Zeal

     This Sabbath reading portion, Pinchas, was a challenge, but what secrets it held! What is it saying to us, and how are we to apply the lesson to our walk of faith?

     Last week, we read about Balaam and King Balak. The king hired the soothsayer Balaam to curse the multitude of Israelites who had encamped next to his nation. Balaam refused to speak anything other than what the LORD told him to speak. However, scripture also tells us that Balaam advised King Balak on how to destroy the Israelites from within by sending Moabite/Midianite women to seduce and eventually separate the men of Israel from God. This plot is revealed to us when Moses angrily confronted the captains of the armies of Israelites after they returned from defeating the Midianites: "And Moses said to them: 'Have you kept all the women alive? Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor (see below), and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD." (Num. 31:15-16). This Sabbath reading portion is titled Pinchas, or "Phinehas", a grandson of Aaron the priest, whose name means "mouth of brass", but we will look further into the meaning of his name later. 

     The story of Pinchas/Phinehas begins in Numbers 25: "Now Israel remained in Shittim (also meaning Acacia Grove/Grove of scourging thorns), and the people began to commit harlotry (zana - whoredom, commit fornication, great whore [see Rev. 17:1-6], cult prostitute, commit adultery or idolatry, go whoring after) with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined (samad - to bind, join, fasten, attach oneself, to be bound to, to serve) to Ba'al Peor (Ba'al peor/pa'ar - "lord of the gap", Moabite deity worshipped with licentious rites, mountain peak and cleft in Moab/to open wide, to gape, to open the mouth like ravenous beasts, of Hades), and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel." (v. 1-3).

     One of the Hebrew meanings shown above associated with Ba'al of Peor is to gape open the mouth like a ravenous beast. Psalm 22, is a prophetic Psalm depicting the crucifixion of Messiah/Christ. It was written by Daivd approximately one thousand years before the birth of Christ. It contains the verses: "Many bulls (par/parar - bull, bullock, fierce, breaking forth with wild strength, ferocity/break, make utterly void, shatter, break asunder, dissolve, divide, make ineffectual, to violate, defeat, destroy, make of none effect, break covenant) have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan (area of fertility and fruitfulness) have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion." (v. 12-13). Also, the Canaanite false god Ba'al is often shown in the form of a bull.

     The prophet Isaiah also describes Hell/Sheol/the place of death as enlarging and opening its mouth in order to receive people: "Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself and opened its mouth beyond measure." (Isa. 5:14). 

     As we can see from the Hebrew meanings above, this would be a great abomination in the eyes of the LORD as the LORD watched His people attaching themselves to this ancient and evil spirit of destruction. It is an ancient evil that denies Messiah/Christ and attempts to rob people of covenant with God and salvation. It is of antichrist. We associate the term "antichrist" with a single person, and a future apocalypse. The apostle John also associates this term with a spirit: "Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist (antichristos - the adversary/opponent of the Messiah/Christ, a most pestilent being) is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us...but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." (1 Jn. 2:18-19). According to John, the antichrists were within the believers of Christ but were not really a part of the believers, just as those who were seduced to worship Ba'al in this Sabbath reading portion came out of God's covenant people but were never part of them, or chose to cease their covenant with God. Perhaps, like Ba'al, antichrists, seek fertile spiritual soil in which to reproduce. The church by its calling and purpose is to be very fruitful. God help us not to be a place used by evil to reproduce its fruit.

     As we read that this abomination took place while God's people were encamped in Shittim (see meaning above), it became like the "scourging thorns" that were used to crown Jesus in mockery before He was crucified. There is something going on here that is very serious as we continue to look at the Hebrew language and letters. The LORD said to Moses: "Take all the leaders of the people and hang (yaqa',yaqa' - hang, alienated, be out of joint [see Ps. 22:14-15], to be dislocated, to execute slowly, to impale, to abandon [see Ps. 22:1, Mt. 27:45-46]) the offenders before the LORD, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.' So Moses said to the judges of Israel, 'Every one of you kill his men who were joined (see samad above) to Ba'al of Peor." (Num. 25:4-5).

     This may seem harsh and extreme to some and difficult to understand, but let's keep reading the account in Numbers 25 about Pinchas/Phinehas to see what truly is at stake here.

     All of Israel was weeping at the door of the tabernacle because of this terrible thing that was happening when an Israelite man presented (qarab - enter into, draw near, bring near, join, approach, of conjugal intercourse) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-a-Midianite-woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel." (v. 6). Not only did the man bring the woman into the congregation but also did so before the door of the tabernacle! The Midianite woman is designated as being associated with the Messiah/Christ by the written aleph-tav preceding, but instead, she is one of the women that the enemy king Balak used to commit abomination and to corrupt the worship and relationship of the Israelites with God. We see this again in the Book of Revelation when the Lord Jesus rebukes His church for holding "the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block (skandalon - any person or thing by which one is entrapped into error and sin, the movable stick of trigger of a trap that has been set) before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality." (Rev. 2:14). 

     When Pinchas/Phinehas saw what the man had done by bringing the Midianite woman before the people and the tabernacle, he rose and took a javelin in his hand; "and he went after the man of Israel into the tent (quba/qabab - large vaulted tent, princely tent, bedchamber/to utter a curse against, curse, to malign, to pierce, to perforate, to stab with words) and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body/belly (qoba/qabab - stomach, belly, abdomen/to curse, utter a curse against, to malign, to pierce, to perforate, to stab with words). So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. And those who died were twenty-four thousand." (v. 7-9). The javelin likely passed through the woman's womb or reproductive area. 

     The tent that the man and woman ran into has the meaning of "a princely tent". These two people are later identified as the son and daughter of leaders of their people. The man, Zimri ("my music", celebrated in song/praise, sing forth, sing psalms), was the son of the head of the Israelite tribe of Simeon (meaning "to hear, accept and obey diligently"), and the woman, Cozbi ("my lie", false, lying/be a liar, deceive, disappointing as water that is quickly drying up), was the daughter of the head of a father's house among the Midianites/Moabites. (see v. 14-15). So "the song of praises to God" were being joined to "the liar, the deceiver". The tent mentioned here was also a "large vaulted tent" or "bedchamber" according to the Hebrew meaning. This is perhaps also a resemblance to the womb, which has a vaulted shape within a woman's body.

     God's covenant people Israel carried the Seed and were purposed to bring forth Messiah/Christ for the whole world. They were extremely fruitful and multiplied in number, even while slaves in Egypt. The church of believers in Messiah/Christ, both Jew and Gentile, have been given the purpose by Jesus of bearing abundant fruit as well (see Jn. 15:4-8), and being the good soil in which the Seed of the Word of God may prosper and multiply (see Lk. 8:11-15, Mt. 13:23).

     The bellies of God's people are to pour forth "rivers of living water". (see Jn. 7:37-39). The Midianite woman's belly, however, would pour forth curses against God and His people instead. Again, in Revelation, Jesus rebukes a church which has allowed a woman whom He calls Jezebel (meaning "Baal exalts", "Baal is husband", "unchaste") within it. This woman calls herself a prophetess, "to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and she did not repent...I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works." (Rev. 2:20-23). Again we see the idea of a spiritual evil (antichrist, Ba'al) using the princely, vaulted chamber (see quba/qabab above) of the fertility and fruitfulness of the church in order to reproduce itself, having "children". 

     The Lord destroys the adders' nests of eggs (see Isa. 59:3-5), and condemns vipers, as He called the religious leaders of His day, who kept the people from salvation, and made sons of Hell (Mt. 23:15). This is a Messiah/Christ who will fight against the demons of Hell and their nests of reproduction, in order to protect His sheep - just as David reached into the mouths of lions to rescue the lamb of his flock. David told King Saul: "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine (referring to Goliath) will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. (1 Sam. 17:34-36). 

     The LORD said of Pinchas/Phinehas: "Phinehas....has turned back (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-My-wrath from the children of Israel, because He was zealous (qana - jealous, provoked to jealous anger, burning with zeal) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-with/for- My-zeal/sake among them, so that I did not consume (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-children of Israel in My zeal. Therefore say, 'Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for His God, and made atonement (kapar - atonement, purge, reconciliation, pardon, forgive, merciful, cleansed) for the children of Israel." (Num. 25:10-13). 

     The zeal that Phinehas had for the LORD became an atonement for Israel. It took zeal in the heart of only one man to spare all of the children of Israel. The Hebrew letters that make up the name Pinchas (Phinehas) are pe, nun, cheth, samek. The meanings of the individual letters when joined together can mean: "The mouth of strength that protects (and supports) with a dividing arrow the sprouting seed of the Heir to the Throne." We are also told to have zeal for our faith. Jesus commanded His church: "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I chasten. Therefore be zealous (zeloo/zelos - zealously affect, desire, covet earnestly, be zealous in pursuit of good, to strive after, to have warmth of feeling/fervent mind, fervent of spirit, having an ardor for) and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Rev. 3:18-20).

     The apostles also wrote to the church of having zealousness for the Lord Jesus, and for their saving faith in Him. (see Gal. 4:18-19, Titus 2:11-15, Jude 1:3). Apostle Paul wrote: "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good...not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit (see zeloo/zelos above) serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." (Rom. 12:9-14, excerpt).

     We have not been given a javelin to hurl at people, as was the case with Pinchas/Phinehas, who was a shadow and type, because the weapons of our warfare are not natural/carnal, but spiritual and our warfare is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in high places. However, we have been given the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The Word of God became flesh as Messiah/Christ Jesus (see Jn. 1:14). Jesus has already won the victory for us (see Col. 2:13-15, 1 Cor. 15:54-57) and is in us. He has been given to us for us to desire and to covet earnestly, fervently, and with great ardor (see zeloo/zelos above). The fruitfulness of the church of believers is not carnal or fleshly either (see Gal. 5:19-21), but of the Spirit of God, sent to us by Jesus. Those fruits of the Spirit of God are "love, joy, peace, longsuffering/patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (Gal. 5:22-25, see also Rom. 12:9-14 quoted above). 

     If you would like to learn more about having zealousness in this present age, you can pray with me: "Blessed Father, You have given me Your Son, Jesus, to dwell in me and I in Him. He is the sprouting Seed of salvation, the Heir to the Throne to the Kingdom of God. You, Father, have made me a joint-heir with Messiah/Christ, to abide in the vine of Christ in order to bear abundant fruit for Your Kingdom. Father, help me to zealously protect, support that Seed of Christ, as Phinehas did, and to reproduce it, bearing the fruits of Your Spirit, and not the fruit of flesh and corruption. Forgive me, Lord, when I have given way to spirits of corruption and cursing, and have given them entrance into Your holy courts. Let Your rivers of living water flow out of me instead. I ask these things in the name of Jesus. 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 ΑΩ, 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. 

I would also like to recommend for additional reading and entry from the Mending The Breach blog, written by The Berean, titled The Blood Moon Bride. 

Zealous

     This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Pinchas, referring to Phinehas, a man of zeal for God. His story begins in Numbers 25.

     Dealing with demonic false gods takes its toll on people, especially the people of God. Numbers 25 begins this way: "Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove/Shittim (sittaym/sotet - a large tree growing in dry areas covered with black thorns, a valley on the border of Moab, scourging thorns, wood used to build the holy furnishings of the tabernacle/scourge, to pierce, to flog, a whip), and the people began to commit harlotry (zana - harlot, whore, whoredom, fornication, commit adultery, to be a cult prostitute in worship of an idol, be unfaithful to God) with the women of Moab. They (the women) invited (qara - read, proclaim, invite, preach, to call with the name of God, to cry out, to call, to be named or called out or chosen) the people to the sacrifices (zebah - sacrifices of righteousness, the Passover sacrifice, covenant sacrifice, thank offering VS. sacrifice of strife, sacrifice to dead things) of their gods, and the people ate ('akal - eat, devour, burn up, feed, be wasted and destroyed of the flesh) and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined (samad - bind, join, fastened, to adhere) to Baal of Peor (false deity of Moab worshipped with licentious rites in which women prostitute themselves, and meaning "mouth gaping wide open like a ravenous beast"), and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel." (v. 1-3).

     We can see from the Hebrew meanings in the above verses that this place and these circumstances were to be a prophetic signpost of the prophesied Messiah/Christ to come, a valley of decision, but instead it became a perversion of the way, a twisting of the call and election of God and the Gospel (preaching, see above) of Messiah/Christ Jesus, a subversion of the offerings of righteousness into the offerings of licentiousness and things of death rather than life according to the meanings of the Hebrew words used. The demon gods and the evil spirits of wickedness could not have hoped for a better outcome: the people of God had joined themselves to demons.

     We find out later in scripture that the use of Moabite women against the Israelites was based on advice given by Balaam to King Balak of Moab in order to separate the Israelites from their God, and in doing so, defeat them. (Num. 31:14-16). This was not a one-time strategy from ancient history. The resurrected Jesus, in His message to the church at Pergamos in the Book of Revelation, judged the church for this. Jesus said to them: "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality." (Rev. 2:14).

     The meaning of Pergamos, the name of a church in Asia Minor, is very interesting. It means, "height or elevation, a tower, a fortified structure rising to a considerable height to repel a hostile attack or to enable a watchman to see in every direction." The church that had been elevated to a great spiritual height in order to watch, protect and defend the holiness of God and the human soul, had instead become a doorway into immorality and idolatry, which would prove to be a stumbling block to salvation for any Jewish person. The God and the practices of this Christian church bore no resemblance to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, nor to His commandments. Recent headlines tell us that there are again churches, like Pergamos, that have placed these same stumbling blocks between God and man through sexual immorality and abuse, as well as the idolatry of worldly dying things. Mankind was made a living soul (nefes) by the holy breath of God to be champions of Him and His righteousness, to eat from the tree of life, His Son Jesus, and to show others the way to this salvation from death to everlasting life.

     From that place of death, only the Messiah/Christ, as prophetically described in the above verses from Numbers 25, whom the Israelites should have been proclaiming in the valley of thorns and scourging, can turn the human soul back to the way of life. Zion (siyun) is a way marker, a signpost, a guiding pillar to the way of Truth, according to its root meaning in Hebrew.

     We find out from this sad account in Numbers 25 that Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, walking in the zeal of God, stopped the plague that had broken out among the Israelites as a result of their choice of Ba'al and unfaithfulness to God in that Shittim valley: "And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Phinehas the son of Eleazar, that son of Aaron the priest, has turned back (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) My wrath from (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the children of Israel, because he was zealous with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) My zeal/for My sake among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel...Behold, I give to him (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) My covenant of peace (salom/salam - peace, welfare, prosperity, safety, health, completeness, contentment, friendship/recompense, reward [see Rev. 22:12-14], render, restore, repay, restitution, finished, complete); and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel." (Num. 25:9-13). Our calling as believers in Christ requires the same zeal as God's for those who are dying spiritually and physically. Lives are in the balance. 

     This week's Pinchas Sabbath reading portion has another encounter with the false god, Ba'al, and involves another man of zeal for the LORD. The prophet of God, Elijah, brought to the rulers and people of Israel an example of the power of the LORD their God, who again, under pressure from an evil queen, had become involved in Ba'al worship. Elijah demanded that Israel choose between the worship of God and the worship of Ba'al. On Mount Carmel, Elijah set up a sacrifice on the altar of God, and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba'al set up a sacrifice on an altar to Ba'al. Elijah said to the false prophets: "Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God." (1 Kings 18:19-24). Elijah had said to the people of Israel: "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Ba'al, follow him." (v. 21). 

     The prophets of Ba'al called upon their god, but he did not answer, even as they "cut themselves as was their custom, with knives and lances until the blood gushed out of them." (v. 27-28). However, when Elijah called upon the name of the LORD: "...the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" The people seized the prophets of Ba'al and Elijah executed them at the Brook Kishon (qison/qos - winding, twisted, torturous/to lay bait, to lay a snare, to lure). (v. 38-40). The prophets of Ba'al were killed by the same snare and trap into which they had tried to lure all of Israel, according to the Hebrew meaning of "Kishon."

     There is an often-repeated principle in scripture that the wicked, the plotters, the nations who lay snares and traps for God's people will be caught in those snares themselves, as we see in the account of Elijah and the false prophets above. (see also Ps. 7:15-16, Ps. 9:15-16, Ps. 141:9-10, Prov. 26:26-27, Esther 7:9-10, Dan. 6:24). This principle of God's justice and judgment is very important for us to know in these current times before the return of Jesus. Jesus warned that there was a snare coming upon the whole earth, set against all of the people of the earth. This snare of deception is so spiritually and physically powerful, that even the elect of God could be caught in it. (see Mt. 24:24-25, Lk. 21:34-36).

     Even though Elijah brought forth a powerful demonstration from God that brought the worship of God back to Israel, after his encounter with the false prophets and the death threats from the evil queen of Israel who worshipped Ba'al, Elijah suffered an attack to his spirit. He prayed that he would die. He fled from the northern kingdom of Israel and ran to the southern kingdom, Judah, to Beersheba. There Elijah feel asleep under a broom (root word ratam - to bind, attach, to yoke up, thread tied around a finger as a reminder, horses bound to a chariot) tree. Then an angel touched him, telling him, "Arise and eat." Elijah found a cake baked on coals and a jar of water. This happened twice, as the angel then told Elijah that he had to be strengthened for a forty-day journey to "Horeb. the mountain of God." (1 Kings 19:1-8).

     The broom tree was like a thread tied around Elijah's finger, according to the Hebrew meaning, to remind him of an important principle. The broom tree is a symbol in scripture of God's provision: it provides shade from intense heat, its wood is used to make long-lasting coals for warmth and preparing food, it is able to grow in harsh and desolate places symbolizing the capacity for survival and endurance in the face of adversity, its roots are used by the poor for food in times of scarcity.

     In this place under the broom tree, the LORD sent an angel to provide for and strengthen his zealous prophet for what was to come.

     The angel instructed Elijah to make the long journey to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God. Mount Horeb (meaning "glowing, heat") is also considered to be the same as Mount Sinai, the site of the burning bush to Moses, the place where the Word of God and the Covenant of God were given to His people, and where water was given from the rock. Mount Horeb, the mountain of God, is also a place of great spiritual warfare, as we can imagine. The Hebrew root word harab means "waste, desolate, destroyer, slay, decay, ruins, dried up, attack, smite down, fight." It also means "to be amazed and astonished." The LORD worked powerfully and miraculously in this place.

     Here Elijah would learn that he was not the only prophet left in Israel who was serving God zealously as he had thought. (1 Kings 19:18). Elijah would also receive on the mountain of God instructions that would bring about changes to power structures. Two new kings were to be anointed by Elijah, as well as a new prophet, Elisha. The LORD would use this combined new power structure to carry out His judgment. (v. 15-17).

     Jesus also instructed His disciples that when the abomination of the antichrist and the surrounding by armies came to Jerusalem in the days before His return, they were to immediately "flee to the mountains." (Mt. 24:15-16, Lk. 21:20-22). This is the time when the snare that had been laid for the people of God by the powerful enemies of God would be turned back upon those who had plotted to deceive the whole earth and destroy God's covenant people as mentioned in the verses above. 

     Before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham's nephew Lot had also been instructed by angels: "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." (Gen.19:17). Instead of fleeing to a high place for refuge, Lot asked to go to a nearby place closer than the mountains, which was called Zoar (meaning "insignificant, ignoble, be brought low").

     Spiritual enemies of God and His people are and will be rising up in these last days before Christ's return. The prophet Daniel also spoke about the people of God who would have zeal during this time: "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he (the defiler of the sanctuary) shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." (Dan. 11:32). Instructions have been left for us in scripture, including the prophetic warnings of Christ.

     If you would like to know more about the role of the zealous people of God in this time, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You have provided for us the wisdom and instruction in Your Word for these times. Help me, LORD, to learn and receive in my heart this necessary understanding by Your Holy Spirit, and to walk in the role that You have purposed for Your people. These are not ordinary times, and we are not called to be "ordinary, insignificant, or ignoble," but we are called to walk in the high places as You have instructed. I give You thanks for preparing the believers in Christ for the times to come, and I pray with the Holy Spirit for the soon return of Your precious Son, our Lord, Jesus. I pray these things 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 ΑΩ , 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. 

TribalTestimony

 

     This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Pinchas, who was also known as Phineas, and covers Numbers 25 through 27. (*Aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Phineas (see written Hebrew of Ex. 6:25) was the grandson of Aaron, and because of his zeal for the LORD, his actions stopped a plague that had killed 24,000 Israelites because they had married Moabite/Midianite women and had joined themselves to the women's false god Ba'al (Num. 25:1-9). The name Phinehas means "mouth of brass, break in pieces the hissing serpent/snake/image of a serpent/fleeing serpent; to command, blow away, break in pieces the enchanter/divination/practice of fortunetelling." This challenge to the LORDSHIP of God over the Israelites came shortly before the allotments for the inheritance of the land were officially established.

     The LORD commanded Moses and Eleazar the priest, the son of Aaron who had died, to take a census of all males over the age of twenty, which are those who were able to go to war. The census was taken by tribe separately, and then added together: "These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel: six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty...Each shall be given its inheritance according to those who were numbered of them. But the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) land shall be divided by lot; they shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. According to the lot their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller." (Num. 26:51-56). The Israelites had traveled through the wilderness by tribes under separate tribal banners, had encamped in specific tribal formation around the tabernacle, and would occupy the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) land by tribal groups. The word "tribe" is the Hebrew word matte/nata, meaning "staff, branch, staves, correcting rod, ruling scepter, throwing lance, support of life/stretch out, extend, cause to yield, spread." The "tribe" had to do with the ruling royal scepter and extending authority. 

      The map at the top of the page shows the allotment of the land of Canaan to each Israelite tribe according to the result of this final census and the casting of lots. As we can see, the land was not claimed by each individual Israelite as he chose but was settled in tribal units. Within each tribal allotment, the land was further allotted to each of the heads that had descended directly from the tribal patriarch of generations past. We will see a reason for this. Before we do that, however, another reading selection from this Sabbath from Joshua 17, reminds us that the inheritance that would go to the tribe of Manasseh had to be restored of a very important missing part. One of the descendants of Manasseh, Zelophehad, had died in the wilderness, and had only five daughters. The daughters earlier had demanded of Moses that they should be able to inherit their father's future portion of land so that his inheritance would not be lost, saying: "Why should the name of our father be removed (gara - diminish, withdraw, keep back, be restrained) from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father's brothers." (Num. 26:33, Num. 27:1-4). In verse 11, it is called an (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) inheritance. The LORD told Moses to agree to this request, and inheritance laws were established to reflect this. In Joshua 17:3-6, those five daughters come before Joshua to claim the inheritance that had been promised to them by Moses. Their father's name was preserved within the tribe of Manasseh through his five daughters. His name means "first born" (see also Ex. 13:11-12, Zech. 12:10, Lk. 2:4-7, Rom. 8:28-30, Col. 1:13-18, Rev. 1:4-6). His daughters' names mean "wounded, disease, travail (see Isa. 53:4-5, 11)/ stagger (see Mt. 26:36-39)/ partridge: call, cry out, proclaim, named, invited, preach, summon, bidden, guest, be chosen (see Jn. 7:37-38, Jn. 15:16)/ queen-king, rule and reign (see Ex. 19:5-6, 2 Tim. 2:11-13, Rev. 5:9-10)/ to be pleased with (see Lk. 3:21-22, pleasant land whose city is the seat of the kingdom (see Ps. 16:6, Rev. 21:1-5)." We can see that each descendant's name is important to God, who had agreed that this name should not be lost from the tribe of Manasseh. We can see the identity of the Messiah/Christ Jesus in these names alone. We will see even more of the purpose of God in commanding that the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) land be settled by tribal identity.

     Keeping in mind the profane idolatrous practices of the inhabitants of Canaan whom the LORD was displacing with the tribes of Israel, the Hebrew meaning of "tribe" being "staves, branches, scepters of ruling, extending, spreading out, causing to yield", becomes very important.  The practices of idolatry by the Canaanites even included human/child sacrifices (see warning: Mt. 19:13-15, Mt. 18:5-7, 10). The LORD was casting down false gods, occultic practices and bondages of spiritual darkness with His name and His covenant expressed by the witness of the tribes of His people.

      Isaiah later wrote: "You are My witnesses (ed/ud - witness, evidence, testimony, recorder, prince, commander, legislator/restore, relieve, bear witness, cause to testify, affirm, exhort, enjoin, admonish, charge solemnly, give warning),' says the LORD, 'and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are My witnesses,' says the LORD, 'that I am God." (Isa. 43:10-12). Isaiah also wrote: "Bind up the testimony (te'uda/ud - testimony attestation, precept/ ud - see above), seal (hatam - seal up, affix a seal, marked, lock up, close up - see also Rev. 7:3) the law among my disciples." (Isa. 8:16). Those who are disciples are marked and sealed inwardly and outwardly with the testimony/witness of God's precepts and salvation promises.

     The land of Canaan became covered west to east and north to south with the ruling scepters of the tribes of Israel. These were the tribes who occupied the land, and the witness/testimony found in their names:

Asher - happy, fortunate, to go straight, set right, upright, prosper (Ps. 146:5-7)

Naphtali - wrestling, struggle, twist (Gen. 32:24-30, Eph. 6:12-13)

Manasseh - cause to forget (..."all my toil", Gen. 41:51) (Jer. 31:34, Heb. 8:10-13)

Zebulun - exalted habitation, dwell exaltedly, inhabit (Isa. 33:5-6, Eph. 2:6-7, Jn. 14:2-3)

Issachar - "there is recompense", wages, reward (Isa. 40:10-11, Rev. 22:12-14)

Ephraim - "I shall be doubly fruitful", fruitfulness (Jn. 15:4-5)

Gad - troop, invade, attack, overcome, fortune (Mk. 3:27, Rev. 12:10-11, Rev. 3:12)

Benjamin - "son of the right hand", right side (Rom. 8:34, Col. 3:1-3, Heb. 12:1-2)

Reuben - "behold a son" (Isa. 9:6-7, Lk. 2:7)

Judah - praised, thanks, confess, shoot arrow (Ps. 34:1-3, Lk. 1:67-75)

Simeon - heard, hearing with acceptance, hear, obey, publish, declare (Isa. 52:7, Lk. 11:28)

     The witness of the tribes of Israel was against the spiritual powers present in the land and the wicked ways of the Canaanite people of the land which the LORD had promised to Abraham's descendants, and upon which He had set His holy name (Neh. 1:9). The LORD will not allow His (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) holy name to profaned by anyone or anything (Ex. 20:7, Ezek. 36:23-24, Ezek. 39:7) for the sake of His power of salvation, because "Whoever calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved." (Joel 2:32, Rom. 10:9-13).

     From this land, the spiritual witness of the tribes regarding the LORD God and the Messiah/Christ spread out or extended (see Hebrew word for "tribe" above) throughout the earth. Jesus also said to His disciples after His resurrection: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8).

     From another reading portion from this Sabbath, Joshua, who had led the tribes into the promised land and apportioned the inheritance to each tribe years before, knew that he was soon to die. Understanding the importance of the testimony and witness of the tribes, he gave this solemn warning: "Therefore be very courageous (hazak - strong, strengthened, prevail, be urgent, keep hold of, to tie fast or bind bonds strongly) to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it...and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods...you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, but you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day. For the LORD has driven out from before you great and strong nations, but...no one has been able to stand against you to this day....Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) LORD your God. Or else, if...you...cling to the remnant of these nations...and make marriages with them, and go in to them and they to you, know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the LORD your God has given you." (Josh. 23:6-13).

     It takes strength in the Word of God to resist the urge to adopt and practice the world's ways that defile us and profane the name of the LORD because the pressure and draw is great. Paul wrote that these ungodly strongholds are pulled down when our obedience is fulfilled. (2 Cor. 10:4-6). We have been entrusted with an urgent and important testimony and a witness contained in the new name/character which we have been given by God through Messiah/Christ. (see Isa. 62:1-5, 2 Cor. 5:17-18).

     If you would like to know more about walking out and living our identity purpose, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, the tribes of Israel had a witness within them of You, Your Word, Your Messiah/Christ and Your salvation. Lord, by Your Living logos Word Jesus, and Your Holy Spirit, help me to be a living testimony of Your greatness and Your love. For You so loved the world that You gave Your only Son for it, that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life. I bless, exalt and magnify Your holy name, the name of My salvation and deliverance. 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.

Fathers

Jesus made this shocking statement to a group of people who believed in Him: "You are of your father, the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar, and the father of it." (Jn. 8:44). Jesus discerned that these "believers" had been deeply angered to the point that they wanted to kill Him (v. 37) because of what He had told them earlier when He said: "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (eleutheroo/eleutheros - make free (from dominion of sin), to liberate, deliver/cease to be a slave, exempt from liability)." (v. 31-32). These believers in Christ took great pride and assurance in the fact that their forefather was Abraham, and, because of that, they were already "free". The words of Jesus had offended what they considered to be their spiritual identity and inheritance. However, Jesus pointed out to them that Abraham, whom they claimed as a father, prophetically saw the Day of Christ, and rejoiced in it (v. 56-58). Therefore, they were not of their father, Abraham. As Jesus had correctly discerned their hearts, these "believers", when they heard His words, took up stones to stone Him to death, but He passed through them unharmed (v. 59). In another portion of scripture, Jesus had to rebuke His disciples, and say to them: "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of..." (Lk. 9:51-56). To Peter, Jesus had to issue this rebuke: "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." (Mk. 8:31-33). The father of pride is not Abraham, nor is it God (Prov. 11:2, Prov. 16:5, 18-19), and it's a problem to all people, including believers. Pride is the self-exaltation of the (deceitful) heart (Jer. 17:9-10). In last week's Sabbath study, the father of the evil spirit of devastation and annihilation was revealed. The "father" of this evil was named after a little twittering sparrow, small when compared to the awesome power that God exercised to protect His people's salvation. God continues to reveal the "father" behind an enemy in an account from this week's Sabbath reading portion titled "Pinchas" (also known as Phinehas, and means "mouth of brass, serpent, mouth of the image of a serpent") from Numbers chapters 25 through 27. The Israelites in the wilderness (B'midbar) were about to learn another devastating, but necessary lesson about a powerful spiritual father, who was not God. Balaam, the soothsayer, had been hired by King Balak of Moab, to curse the people of God in order to make them vulnerable for defeat. However, Balaam could not speak the words of cursing, because God prevented him, and placed the Word of blessing in his mouth instead. However, Balaam advised the enemy king that the people of God could be ruined by the seduction of Moabite women, who would lead them away from God, and into the worship of the Canaanite demon god, Ba'al. Our reading portion begins with the success of this strategy: "Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove/Shittim (ebony bark with black thorns that exude gum Arabic/pierce, scourge, to flog, whip), and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined (samad - bind, join, fasten, attach oneself to, combine) to Ba'al Pe'or ("lord of the gap"/open wide, gaping), and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel." (Num. 25:1-3). In the worship of this Moabite god, the women worshippers would prostitute themselves. This results in that perverse "joining" that is created to the false god referred to in the above verses. Many of these Canaanite gods demanded worship in the form of both male or female prostitutes, and sexual perversion. In contrast, God honorably, lovingly, faithfully and sacredly married Israel to Himself, and in the same manner, Christ honorably, lovingly, faithfully, and sacredly married Himself to His Bride, the believers. The spirits of darkness try to twist and profane the holiest things of God, including the concept of joining by holy marriage. The fact that the Israelites were encamped in the Acacia Grove, with its Hebrew meaning, is significant. We are reminded of the prophecy of the scourging of Jesus the Messiah from Isaiah 53: "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities,; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are (were) healed." (see also 1 Peter 2:24). We can see the connection between the piercing, scourging stripes of Jesus and our healing. The "scourge" meaning is associated with the Acacia Tree of thorns, as well as the production of gum Arabia, a water-soluble fiber that is found to prevent and treat dietary tract cancers, as well as other cancers. This black thorny tree produces a healing substance. Gum Arabic also has preservative properties, so the ancient Egyptians used it in the embalming of mummies. While in this healing place of thorns, as the people engaged in this terrible "joining" with the women of Moab in the worship of Ba'al, the only way to break that joining was death. Moses ordered the deaths of all of those who were joined in this manner to Ba'al Peor (v. 5). The congregation of Israel were weeping at the door of the tabernacle in sorrow, when one of the Israelite men presented, in the middle of the congregation, a Midianite woman to whom he was joined: "Now when Phinehas (Pinchas) the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin (lance, spear) in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both (sana - meaning includes change, alter, pervert, disguise) of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body/belly (qoba/qabab - abdomen, private parts/curse, execrate [meaning revile, condemn, loathe, regard with disgust, revulsion], pierce, perforate). So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. And those who died in the plague (magepa/nagap - plague, slaughter/beaten, stumble, stricken, smitten) were twenty-four thousand." (v. 6-9). The LORD said of Phinehas that he showed the zealousness of God for His people. The LORD then bestowed upon Phinehas His promise of a covenant of peace, and an everlasting priesthood for the descendants of Phinehas, because, through the zealousness of God, Phinehas made atonement for the children of Israel and prevented their total destruction. (v. 10-13). We can see the atonement work of Christ here also in the Hebrew meaning of the word "plague". Christ was beaten, stricken, and smitten for our sakes to atone for the plague we deserved (Isa. 53:4,6, Jn. 19:3, Lk. 22:63-64). This sounds like a merciless, violent action, but the breakout of the zeal of God, through Phinehas, was for His people, not against them. Twenty-four thousand, at least, had joined themselves to Ba'al, a hideous, perverse god, a spirit who still exists today, luxuriating in human perversion, idolatry, and the blood of human sacrifices, especially the blood of children, born and unborn. These Israelites were the people of God from whom the Messiah would come, Whose seed and presence they already carried, the Savior Who would provide salvation to the world, breaking the curse of death, atoning for sins, and giving the eternal life of His Father, God, to all who would receive it. The plans of the enemy to pervert and destroy Israel could not be allowed to succeed. God had made a covenant promise to their forefathers, and He would not break it. So who were these two individuals, the Israelite and the Moabite-Midianite woman, who defied God and Moses in front of the whole congregation, and continued in their perverse worship of a demon god? The man's name was Zimri (Zimri/zamar - "my music", celebrated in song/make music, praise, psalms/to trim a vine). His father was Salu (elevation, lifted up, weighed in the balance scale) who was a prince (nasi/nasa - lifted up, vapors which ascend/carry, bear, exalt, rise up, forgive, lift up) of a father's house of the tribe of Simeon (Simeon/sama - hearing with acceptance/hear, obey, understand, perceive, obedient, declare, cause to be heard). This Israelite, Zimri, who was gifted in sacred music including psalms, was born a prince's son. His father was a prince of exaltation, forgiveness and rising. Zimri's father's house was the chief house of the tribe of Simeon, who carried an appointed purpose of hearing (God), obeying and preaching or declaring. No wonder the spiritual enemy was determined to destroy the son of this father's house. The Midianite (meaning "strife. contention"/rule, subjugate, contend, brawling discord/lord, master, ruler, controller) woman was named Cozbi/kazab (meaning "my lie", liar/proven to be a liar). Her father represented a very powerful spiritual enemy. Her father's name was Zur/sauar/sur (meaning "rock"/strength, beauty, mighty one, strong rock of heathen gods/besiege, distress, adversary, assault, shut in, foe). He was "head (ab - father, founder) of the people (em - like father) of a father's house in Midian." (Num. 25:14). This father was not like the "little tweeting, hopping sparrow father" that we saw in the previous Sabbath reading. This father, Zur, the adversary, represented a rock of strength and assault. As the father of Cozbi, the Midianite woman here, and considering the Hebrew meaning of her name, Zur was "the father of proven lies". Jesus told us who this "father of lies" was, above. This father represented Satan, himself (see 1 Peter 5:8-11). As we saw in the account with Jesus above, this father had the ability to lie to even believers in Christ through their weaknesses, in that case murderous pride, of their sinful nature. Peter wrote that we were to take this threat of the devil seriously, be vigilant, and resist the devil, and the God of all grace, glory and dominion would perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us (build us up on His foundation). In the wilderness, the Israelites learned a hard lesson about this father of lies, but as we saw with the little twittering and hopping sparrow father of last week, the plans and purpose of our heavenly Father for His people will not be defeated. After this Ba'al debacle was resolved, the Israelites were numbered again in Numbers Ch. 26. The (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega - see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, 22:13)) sum of the males old enough to go to war, was to be done "by their father's houses". (Num. 26:2). By this second numbering, the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) land would be divided and "...they shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers." (v. 55). Here are some of the meanings of the names of those in this second census who were heads of households within their tribes: Nemuel: "Day of God", Jachin: "the right hand", Shaul: "Dawning and rising of light", Areli: "the lion of God, the son of a hero", Jashub: "He will return", Jahleel: "hoping, expectant of God", Asriel: "Vow/Prince of God". These were just some of the heads of households among the tribes of the fathers of Israel. These heads of households reflected the heavenly Father and His Son in their names. This is the prophetic purpose of the godly names that travelled through the wilderness and inherited the Promised Land. Some time later, the father of Cozbi/lies, Zur, the prince of those like him, would lose his life, along with the soothsayer Balaam and four other princes of Midian. The Israelites, by the command of Moses, and with the presence of Phinehas, "with the holy articles and the signal trumpets in his hand", killed them with the sword (Num. 31:6-8). Sadly, but perhaps not too unexpectedly, the Israelites took the Midianite women alive as captives from this victory. Moses, however, dealt with that situation very quickly! That is a study for another day. If you would like to learn more about our Father, Who is God, you can pray with me: "Our dear heavenly Father of all creation, Your Word does not return to You void, but accomplishes all that You have set it out to do, without exception, especially regarding Your people. There is none other like You. I love You as my good Father, and I love Your Son, Jesus. Keep me, and Your people, in Your Father's heart by the Holy Spirit, and by Your Word of truth that You are teaching me. Let my ears hear, and my heart obey, what You, my Father, are instructing me so that I never stray from my Father's house. You have made me a "son/daughter of God" through Your blessed Son, Jesus, so that I can dwell forever with my heavenly Father. I praise and thank You in Jesus' name for all of these marvelous things. 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."