34Parasha Badmidbar- In the Wilderness

34Parasha Badmidbar- In Wilderness

Badmidbar 1 :1-4 :20

Hoshea 2 :1-22, 1 Shmu’el 20 :18-42, 1st Corint. 12 :12-20

Daniel ben Ya’acov Israel

Portion Summary

The Hebrew name of the fourth book of the Torah (also the name of the first reading) is Bamidbar (במדבר), which means "In the wilderness." It comes from the first words of the first verse, which say, "Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai" (Numbers 1:1). The English title of the book is "Numbers," which is derived from the Greek Septuagint (LXX) version of the Torah. The book of Numbers tells the story of Israel's trek through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land, their failure at the edge of the land and the subsequent forty years of wandering. It concludes with the story of the second generation's triumphs over the first Canaanite resistance. The book ends with the Israelites poised on the edge of Canaan, ready to take their inheritance. Woven in the midst of these narratives is a significant amount of legal material.

The first reading from Bamidbar and the thirty-fourth reading from the Torah begin with a census of the tribes of Israel and the Levitical families just prior to the departure from Sinai.

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Portion Outline

• TORAH
• Numbers 1:1 | The First Census of Israel
• Numbers 2:1 | The Order of Encampment and Marching
• Numbers 3:1 | The Sons of Aaron
• Numbers 3:5 | The Duties of the Levites
• Numbers 3:14 | A Census of the Levites
• Numbers 3:40 | The Redemption of the Firstborn
• Numbers 4:1 | The Kohathites
• PROPHETS
• Hos 2:2 | Israel's Infidelity, Punishment, and Redemption

The Hebrew word for “Wilderness” is Strong’s #H4057 מדבּר midbâr mid-bawr'

From H1696 in the sense of driving; a pasture (that is, open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication a desert; also speech (including its organs): - desert, south, speech, wilderness.

H1696 dâbar daw-bar'

A primitive root; perhaps properly to arrange; but used figuratively (of words) to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue: - answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use [entreaties], utter, X well, X work.

We see the root of the word “wilderness” come form the word “dabar” which means to speak, to subdue, command, commune, declare, teach think, but also destroy.

The wilderness is the place where each of us will have to go in order to be transformed from “carnal” to “spiritual” being.

This year I will insert new thoughts. Here from Jeff Benner from Ancient-Hebrew-Institut, concerning the word "wilderness". First the pictogram how it was written in Moshe's time (from right to left mem, dalet, beth, resh):

For forty years God had Israel wander in the 'wilderness'. Insights into why God had chosen the wilderness for their wanderings can be found in the roots of this word. The root word is 'davar' and is most frequently translated as a thing or a word. The original picture painted by this word to the Hebrews is the arrangement of things to create order. Speech is an ordered arrangement of words. In the ancient Hebrew mind words are 'things' and are just as 'real' as food or other 'thing'. When a word is spoken to another it is 'placed in the ears' no different than when food is given to another it is 'placed in the mouth'. The Hebrew name Devorah (Deborah) means 'bee' and is the feminine form of the word davar. Bees are a community of insects which live in a perfectly ordered arrangement. The word 'midvar' meaning wilderness is actually a place that exists as a perfectly arranged order as its ecosystem is in harmony and balance. By placing Israel in this environment he is teaching them balance, order and harmony.

Don’t think it is unusual to be led in the wilderness because it is the place where Yehowah will talk to us:

Luk 4:1 And יהושע, being filled with the Set-apart Spirit, returned from the Yardĕn and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Luk 4:2 being tried for forty days by the devil. And in those days He did not eat at all, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

יהושע is the head of the body, whose body we are! If our Master was led in the wilderness by the Ruach HaQodesh (Set Apart Spirit), do you think it will be different with us?

1Jn 2:6 The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.

There are many scriptures telling us that if we really are in Him, our life will also follow the same pattern, and as we read, all by the leading of the Ruach HaQodesh.

I have written in another “parasha” that Egypt and the wilderness are a microcosm of the entire world today. In other words, what happened to the children of Israel is the reality of what happen to us “children of יהוה” (1 Yochanan 3:2) today.

I have read from different scholars concerning theories how we should interpret the reality of space and frame in understanding the Tanak.

This is my personal conviction I came to this conclusion after many years and prayers I read from many respectable brothers from whom I also learned beautiful truth, but was not convince, even when sometime it sounded pleasant. I may be wrong but this is what I believe how we should interpret the Tanak for us today.

Sha’ul give the path of understanding:

1Co 15:46 The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.

1Co 15:47 The first man (Adam) was of the earth, earthy; the second Man (Adam) is the Master from heaven.

1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.

We read clearly that the natural came first and afterward the spiritual.

This is the interpretation: From Adam to יהושע, the world was dominated by carnal man, to the exception of those chosen of יהוה for His own purpose (Abraham, Itzak, Ya’acov, Yoseph, Moshe, Aaron, Yohushua, David, the prophets and more from among godly people like Ruth, Sarah, Leah, Rachel……).

The carnal had to come first in order to open the way for the spiritual, which started with Messiah יהושע by the regeneration of the inner man after the first Adam missed the mark (sin):

1Pe 1:3 Blessed^G2128 be the^G3588 Elohim^G2316 and^G2532 Father^G3962 of our^G2257 Master^G2962 יהוש Messiah,^G5547 which according^G2596 to his^G848 abundant^G4183 mercy^G1656 hath begotten us again^{G313 G2248} unto^G1519 a lively^G2198 hope^G1680 by^G1223 the resurrection^G386 of יהושע Messiah  from^G1537 the dead,^G3498

Begotten: Strong’s #G313 anagennaō an-ag-en-nah'-o

From G303 and G1080; to beget or (by extension) bear (again): - beget, (bear) X again.

G303 Ana an-ah'

A primary preposition and adverb; properly up; but (by extension) used (distributively) severally, or (locally) at (etc.): - and, apiece, by, each, every (man), in, through. In compounds (as a prefix) it often means (by implication) repetition, intensity, reversal, etc.

G1080 gennaō ghen-nah'-o

From a variation of G1085; to procreate (properly of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively to regenerate: - bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring.

We could read what Kefa /Peter wrote following:

Blessed^G2128 be the^G3588 Elohim^G2316 and^G2532 Father^G3962 of our^G2257 Master^G2962 יהושע Messiah,^G5547 which according^G2596 to his^G848 abundant^G4183 mercy^G1656 hath

 “in reversal” (of the past condition), procreate, regenerate, born, brought forth, conceive, our new nature, delivered of the carnal nature” unto^G1519 a lively^G2198 hope^G1680 by^G1223 the resurrection^G386 of יהושע Messiah from^G1537 the dead,^G3498

Clearly Kefa / Peter is speaking of the “inner man” which has bee regenerated through Messiah יהושע, saying by implication that before the resurrection man was under the power of the carnal nature.

Today those who are in Messiah יהושע are regenerated through the life which is in Messiah and follow the Master in the “wilderness of life”, which is the world system today. Is not HaSatan the “g-d” of this world today?

2Co 4:4 in whom the mighty one (god) of this age¹ has blinded the minds of the unbelieving…….

Ecc 1:10 Is there^H3426 any thing^H1697 whereof it may be said,^{H7945 H559} See,^H7200 this^H2088 is new?^H2319 it^H1931 hath been^H1961 already^H3528 of old time,^H5769 which^H834 was^H1961 before^{H4480 H6440} us.

Ecc 1:11 There is no^H369 remembrance^H2146 of former^H7223 things; neither^{H1571 H3808} shall there be^H1961 any remembrance^H2146 of things that are to come^{H7945 H1961} with^H5973 those that shall come^{H7945 H1961} after.^H314

This can only speak of the spiritual aspect which repeats itself, Ishmael Amalek,  Pharaoh, Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar Romans, are no more, but the “spiritual entities” are there at the head of the UN and the EU and the Arab world. To ignore this is to try to change the reality of today. When we encounter difficulty in interpreting scriptures, we should be patient and ask our heavenly Father to help us to understand, sometime it takes months and even years before we have grown up to the spiritual understanding. I am still very careful with prophecy interpretation as for instance if your read my “article” on “Forty days, forty Years”, you will see that Daniel’s prophecy concerning the “seventy weeks” has been fulfilled under Vespasian in 70C.E. This doesn’t mean that some part of this prophecy are not to be repeated today, remember Shalomo says that there is nothing news under the sun and that what has been, it is what will be (future) (Eccl.1:9)!

Let us go back now to the “Parasha Bamidbar”, “In the wilderness”.

Usually “Parasah Badmidbar” is read during the Shabbat before “Shavuot” the feast that celebrates the “Giving of the Torah”, the Brit, Covenant of יהוה with His people, the Children of Israel (carnal man).

The first day of the second month, the second year, thirteen month after they were come out of Egypt. The Children of Israel are now following their “physical” (carnal) deliverer Moshe who himself is a picture of the spiritual deliverer, יהושע Messiah, who has “begotten us a new unto the Father” by his resurrection.

Thirteen is the number which point out to: Rebellion!

The two first chapter of Badmidbar, tells us in much details the number of each tribes with their heads, and also their position according to the place assigned to them by Elohim!

Many years honestly, I found boring to read this “parasha”, because I didn’t understand the reason to read every year the same, until I read something spoken by יהושע and יהוה:

Isa 49:1 Listen to Me, O coastlands, and hear, you peoples from afar! יהוה has called Me from the womb, from My mother’s belly He has caused My Name to be remembered. ...

Isa 49:18 “Lift up your eyes round about and see, all of them gather together and come to you. As I live,” declares יהוה, “you shall put on all of them as an ornament, and bind them on you as a bride does.

We can see that Israel that is you and me is inscribed in the palms of יהוה’s hand, what does יהושע says?

Joh 17:12 “When I was with them in the world, I was guarding them in Your Name which You have given Me, and I watched over them, and not one of them perished except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be filled.

How can we know that “not one of them perished” if they are not counted?

In the census of Badmidbar is an everlasting record of Abraham’s descendant and through them of you and me the seed, counted and registered!

In Judaism today, it is taught that if the mother is a “Jew” the children are considered as “Jew”. This is not what the Torah teaches and we again get confirmation from Sha’ul who circumcised Timothy because his mother was a “Jewess” and the Father a “Greek”:

Act 16:1 Then^G1161 came^G2658 he to^G1519 Derbe^G1191 and^G2532 Lystra:^G3082 and,^G2532 behold,^G2400 a certain^G5100 disciple^G3101 was^G2258 there,^G1563 named^G3686 Timotheus,^G5095 the son^G5207 of a certain^G5100 woman,^G1135 which was a Jewess,^G2453 and believed;^G4103 but^G1161 his father^G3962 was a Greek:^G1672

Act 16:3 Him^G5126 would^G2309 Paul^G3972 have to go forth^G1831 with^G4862 him;^G846 and^G2532 took^G2983 and circumcised^G4059 him^G846 because of^G1223 the^G3588 Jews^G2453 which were^G5607 in^G1722 those^G1565 quarters:^G5117 for^G1063 they knew^G1492 all^G537 that^G3754 his^G848 father^G3962 was^G5225 a Greek.^G1672

Remember for the “Jews” circumcision was a perquisite to salvation:

Act 15:1 and^G2532 certain men^G5100 which came down^G2718 from^G575 Judaea^G2449 taught^G1321 the^G3588 brethren,^G80 and said, Except^G3362 ye be circumcised^G4059 after the^G3588 manner^G1485 of Moses,^G3475 ye cannot^{G1410 G3756} be saved.^G4982

This of course is false, circumcision is not part of the salvation requirement, even though circumcision is still valid once we mature in the Torah.

Verse 2.The sum of the congregation…

The psalmist speaking of the children of Israel speaks of “the sheep of יהוה’s pasture”:

Psa 74:1 O Elohim, why do You forever reject us? Why does Your displeasure smoke Against the sheep of Your pasture?

Psa 79:13 and we, Your people and the sheep of Your pasture, We give thanks to You forever; From generation to generation we show forth Your praise.

Psa 95:7 For He is our Elohim, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice:

יהושע will take the same metaphor speaking of those who will follow him:

Joh 10:3. “The doorkeeper opens for him, and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out

Joh 10:7 יהושע therefore said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

Joh 10:16 “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold – I have to bring them as well, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one shepherd.

יהושע says that He is the “Good shepherd”, Moshe was also a type of Shepherd to the children of Israel.

Why does יהוה tell Moshes to take the sum of all the children of Israel?

We had already two censuses the first when the Children of Israel left Egypt / Mitzrayim as mentioned by Tobias from Yashanet:

Exo 12:37 and the children of Yisra’ĕl set out from Raʽmeses to Sukkoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides the little ones.

Exo 30:12 “When you take the census of the children of Yisra’ĕl, to register them, then each one shall give an atonement for his life to יהוה, when you register them, so that there is no plague among them when you register them.

Just after having met with יהוה on Mount Sinai.

Ø  The first (Sh’mot 12:37) when they left Mitzrayim / Egypt, from been completely passive, as Tobias from Yashanet explains: Elohim’s grace (chesed) only, to one of both, grace (favour) and merit (Ya’acov / James 1:23, 2:17-26).

Ø  The second one involving Aharon reflect this change involving revelation from “above to below”, to one connecting “below to above”. How did this “spiritual evolution” related to people prepared to receive the Torah Elohim gave on Shavuot?

Like the Children of Israel (carnal man) when we come to Messiah יהושע, we leave our own spiritual Mitzrayim / Egypt. We follow the “Good Shepherd”. Sha’ul writes to the Philippians 2:13:” It is Elohim who works in you both to will and to do according t His good pleasure”.

When we leave our spiritual Egypt, we have no idée of the Torah it is pure “grace” (chesed) only:

Eph 2:8 for by favour (grace) you have been saved, through belief, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Elohim,

Eph 2:9 it is not by works, so that no one should boast.

The King James gives it so:

Eph 2:8 For^G1063 by grace^G5485 are^G2075 ye saved^G4982 through^G1223 faith;^G4102 and^G2532 that^G5124 not^G3756 of^G1537 yourselves:^G5216 it is the^G3588 gift^G1435 of God:^G2316

Grace: Strong’s #G5485 charis khar'-ece

From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).

This “favour” is what we found because of what יהושע did for us.

The Messenger Gabriel speaking to Myriam:

Luk 1:30 and^G2532 the^G3588 angel^G32 said^G2036 unto her,^G846 Fear^G5399 not,^G3361 Mary:^G3137 for^G1063 thou hast found^G2147 favour^G5485 with^G3844 God.^G2316

The same word: Strong’s G5485 is used with “favour” when speaking to Myriam. The Greek word “charis” carry the connotation of finding favour, which is the act of יהוה upon the heart of man.

If you make a research on the word “grace” and “favour”, you will be surprised that in the Brit Chadasha (New Testament), “charis” is translated 6 time as “favour” and 122 time as “grace”/

In the Tanak we found two words:

“Chen” used 38 times, meaning favour but also grace, From H2603; graciousness, that is, subjectively (kindness, favor) or objectively (beauty): - favour, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, [well-] favoured.

“Chesed” meaning “mercy” used more than 130 times as:

From H2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opprobrium) reproof, or (subjectively) beauty: - favour, good deed (-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-) kindness, merciful (kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.

The conclusion is that Grace should be translated 122 times, by “Favour” in the Brit Chadasha (New Testament) and is more than 38 time with the meaning of “grace” in the Tanak.

Christianity reject the teaching of the Torah and therefore is in bondage, boasting themselves through “material proof” of their salvation (read Matt. 7:23)

It is amazing that we read, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Elohim”! (1 Corint.15:50)

When a believer comes to Messiah יהושע, he will go after a while into the “wilderness” of life, to be perfected, to grow from “favour” to “favour and work” in order to take his place in the body of Messiah:

Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some as emissaries, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers

Eph 4:12 for the perfecting of the set-apart ones, to the work of service to a building up of the body of the Messiah,

Eph 4:13 until we all come to the unity of the belief and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the completeness of Messiah,

Religion throughout the world is a “philosophy” to satisfy the “lust of the flesh” avoiding following the truth, the Torah through Messiah יהושע. Today people all around the world pretend to believe “G-d” but all reject the Torah!

The only way to follow the Truth is by the renewing of the mind, putting Torah’s teaching to replace the “old garbage” of the world assimilated through the years in our former way of life. It doesn’t matter what we think, what matter is what the Torah say!

In Ephesians 2:19-22 Saul writes:

Eph 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the set-apart ones and members of the household of Elohim,¹ Footnote: ¹Rom. 11:17-24, Isa. 14:1.

Eph 2:20 having been built upon the foundation (Torah) of the emissaries and prophets, יהושע Messiah Himself being chief corner-stone,

Eph 2:21 in whom all the building, being joined together, grows into a set-apart Dwelling Place in יהוה,

Eph 2:22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of Elohim in the Spirit.

Every member of the Household is counted as a living stone in the “building” of Elohim the “Living Temple”, Messiah been the “chief corner-stone”.

Verse 46.all those that were registered were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty

603 550, is the number of those above the age of twenty, not included, the children, the women, and the elder people.

Not only so but the Levite were not included in the number

Verse 49.Only the tribe of Lĕwi you do not register, nor take a census of them among the children of Yisra’ĕl

The reason is given verse 50:

“Instead, appoint the Lĕwites over the Dwelling Place of the Witness,

The Levites were appointed for the Tabernacle, the “mishkahn”, to pitch around the Tabernacle in order to carry the tabernacle according to their lot when the Children of Israel are commanded to move. We will see later that only those who are “Levites” are called for the service in the Tabernacle. This is a direct connection with YHVH’s people today.

The children of Yosef are counted, Ephraim first and Manasseh according to the order Ya’acov has appointed them as his heirs. Yoseph is not mentioned.

It is really amazing to read, the Levites are the spiritual part from among the Children of Israel, and Qadosh (Set apart).

Yosef is a picture of the suffering Messiah and his offspring are counted in his stead!

Messiah יהושע is not physically present now, although alive and present at the right side of Elohim.

Num 1:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Mitsrayim, saying, ...

Num 1:52 “And the children of Yisra’ĕl shall pitch their tents, everyone by his own camp, everyone by his own banner, according to their divisions,

Num 1:53 but let the Lĕwites camp around the Dwelling Place of the Witness, so that there be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl. And the Lĕwites shall guard the duty of the Dwelling Place of the Witness.”

Num 1:54 and the children of Yisra’ĕl did according to all that יהוה commanded Mosheh, so they did.

A bit gemetria to think:

1:46:The Children of Israel all together 603 550: 6+0+3+5+5+0=19 (19= 10+9)

Ten: The divine number for the sum of all number. Andrew Harris write: The symbolism of ten-ordinal perfection is the only perfection that natural humans can even approach. While man’s perfection falls short of Elohim’s perfection in all things , we can strive and achieve some measure of success with ordinal perfection (e.g 10 commandments).

Nine the number for Judgment, nine people judge in the scriptures (Vayiqra:Lev. 24:10-11, 23, Badmidbar 15:32-36, Yohushua 7:20-22, 25, Judges 9:50-53, 1^st Kings 12:17-18, 21:7-13, 2^nd Chron.24:20-22, Acts 7:54-60, 14:19-20)

Chapter 2

This chapter deals with the position of each tribe according to their flags with the ensign of their father’s house.

Here we should take a look at the “Tree of Life” to see more in the position of the tribes.

On the East side: The side of “chesed” (favour), mercy, the portion of Abraham. In B’reshit 19:19 Abraham speaks to יהוה: Behold now thy servant (lot) hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hath magnified thy mercy (chesed), which thou hast shewed me in saving my life In the “Tree of life” we know that the east is the place of “Ketter” (the will), the west the place of “Malchut” , the Kingdom or “shekina”. We can read in Psalm 103:11-12:”For^H3588 as the heaven^H8064 is high^H1361 above^H5921 the earth,^H776 so great^H1396 is his mercy^H2617 toward^H5921 them that fear^H3373 him. 12 as far^H7350 as the east^H4217 is from the west,^{H4480 H4628} so far hath he removed^{H7368 (H853)} our transgressions^H6588 from^H4480 us.

We could read: ”As the heavens the place of thy throne are far from the Kingdom on earth…….”

Ø  The South side is the side of “Chesed”, mercy, favour, kindness, flowing from יהוה’s throne.

Ø  The West side, the side of Malchut is the side of exile where we find Ephraim, Manasseh and Benyamin. The descendants of the House of Israel also called “Ephraim” have been scattered in the West and in the four winds.

Isa 43:1 But now, thus said יהוה, your Creator, O Yaʽaqoḇ, and He who formed you, O Yisra’ĕl, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name, you are Mine………

Isa 43:5 “Do not fear, for I am with you. I shall bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west.

Zec 8:7 “Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘See, I am saving My people from the land of the sunrise (East) and from the land of the sunset (west).

Mat 8:11 “And I say to you that many shall come from east and west, and sit down with Aḇraham, and Yitsḥaq, and Yaʽaqoḇ in the reign of the heavens,

Today most of the descendants of the Children of Israel (seed), the ten tribes have lost their identity they are intermingled among many nations, especially Christianity.

Mic 5:8 And the remnant of Yaʽaqoḇ (Yehuda and Ephraim) shall be among the gentiles (nations), in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of a forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, who, if he passes through, shall both tread down and shall tear, and there is no one to deliver.

Hos 11:9 “I shall not let the heat of My wrath burn, I shall not turn to destroy Ephrayim. For I am Ěl, and not man, the Set-apart One in your midst, and I shall not come in enmity.

Hos 11:10 “Let them follow יהוה. Like a lion He roars. When He roars, then sons shall tremble from the west.

Ø  The north side: In the “Tree of life” the north is the side of judgment and strictness, where we found Itzak, who was commanded not to leave the land all his life. Tradition says that יהוה will judge His people through the tribe of Dan. Two factors seem to confirm these saying. On is in B’reshit 49:16-17, “Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribe of Israel. Dan shall be as a serpent by the way, an adder in the path that bites the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. Also the story of Samson in the book of Judges 14:5-9, the “sod” (mystery” level reveal the work of Dan), Samson been from the tribe of Dan, represented in this parable by the bees (the bees are on the flag of the tribe of Dan), and the lion as a sign for the tribe of Yehuda. The Honey represents the sweetness of the vengeance of Dan against Yehuda for having taken the leadership (B’reshit 49).

Interestingly in the book of Revelation chapter 7, we find two tribes missing: The one is Ephraim replaced by Yosef. Remember Ephraim is also called “House of Israel” the northern Kingdom and include 10 tribes.

The second tribe missing is Dan. This could confirm the role of Dan during the great tribulation. Nevertheless in Yechezk’el we found all the tribes back in their places.

For Ephraim missing in the book of Revelation see my “teaching” on Revelation Chapter 7. By reading carefully as my wife make me aware of, only some of Yosef descendants are found with some of Manashe in Revelation chapter 7 in the counting of the 144 000.

We shouldn’t omit to see that the 12 tribes surround the Tabernacle. This place outside the Tabernacle is a metaphor of the world today, the Tabernacle been the spiritual Temple (you and me) Messiah יהושע been the head.

We see also in the position of the tribes that when somebody is added in the “Body of Messiah” he will take a place which has been assigned to him. We cannot do what we want, but seek the leading of the Ruach HaQodesh (Set apart Spirit).

Num 2:1 and יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying,

Num 2:2 “The children of Yisra’ĕl are to camp, each one by his own banner, beside the sign of his father’s house. Let them camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance.”...

Num 2:34 and the children of Yisra’ĕl did according to all that יהוה commanded Mosheh. So they camped by their banners and so they departed, each one by his clan, according to their fathers’ houses.

A bit gemetria:

Chapter 3.

This chapter deals exclusively with the Levites and their position in the camp around the tabernacle. None of the Children of Israel (carnal man) had access to the tabernacle, but through the Levites. The Levites were given to Aharon and his sons (verse 9).

Verse 12. We read:

Rom 8:29 Because those whom He knew beforehand, He also ordained beforehand to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, for Him to be the first-born among many brothers.

Heb 12:23 To the general assembly^G3831 and^G2532 Assembly^G1577 of the firstborn,^G4416 which are written^G583 in^G1722 heaven,^G3772 and^G2532 to Elohim^G2316 the Judge^G2923 of all,^G3956 and^G2532 to the spirits^G4151 of just men^G1342 made perfect,^G5048

“The first born are mine”, this is according to:

Exo 13:2 “Set apart to Me all the first-born, the one opening the womb among the children of Yisra’ĕl, among man and among beast, it is Mine.”

יהושע was the “First born”:

Rom 8:29 Because those whom He knew beforehand, He also ordained beforehand to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, for Him (Yeshua) to be the first-born among many brothers

יהושע is the “First born” of every creature:

Col 1:15 who is the likeness of the invisible Elohim, the first-born of all creation.¹ Footnote: ¹Heb. 1:6, Rev. 3:14.

יהושע is the “First born” from among the dead:

Col 1:18 And He is the Head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that He might become the One who is first in all.

Ephraim is Elohim’s first born:

Jer 31:9 “With weeping they shall come, and with their prayers I bring them. I shall make them walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they do not stumble. For I shall be a Father to Yisra’ĕl, and Ephrayim – he is My first-born.

Remember Ephraim was the second son from Yosef!

The service of the Levites will lest till Messiah comes:

In fact Josephus the “Jews” historian gives record of the destruction of the Temple by Titus as a punishment coming from Elohim in the year 70C.E. exactly 40 years יהושע went back to the Father, fulfilling Yechezk’el prophecy:

Eze 4:6 and when thou hast accomplished^{H3615 (H853)} them,^H428 lie^H7901 again^H8145 on^H5921 thy right^H3233 side,^H6654 and thou shalt bear^{H5375 (H853)} the iniquity^H5771 of the house^H1004 of Judah^H3063 forty^H705 days:^H3117 I have appointed^H5414 thee each day for a year.^{H3117 H8141 H3117 H8141}

Are you doubting that the prophet yechezk'el was speaking of the destruction of Yerushalayim  after forty years?

Eze 4:7 Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.

Eze 4:8 And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege (forty days for forty years!).

When Messiah came, the people (Yehudin) were busy following man’s tradition imposed to them by the Sanhedrin and the Pharisee. יהושע came to restore what was broken, but they didn’t repent. יהוה gave them exactly forty years to repent, after this period He gave Jerusalem over to Vespasian.

Act 3:19 “Repent therefore and turn back (t’shuva), for the blotting out of your sins, in order that times of refreshing might come from the presence of the Master,

Act 3:20 and that He sends יהושע Messiah, pre-appointed for you,

Act 3:21 whom heaven needs to receive until the times of restoration of all matters, of which Elohim spoke through the mouth of all His set-apart prophets since of old.

יהושע was already returned to the Father.

Mat 4:17 from that time יהושע began to proclaim and to say, “Repent, for the reign of the heavens has drawn near.”

Verse 44.

The Levites instead of the First born. The First born like Reuben, had the function of King and priest in the family, it has been changed to give the service to the Levites until Messiah comes.

Messiah has come already the change of the priesthood is marked by the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E! No Temple, no priesthood, יהושע is greater than the Temple (Matt: 12:6).

Today the Yehudin our brothers under the leadership of the “new Sanhedrin” from among Judaism a man made institution, prepare to rebuild the Temple, because their focus is on the service and not on יהושע, the letter and not the Spirit.

The Levites were not only to serve in the tabernacle, they were also appointed to teach the Children of Israel (carnal man).

Deu 33:8 and of Lĕwi he said, “Your Tummim and Your Urim belong to Your kind one, whom You tried at Massah, with whom You contended at the waters of Meriḇah,

Deu 33:9 who said of his father and mother, ‘I have not seen them.’ And he did not acknowledge his brothers, or know his own children, for they have guarded Your Word and watched over Your covenant.

Deu 33:10 “They teach Your right-rulings to Yaʽaqoḇ, and Your Torah to Yisra’ĕl. They put incense before You, and a complete burnt offering on Your altar.

2Ch 35:3 and said to the Lĕwites who were teaching all Yisra’ĕl, who were set-apart to יהוה, “Put the set-apart ark in the house which Shelomoh son of Dawiḏ, sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, built. It is no longer to be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve יהוה your Elohim and His people Yisra’ĕl,

2Ch 17:8 And with them he sent Lĕwites: Shemayahu, and Nethanyahu, and Zeḇaḏyahu, and Asah’ĕl, and Shemiramoth, and Yehonathan, and Aḏoniyahu, and Toḇiyahu, and Toḇaḏoniyah, the Lĕwites, and with them Elishama and Yehoram, the priests.

2Ch 17:9 And they taught in Yehuḏah, and with them was the Book of the Torah of יהוה. And they went around into all the cities of Yehuḏah and taught the people

A bit gemetria:

Verse 3:39. The Levites from Moshe and Aharon were 22 000 (22= the Letter of the Alep Tav, is not יהוה the Alep and the Tav? (Rev.1:8))

22 is also 7 x 3+1=

Divine perfection for the number seven.

Three the number for past present and future or though, word and deeds of man, the world of matters: mineral, vegetal, animals. The three null or zero represent the different heavens, the third been the Throne of Elohim counting from Malchut the Kingdom.

The number 1 the “echad” from Yehowah (D’avarim/Deut.6:4)

Were not the Levites told to teach Torah to the Children of Israel?

Num 3:1 and these are the generations of Aharon and Mosheh when יהוה spoke with Mosheh on Mount Sinai. ...

Num 3:51 and Mosheh gave their ransom silver to Aharon, and to his sons, according to the word of יהוה, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh.

Chapter 4

4:3.from thirty years old and upward……..to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

Remember only the priest had access to the service in the Tabernacle.

Was it a coincidence when יהושע was thirty years of age when he entered his ministry? In B’reshit 41:46 we read:

Gen 41:46 Now Yosĕph (son of Ya'acov) was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh sovereign of Mitsrayim. And Yosĕph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Mitsrayim.

We know that Yosef’s life is a shadow of יהושע’s life as Messiah ben Yosef. יהושע like Yosef started is Service at the age of thirty.

Luk 3:23 And when יהושע Himself began, He was about thirty years of age, being, as reckoned by law, son of Yosĕph, of Ěli,

The expression “about thirty years” was used when somebody was already in the age of the counting and used until he turned to the new one.

All those appointed to the service in the Tabernacle were thirty years old (4:23,30,35,39).

Her we find the explanation for יהושע’s age to serve Elohim according to the Torah. Remember that in order for יהושע to be Messiah he must FULFILL ALL what is in the Torah concerning him.

Num 4:1 and יהוה spoke to Mosheh, and to Aharon, saying, ...

Num 4:20 “They are not, however, to go in to watch while the set-apart objects are being covered, lest they die.”

HAFTORAH

Hoshea was a prophet to the House of Israel, proclaiming sentence of rejection and healing to Ephraim.

Verse 2:1 “ Say to your brothers, ‘O my people” read Chapter 1:9,…and to your sister, read chapter 1:6.

Verse 2:2…..she is not my wife, nor am I her husband, read chapter 1:2-3.

Verse 2:4……I shall not have compassion (mercy) on her children (plural), read:

Rom 9:25 As He says in Hoshĕa too, “I shall call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.”

Rom 9:26 “And it shall be in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there they shall be called sons of the living Elohim.”

יהוה foretell that he will plead with the House of Israel until she (married to Elohim) will say “I will turn back to my first husband” (verse 7).

Verse 14….“Therefore, see, I am alluring (attract, charm) her, and shall lead her into the wilderness, and shall speak to her heart,

Again יהוה promise to bring the House of Israel (that is you and me) into the wilderness in order to speak to our heart. Wilderness of life?

15……. and the Valley of Aḵor as a door of expectation. And there she shall respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Mitsrayim.

The valley of Akor is a metaphor for the time of tribulation

Akor: Strong’s #H5911 עכור âkôr aw-kore'

From H5916; troubled; Akor, the name of a place in Palestine: - Achor.

H5916 âkar aw-kar' A primitive root; properly to roil water; figuratively to disturb or afflict: - trouble, stir

The House of Israel will find herself in the same situation as it was with our forefathers in Mitzrayim / Egypt

2:16……you shall call me “husband and no more Ba’al (Lord)!

2:20………… you shall know יהוה.

You (you and me) shall know יהוה! Halleluyah!

The word used for “know” is the Hebrew word “Yada”. Brown, Drivers, Briggs give following definition for the word “Yada”: to know, to perceive, to know by experience, be acquainted with,

Concerning tribulation I found out that Yehoshua speak of the tribulations in order to eneter eternal life, but let us read:
Matt.7 :13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:¹  Luke 13:24; [14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Narrow :

G2346 θλίβω thlibo (thlee'-bo) v.

1. to crowd

{literally or figuratively}

[akin to the base of G5147]

KJV: afflict, narrow, throng, suffer tribulation, trouble

1Thess.3: 4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

The Greek word for « tribulation » is : G2346 θλίβω thlibo (thlee'-bo)

Hos 2:1 “Say to your brothers, ‘O my people (ammi),’ and to your sisters, ‘O, compassioned one (ruhamah).’....

Hos 2:7 “And she shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and shall seek them but not find them. Then she shall say, ‘Let me go and return to my first husband, for then it was better for me than now.’ .....

Hos 2:22 and the earth answer the grain and the new wine and the oil, and they answer Yizreʽĕl.

Yehonathan and David were friends, Yehonathan was Saul’s son and thus heir of the throne after his father’s death. Saul was upset against this friendship because he knew that Yehonathan could not be King if David remains alive. Nevertheless Yehonathan choice was fest so far has to save David’s life.

How is it today in the Body of Messiah, many members but one body, have you find your place without usurping the place from a fellow brother or sister, Have you love you brother as Yehonathan loved David, even to the point to hide the truth to his father?

There is a price to pay in our life as member of Messiah’s body. Faithfulness will be rewarded.

Don’t undermine yourselves, if you think “I am not important” because I don’t teach, or because I cannot sing! Do not be mistaken, if you are where יהוה want you to be, may be in the House cooking for the brethren during Shabbat preparation, or helping others in the field or washing clothes, your reward will have the same value as it is for those in position you may think as to be more important, but not so in יהוה’s eyes. Many members but ONE BODY!

1Sa 20:18 So Yehonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you shall be missed, because your seat shall be empty. ...

1Sa 20:30 Then the displeasure of Sha’ul burned against Yehonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Yishai to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?

1Sa 20:31 “For as long as the son of Yishai (that is David son of Jesse) lives on the earth, you shall not be established, you and your reign. And now, send and bring him to me, for he is a son of death.”

1Sa 20:32 And Yehonathan answered Sha’ul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”...

1Sa 20:39 But the youth knew not a speck. Only Yehonathan and Dawiḏ knew of the matter. ...

1Sa 20:40 Then Yehonathan gave his weapons to the youth and said to him, “Go, take them to the city.”

1Sa 20:41 And as soon as the youth had gone, Dawiḏ rose up from the south side, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another. And they wept together, but Dawiḏ more so.

1Sa 20:42 And Yehonathan said to Dawiḏ, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the Name of יהוה, saying, ‘יהוה is between you and me, and between your seed and my seed, forever.’ ” Then he arose and left, and Yehonathan went into the city.

1Co 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is the Messiah. ...

1Co 12:20 And now, there are indeed many members, but one body.

May יהוה  Elohim bless you and keep you through Messiah יהושע as you walk in the path of Life, the Torah!