DifferentSpirit

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Sh'lach L'cha, which means "Send for yourself." The title comes from the first verse of the Sabbath readings: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Send (salah - send, go, send out, stretch out, sow, let loose, shoot forth) men to spy out (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them." (Num. 13:1-2).

     We will see that the LORD was about to expose something in the hearts of His people that we sometimes call "unbelief" or "disobedience" but is really something far more dark and insidious, something of which we should all be aware.

     I will just summarize the account of the twelve spies, leaders among Israel, whom Moses sent to spy out the land which the LORD had promised to give to Israel. Those twelve included Joshua, right-hand-man to Moses who was from the half-tribe of Ephraim, and Caleb, from the tribe of Judah, who was not called a Hebrew in scripture but a Kenizzite, which was one of the Canaanite tribes. (see Gen. 15:17-21, Num. 32:11-12, Josh. 14:6).

     The twelve tribes remained on their mission to spy out the land of promise for forty days. When they returned, while admitting that the land was very fruitful, ten of the spies brought back the evil report (diba/dabab/dobe' - evil report, slander, infamy, defamation, whispering, secret slanderer/to creep about, a slanderer/the languor of death) that giants were in the land and the Israelites would not be able to win against them. In scripture then, according to the Hebrew meaning above, the LORD described their report as infamous slander against Him and the inheritance that He had promised to the fathers of Israel. Only Joshua and Caleb insisted that with the LORD on their side, the Israelites would be able to overcome the current inhabitants of the promised land. They urged the Israelites not to fear the inhabitants and not to rebel (marad - bold and audacious in acts of rebellion or disobedience, contumacious [meaning willfully resisting authority, unruly, intractable, insubordinate]) against the LORD.

     The Israelites reacted with violence to these words of Joshua and Caleb: "And all the congregation said to stone them with stones." (Num. 14:10). The LORD had to directly intervene, and He was not happy, saying, "How long will these people reject (na'as - despise, abhor, blaspheme, deride, reject with contempt and derision, speak evil of) Me?" (v. 10-11). The command of the LORD to send the twelve spies exposed an abhorrence against Him in the hearts of His people to whom He had shown many signs and wonders. This was not only unbelief and disobedience, but derision and despising according to the Hebrew meaning above. Why this extreme reaction against God and against Joshua and Caleb? We will hopefully find out.

     The LORD said this after Moses interceded to Him for forgiveness and mercy towards the people: "...but truly, as I live, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-all-the-earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD - because all these men who have seen (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-My-glory and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-signs/miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected (see na'as above) Me see it. But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit (ruah - spirit, Spirit, breath) in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it." (v. 20-24).

     The men and leaders of Israel had witnessed the glory of the LORD and His signs and miracles, but still rejected or despised (see na'as above) Him. However, the LORD vowed on His own eternal existence to fill the whole earth with the glory that had been despised by these men. Caleb, however, had a "different spirit" from these other men who despised and rejected the LORD. In fact, the men who rejected and despised the LORD would later die of the plague that comes with the evil report: "But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-land." (v. 36-38).

     The LORD exposed the very deep despising and violent contempt of man for God and His Messiah/Christ (as indicated by the presence of the *aleph-tav in written Hebrew. See *note below) in this account above, but His answering vow was even greater: to fill the whole earth with His glory. Caleb, the LORD revealed to Moses, was of a different spirit. The Feast of Pentecost has recently passed during which the disciples of Jesus Messiah/Christ received the outpouring of the fire of the Holy Spirit (Ruah HaKodesh in Hebrew). If we take a look at this event on Pentecost more closely, we will see something more about man's violent hatred towards God.

     The Feast of Pentecost, or Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, is directly connected and timed from Passover. This Feast of the LORD is to occur fifty days after Passover according to the law of Moses as given by God. The New Testament account of this Feast day, occurring after Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension, begins: "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they (referring to the followers of Jesus) were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4).

     The disciples of Messiah/Christ are described as being "all with one accord in one place." It sounds good in English and is even often repeated as a goal to attain, however, the Greek reveals something else that is going on here that is not good. The phrase "in one accord" is the Greek word and roots, homothymadon/thymos/thyo. These are the meanings attached to the Greek: "with one mind, with one passion/boiling up fierceness, passion, anger, to rush, breathe hard/to sacrifice, immolate, slay, kill the pascal (Passover) lamb." Jesus wasn't slain for our sins only because of others' unbelief in Him. He was slain in the fierce and passionate anger of man against God. That same anger towards God, according to these verses was still present in the disciples. All mankind had a hand in slaying the Lamb of God, Jesus. Several times in scripture, violently angry, irrationally angry people tried to kill Jesus for what He was saying, but it was not yet His appointed time to die. 

     The second highlighted phrase from the verses in Acts above, "in one place," is the Greek word and root autos/aer, meaning "themselves, the same/lower air rather than higher rarer air, to breathe unconsciously, to blow the air."

     I know that it may be hard to believe that this kind of anger and fierceness towards God and Christ as noted by the Greek meanings above was present in the disciples who had followed Christ, seen miracles with Christ, seen Him crucified, resurrected and later ascended. However, it is confirmed when we look back into the law concerning the Feast of Weeks/Shavuot/Pentecost: "Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath (from Passover); then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD. You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves...They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the LORD." (Lev. 23:16-17). The word "leaven" used here is the Hebrew word hames, which means: "gained by violence and wrong, grieved, cruel, harsh, embittered, sour, oppress, be red or blood-stained, be ruthless, be unjust, violent, to injure." As we can see, the meaning of leaven here is very specific and the hames leaven cannot be a symbol of the Holy Spirit, but just the opposite. The hames leaven of the Feast of Weeks/Shavuot/Pentecost indicates that a violent and unjust cruelty is being lifted up to God as a firstfruits offering. The lifitng up or waving of Jesus on the cross was likewise unjust and atrociously cruel. Jesus sacrificed Himself, in part, to cover and intercede for the very people who were committing this terrible act of hate and violence: "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Lk. 23:34).

     However, a "different Spirit" came upon the followers of Jesus that Day of Pentecost after the Holy Spirit came upon them. It changed the disciples. They were not the same. Paul explained the difference between the (Holy) Spirit-filled man and the carnal man: "...do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity (ekhthrah/ekhthros - hostility, hatred/hating, odious, enemy, foe, opposing as the devil opposes God, hateful) against God...So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God...Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His...But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you...For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God." (Rom. 8:4-14, excerpt). Paul said that the carnal mind of man hates and opposes God in the same manner that Satan hates and opposes God. This is another confirmation of man's natural or fleshly and truly irrational hatred of God. This is what sin does to man - to his mind, to his soul. Paul also wrote about men becoming haters of God. (see Rom. 1:28-31).

     Jesus said to His disciples that it was better for them that He goes away to His Father so that He could send the Helper/Comforter, the Spirit of truth. (see Jn. 16:7-15). Even for the disciples of Messiah/Christ on the Day of Pentecost as we see above, and in us today, the Holy Spirit is not just about receiving spiritual gifts, but He is needed and sent by Jesus Christ to work a transformation in our souls. Paul wrote above that to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Caleb, who, as we saw above, was of a "different spirit" was associated with life and peace in scripture. (see Num. 14:38 and Josh. 14:13-15).

     The Holy Spirit was present and necessary in the work of transformation from the beginning. When the earth was buried in deep darkness and emptiness, the Holy Spirit hovered (rahap -gently cherish, fluttering, brooding meaning incubating and hatching) over it. Then the Word of creation spoke forth and transformed the darkness of death into the teaming of light and life. (see Gen. 1:1-2, Jn. 1:1-5). We need this transformation working in each of us. Not only that, but we need to pray and desire that our love for the Lord never grows cold or is lost. Jesus warned in scripture that this is a possibility as lawlessness increases. (Mt. 24:12-13, Rev. 2:4-5).

     This also helps us to understand what we are seeing in the world today - the irrational hatred of God and the people of God. Jesus spoke of this hatred. (see Jn. 15:18-19). However, the LORD vowed on His own Life after the rejection (see na'as above) of His own people for Him: "...all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD." The prophet Joel confirmed this promise. (see Joel 2:28-29). This starts with each of us as His Spirit of glory fills and transforms us.

     If you would like to learn more about being of a "different spirit", and being filled with the transforming Holy Spirit of God, you can join with my prayer: "Beloved Father, Your commandment to us says: 'You shall love ('ahab - love, long for, breathe after, beloved, to produce fruit, to germinate, putting forth) the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.' Lord, let Your Word and Your Holy Spirit create and continually revive in me a spiritual mind. Place Your protection around my mind, heart and soul, so that I will always walk in love for You. Let my desire be to love and worship You above all and with all. Holy Spirit, as on the Day of Pentecost, come into my life and fill my soul and spirit with the flames of fire of love for the Lord. Change my carnal mind into the mind of Spirit and of Messiah/Christ. Renew my love for the Lord daily as I pray and declare over my heart, and the hearts of all the earth, the commandment above to love You. I ask and receive these things in the name and by the grace 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. 

Battlefield

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled B'midbar, which means "in the wilderness". B'midbar is also the Torah title of the fourth book of the Bible, which we call "Numbers". The title comes from the first verse of the Book of Numbers: "Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt..." 

     The LORD instructed Moses to take (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) a census of the children of Israel to include every male from twenty years old and above, "all who are able to go to war (saba/seba - warfare, battle, war, appointed time, soldiers, company, go out to war, a mass of persons organized for warfare, army/go forth as soldiers to war, as a soldier against an enemy, wage war, fight, serve, mustered, assemble, wait upon) in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their armies (saba/seba - same as above)." (Num. 1:3). There can be no doubt, based upon the meaning of the Hebrew word for war or army, that the LORD is mustering His people for warfare.  The LORD had been referring to the Israelites as His armies since the Book of Exodus, before and after He delivered them out of their slavery in Egypt. (see Ex. 7:4-5, 12:17, 12:41-42, 12:51).

     According to verse 1, it has been two years since the Israelites had come out of their Egyptian slavery. This implies a certain maturity of experience in their walk with the LORD. They have seen powerful miracles, and they have suffered losses of life because of rebellions, disobedience and idolatry.  The LORD considers them able to walk as His armies. The battles that they face will not only be physical warfare, but, more importantly, spiritual warfare. Their primary weapon will be their traceable covenant identity in the LORD as they recite their lineages all the way back to their ancestors with whom the LORD made covenant promises. (see Num. 1:18-20). As the Israelite men over twenty years old were counted, the largest group came from the tribe of Judah (yehuda/yada - "praised"/praise, give thanks, confess, to revere or worship with extended hands, shoot arrows, cast down, throw down) at 74,600 men of that age. (v. 26-27). Looking at the meaning in Hebrew of the word "Judah", we can see praise, thanksgiving and earnest worship of God become weapons in warfare. The tribe of Judah will bring forth the Messiah/Christ Jesus many generations later and it is Jesus who defeated the spiritual enemies of man which included sickness, sin, death, hell and the grave, and He did so in an act of glorifying His heavenly Father (see Jn. 12:27-28, Phil. 2:8-11). It will serve us well to remember this great weapon of our spiritual warfare if we learn nothing else from this Sabbath's B'midbar reading portion than this, but there is more to learn.

     All of the tribes of the Israelites were numbered for warfare in the same manner, with captains (nasi - chief, captain, prince, king, ruler, one lifted up) from each tribe appointed over them by the LORD. As the names of the captains are given in Numbers Ch. 2, many remind us of Messiah/Christ Jesus in meaning: "Given, appointed, bestowed of/by God", "Whose Father is God", "The Rock is God", and "Peace and Completeness of God".

     The Levites, or priestly tribe, who served in the tabernacle were not left out of the armies of warfare. The same Hebrew word seba/saba used above for "warfare, armies, soldiers, battle, etc., is used to describe the hosts and service of the Levites, all of those thirty to fifty years old were to be numbered. (see Num. 4:3, 4:23, 4:30, 4:35, 4:39, 4:43). Their service in the tabernacle was actually associated with the warfare of seba/saba. 

     We also can't forget the women! In Ex. 38:8, the LORD included them in His army of seba/saba warfare: "He (Moses) made the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) laver of bronze and its base of bronze from the bronze mirrors (mar'a/mar'e - visions [sent by God], mode of revelation, mirror/sight, vision of form, appearance, visage, pattern or countenance) of the serving (seba/saba - see above) women who assembled (seba/saba - see above) at the door of the tabernacle of meeting."  Revelations and visions from God, particularly pertaining to a certain form, visage, countenance and pattern which, I believe, pertains to the visage and form of Jesus Messiah/Christ (see Isa. 52:13-15), are part of the spiritual warfare the Israelites were called to, especially through the women, as mentioned here.

This is a good place to look more closely at the Hebrew word for "wilderness", which is midbar. Midbar means, "wilderness, desert, uninhabited land, a sterile, sandy country." We would expect this desolate meaning. However, midbar also contains the meaning, "pasture as an open field where cattle are driven, plain country fit for the feeding of flocks." Two opposite conditions are contained within the meaning of midbar, as we can see. There is also a secret within the meaning of midbar that can help us understand the key that relates to these two opposite meanings.

Midbar also contains the meaning, "speech, mouth as an organ of speech." The Hebrew root word of midbar is the Hebrew word dabar, which means "speak, say, promise, tell, command, pronounce, warn, put to flight, sing."

On the battlefield of the wilderness, it is what we speak, pronounce and sing that determines whether a sterile desert or a pasture fit for feeding flocks and cattle is established. What are the armies of the LORD speaking in the wilderness? The LORD can take a spiritually desolate and uninhabited wilderness and turn it into a lush spiritual garden, or He can take a fruitful green pasture of food for His flocks and make it desolate, and it seems to depend largely on what His army speaks according to the meaning of midbar.

     The Israelites of the Book of Numbers were in their second year after their deliverance from slavery. As we mature in our walk with the Lord, we can expect that the Lord will begin to lead us into spiritual warfare, not only in our own circumstances, but in warfare that will lead to the spiritual salvation and liberation of other people and even nations. Often we regard people as being foes, however, the apostle Paul wanted us to have this revelation about our warfare: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Cor. 10:3-5). This spiritual warfare isn't against other people, it is against our own minds! So many of us feel overwhelmed by problems that will pass away with all other temporal things, or we become discouraged by life's challenges and continued struggles against sins and weaknesses in our own souls and flesh until we tempted to wave the white flag of surrender. Never! Fight that battle with thanksgiving and praise out of our mouths, with hands lifted up and outstretched in reverence and worship, shouting the victory of the Lord as promised in His Word. As we continue to fight the spiritual battle, we need to understand that we are also winning the warfare on behalf of others as well.

     We can see that our warfare is directly connected to our relationship and covenant inheritance with and in Messiah/Christ Jesus, just as the Israelites' warfare was based upon their covenant heritage in God.

     In another place, Paul wrote: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Eph. 6:12-13).

     As the Israelites were, we are also called to be a spiritual army fighting spiritual warfare. We do not go to battle in our own strength, nor with weapons that have been made by men for use against men. but we are armed with the truth of the Word of God, which was embodied in Jesus (Jn. 1:14), and with the victory of Jesus:

     "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (Jn. 16:33, the Words of Jesus).

     "Death is swallowed up in victory...The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory though our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:56-57/Isa. 25:8-9).

     "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:37-39).

     Scripture tells us that Jesus sent out seventy disciples in His name to bring the Gospel to cities where He intended to go. They were to heal the sick and bring the message: "The kingdom of God has come near to you." (Lk. 10:1-9, excerpt). The seventy returned to Jesus with joy because even the demons were subject to them in Jesus' name. Jesus had known of their victory as He said to them: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall be any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." (Lk. 10:17-20).

     As Jesus explained above, the serpents and scorpions He referred to were not physical creatures, but spirits or demons. Both of the creatures mentioned have the meaning in Greek of being sharp in vision, able to look into the distance in order to spy, being skeptical and having malicious intent especially associated with Satan, for the purpose of piercing and stinging.

     The disciples' obedience to the commands of Jesus, in His name healing the sick and declaring the Kingdom of God, sent Satan falling from his position in the heavens!  The warfare victory was not because of themselves, but it was because of the Yesua (Jesus' name in Hebrew) salvation of God is their lives. This is also the Great Commission that Jesus gave to His disciples. (see Mt. 28:18-20, Mk. 16:15-18).

     It is very important to know that this B'midbar Sabbath reading portion must be read on the Sabbath before the Feast of Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, which in Greek is called Pentecost. Previous weeks' Sabbath reading portions were doubled together so that this B'midbar portion would fall on this specific appointed Sabbath. This year, Pentecost falls on this coming Monday-Tuesday. The Book of Acts tells us how the LORD fulfilled the Feast of Pentecost by sending the Holy Spirit in flames of fire to the believers in Messiah/Christ Jesus who obediently waited for "the power from on high" (Lk. 24:49 , Acts 1:8) in Jerusalem. The effect of the Holy Ghost fire was to change the believers' tongues (glossa - the tongue, an organ of speech, a distinct language).

     What were the changed tongues of the believers saying by the power from heaven? Foreign pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem for the feast were amazed, "because everyone heard them speak in his own language...Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs - we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." (Acts 2:1-11, excerpt).

     The tongues of the Holy Spirit gave praise for the wonderful works of God. We are brought right back to midbar (see meaning above regarding mouth and speech) and the largest tribe in the LORD's armies in the wilderness - the tribe of Judah, meaning "Praise". As we observe this Shavuot, Feast of Pentecost of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which continues with us, let us join in the fiery tongues of praise.

     If you would like to know more about being in the Lord's army of believers, you can join me in my prayer: "LORD of hosts, You have called Your people to be part of Your armies of warfare and transformation. What a privilege to be called by You and included in Your mighty works! My heritage in You and in Your Son, Jesus, includes Your victories on our behalf. All creation is waiting for this manifestation of Your sons in the earth. Teach me to speak in the way that transforms the spiritually dry wildernesses into green pastures. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit who gives me a tongue to proclaim the wonderful works of God to all people and nations. Fill my mouth with praises because You have written my name in heaven. I ask this in the name of my Savior, 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.

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."

Changed

This is the Sabbath before the Feast of Shavuot or Pentecost. This feast, as interpreted by Jewish teaching, is about the wedding of God to Israel in the giving of the Torah, or the Word of God, on Mt. Sinai (sinay - "thorny"). Shavuot occurs fifty days after Passover. The time in between Passover and Shavuot then, is considered a time of preparation for this marriage to God according to rabbinical teaching. All of the feasts of the LORD can be connected in meaning to a marriage, at least partially. For the church, Pentecost was fulfilled by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as we read in Acts Ch. 2. Jesus referred to the promise of this outpouring of power (see Lk. 24:49), which was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room. He told His disciples to tarry or wait in Jerusalem until this occurred after His death and resurrection. The title of this Sabbath's reading is B'midbar, meaning "in the wilderness". "Wilderness" sometimes has a negative meaning to us, but it can also mean "pasture". As the Sabbath reading begins in Numbers Ch. 1, the LORD gives us a hint that something special is about to occur. The scripture says: "Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt..." (Num. 1:1). The word meaning "second" in Hebrew is the word seni/sana. It means with its root "to do again, to change, altar, transmute, to be other". There is to be a change or transmutation accomplished in God's people. The mention that it is "the first day", or echad in Hebrew, means "joined in one, united, as one man; go one way or the other, to become unified". This changing work that will occur will join something together in one. Moses is commanded by God to count all in Israel over the age of twenty "by their families, by their fathers' houses... every male individually, from twenty years old and above - all who are able to go to war in Israel. God is establishing an army here, and this army will be identified by their fathers' names. The head of each named household was called to stand with Moses and Aaron while this is accomplished (Num. 1:4-16). The children of Israel spent over four hundred years in slavery in Egypt. During that time, they seemed to have lost the knowledge of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and knew only Egyptian gods. Not only did the LORD have to identify Himself to Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3:6), but Moses asked the LORD His name so he could tell the children of Israel, who didn't know Him (Ex. 3:13-16). However, during the beginning of the second year after deliverance from Egypt, the men whom God specifically called to stand with Moses and Aaron during the census had names that gave the revelation of God. Some of their names, and their fathers' names, translated into English were: "My God is a Rock", My Rock is Almighty God", "My God is Father", "My Kinsman is Majesty", My Kinsman is Almighty", "The Rock has ransomed/redeemed", "My Father is Judge/Contender". Interestingly, there is one among these, the last one named, whose name means "My brother is evil, malignant". Could this last named person, Ahira in Hebrew, be a prophecy of Judas Iscariot? He represented the tribe, Naphtali, whose name means "wrestling, froward, unsavory, to be twisted". After these men came forth, who were to be heads of their tribes, the LORD had the people do something unusual: "...and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they recited their ancestry by families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, each one individually." (Num. 1:18-44). This naming of genealogies is also mentioned as one of the traditions in the ancient Jewish marriage ritual. Even in more modern Jewish marriages, a short genealogy is recited. According to one source (not from scripture): "The souls of ancestors from three generations back descend from the world of truth and attend (the marriage). Even further removed generations are present." The Gospels open with the genealogy of Jesus. Not just back to David, as would be necessary for the identity of the Messiah, but back to Abraham (Mt. 1:1-17), and to "...Adam, the son of God" (Lk. 3:23-38). Was Jesus, the Word of God, reciting His genealogy not just to justify His identity as Messiah, but to fulfill the custom established by God at Mt. Sinai in the wilderness regarding the marriage of the Son? After all, Jesus told us that He only did what He saw His Father doing. Hebrews 12:1 also points out that we are surrounded (have around one) by a great cloud of witnesses, these witnesses are not of our flesh genealogy, but of fathers of faith according to Hebrews 11. Could this also be a part of our marriage relationship with Christ, as it follows the Jewish traditions? Let me add here another interesting "wedding fact": The Jewish wedding ritual can also include the groom's washing of his bride's feet. In scripture, on the night of the Last Supper with Christ and His disciples, which was a Passover Seder, Peter tried to stop Jesus from washing his feet after supper. Jesus said to Peter in part, "If I do not wash you, you have no part (meros - share, allotment, portion) of Me." (see Jn. 13:3-10). In another part of this Sabbath's reading from Hosea 2, the LORD describes how, as a result of Israel's spiritual adulteries, He will say to her, "...she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband!" (Hos. 2:1-2). An interesting way to look at this statement by God that we may not have considered is the possibility that this statement is not an utter rejection of Israel as it might sound, but a mercy against the death sentence of adultery. The Jewish divorce, or "get", similarly declares that the wife is free from the marriage, free to marry another, and the laws of adultery no loner apply. In this same chapter of Hosea, the LORD assured us that He was NOT done with Israel, but would get Israel back in marriage: "Therefore behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort (leb - heart, soul, understanding, wisdom, memory, kindly) to her. I will give her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor (trouble; a place of stoning) as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. And it shall be in that day, says the LORD, that you will call Me 'my Husband', and no longer call Me 'my Master',...I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in loving-kindness and mercy...in faithfulness, and you shall know the LORD." (Hos. 2:14-20). As we read in Numbers 1, although Jewish tradition teaches that God married Israel at Mt. Sinai, and the scripture language bears that out, the people were numbered in order to form armies. When Hebrews 12 spoke about the great cloud of witnesses around us, it was for the purpose of laying aside sin, and "running the race (agon - contest, battle) set before us". Whether we speak of Israel's marriage to God, or the Church's marriage to Christ, warfare and battles will be involved, just as there is great warfare against marriage here on earth in the natural. God's marriage with His people in the second month, in the second year, and our marriage with our Bridegroom, Jesus, initiates a great change and transformation in our lives. The timing of the Feasts, with Shavuot or Pentecost approaching, allows us a time of preparation, as a betrothed prepares (hetoimazo - prepare, level the roads for a coming king, prepare minds of men to give the Messiah a fit reception, to receive one who is coming) for the upcoming wedding (Rev. 19:7-9). The great spiritual outpouring of Pentecost also endues us with power from on high to be the army of God. If you would like to know more about, and be prepared for, the soon marriage of the Lamb to His wife, you can pray with me: "Lord Jesus, I believe that You died and rose from the dead for me. I believe You sacrificed Yourself to cover my sins. Forgive me and keep me in Your Word and Spirit. Pour out Your Spirit upon Your people and teach me to prepare for Your soon return, and the marriage of the Lamb and His Bride. Teach me to walk with You, the Father and the Holy Spirit with faithfulness, in faith, and the righteousness of the saints. You are the faithful Husband returning for His spotless Bride. I thank You and ask these things in Your name. AMEN."

Married

This is the Sabbath before Shavuot, the Feast 0f Weeks, which has been a topic in recent posts. It is on this feast that the Holy Spirit was poured out in Jerusalem in the Upper Room upon believers in Christ (see Acts 2). In Greek, this feast is called Pentecost, because of the timing of the feast - fifty days from the Feast of Unleavened Bread. To the Jewish people, Shavuot also memorializes the receiving of the Torah from God on Mount Sinai by Moses on behalf of the congregation of Israel. The Torah is the first five books of the Bible. The receiving of the Torah by Israel was also, according to their teaching, the receiving of a marriage covenant between God and His people. Because of this understanding, people of the Jewish faith use these days before Shavuot to prepare themselves for this marriage to God. We also, as Christians, have a marriage relationship with the Word of God, who is Jesus (John 1:1-5): "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (v. 14). Revelation 19:6-9 announces from heaven the marriage of the Lamb saying, "His wife has made herself ready". The New Jerusalem coming down from heaven, is a bridal city adorned for her husband (Rev. 21:2). Paul defined earthly marriage as representing Christ and His church: "'For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church." (Eph. 5:22-33, excerpt). Paul described the relationship of Christ and the Church as a marriage with "the two becoming one flesh". We are not called to know Jesus as Lord and Savior only, but also as "Husband", which is a more intimate and inseparable relationship. Paul said of that relationship: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:35-39). It is the marriage relationship between Christ and each one of us individually as believers, and with the Church corporately, that overcomes all created things, even death. On one memorable occasion, Jesus kept repeatedly asked Peter if Peter "loved" Him. Peter didn't understand what Jesus was trying to draw from him, perhaps being a little uncomfortable with the question also, and answered that he had a fondness for Jesus, a brotherly affection. Perhaps we can say that because Jesus knew what manner of death lay ahead in the years to come in Peter's life, and what would be ordained for Peter as an apostle, Jesus also knew it would require Peter to have more than the bond of fondness or friendship with Himself to get him through (Jn. 21:15-19). The same is true for the Church of the latter days. We will need to know that we are bone of His bone, and flesh of His flesh to get through. We will need to know Jesus with more than a brotherly affection. Do we understand this, and are we preparing ourselves for the depth of a marriage relationship with Christ, as the Jews are preparing themselves during this time of year for marriage to God? Is it possible for us to understand all that is entailed in a marriage relationship with Christ in an era when marriage is not taken seriously at all, when marriage is profaned and easily disposed of even in the Church? If because of this worldly view, marriage has become less in our eyes than what God intended, our spiritual enemy's relentless, strategic attack on marriage in general has therefore also been effective in negatively impacting our view of a marriage relationship with Christ. Part of the Sabbath reading for this "wedding preparation" time before Shavuot is from the haftarah. It is from the Book of Hosea. Hosea was a prophet who was instructed by God to marry a prostitute. Hosea had to continually go and buy back his wife from the men who had purchased her for illicit use. God used this sad marriage of Hosea's to prophesy about the condition of His own marriage to Israel. The LORD says about His marriage: "Say to your brethren, Ammi ("My people"), and to your sisters, Ruhamah ("Mercy is shown"). 'Bring charges against your mother, bring charges; For she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband! Let her put away her harlotries from her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts...' I will punish her for the days of the Ba'als (bloodthirsty false gods) to which she burned incense. She decked herself with her earrings and jewelry, and went after her lovers; But Me she forgot, says the LORD." (Hos. 2:1-2, 13). The LORD is angry here with His people, His wife, who has turned her back on Him to chase after others who don't even love her. However, because of His marriage relationship with Israel, the LORD seeks to reconcile with her: "Therefore, behold, I will allure (pata- entice, persuade, be open, seduce) her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor (trouble, calamity, to disturb) as a door of hope...And it shall be in that day, says the LORD, that you will call Me 'My Husband', and no longer call Me 'My Master' (Baali)...I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know (yada- to know by experience, to be able to discriminate or distinguish, to know intimately) the LORD...And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy ("lo-ruhamah"); Then I will say to those who were not My people ("lo-ammi"), 'You are My people ("ammi")!' And they shall say, 'You are my God!'" (Hos. 2:14-23, excerpt). The LORD had to bring His people into the wilderness in order to pull Israel aside from her false gods, and to draw her back to her true Husband. Perhaps that is one reason why the title of this Sabbath's reading portion is B'midbar or "In the wilderness". A marriage relationship with the Lord is different in every way from a service, or even a friendship relationship with Him. In this marriage relationship, the two become one flesh, and it is not possible to separate them. In connecting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the believers in the Upper Room in Jerusalem on Shavuot or Pentecost, to a marriage covenant, Jesus described it this way, "Behold, I send the Promise (epangelia- an announcement (for assent or pledge), to reconcile) of My Father upon you.." (Lk. 24:49). The Promise of the Holy Spirit indwelling us can be seen as part of a marriage promise making us one with Christ, as well as a promise to empower us. As Paul told us above, the victorious power to overcome all created things comes from our inseparable marriage relationship with Christ. May we prepare ourselves and accept Jesus not only as Lord, but also as Husband. Our Father is preparing a Marriage for His Son. If you would like to know Jesus as Savior, Lord, and Husband, you can pray: "Lord Jesus, I believe that You died for my sins, and rose from the dead for me. I believe that the Promise of our Father is one of a marriage with You. Nothing can separate me from You, and I become more than a conqueror joined in You. You sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within me, and to unite me with You. Let the Holy Spirit lead and teach me in the marriage relationship I have with You. In Your name, I pray. AMEN."

Counting

It is always a wonderful gift when I find Jesus hidden in the Sabbath reading portions, as is the case for this week. Sometimes it requires a little digging to reveal Him. It is a blessing to know that Jewish people all over the world are studying these same scriptures assigned for this Sabbath, and may make the same discovery of their Messiah in them, and hopefully some Christians are reading them also. This particular time period of the year is especially revealing of Christ, as we will hopefully see. At this time, we are about half way between Passover/the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the next feast, which we call Pentecost, which is next month. It is on Pentecost that the Holy spirit fell with fire and power upon those believers in Jesus waiting in the Upper Room in Jerusalem (Acts 2). The LORD describes this waiting period between the feasts in a special way: "And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath...seven sabbaths (49 days) shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering (2 loaves of wheat flour with leaven) to the LORD...they are the first fruits to the LORD." (Lev. 23:15-17). This feast that takes place fifty days after Unleavened Bread, which we call Pentecost, the Hebrews called The Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot (Deut. 16:9-12). The timing of this feast is unusual because it is not assigned to a specific date on the calendar, like other feasts. This Feast of Shavuot must be counted down by fifty days. This period of counting the fifty days is called "The Counting (sapar- scribe, tell, speak, count, number, shew forth, commune, rehearse, tally or record, take account of) of the Omer (measurement/sheaf)". This is how the Jewish people who study the Torah consider the counting of those fifty days until Shavuot, or Pentecost, which also means "50". They are to make an effort in mastering 49 levels of Torah called "The 49 Gates of Understanding". They search the scriptures each day for an aspect of God to meditate upon. Each of these 49 levels of Torah or "gates of understanding" become a purifying or perfecting of oneself in preparation for the coming feast, Shavuot. At the conclusion of the 49 days/levels/gates, one is left "ailing" for The 50th Gate of Understanding. This 50th Gate, however, is not achieved by man's effort in study, as is the case for the previous 49 Gates. I think this is why God made us count the days as seven sabbaths plus one day. That one additional day is different from the previous 49. The 50th Gate can only be received as "a gift from Above". The number "50" is represented by the Hebrew letter nun. The meaning of this Hebrew letter, nun, reveals Jesus in this 50th Gate of Understanding: "fish (Mt. 4:18-19, Mt. 14:13-21, Lk. 5:4-9, Jn. 21:3-7), seed/sprouting seed (Gen. 3:15, Mt. 13, Jn. 12:23-24), offspring/son (Jn. 3:16-17), heir to the throne (Rom. 8:16-17, Rev. 3:21), faithfulness (Rev. 19:11)". With God's emphasis on the number 50 in connection to Shavuot/the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost, the meaning of the Hebrew letter, nun, and the understanding that the 50th Gate of Understanding cannot be achieved by man's efforts, connects this with the Messiah. Like the 50th Gate of Understanding, the New Testament repeatedly refers to Jesus/Grace and the Holy Spirit as gifts from God. James wrote something that a Jewish person might immediately link to the 50th Gate of Understanding: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights (make manifest, luminous, the power of understanding spiritual truth), with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures." (James 1:17-18). Jesus said, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, "Give Me a drink", you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." (Jn. 4:10). Of the Holy Spirit, spoken by Peter on Pentecost: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38). The fact that salvation is a gift, and not by the works of men: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any one should boast." (Eph. 2:8). Here are additional scriptures that emphasize Jesus/Grace and the Holy Spirit as gifts from God: Rom. 5:15-18, Rom. 6:23, Acts 8:20, 10:45, 11:17, Heb. 6:4, 1 Pet. 4:10). Here are New Testament mentions that state, similarly to The 50th Gate of Understanding, the gifts are from "on high", or above: "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure (see "Omer" above) of Christ's gift. Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." (Eph. 4:7-8). In Jn. 3:3, when Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." The phrase, "born again", can also be translated as "born from above" or "born from a higher place". When Peter suddenly understood that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon BarJonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." (Mt. 16:17). "Heaven" used here can also mean "the upper regions" or "heights above". Peter's revelation, which would be the revelation for the whole Church as well (v. 18), could not come from men's endeavors, but as a gift of understanding from Above. This week's Sabbath reading that includes Lev. 23 is titled, Emor, which means "Say!". For me, it is also another example of the continuity and confirmation to be found within the Word of God that can be sought out and found by all who are willing to look, both Jews and Gentiles. As we count the days to Pentecost, may we understand in a deeper way the revelation gift from God above, His Son, Who gave us salvation, grace, and the Holy Spirit, and made us joint-heirs with Him. Our Father has revealed the 50th Gate of Understanding to us from Above. If you would like to know the Son and Heir to the Throne of God, you can pray: "Heavenly Father, by Your Son, Jesus, You have given me the free gift of grace and salvation, the gift of eternal life. I believe that Jesus, Your only begotten Son, died for my sins, and was raised from the dead. I believe that He has secured an inheritance for me in earth and in heaven. I believe that Jesus sent the gift of the Holy Spirit in fire and power to fill me and lead me in my walk with Him. I receive this gift, not by my own efforts, but by Your revelation from Above, in Jesus' name. AMEN."