, take away as a whirlwind, horribly afraid, sweep away as God's actions against the wicked). In another portion from this week's Sabbath reading, Samson went into the enemy territory of Gaza (Gaza/Azzah/az/azaz - strong, fortified/harsh, fierce, cruel, greedy, impudent, shameless/powerful, prevail). Gaza was also a royal city, and the greatest city in Syrian territory. When the Gazites heard that Samson was coming to see a woman (issa), they set up an ambush to capture and kill him in the morning (Judges 16:1-2). However: "...Samson lay low till midnight; then he arose (qum - rise up, continue, become powerful) at midnight (hesi/hasa/hasas - arrow of dividing/cut short, cut in two/cut off in the midst, shoot arrows, curtail), took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two gateposts (mezuza/ziz - gateposts/wild beasts, abundance, conspicuous), pulled them up, bar and all, put them on his shoulders, and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron (third son of Kohath and grandson of Levi/heber/haber - in league with magical charms, spells, incantations) ." (v. 3). Samson, who, by his name, shone like the sun, pulled those heavy royal city gates right out of the ground, including the bar that locked them. Those gates of Gaza (powerful, fierce, cruel, impudent, shameless, prevail) did not prevail against him. This reminds me of what Jesus said about His church: "...on this rock (petra - rock, cliff, ledge, a man like a rock because of firmness and strength of soul) I will build My church, and the gates of Hades/Hell (abode of the wicked dead) shall not prevail against it." (Mt. 16:18). We also know that the wicked plans of the Gazites were cut off or curtailed at midnight, when Samson arose. Jesus told us in a parable that the cry went out that the bridegroom was coming (meaning the return of the Lord) at midnight (Mt. 25:6). "Midnight" also, by its meaning in Hebrew, means something has been divided, cut off, curtailed. Jesus used the same idea of curtailing (koloboo in Greek) when He said of the terrible times of the last days before His return: "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's (elektos/eklegomai - chosen by God/chosen out) sake, those days will be shortened." (Mt. 24:22). By rising at midnight, the shining Samson curtailed the plan of the murderers of Gaza, which also saved his life and flesh. Why did he go to Gaza in the first place? He went to visit a woman. Although our translations calls her a harlot, the Hebrew word issa means "woman, wife, female". He "went in unto her", meaning that he "entered, went in, attained, gathered, brought, carried" her (see Judges 16:1). Jesus spoke about the bridegroom, which is Himself, entering in to the wedding: "...the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut." (Mt. 25:10). From this Naso Sabbath reading in the Book of Numbers, which also comes at the time of the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, I can see God numbering and setting apart or dedicating His people in His purpose for them. I can also see us, the believers, in these scriptures, prophetically being included in that numbering and dedication. If you would like to know more about being separated and dedicated to the LORD, you can pray with me: "Father, we are celebrating Your Feast of Weeks, when the Torah was given to Your people on Mt. Sinai. The energy released at that time was so great that the ground shook, and the people feared. It is also on this Feast that the Holy Spirit was given to the believers in Christ on Pentecost (Acts 2), and again with such great power, that the world was turned upside down (Acts 17:6). You have called me to separate myself, and dedicate myself to You through Christ. On Pentecost and always, fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can walk in the dedicated path that You have set for me. Help me to continue in the revelation which the gates of Hell cannot prevail against - that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, the Son of God, to the glory of God the Father! In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN."