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Beha’alotkha When You Set Up Numbers 8:1 – 11 |
The twelve tribes have just offered their gifts for the dedication of the altar in
chapter 7 but the tribe of Levi was not included because they themselves
are to be the gift. The entire tribe is given over to the service of the altar.
We see in verse 5-7 the purification service. This is a sign of the start of
their new life of service and dedication. The sacrifices of the inauguration
of the Levites consisting of two bulls, one for the burnt offering the other for
a sin/purification offering. Levites were offered to G-d as a substitute for
the firstborn sons of the twelve tribes. They were to represent all Israel in
matters pertaining to the holy things of the sanctuary. Because the Levites
were to represent all Israel in their service in the Tabernacle, all Israel
needed to lay hands upon them to invest them with that corporate identity.
The Levites became a wave offering and are separated from the sons of
Israel. Their term of service is from the age of twenty-five until the age of
fifty. At the age of fifty they are not released from the ministry of the
Tabernacle, but they are released from the difficult labor.
Chapter 9:1-5 speaks of the command to observe Passover in the
wilderness. We may learn here the difference between the ideal and the
actual. Israel should have been in the land of Israel celebrating their first
Passover. However, they are still at Mt. Sinai. G-d works with us where we
are. Presently the world is an imperfect place, and we are imperfect
people. We rarely find ourselves in the ideal circumstances. Those living
under the Torah’s instructions are much better equipped for dealing with
second best than those who live with their heads continually in the clouds of
heavenly idealism. Things rarely work out the way we planned or imagined
them. Worth with what you have. We keep the commandments to the
extent that we are able. In a very real way all of our Passovers are
Passovers in the wilderness. We will not celebrate according to the perfect
ideal until the ideal is ushered in by our beloved Messiah King.
Verse 6-13 speaks of Pesach Shine the second Passover held on e month
later. As the people of G-d we should look to G-d for guidance in all of our
comings and goings. We should depend on G-d to lead us and guide us
through all of life’s decisions.
Numbers 10:1-10
There is a commandment to make silver trumpets. They were used for
calling the assembly, for calling the tribal leaders, for signaling the camps to
set out and for going to war. The silver trumpets were to be sounded on
festivals and Sabbaths. The silver trumpets are Temple-dependent and the
sounding was a function of the priesthood. The trumpets of the Torah were
the prescribed and carefully ordered elements of the liturgical service.
They were meant to create a sense of awe and splendor.
Verse 29 – 36
As Israel begins to set out, Moses’ father in law prepares to return to
Midian. Non Jewish believers are reckoned as honorary citizens of Israel
will full rights and privileges, but they retain their ethnic identity. They don’t
become Jewish.
Numbers 11 teaches us a basic story live that is repeated over and over.
Israel’s discontentment gives rise to murmuring, evil speech and
sometimes out right rebellion. It is always met with sound punishment.
Human behavior being what it is, always drifts toward discontentment and
criticism. We live in a fallen world and we are to partner with G-d in the
process of repairing the world. In order to do so, we need a critical faculty
that can detect flaw and imagine improvement. Therefore we recognize
shortcomings and do what we can to correct them and improve things.
Under sin’s influence, our natural ability to discern a problem has been
warped to become a critical, self serving spirit which discerns problems as
things that contradict our own will and whim. No matter how good our lives
are, we will find reason for discontentment and unhappiness. A critical
spirit of ingratitude and discontentment eventually destroys jobs, marriages,
families and congregations. The first thing we learn from these stories is
that G-d is listening. Few things irritate G-d more than a negative attitude.
A cynical, critical heart is a wrong heart. G-d has a zero tolerance policy
toward complainers. Manna was perfect food from heaven. Because it
was not what Israel desired they spurned it, even though it was given of G-
d. The same often happens to us after we take on a life of discipleship.
For a while, it is fresh new and exciting. It is invigorating and each day is
filled with new discovery. But then the novelty wears off and we begin to
miss the old vices and entertainment. When this happens, and it is normal
that it does, we must press on all the harder in pursuit of our righteous
Savior. It is normal for the heart to yearn for straying, but it is not normal to
stray with the heart. We know better. Believers enter the Torah movement
from a variety of denominational and religious backgrounds. Things
change. Your calendar, your holidays, your day of worship, your friends,
your rhythm of life, the places you go, your style of worship, even the food
you eat. It is normal to long for the simpler days when a Sunday morning
worship service was the full extent your expression of faith. The manna on
which we now feed is the one who has descended from heaven. He is the
bread of life and He beckons us to eat of Him alone. This is the way to life.
Verse 10-15 we see Moses so distressed with leadership responsibilities
that he feels suicidal. We need to become proactive about defending our
leadership and silencing the voices of discontentment and antagonism
which so quickly spread through a congregation.
Verse 16-18 Moses appoints leaders and judges.
Verse 18-35 The L-rd punishes the Israelites and their malcontented nature
by sending an abundance of quail. In our lives we often experience the
same dynamic. Abundance is not always a blessing. Avarice and greed
are quick to follow. A family with too much income begins to spend
foolishly and finds it difficult to give the same proportion to the work of the
Kingdom. It is far easier to labor for the Kingdom when things are lean.
We should be asking that the L-rd will provide for us according to His
measure and good purpose, even as He provided daily bread from heaven
for Israel while they were in the wilderness.
chapter 7 but the tribe of Levi was not included because they themselves
are to be the gift. The entire tribe is given over to the service of the altar.
We see in verse 5-7 the purification service. This is a sign of the start of
their new life of service and dedication. The sacrifices of the inauguration
of the Levites consisting of two bulls, one for the burnt offering the other for
a sin/purification offering. Levites were offered to G-d as a substitute for
the firstborn sons of the twelve tribes. They were to represent all Israel in
matters pertaining to the holy things of the sanctuary. Because the Levites
were to represent all Israel in their service in the Tabernacle, all Israel
needed to lay hands upon them to invest them with that corporate identity.
The Levites became a wave offering and are separated from the sons of
Israel. Their term of service is from the age of twenty-five until the age of
fifty. At the age of fifty they are not released from the ministry of the
Tabernacle, but they are released from the difficult labor.
Chapter 9:1-5 speaks of the command to observe Passover in the
wilderness. We may learn here the difference between the ideal and the
actual. Israel should have been in the land of Israel celebrating their first
Passover. However, they are still at Mt. Sinai. G-d works with us where we
are. Presently the world is an imperfect place, and we are imperfect
people. We rarely find ourselves in the ideal circumstances. Those living
under the Torah’s instructions are much better equipped for dealing with
second best than those who live with their heads continually in the clouds of
heavenly idealism. Things rarely work out the way we planned or imagined
them. Worth with what you have. We keep the commandments to the
extent that we are able. In a very real way all of our Passovers are
Passovers in the wilderness. We will not celebrate according to the perfect
ideal until the ideal is ushered in by our beloved Messiah King.
Verse 6-13 speaks of Pesach Shine the second Passover held on e month
later. As the people of G-d we should look to G-d for guidance in all of our
comings and goings. We should depend on G-d to lead us and guide us
through all of life’s decisions.
Numbers 10:1-10
There is a commandment to make silver trumpets. They were used for
calling the assembly, for calling the tribal leaders, for signaling the camps to
set out and for going to war. The silver trumpets were to be sounded on
festivals and Sabbaths. The silver trumpets are Temple-dependent and the
sounding was a function of the priesthood. The trumpets of the Torah were
the prescribed and carefully ordered elements of the liturgical service.
They were meant to create a sense of awe and splendor.
Verse 29 – 36
As Israel begins to set out, Moses’ father in law prepares to return to
Midian. Non Jewish believers are reckoned as honorary citizens of Israel
will full rights and privileges, but they retain their ethnic identity. They don’t
become Jewish.
Numbers 11 teaches us a basic story live that is repeated over and over.
Israel’s discontentment gives rise to murmuring, evil speech and
sometimes out right rebellion. It is always met with sound punishment.
Human behavior being what it is, always drifts toward discontentment and
criticism. We live in a fallen world and we are to partner with G-d in the
process of repairing the world. In order to do so, we need a critical faculty
that can detect flaw and imagine improvement. Therefore we recognize
shortcomings and do what we can to correct them and improve things.
Under sin’s influence, our natural ability to discern a problem has been
warped to become a critical, self serving spirit which discerns problems as
things that contradict our own will and whim. No matter how good our lives
are, we will find reason for discontentment and unhappiness. A critical
spirit of ingratitude and discontentment eventually destroys jobs, marriages,
families and congregations. The first thing we learn from these stories is
that G-d is listening. Few things irritate G-d more than a negative attitude.
A cynical, critical heart is a wrong heart. G-d has a zero tolerance policy
toward complainers. Manna was perfect food from heaven. Because it
was not what Israel desired they spurned it, even though it was given of G-
d. The same often happens to us after we take on a life of discipleship.
For a while, it is fresh new and exciting. It is invigorating and each day is
filled with new discovery. But then the novelty wears off and we begin to
miss the old vices and entertainment. When this happens, and it is normal
that it does, we must press on all the harder in pursuit of our righteous
Savior. It is normal for the heart to yearn for straying, but it is not normal to
stray with the heart. We know better. Believers enter the Torah movement
from a variety of denominational and religious backgrounds. Things
change. Your calendar, your holidays, your day of worship, your friends,
your rhythm of life, the places you go, your style of worship, even the food
you eat. It is normal to long for the simpler days when a Sunday morning
worship service was the full extent your expression of faith. The manna on
which we now feed is the one who has descended from heaven. He is the
bread of life and He beckons us to eat of Him alone. This is the way to life.
Verse 10-15 we see Moses so distressed with leadership responsibilities
that he feels suicidal. We need to become proactive about defending our
leadership and silencing the voices of discontentment and antagonism
which so quickly spread through a congregation.
Verse 16-18 Moses appoints leaders and judges.
Verse 18-35 The L-rd punishes the Israelites and their malcontented nature
by sending an abundance of quail. In our lives we often experience the
same dynamic. Abundance is not always a blessing. Avarice and greed
are quick to follow. A family with too much income begins to spend
foolishly and finds it difficult to give the same proportion to the work of the
Kingdom. It is far easier to labor for the Kingdom when things are lean.
We should be asking that the L-rd will provide for us according to His
measure and good purpose, even as He provided daily bread from heaven
for Israel while they were in the wilderness.
| Ministry of Gates of Praise Ministries, Inc. © Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2007/2008 |