Ascension

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Naso, meaning to "elevate/lift up". The root word nasa means "to lift up, bear up, carry, take, carry off, to lift oneself up, exalt, rise up, to grow, to increase, to be borne, to be carried, to forgive." God's power and authority to forgive is found, at least in part, in His naso/nasa ascended position

     This week's Sabbath reading portion will also help us to also understand that there is a battle for this ascension. The spiritual war has already been won as we will see, but on-going spiritual battles still challenge that victory. The prophet Isaiah gave us revelation concerning Lucifer's (Satan's) challenge for ascendency and his inevitable defeat: "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol (sheol - underworld, grave, hell, pit), to the lowest depths (yereka - extreme parts, the rear recesses, the buttocks) of the pit (bor - pit hole, dungeon, cistern used for prisons, lowest sepulchre [dug out of stone] of the dead)." (Isa. 14:12-15). Previously, according to Isaiah above, Satan had been cast down from heaven to earth. However now, because of his challenge to God's (and His people's) ascended position, he will be cast into an even lower depth - the most recessed part of the pit. The word for "ascend" used here by Isaiah is ala, which includes the meaning "to actively mount or climb up." God holds the position of ascension because He is the Ascended One by His holy and perfect nature. Lucifer or Satan tries to achieve ascendency by his own will and strength because of the wickedness found in his heart. The LORD has also shown His people that He has called them to the place of ascension, but it is not achieved by our own will and strength. It comes by lifting Him up, as we will see.  

     Our Sabbath reading portion begins in Numbers 4. Here we find those who lift up, bear up, and carry: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses regarding certain groups of Levites, saying, 'Also take (nasa - see above) a (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) census (ros - head, top, summit, height, choicest, best, excellent, forefront, highest part, ruler, chiefest, captain) of the sons of Gershon (gerson- exile, refugee, expulsion), by their fathers' house, by their families." (Num. 4:21-22). As the LORD ordered a census, He was elevating to the highest realms those who were being accounted for by name according to the Hebrew meanings above. He took them from the lowest condition according to the Hebrew meaning of gerson, and He caused them to ascend.

     The LORD said of the sons of Gershon: "This is the service of  the families of the Gershonites, in serving and carrying (massa/nasa - song, prophecy, tribute or gift, bearing, lifting, utterance, oracle, that which is carried or brought, that which the soul lifts up): They shall carry (nasa - see above) the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) curtains (yeria/yar - curtain, drape, veil of tent or tabernacle/to grieve) of the tabernacle...with its covering (mikse/kasa - covering/covering cloth, to conceal, to hide)...of badger skins...the screen (masak/sakak - screen, veil/fence about, shut in, protector) for the door of the gate of the court, the hangings (qela/qala - sling, slingstones, door, screen/sling, hurl forth, to engrave) of the court...and all that is made for these things: so shall they serve." (Num. 4:25-26). The LORD caused the Gershonites to nasa ascend from a low earthly position into the highest realm of prophetic utterance (see massa above), to the realm of David/Messiah (sling and slingstones), to the realm of the hidden things of God waiting to be revealed to His people (see also Col. 1:26-28), to the realm of the prophetic covering that protects and shelters God's people (see Ps. 105:12-15) according to the Hebrew meanings of the words above. They were not ascended for their own sakes alone, but they were entrusted with the oracles of God for all of God's people (Rom. 3:1-2). Paul told the church to covet the gift of prophecy. Shouldn't we therefore be prophesying in nasa ascension? There is a battle for ascension. The easiest way to concede ascension to Lucifer/Satan is to misunderstand our own ascension in Christ.

     Then the LORD spoke to Moses regarding the sons of Merari, another family group of Levites, saying: "As for the sons of Merari (merari/marar - bitter, unhappy/bitterness, grieved, choler [irascible temperament, bile], to be enraged, vexed, to embitter oneself), you shall number (paqad - appoint, assign, seek, look about for, be needed, be missed, to be watched over, be entrusted, to muster, to visit) them by their families and by their fathers' house...to do the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) work (aboda/abad - service, labor, tillage, office, bondservant, ministry, sacred service/servant, serve, work, worshippers, to make oneself a servant) of the tabernacle of meeting. And this is what they must carry (mismeret/mismar/samar + massa/nasa - guard, watch, in the house of detention/place of confinement, prison, watch, guard/keep, guard + song, prophecy, tribute, bearing, lifting, utterance, oracle/take, lift up, bear up, carry, exalt, rise up) as all their service (saba/seba - warfare, army, battle, war, heavenly army/wage war) for the tabernacle of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle, its bars (beriah/barah - bar, city gates, fortress, prison, cross-beam bar, bar used to shut door to entrance of Hades, bar of defense of a prince/chase, drive away, put to flight, cause to flee, cut through or break through), its pillars (ammud/amad - pillar/withstand endure, take one's stand, abide, stand firm), its sockets (eden/adon - base, pedestal, strong, firm foundation/strong, lord, master, to rule)...pegs (yated - pin, peg, nail, tent stake, to drive in a nail), cords (metar/yatar - cord, string of a bow/remnant, overflow, abound, preserve alive, excel, show pre-eminence), with all their (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) furnishings (keli/kala - weapon, utensil, tool, yoke, artillery, jewel/to accomplish, finish, to be completed, be fulfilled, bring to an end) and all their service; and you shall assign to each man by name the items he must carry." (Num. 4:29-32). There's a great deal of Hebrew word meanings here for these verses about the sons of Merari, but the bottom line is that you don't want to mess with these guys! The LORD took those who were full of bitterness, and anger and caused them to ascend into an army of spiritual prison guards and warriors. They were the spiritual soldiers and policemen binding (see also Mt. 18:18) and imprisoning harmful criminals in the spirit realm through the prophetic songs and weapons given to them in ascension. One good example of this kind of calling is found in another reading portion of this Sabbath from Judges 16, which is the account of Samson's defeat of the Philistines of Gaza. He tore up, lifted up and carried away the huge city gates (see above) of Gaza, and later brought down the temple of their false god Dagon (dagon/daga - "a fish", Philistine god of fertility and increase represented by the face and hands of a man and the tail of a fish/to be covered over in darkness) by its pillars (see above) with all of the lords of the Philistines gathered in the temple. Nothing could stop Samson. He was a human wrecking ball. This account of Samson and the Philistines was also prophetic considering current events. 

     There is a third group of Levites mentioned in the beginning of Numbers 4. Moses was to take (nasa - lift up, bear up, carry, take, endure, support, to be borne, forgive, bear continuously) a (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) census or sum (ros - head, top, summit, height, choicest, best, excellent, forefront, highest part, ruler, chiefest, captain) of the sons of Kohath (qehat - assembly; to ally oneself). The Kohaths were ascended by the LORD in order to carry the most holy things (qodes + qodes - apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness, saint, sanctuary, consecrated to God) of the tabernacle. These included the ark of the covenant with the mercy seat, both overlayed with gold, the golden altar of incense, the golden table of shewbread, and the golden candlestick/lamp/menorah. The Kohaths are important because as "the assembly", they resemble the ekklesia, the Greek word for "church". Ekklesia/ek + kaleo/keleuo means "an assembly of the Israelites, an assembly of Christians, the whole body of Christians both already dead and still living, a calling out, a church, a congregation of either Jews or Christians/to call aloud, utter in a loud voice, to name, by name, to bear a name/to command, to order, to urge on." To believers in Messiah/Christ, the very holy furnishings of the tabernacle that were to be carried (massa/nasa - see above) by the Kohath Levites represent the Father (Ark/Mercy Seat), the Son (Altar of Incense, Table of Shewbread, Golden Lampstand of Light), and the Holy Spirit (the holy oil that fills the Lamp and the fiery coals and rising smoke of incense prayers). The Kohaths in Num. Ch. 4 are treated differently than the other Levite families already mentioned above, but they have a special meaning for us, the true ekklesia church of both Jews and Christians.  

     The numbers of each group of Levites mentioned here were in the thousands. No one person, nor just a handful, had to carry the holy burdens. Sometimes we think that we are the "only one", but as the LORD told Elijah, who was feeling very sorry for himself, there were many who were in His obedient service (see 1 Kings 19:14-18). It's difficult for us to ascend while in the middle of a pity party! And the battle for spiritual ascendence rages on.

     The message of Naso is not only important to Israel, especially at this time, but it is also essential to our understanding of our calling in Christ. Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives in the presence of His disciples (Acts 1:8-11), the Holy Spirit was poured out in fire on the disciples waiting in the Upper Room located above David's tomb in Jerusalem on the Feast of Weeks, also called Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The Ascension of Jesus and Pentecost are being observed this month. This was the fulfilment of the promise that Jesus had made to His disciples before His crucifixion and resurrection (Jn. 16:7-11, 16). The second event of Pentecost could not have been fulfilled without the accomplishment of the first event: the Ascension. The Ascension of Jesus was a great victory of authority and glory (see Ps. 24:7-10). Christ did not ascend for His own benefit alone, however. We spiritually ascended with Him. Paul wrote: "But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus....For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:4-10, excerpt). Our ascension in Jesus Christ is for appointed good works, and, like the ascension of Naso, it also carries a prophetic message for ages to come.

     For this purpose also, the LORD instructed Aaron to speak an ascension blessing over the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) children of Israel:

"The LORD bless you and keep (samar - keep, guard, observe, protect, watchman, save life, preserve, take heed, mark) you; The LORD make His face shine (or - become light, be light, shine, glorious, fire, set on fire, be-give-show light) upon you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up (nasa - bear up, lift up, carry, forgive, exalt, regard, take, be lifted up, rise up, bear continuously, cause one to bear, be high) His countenance (panim/pana - face, presence, person, before, behind, toward/look at, turn toward) upon you, and give you peace (salom/salam - peace, prosperity, safe, health, soundness, completeness, tranquility, friendship in covenant/recompense, reward, restore, repay, retribution, finished, make whole)."

"So they shall put My (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) name (sem/sum - name, reputation, glory, monument, memorial, character, honor, authority, fame/appoint, place, set in place, make for a sign, establish, ordain) on the children of Israel, and I will bless them." (Num. 6:22-27).

     As God causes His *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega children to ascend, He places His name, glory, character, authority and appointed purpose upon them, and they become a (prophetic) sign to others. 

     God delivered His people out of Egypt through ascension: borne (nasa - see above) on eagles' wings (Ex. 19:3-6). Prophets have been lifted up in ascension in order to receive the Word/vision of the LORD (Ezek. 8:3, Isa. 6:1-3, Isa. 40:21-23, 26, Rev. 4:1-2). The LORD, the Most High, speaks of those who ascend to make their dwelling under His wings (Psalm 91). Paul wrote that we are to live in ascension through Messiah/Christ (Col. 3:1-3, Phil. 4:8-9). However, we tend to spend so much of our time, concern and attention over things that are under, below, and beneath. We can be prophesying, carrying and guarding instead from our ascended position. As Jesus Christ's seventy disciples returned rejoicing from doing the spiritual works of ascendency, He remarked that He saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. (Lk. 10:17-20).

     There is an on-going spiritual battle for ascendency, and the LORD expects us to win it: "But you shall receive power (dynamis - power, mighty wonderful work, strength, miracles, ability, inherent power, excellence of soul, abundance) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me (Jesus) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8). At this time of Pentecost/Feast of Weeks, we are reminded of this great outpouring of power to us from on high. 

     If you would like to know more about the Naso ascension of God's people, you can join me in my prayer: "Most High Father, You have lifted me up in Your Son, Jesus, and have seated me with Him in heavenly places by Your grace. You have appointed me to do ascension works as a prophetic sign and for Your glory. As I lift up and carry You, You lift up and carry me also. You have placed Your great name upon me. I thank and praise Your Son, Jesus, for ascending on high for me, and for sending Your Holy Spirit to baptize and fill me with Your spiritual fire. I give You all honor, glory and praise in Jesus' name. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.