Parsha Masei - Journeys The way in the wilderness

42Parsha Mattot-Masei - Journeys

The way in the wilderness

Badmidbar 33:1-49 – 36-13

Haftorah Reading 

Jer. 2:4-28 & 3:4B’rit Chadashah — Phil. 3:12-16 & James 4:1-12

Daniel ben Ya’acov Israel

Portion Summary

Mattot

The name of the forty-second reading from the Torah is Mattot (מטות), which means "tribes." The name is derived from the words of Numbers 30:1, which says, "Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel." Numbers 30 discusses the laws of vows and oaths. Numbers 31 tells the story of Israel's war with Midian. Numbers 32 relates the story of how the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Mannaseh came to inherit the land east of the Jordan River. Except in biblical calendar leap years, Mattot is read together with the subsequent Torah portion, Massei, on the same Sabbath.

Massei

The last reading from the book of Numbers is called Massei (מסעי), a word that means "journeys." It comes from the first verse of the reading, which begins with the words "These are the journeys of the sons of Israel" (Numbers 33:1). Massei is the end of the continuous narrative of Torah that began in Genesis with the creation of the universe. The narrative does not resume until the end of Deuteronomy, when Moses dies.

The final reading in Numbers settles several last-minute details. In it we find a list of the encampments from Egypt to the plains of Moab. We also find instructions for apportioning the land, as well as the specifics regarding the borders of the land. While explaining the land and its borders, Moses introduces the laws of the cities of refuge and more inheritance laws. In most years, synagogues read Massei together with the preceding portion, Mattot, which accounts for the brevity of this portion's commentary.

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Portion Outline

• TORAH
• Numbers 30:1 | Vows Made by Women
• Numbers 31:1 | War against Midian
• Numbers 31:13 | Return from the War
• Numbers 31:25 | Disposition of Captives and Booty
• Numbers 32:1 | Conquest and Division of Transjordan
• Numbers 33:1 | The Stages of Israel's Journey from Egypt
• Numbers 33:50 | Directions for the Conquest of Canaan
• Numbers 34:1 | The Boundaries of the Land
• Numbers 34:16 | Tribal Leaders
• Numbers 35:1 | Cities for the Levites
• Numbers 35:9 | Cities of Refuge
• Numbers 35:16 | Concerning Murder and Blood Revenge
• Numbers 36:1 | Marriage of Female Heirs
• PROPHETS
• Jer 2:4 | God Pleads with Israel to Repent

Once again we find a “parasha” with hidden truth, which can’t be seen in the “p’shat” (literal) level. We will need to dig behind the letter to see what our heavenly Father want us to see and to know. Many well known scholars reject all what is behind the “p’shat” level. It amaze me because the literal is limited to historical and facts records past or future, of cause it is of importance to know these historical records, but do you think that יהוה want his children mediate on “Torah day and night” (Psalm 1:2), just to know historical facts? What is with יהושע did he also considered only the historical facts, or was he talking in the “sod”, the mystery of the Torah?

The Term PARDES is later add but the use existed already in the time of Yeshua!

This trip will go for 40 years, because of rebellion. Forty is (10 x 4) the number for trials and changes, Ten the number for the sum of all number and the highest what man can reach on earth (e.g. 10 commandments) and four the number for the four steps of redemption according to Sh’mot 6:6-7 but also according to Greg Killian a Jewish scholar :” The number four symbolizes diversity, as the four directions are independent of each other and have no part in common. The number four is a number of separation, and represents dispersal in all four directions. We see scripture describing division and separation as: 

---- Mar 4:11 and He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the secret of the reign of Elohim, but to those who are outside, all are done in parables...............

The Greek word for “secret” is “musterion”, a secret or “mystery”, its pendant in Hebrew is the word “sod”, which represent in Hebrew Torah interpretation the fourth level behind the letter.....

But let see if יהושע and his “talmidin” (disciples) made use of the “sod" language. I will quote some few passages. We must have in mind that the “sod” language in the “Brit Chadasha” (New Testament) point always to the Torah. 

---- Mat 21:33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain man, a householder who planted a vineyard and placed a hedge around it, and dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. And he leased it to farmers and went abroad.

In this first example we see a parable from a certain “householder who planted a vineyard, and leased it and went abroad”. The “p’shat” level will not reveal the mystery, only if we know the Torah we will be able to understand what יהושע was saying to his disciples. But let see who this vineyard is: 

--- Isa 5:1 Please let me sing to the One I love, a song for my loved One regarding His vineyard: my loved One has a vineyard on a fertile hill. Isa 5:3 “And now, O inhabitant of Yerushalayim and man of Yehuḏah, please judge between Me and My vineyard.............

Question: Who is this “Me”, is not Elohim, and if the “Me” is Elohim, then the “vineyard should be Israel? 

----- Isa 5:7 for the vineyard of יהוה of hosts is the house of Yisra’ĕl, and the man of Yehuḏah is His pleasant plant. He looked for right-ruling, but see, oppression; for righteousness, but see, weeping. ..

Another “sod” passage from יהושע and look at the Torah interpretation: 

--- Mat 25:1 “Then the reign of the heavens shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  

Psa 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Pro 3:35 The wise do inherit esteem, but fools are bearing away shame!

 Who are the maidens (virgins)?

---- Isa 37:22 this is the word which יהוה has spoken concerning him, “The maiden (virgin), the daughter of Tsiyon, has despised you, mocked you; the daughter of Yerushalayim has shaken her head behind you! Isa 37:22 This^H2088 is the word^H1697 which^H834 יהוה ^H3068 hath spoken^H1696 concerning^H5921 him; The virgin,^H1330 the daughter^H1323 of Zion,^H6726 hath despised^H936 thee, and laughed thee to scorn;^H3932 the daughter^H1323 of Jerusalem^H3389 hath shaken^H5128 her head^H7218 at^H310 thee.  

--- Lam 1:15 יהוה ^H136 hath trodden under foot^H5541 all^H3605 my mighty^H47 men in the midst^H7130 of me: he hath called^H7121 an assembly^H4150 against^H5921 me to crush^H7665 my young men:^H970 יהוה ^H136 hath trodden^H1869 the virgin,^H1330 the daughter^H1323 of Judah,^H3063 as in a winepress.(compare with Rev.14:15-20).

 ---- Here again we see that Yehuda is called a “virgin” or “maiden”, it is the same word in Hebrew, the word “b’thulah”

---- Mat 25:2 “And five of them were wise, and five foolish. ...... Five is the number representing “Torah”.

Mat 25:3 “Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, took no oil with them........

Again the Lamp is the Torah “Psalm 119:105), 

Pro 6:23 For the command is a lamp, And the Torah a light, ..

Mat 25:4 but the wise took oil in their containers with their lamps. Mat 25:5 “Now while the bridegroom took time, they all slumbered and slept. Mat 25:6 “And at midnight a cry was heard, ‘See, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!’ Mat 25:7 “Then all those maidens rose up and trimmed their lamps. Mat 25:8 “And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

Mat 25:9 “But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, indeed, there would not be enough for us and you. Instead, go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ Mat 25:10 “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Mat 25:11 “And later the other maidens also came, saying, ‘Master, Master, open up for us!’ Mat 25:12 “But he answering, said, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

The expression “I do not know you “is a Hebrew expression meaning to have an intimate relationship like man and woman:

--- Gen 4:1 And Aḏam knew Ḥawwah (Eve) his wife, and she conceived and bore Qayin, and said, “I have gained a man from יהוה.” …………

This “parable” shows us in the sod what יהושע was teaching is “talmidin” (disciples), the difference between those following the Torah and those who neglected it until they see “it’s time to look in the Torah”, but this will be too late, they have no light!...Another “sod”, mystery in the book of Luke:

Luk 5:6 and when they did so, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking,

 What is the net, the plain text tells us about fisher trying to get fish and their net broke? ----- Psa 66:11 Thou broughtest^H935 us into the net;^H4686 thou laidst^H7760 affliction^H4157 upon our loins.

Eze 32:3 “Thus said the Master יהוה, ‘And I shall spread my net over you with an assembly of many peoples, and they shall bring you up in my net.

And who are the fish, are they not the children of Israel?

Jer 16:16 “See, I am sending for many fishermen,” declares יהוה, “and they shall fish them. And after that I shall send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. 

Gen 48:16 the Messenger who has redeemed me from all evil – bless the youths! And let my name be called upon them, and the name of my fathers Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq. And let them increase to a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

The Hebrew read as following:

Gen 48:16 the Messenger who has redeemed me from all evil – bless the youths! And let my name be called upon them, and the name of my fathers Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq. And let them increase as fishes do increase in the midst of the earth”..............

Now let us see in few examples, if the Apostles were also using “sod” in their writing:

--- One example from Sha’ul (Paul):

Rom 11:16 Now if the first-fruit is set-apart, the lump is also. And if the root is set-apart, so are the branches.

Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, have been grafted in among them, and came to share the root and fatness of the olive tree, ....... Sha’ul is referring in verse 16 to the Torah:

Lev 23:10 “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and you shall say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I give you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest.

 Exo 22:29 Thou shalt not^H3808 delay^H309 to offer the first of thy ripe fruits,^H4395 and of thy liquors:^H1831 the firstborn^H1060 of thy sons^H1121 shalt thou give^H5414 unto me.

Yochanan was like Sha’ul using “sod” as a way to explain spiritual truth. What does Yochanan (John) write in the “sod”? 

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim........

Traditional Christian teaching tells that “the word” is יהושע and therefore he is Yehovah because it is written:

--- Joh 1:3 All came to be through Him, and without Him not even one came to be that came to be.

Joh 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

----- We see here that the personal pronoun “Him” is used. The translation from the King James Version and many others version where made from Latin text i.e. “Vulgate” and followed its rules of interpretation.  There is another version written before the English alphabet had included the letter “J”, written by a man called William Tyndale in 1525 C.E. and which is very interesting, as we can read:

Ihon 1:1 In the beginning was that word, and that word was with god: and god was that word……

You can already see that Tyndale do not write “John”, but “Ihon”!  3 All things were made by it (the Word), and without it (the Word), was made no thing, that made was.  4 In it (the Word) was life, and life was the light of men,

We see that Tyndale do not use the personal pronoun “Him” but the neutral pronoun “it” which refer to “the Word”, which is the Torah!

Which “beginning” is Yochanan referring to?

Gen 1:1 In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth…………………….

Gen 1:3 and Elohim said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Which Word is Yochanan referring to?

Isa 55:10 for as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

Isa 55:11 so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Hebrew understanding: The WORD became flesh (Yochan.1:14), in the person of Yeshua!

I know many, you will say disagree with it, but if you know that the Torah is the Word. ---- Psa 119:130 The opening up of Your words gives light, Giving understanding to the simple.. Psa 119:160 The sum of Your word is truth, And all Your righteous right-rulings are forever...

Psa 119:142 Your righteousness is righteousness forever, And Your Torah is truth....................

Word and Torah are always together the Torah is יהוה’ Word and the Word is the Torah!  Again Yochanan was speaking in the “sod” level to make the hearer who had Torah understanding see that the Torah and יהושע are ONE.

--- Joh 1:14 and the Word became flesh and pitched His tent¹ among us, and we saw His glory, glory (of the Word) as of an only brought-forth of a father, complete in favour and truth.

Tyndale still makes a difference, showing that it is יהוה’ Word the “it” that became flesh in the form of יהושע who was the truth (Torah) embodied.................

Ihon 1:14 ¶ and that word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw the glory of it (the Word), as the glory of the only begotten son of the father, which word was full of grace, and verity…………….

Tyndale stay in the neutral form to demonstrate that the “word” is a “it” and not personal “Him” as it has been impregnate if people’s mind through the centuries.  Even when using the false name (Iesous) for יהושע, Tyndale makes a difference, coming from the Greek text:

--- Ihon 1:17 for the law was given by Moses, but favour and verity came by Iesus Christ….“Iesus” is direct from the Greek text:

Strong’s #G2424 Ἰησοῦς Iēsous ee-ay-sooce'.............Of Hebrew origin [H3091]; Jesus (that is, Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites: - Jesus........H3091 יהושׁוּע y^ehôshûa‛, yeh-ho-shoo'-ah

From H3068 and H3467; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (that is, Joshua), the Jewish leader: - Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare H1954, H3442.........

Last example from Kefa (Peter) who also used the “sod” meaning:

1Pe 2:2 as newborn babies, desire the unadulterated milk of the Word, in order that you grow by it,

Exo 3:8 “And I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Mitsrites, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey………

Isa 28:9 Whom would He teach knowledge? And whom would He make to understand the message? Those weaned from milk, those taken from the breasts!  

Here the milk is an euphemism for the Word of the Torah!

--- They are many more places where יהושע and the apostles used “sod” and “euphemism” to explain spiritual things to the hearers.  Now that we have seen how important it is to seek in the word, the deepest meaning we will approach the today’s “parsha Masei” with an open mind and see what יהוה want us to see.  If we only read the literal text, we will have record from 40 days in the wilderness. When we dig we will see that these forty two camps represent our own personal development from the day we leave our own “Miytzrayim” (Egypt) and follow יהושע who bring us in the “wilderness” of life to be refined and make “Qadosh”, “fit” for the Kingdom.........

1.From Ramses to

Strong’s #H7486 רעמסס BDB Definition: Raamses or Rameses = “child of the sun”.......................“

Child of the sun”; this is the name of the place the Children of Israel (carnal man) left when they departed from Egypt to follow the Elohim of Abraham, Itzak and Ya’acov. It is also for us as we leave our spiritual Egypt to enter into the “wilderness of life” to accomplish our “forty two steps” process to become more and more like יהושע. We also were “children of the sun” meaning, living in idolatry according to the spirit of the world:

Eph 2:2 Wherein^{G1722 G3739} in time past^G4218 ye walked^G4043 according^G2596 to the^G3588 course^G165 of this^G5127 world,^G2889 according^G2596 to the^G3588 prince^G758 of the^G3588 power^G1849 of the^G3588 air,^G109 the^G3588 spirit^G4151 that now worketh^{G1754 G3568} in^G1722 the^G3588 children^G5207 of disobedience:^G543

Ramses is in the district of Goshen, the most fertile place in Mitzarayim (Egypt). It is very interesting that יהוה bring his children from a fertile and rich land into a place where there is nothing, an empty place where they will have to live by faith!  Do you think it is different today? I know Christians will tell you that when you come to “Jesus” you are blessed and “G-d” will give you all financial abundance when you pay your “tithe” to your pastor. This is a doctrine of devils, because the Torah teach us another way, where the children of Israel are brought in the wilderness to learn purity and “emeth”, to trust יהוה Habakkuk write: The just shall live bys is Faith (Hab. 2:4)..................

The Hebrew word used here for “faith” is: Strong’s # H530 אמנה ĕmûnâh

BDB Definition: 1) firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness..... The word “faith” is only two times used in the all Tanak, in D’avarim (Deuteronomie) 32:20 and Habakkuk, while we can find more than 230 times the Greek word: 

---- Strong’s #G4102 pistis pis'-tis.........  From G3982; persuasion, that is, credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: - assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity..................  We see that the two words “emunah” and “pistis” are speaking the same “fidelity” on Yah’s word through reliance on יהושע; before the children of Israel had to follow Moshe and trust him that he was sent of Elohim to bring them in the promise Land!....

I will post the Hebrew meaning for TRUST according to the old Ancient Hebrew, from Jeff Benner:

Trust

Three  Hebrew  words  are  translated  as  “trust,”  but  the  word  “trust” is an abstract word whereas the original Hebrew words are  very concrete in their meanings.

Yehovah is  my  rock,  and  my  fortress,  and  my  deliverer;  my  El,  my  strength,  in  whom  I  will trust (hhasah)...

Psalm 18:2 (KJV)

This  is  the  word חָסָה   hox  hhasah  [H:2620]   meaning  “to  lean  on someone  or  something.”  If  you  are  hiking  with  a  group  of  your friends  and  sprain  your  ankle,  you  are  going  to  lean  on  one  of  your companions to help you out of the wilderness. According to  this verse, we can lean on God when things get tough. 

In  El I  will  praise  his  word,  in  El  I  have  put  my trust (betahh); I will not fear what flesh can do  unto me.  Psalm 56:4 (KJV)

This is the word בָּטַח batahh  [H:982]  with the concrete meaning “to  cling.” A related word, אֲבַטִּיַח  avatiyahh  [H:20] , is a melon which clings  to  the  vine.  Even  though  the  melon  is  huge,  just  as  our problems  seem  to  be,  the  vine  is  very  small.  We  may  not  see God, but he is our strength, the one who nourishes us just as the vine nourishes the melon.

My  righteousness  is  near;  my  salvation  is  gone  forth,  and  mine  arms  shall  judge  the  people;  the isles  shall  wait  upon  me,  and  on  mine  arm  shall they trust (yahhal). 

Isaiah 51:5 (KJV)

This is the word יָחַל yahhal  [H:3176]  and is sometimes translated as “trust” but more frequently as “hope.” This word does not mean to  wonder  if  something  will  happen  and  “hope”  it  does,  but  to “know” something will happen. We do not hope God will protect

us,  we  “know”  he  will.  In  the  above  passage,  the  image  of holding onto God's arm for support can be seen. The word for the arm  is  זְרוֹעָה zero’ah  [H:2220]   and  is  a  Hebraic  euphemism  for “strength,”  from  the  strength  in  the  arm.  This  passage  is  saying

the people will know God's strength will save them.

Notice  that  each  of  these  three  Hebrew  words  we  have  just discussed—hhasah,  betahh,  and  yahhal—all  have  one  letter  in common,  the  letter  חַ (hhet).  In  the  ancient  Pictographic  script used  to  write  Hebrew,  this  letter  appeared  as  h,  a  picture  of  a

wall

What is the function of a wall? Ancient cities had a wall surrounding them to protect the city from invaders. The walls of a structure  not  only  protect  the  occupants  from  the  elements outside, but also support the roof of the structure. As we can see, the function of a wall is to protect and support, which is also the meaning behind the three Hebrew words translated as “trust.”

Zechariah 2:10 ...for I have scattered you like the four directions of the heavens.  

 Four is the number representing exile.”

  we should learn from our forefather and give all our heart to put our trust “emunah”, “pistis” in יהושע, to bring us into the Kingdom, but let us go now and follow our forefather to see what is prepared for us to learn;

--- 1.Succoth: Hebrew Strong’s #5523 plur. From #5521; booth. Singular #5521 Sukkah: from #5520  (sooke) a hut, booth, cottage, covert, tabernacle, and tent. ...........

The First step when יהוה delivered the children of Israel is to bring them in a new place. Egypt or Mitzrayim was a place of bondage, both, physically and spiritually. The children of Israel (carnal man) needed to leave Egypt (Physical + spiritual bondage: Idolatry) following their “deliverer” (Moshe) in order to enter their new life, following יהוה Elohim of their forefathers, Abraham, Itzak, and Ya’acov....

They leave Egypt (physical + spiritual bondage) and found themselves in Succoth (booth, tabernacle, tent). During the 40 Years in the wilderness, the children of Israel will live in tents (Succoth).......

Parallel with Messiah: יהושע was the “Logo” (Yochanan 1:1), the thoughts and innermost plan of יהוה, becoming flesh (reality). The Word through Yehoshua dwelt (tabernacle) among us (Yochanan 1:14)................

Kefa speak of his body as a tabernacle (Succoth) 2^nd Kefa 1:13-14......

In these verses we see that this body we have (tabernacle or tent) is only for a certain time. Kefa goes on saying that this body (tabernacle, tent) will decease (been destroyed, come to nothing) 2^nd Kefa 1:15, Greek for the word decease, Strong’s # 1841 “exodus”: an exit, death, deceases, departing.

The word “exodus” is combined from the Greek preposition denoting the origin (the point whence motion or action proceeds), from, out (of, place, time) “ek” and the Greek word “hodos” (Ek – hodos): a road, a progress, a journey......

Kefa knew that he will leave the “Succoth” (tabernacle) at the end of his journey.....

In Sh’mot 12:34 the children of Israel left the place where they were in bondage to go on a journey in order to change their life, to serve Elohim: Sh’mot 10:3, 8:1, 3:12, 18.

The first step of redemption is deliverance from the world of sin (Egypt, Mitzrayim)

Col 1:13 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

. The children of Israel didn’t know what will happen to them in this new “freedom”. They got a redeemer (Moshe) sent by Elohim. Moshe was the example of devotion to יהוה, and the children of Israel were example of the ‘carnal man’ nature. When Yehoshua came, his disciples were also carnal, before becoming spiritual people (Matt.16:20-23, Mark 9:33-34, Matt.26:33-34). 

During the different camps in the wilderness we see the children of Israel (carnal man) being confronted by different situations. These situations represent spirituals steps in every man life, which must be mastered in order to enter the “promise land” (eternal life). We cannot over past one step in order to come to the next.

When we start to follow יהושע and recognize him as our Saviour and Master, it will affect our life, spiritually and physically (life circumstances) יהושע says I have not come to bring peace:  ---- Mat 10:34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword,¹ Footnote: ¹In Lk. 12:51 the word “division” is used, while “sword” has the same meaning here.  Mat 10:35 for I have come to bring division, a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law –  Mat 10:36 and a man’s enemies are those of his own household.¹ Footnote: ¹Lk. 12:53, Mic. 7:6……

We are going to leave our “spiritual Egypt” (mitzrayim) and put on our tabernacle (Succoth). Our body is no more the most important for we know now that another (Succoth, house) await us in heaven ( Yochanan 14:2-3, 2^nd Corint. 5:1-2)*The Greek word for house is here “Oikia”, Strong’s # 3614 from # 3624 residence in the abstract form, but concrete: an abode, family, dwelling. In Yochanan 14 the Greek word for mansion is Strong’s # 3438 mone (money), residence, abode....

We can see that this “house” “mansion” is the everlasting abode or “glorified body” and not a “house with garden” as it is taught in Christianity circle. We speak here of spiritual identity.... The Children of Israel (carnal man) had to let everything behind, save what Elohim told them to take. They left the leaven (spiritual sin) and brought the dough to make bread. Bread is a picture of Messiah. To leave Egypt behind us is not easy. The children of Israel (carnal man) spent 430 years among the Egyptians (idolaters and immoral people from the world). They were entangled and enslaved, afflicted, and brought to nothing by the forces of darkness.

We must understand that to study the TORAH is not only to read but also to meditate (Psalm 1:2) in order to receive what Elohim has for us... To meditate is to take the word, like the cow that take the grass and chew on it again and again before it can produce pure milk. Meditation transcends the natural man to bring forth fruits of righteousness (YeshaYahu 51:7).....

Isa 51:7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my Torah; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their reviling……………..

The first step in the wilderness Rameses to the second Succoth start just after having take part to the Passover (Pesach).

1Co 5:7 Therefore cleanse out the old leaven, so that you are a new lump, as you are unleavened. For also Messiah our Passover was offered for us.

Pesach is our first step of redemption. The children of Israel (carnal man) under Moshe ate the Pesach. יהושע is our Lamb (Yochanan 1:29, Rev.5:6). The meaning is to become one with Him (Echad in Hebrew, unit).

The renewed covenant was brought by יהושע (Matt. 26:26-29). In Hebrew the word for “renewed covenant” is “Brit HaChadasha” and refers to the prophet YirmeYahu (31:31, 33:14, Yechezk’El 37:26-27, Hebr. 8:8-12)

Christianity rejects the teaching of the Torah and endorses the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. The prophet Hoshea speak to the House of Israel also called Ephraim which later will be called “Christianity”, from the third century under Emperor Constantine, before turning back to the truth, the Torah in the very last days, as it happen to you and me today. ....

When we take part in the sacrifice of the Lamb of EL, we start a new life we come to Succoth to dwell in tents: This mean from now on Yehoshua will lead us through our personal wilderness. Will we be like the children of Israel (carnal man) or like Yohushua the Son of Nun and Caleb?

Only Yohushua and Caleb among those who left Egypt (world bondage) and above the age of twenty were able to enter the promise land. All other from twenty and above, died in the wilderness...

The Hebrew word for wilderness is the word, Strong’s # midbar; mem (40), dalet(4), beth(2), resh (200) (Total 246), from # 1696: in the sense of driving; a pasture –i.e; open field whither cattle are driven, by impl. Desert # 1696 dabar: dalet, beth, resh: to arrange, but used fig. (of words) to speak, to subdue, answer, command; declare, pronounce, rehearse, say....

This is the place where יהוה will commune with His people in order to bring them to subdue their carnal nature to Him.....

We see also יהושע been led in the wilderness in order to be tempted (Like 4:1-2).....

The number 40 (days or years) represent, change, test and trials. This is a period in life for every disciple.....

The forty years are also pointing to the last days, as I have explain in another “parasha”, if we look at the sod (mystery) meaning of theses forty years we will see that they represent the period between יהושע first coming and his second coming to establish יהוה’Kingdom. Just look how we can see it:

-40 years is the number for renewing, test and trials. Since יהושע’s first coming we have two thousand years (2000), forty (40) times fifty (50) is equal to two thousand. Yes I know you will ask why then fifty? Do you remember that we saw that יהוה count the time according to the “yovel” (Jubilee) which last 49 years and is proclaimed on the 50^th year! Fifty “yovel” from יהושע first coming to our time it’s equal to two thousand years or forty Yovel, representing forty years of the children of Israel in the wilderness.

How do we know that יהושע was coming during a Yovel year, because at the time יהושע came the “yovel” was no more kept in Israel, only the “sh”mita the year of rest.... I will show you something. In the book of Luke we read something very interesting that many have overlooked:  -

Luk 4:17 and the scroll of the prophet Yeshayahu was handed to Him (יהושע). And having unrolled the scroll, He found the place where it was written:

Luk 4:18 “The Spirit of יהוה is upon Me,¹ because He has anointed Me to bring the Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send away crushed ones with a release, Footnote: ¹Isa. 61:1-3….

Luk 4:19 to proclaim the acceptable year of יהוה.”¹ Footnote: ¹Isa. 61:1-2. Luk 4:20 and having rolled up the scroll, He gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the congregation were fixed upon Him.

Luk 4:21 and He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been filled in your hearing.”

Luk 4:22 and all were bearing witness to Him, and marvelled at the pleasant words that came out of His mouth.

The understanding comes from the verse 21 “Today this scripture has been filled or fulfilled in your hearing”. What was fulfilled when יהושע read this scroll passage?

In Hebrew tradition this passage of the Haftorah was read during Yom Kippur and the “Parasha” was read:

Lev 25:8 ‘And you shall count seven Sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years. And the time of the seven Sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years. Lev 25:9 ‘You shall then sound a ram’s horn (shofar) to pass through on the tenth day of the seventh month, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) cause a ram’s horn to pass through all your land. Lev 25:10 ‘And you shall set the fiftieth year apart, and proclaim release (set the captive free Luke 4:18) throughout all the land to all its inhabitants, it is a Jubilee (Yovel)for you. And each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you return to his clan. Lev 25:11 ‘The fiftieth year is a Jubilee to you. Do not sow, nor reap what grows of its own, nor gather from its unpruned vine.

Lev 25:12 ‘It is a Jubilee (Yovel), it is set-apart to you. Eat from the field its crops. Lev 25:13 ‘In the Year of this Jubilee (Luke 4:19) let each one of you return to his possession. Lev 25:14 ‘And when you sell whatever to your neighbour or buy from the hand of your neighbour, do not exploit one another................

The “year of Yovel” is called the “acceptable year of יהוה

יהושע omitted to quote Yeshayahu in full: 

Isa 61:2 to proclaim the acceptable year of יהוה, and the day of vengeance of our Elohim, to comfort all who mourn…………….

Because the day of vengeance will be when יהושע come to establish יהוה’Kingdom:.

Rev 6:17 “because the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”.......

Rev 11:18 “And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to Your servants the prophets and to the set-apart ones, and to those who fear Your Name, small and great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

In order to leave “Egypt” (our spiritual bondage) and be successful we need the circumcision of the heart. The children of Israel (carnal man) were circumcised in order to take part at the Pesach Lamb feast.  Circumcision, point to the attitude of the heart, there will be a teaching on it separately. The Torah teaches that even a stranger need to be circumcised in order to take part to the Passover.

The scripture is a progressive revelation from the natural, to the spiritual. Sha’ul explains that first come the natural and then the spiritual (1^st Corint. 15:46-48). Circumcision is not a prerequisite to salvation (Acts 15:1, 10, 20, 21). The process was to follow the Torah principles given by the apostles in Acts 15:20. It doesn’t nullify circumcision, but it is not required for salvation.  By looking closely in the Brit Chadasha (New Testament), we will see something interesting....

The word for circumcision in Greek is Strong’s # 4059 “peritemo”: to cut around. For uncircumcision we have the Greek word, Strong’s #203 “akrobustia”: not circumcised. If we go to......

1^st Corint 7:18 was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised...... The Greek word used here is Strong’s word # 1986 «epismaomai»: to draw over efface the mark of circumcision (by recovering with the foreskin). We know from the apocrypha that in the time when the Greek invaded Israel and began to build sport arenas 4th centuries before יהושע, many Yehudin removed the mark of circumcision. They wanted to be like the Greek. During sport, especially wrestling, men were naked and everybody could see that they were uncircumcised...... From the book of Maccabees: 

-1Macc 1:10 and there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.  1Ma 1:11 In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.   1Ma 1:12 So this device pleased them well.   1Ma 1:13 Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen: 1Ma 1:14 Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen: 1Ma 1:15 and made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief. …….  

Circumcision is first the sign of Abraham. The covenant’s sign between Elohim and Abraham, and his household B’reshit 17:10-14, 26-27: “This is My covenant which you guard between Me and you, and your seed after you: Every male child among you is to be circumcised. ......Gen 17:11 “And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall become a sign of the covenant between Me and you. Gen 17:12 “And a son of eight days is circumcised by you, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with silver from any foreigner who is not of your seed. Gen 17:13 “He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your silver, has to be circumcised. So shall My covenant be in your flesh, for an everlasting covenant. Gen 17:14 “And an uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, his life shall be cut off from his people – he has broken My covenant.” Gen 17:26 Aḇraham and his son Yishmaʽĕl were circumcised that same day.

Gen 17:27 and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with silver from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

2       from Succoth, and encamped in Etham. ...... Etham is Strong’s # 7097, “quatesh” from # 7096 “qatsah: to cut off, to destroy, to scrape off. Verse 20: Etham, in the edge of the wilderness! The children of Israel have not yet gone through the sea of reed, which is a picture of the spiritual burial in Messiah for every believer:

1Co 10:1 For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brothers, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 1Co 10:2 and all were immersed into Mosheh in the cloud and in the sea,

Rom 6:3 or do you not know that as many of us as were immersed into Messiah יהושע were immersed into His death? ………………

The Greek word here in Rom. 6:3 for “immersed is the Greek Strong’s # 907 Baptizo: From a derivative of G911; to make whelmed (that is, fully wet); used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism: - baptist, baptize, wash.

# G911: baptō  bap'-to A primary verb; to whelm, that is, cover wholly with a fluid; in the New Testament only in a qualified or specific sense, that is, (literally) to moisten (a part of one’s person), or (by implication) to stain (as with dye): - dip............

Etham is the place to destroy the bondage before been immersed (baptized which is Mikveh in Hebrew, to immerse). The bondage of the children of Israel, (carnal man) was the Egyptian, idolatry, immorality, which made the people to forget the Torah of their forefathers. We also need to remove idolatry and immoral behaviour from our life before been “immersed” in Messiah יהושע. Remember as I know some of you who have been “immersed”, baptized year after having accepted the Torah in their life! Have you been baptized in the name of יהושע Messiah, or are you still be baptized in the “Greek Jesus” Have you left “Etham”?

Apostle Sha’ul says:

----- 2Co 6:14 Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness? And what fellowship has light with darkness?   2Co 6:15 and what agreement has Messiah with Beliyaʽal? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever? ....2Co 6:16 and what union has the Dwelling Place of Elohim with idols? For you are a Dwelling Place of the living Elohim, as Elohim has said, “I shall dwell in them and walk among them, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.”

2Co 6:17 Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you. ….

Etham is still not far from Egypt, from Rameses. יהוה manifest now is presence by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Twenty four hours was the presence of יהוה among His people. Is it different today?

Today יהוה is also Twenty four hours present among us and in us by His Ruach (Spirit).... Once we leave our spiritual Egypt, we will follow the Ruach HaQodesh (Set Apart Spirit) who will lead us and guide us,

----  John 16:13 “But when He comes, the Spirit of the Truth, He shall guide you into all the truth. For He shall not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears He shall speak, and He shall announce to you what is to come...

 יהוה never promised us to give us an easy way as many in Christianity would like to believe:  2Th 1:3 We ought to give thanks to Elohim always for you, brothers, as it is proper, because your belief grows exceedingly, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing, .... 2Th 1:4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the assemblies of Elohim for your endurance and belief in all your persecutions and afflictions which you are bearing, ... 2Th 1:5 clear evidence of the righteous judgment of Elohim, in order for you to be counted worthy of the reign of Elohim, for which you also suffer, ............

3. Migdol, which means:Tower. Sh’mot 14:1-3 and יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,…… Exo 14:2 “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl (carnal man), that they turn and camp before Pi Haḥiroth, between Miḡdol and the sea, opposite Baʽal Tsephon – camp before it by the sea.

Exo 14:3 “For Pharaoh shall say of the children of Yisra’ĕl (carnal man), ‘They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has closed them in.’

 The Hebrew word for “entangled ‘is Strong’s # H5462

סגר Shin (300), gimel (3), resh(200) (total 503) sâgar saw-gar' A primitive root; to shut up; figuratively to surrender: - close up, deliver (up), give over (up), inclose, X pure, repair, shut (in, self, out, up, up together), stop, X straitly.

On one side the sea of reed, on the other side Migdol, the “tower” over Ba’al Tsephon:…… Strong’s #H1189………בּעל צפון ba‛al ts^ephôn bah'-al tsef-one'......From H1168 and H6828 (in the sense of cold) (according to others as Egyptian form of Typhon, the destroyer); Baal of winter; Baal Tsephon, a place in Egypt: -

Baal-zephon.......H1168: ba‛al The same as H1167; Baal, a Phoenician deity: - Baal, [plural] Baalim...........H6828 tsâphôn  tsâphôn  From H6845; properly hidden, that is, dark; used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and unknown): - north (-ern, side, -ward, wind)......

Pharaoh is a picture of HaSatan a Hebrew word Strong’s # 7854 שׂטן śâṭân..... saw-tawn'......

From H7853; an opponent; especially (with the article prefixed) Satan, the arch enemy of good: - adversary, Satan, withstand....... H7853 śâṭan A primitive root; to attack, (figuratively) accuse: - (be an) adversary, resist.

Here you know why Pharaoh is a picture of HaSatan, he was the one thinking now they cannot move I will attack them and destroy them. He was the adversary. Pharaoh was persuaded that he could destroy the children of Israel because his deity (statute) was still there and survived the plagues.

Pihahiroth: meaning, the mouth of the gorges. It seems to be a place where nobody can escape his destiny. The Egyptians (unbelievers) thought that now it was the end of the children of Israel (carnal man) and they could destroy them. They saw their Ba’al (deity, Lord) Ba’al Tzephon and were confident. It is a great error to underestimate Elohim’s power. Many today boast themselves and make fun about “god” and go their own way like the Egyptian. The carnal man, the children of Israel looked at the natural .

-Exo 14:10 and when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Yisra’ĕl lifted their eyes and saw the Mitsrites coming up after them. And they were greatly afraid, so the children of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה.

The carnal man is afraid because he cannot overcome in his own power! Panic come verse 11. “It was better to die in Egypt”

Exo 14:11 and they said to Mosheh, “Did you take us away to die in the wilderness because there are no graves in Mitsrayim? What is this you have done to us, to bring us up out of Mitsrayim? ...Exo 14:12 “Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Mitsrayim, saying, ‘Leave us alone and let us serve the Mitsrites?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Mitsrites than to die in the wilderness.”

How it is with us when trials come, how do we react? Do we cry as the Children of Israel do or do we do like King David, singing?

 Psa 9:1 I praise You, O יהוה, with all my heart; I declare all Your wonders.  Psa 9:2 I rejoice and exult in You; I sing praise to Your Name, O Most High.  Psa 9:3 When my enemies turn back, They stumble and perish before You.  Psa 9:4 for You executed my right and my cause, You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.  Psa 9:10 and those who know Your Name trust in You, for You have not forsaken those who seek You, O יהוה…… The conflict between the natural or carnal man and the inner man, the spiritual man is still there when we begin to follow Messiah. This is why we need Elohim to bring us into the wilderness to test us, prove us, teach us to know Him and grow in faith. …. The concept of faith in Hebrew comes from the word “emunah” to trust, to put our trust in יהוה, in spite of all appearances in our daily situation. Faith is build on the Torah which when it penetrate our understanding will transform us in spiritual being. It is the power of Elohim in us that draw us from canal to spiritual.

 Deu 32:20 and he said,^H559 I will hide^H5641 my face^H6440 from^H4480 them, I will see^H7200 what^H4100 their end^H319 shall be: for^H3588 they^H1992 are a very froward^H8419 generation,^H1755 children^H1121 in whom is no^H3808 faith.  ..The following verse is well known among the believers. ..Hab 2:4 Behold,^H2009 his soul^H5315 which is lifted up^H6075 is not upright^{H3474 H3808} in him: but the just^H6662 shall live^H2421 by his faith.....

In this two verses, the word for faith is Strong’s # אמנה    אמוּנה 'ĕmûnâh  'ĕmûnâh  em-oo-naw', em-oo-naw'   Feminine of H529; literally firmness; figuratively security; moral fidelity: - faith (-ful, -ly, -ness, [man]), set office, stability, steady, truly, truth, verily......... These are the only two places where the word “emunah” is used. : The just shall live by faith!

The other word translated as “trust” is the Hebrew word: strong’s # H2620 חסה

châsâh khaw-saw'... A primitive root; to flee for protection (compare H982); figuratively to confide in: - have hope, make refuge, (put) trust...... H982bâṭach baw-takh'..... A primitive root; properly to hide for refuge (but not so precipitately as H2620); figuratively to trust, be confident or sure: - be bold (confident, secure, sure), careless (one, woman), put confidence, (make to) hope, (put, make to) trust....... Here some verses using these words. 

Psa 2:12 Kiss^H5401 the Son,^H1248 lest^H6435 he be angry,^H599 and ye perish^H6 from the way,^H1870 when^H3588 his wrath^H639 is kindled^H1197 but a little.^H4592 Blessed^H835 are all^H3605 they that put their trust^H2620 in him. ....

Psa 5:11 But let all^H3605 those that put their trust^H2620 in thee rejoice:^H8055 let them ever^H5769 shout for joy,^H7442 because thou defendest^H5526 them:^H5921 let them also that love^H157 thy name^H8034 be joyful^H5970 in thee.

Psa 9:10 and they that know^H3045 thy name^H8034 will put their trust^H982 in thee: for^H3588 thou, יהוה,^H3068 hast not^H3808 forsaken^H5800 them that seek^H1875 thee. ....

Psa 16:1 Michtam^H4387 of David.^H1732 Preserve^H8104 me, O Elohim:^H410 for^H3588 in thee do I put my trust.^H2620

Psa 119:42 So shall I have wherewith^H1697 to answer^H6030 him that reproacheth^H2778 me: for^H3588 I trust^H982 in thy word. 

Pro 3:5 Trust^H982 in^H413 יהוה ^H3068 with all^H3605 thine heart;^H3820 and lean^H8172 not^H408 unto^H413 thine own understanding.. Nah 1:7 יהוה ^H3068 is good,^H2896 a strong hold^H4581 in the day^H3117 of trouble;^H6869 and he knoweth^H3045 them that trust^H2620 in him. ......

These are few examples for trusting יהוה......Faith is not what Christianity proclaims! The Hebrew faith is based on יהוה’s word. It is a sure and unchangeable fact, settled in heaven for ever. .........Psa 119:89 Forever, O יהוה, Your word stands firm in the heavens. …..יהוה continues to disclose His mighty plan and Moshe says in a dual language verse

Exo 14:13 and Mosheh said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the deliverance of יהוה, which He does for you today. For the Mitsrites whom you see today, you are never, never to see again.  Exo 14:14 “יהוה does fight for you, and you keep still.” ……….

The Hebrew word for salvation used here for the second time in the scriptures is strong’s H3444 ישׁוּעה y^eshû‛âh yesh-oo'-aw….. Y’shuah written: Yod(10), shin(300), vav(6), He(5), (total 321)…………

The name of our Saviour: Yehoshua: יהושע     Yod (10), He(5),vav(6), shin(300), Ayin (70) (total 386)....... Feminine passive participle of H3467; something saved, that is, (abstractly) deliverance; hence aid, victory, prosperity: - deliverance, health, help (-ing), salvation, save, saving (health), welfare........

H3467 yâsha, yaw-shah'......... A primitive root; properly to be open, wide or free, that is, (by implication) to be safe; causatively to free or succor: -  X at all, avenging, defend, deliver (-er), help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation, save (-iour), get victory.

Now the children of Israel (carnal man) will undergo the crossing of the sea of reed which will bring them out of the contact/sight from the Egyptians (the world). They will enter the wilderness, the place of testing and trials. This process is the same for talmidin disciples today, the process of “sanctification, set apartness, to become more and more “Qadosh” unto יהוה.         יהוה choose Egypt as a microcosm of the world today, to teach His people. We must understand that the life of our forefathers is a picture of our carnal condition when we come to יהושע and leave the world system....................... 

Yochanan says:

1Jn 2:15 Do not love the world (Egypt) nor that which is in the world (worldly pleasures, money, riches, fame or personal gain). If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1Jn 2:16 because all that is in the world (Egypt) – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. 1Jn 2:17 and the world passes away, and the lust of it, but the one doing the desire of Elohim remains forever. ....

The passing of the sea is just the beginning of our spiritual journey. The children of Israel (carnal man) though they were now finished with their trouble, now that the Egyptians were behind them most of them destroyed by the hand of Elohim. They will soon see that the carnal nature is not subdued in one day. The sanctification process is a long journey through life. The evil inclination, called in Hebrew “yetzer HaRa” entered the world with Adam. The name Adam refers to mankind or human being; Strong’s # 120 Adam, Alep (1), dalet (4), mem (final 600), (total 605): a human being. From # 119 ruddy because he was the colour of the soil. To show blood........

We don’t inherit in our DNA the sin of Adam, as it is taught in Christianity. I met a pastor who explained the scholar that the sin of Adam is like when you record a tape. If the first recording has an error on it, all after that will be recorded from it will carry the same error.   The carnal nature is inherited from the flesh nature, which can’t do nothing without the spirit been connected to Elohim through יהושע Messiah. It is so that we can discern if somebody is a real believer or not. Someone can make errors and even sin and still be spiritual he will repent and start again. As the process of renewing will increase in his life, more light will be seen in him and sin has no power anymore.   It sound very good, how then, why does יהוה speaking to Abel says: 

Gen 4:6 and יהוה said to Qayin, “Why are you wroth? And why is your face fallen? Gen 4:7 “If you do well, is there not acceptance? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should master it.”

  How could Qayin (Cain) master sin if it is in the DNA (blood)?

The Torah teaches us to choose between the “Yetzer HaRa” (evil inclination and “Yetzer Tov” (good inclination)

Deu 4:5 “See, I have taught you laws and right-rulings, as יהוה my Elohim commanded me, to do thus in the land which you go to possess.

Deu 4:6 “And you shall guard and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the peoples who hear all these laws, and they shall say, ‘Only a wise and understanding people is this great nation!’…Deu 10:12 “And now, Yisra’ĕl, what is יהוה your Elohim asking of you, but to fear יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being, ..Deu 10:13 to guard the commands of יהוה and His laws which I command you today for your good?

Deu 11:26 ‘See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:

Deu 11:27 the blessing, when you obey the commands of יהוה your Elohim which I command you today;

Deu 11:28 and the curse, if you do not obey the commands of יהוה your Elohim, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other mighty ones which you have not known. . Deu 30:19 “I have called the heavens and the earth as witnesses today against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore you shall choose life, so that you live, both you and your seed,...

Sin according to Yochanan is not DNA oriented, it is the transgression of the Torah (Yochanan.3:4)

B’reshit teaches us that Elohim created light and darkness. Shaul explain this to the Thessalaonians referring to B’reshit 1:3-5

1Th 5:4 but you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

1Th 5:5 for you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. .....

Christianity has not understood until today that the renewing of the mind as it is taught by Sh’aul in Romans 12:2, is to accept the Torah’s teaching and let the word penetrate our soul and wash away our carnal mind, putting our ego, the “I”, “me” in the right place. יהושע says:  

Mat 10:24 “A taught one (talmid/disciple) is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. .......

In the sod meaning we can see the ego (servant) and the master (Yehoshua in us)...........

4. Marah: Strong’s # 4785 מרה mârâh maw-raw' : mem(40), resh(200), He(5), (Total 245)

The same as H4751 feminine; bitter; Marah, a place in the Desert: - Marah...... H4751 mar  mârâh mar, maw-raw'...... From H4843; bitter (literally or figuratively); also (as noun) bitterness, or (adverbially) bitterly: -  + angry, bitter (-ly, -ness), chafed, discontented, X great, heavy....... Three days in the wilderness and found no water, sh’mot 15:22. See the last famine in the book of Amos......

Amo 8:11 “See, days are coming,” declares the Master יהוה, “that I shall send a hunger in the land, not a hunger for bread, nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the Words of יהוה…… Only three days after having crossed the sea of reed the children of Israel (carnal man) face a new testing. Everything what Elohim has done before them in Egypt and on the way to the sea of reed is forgotten. They murmur against Moshe יהוה anointed………….

Murmur: Strong’s # 3885 לין    לוּן lûn  lîyn loon, leen written Lamed (30), vav (6), nun (final 700) (total 736)... A primitive root; to stop (usually over night); by implication to stay permanently; hence (in a bad sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to complain): - abide (all night), continue, dwell, endure, grudge, be left, lie all night, (cause to) lodge (all night, in, -ing, this night), (make to) murmur, remain, tarry (all night, that night)......

Moshe intercede before יהוה who show him a tree to be thrown into the water and the water became sweet..........

Water is a euphemism for the Torah, the living word Ephesians:  5:26, Yochanan 5:3.........

Tovia from Yashanet (an excellent web site to learn) explains that this tree is an euphemism for the Torah, or “tree of life”. If we look in a deeper meaning, Christianity says today that the “law” is bondage. Here we see that the tree made the water sweet. ... Ya’acov call the Torah, “Torah of liberty” (Ya’acov 1:1:25) referring to psalm 119:44-45

Psa 119:43 and take^H5337 not^H408 the word^H1697 of truth^H571 utterly^{H5704 H3966} out of my mouth;^{H4480 H6310} for^H3588 I have hoped^H3176 in thy judgments.^H4941 Psa 119:44 So shall I keep^H8104 thy Torah^H8451 continually^H8548 for ever^H5769 and ever.^H5703 Psa 119:45 and I will walk^H1980 at liberty:^H7342 for^H3588 I seek^H1875 thy precepts.^H6490

After having walk without water, many in Christianity become lukewarm, neither cold nor warm. Shaul says that the Torah is Qadosh (holy) and Tov (good) (Romans 7;12), he goes further verse 14 to explain that the Torah is SPIRITUAL and that only the spiritual man can delight in it verse 22....

Rom 7:22 For I delight in the Torah of Elohim¹ according to the inward man..This was the problem of our forefathers. They didn’t approach the Torah by faith but by the letter as it is today by the orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Yehudin. Sha’ul says the letter kills (2^nd Corint. 3:6) and the Ruach (Spirit) gives life....

In the natural or physical life, water is needed for the body. We cannot live without the body will dry up like a tree without water in the desert.....

This is the same with the inner man or spiritual man; he needs the water of the word in order to overcome. At Marah, the children of Israel (carnal man) were like dry trees, the word they heard from Moshe was not in them, circumstances prevailed because they look at them with their natural eyes. They murmured against Moshe. We should learn to trust יהושע to lead us through our wilderness and to overcome. How is it with us, do we let the word penetrate our inner man and give us life?.... יהוה says that he proved them (sh’mot 15:25). To prove or to test, this is how יהוה does with His people. He presented himself as יהוה Rapha (יהוה has healeth thee). ....

Rapha: Strong’s # 7495: to cure, (cause to) heal, to mend (by stitching)...... The diseases from the Egyptians found in D’varim 28:27 in the list of the curse, will יהוה bring upon His people because of rebellion...........5. ….and they came to Elim

Elim: Strong’s # 362 Alep (1), lamed(30), mem (final600) (total 631). Palm tree, form from # 352 ayil: strength, hence anything strong, a pilaster............Exo 15:27…..and they came to Ělim, where there were twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees. And they camped there by the waters. ...

The place refers to “palm trees” a euphemism for righteous people (Psalm 92:12)...

Psa 92:12 The righteous one flourishes like a palm tree, He grows like a cedar in Leḇanon.......

The Twelve wells of water are picture of the word of the Torah for the twelve children of Ya’acov. Twelve is also for perfect government on earth: Twelve tribes, twelve apostles, (Rev. 21:12, 14, Matt. 19:28).....

Three score and ten palm trees: Seventy the number is (10 x 7), ten the sum of all numbers and seven the divine perfection on earth......

It is said that this seventy palm trees represent the seventy nations of the world found in the book of B’reshit, others say that it is the number of Ya’acov’s household when he went to Egypt. 

Exo 1:5 and all those who were descendants of Yaʽaqoḇ were seventy beings, as Yosĕph was already in Mitsrayim. .....

The nations as we know today are the fruits of many wars and quarrels among people..... After the bitterness of Marah and the fear that Elohim has forgotten them, because the word of Torah was not in them, they came to a place to “drink” fresh water the water in the place dig by their forefathers.  The first five moves happened in a very short time. Only thirty days from Ramses. ...

Exo 16:1 And they set out from Ělim, and all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Ělim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their going out of the land of Mitsrayim. ....

When we leave our spiritual Egypt (the bondage of the world system) we are confronted after a short time with different situations between ecstasy (overwhelming joy) coming from the salvation up to doubt and murmur. We leave all behind us, friends, family, who do not understand us anymore, and the carnal man is still not renewed. The Torah in our heart is still in the hidden form. Our understanding will be many times challenged, and confusing may come across our mind. ... יהוה knows about our situation, he is the one who hold us and keep us in our ways. The carnal man cannot grasp what Elohim has prepared for those who love him......

1Co 2:9 But as it has been written, “Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, nor have entered into the heart of man what Elohim has prepared for those who love Him”.........

Shaul is referring here to the prophet YeshaYahu :

Isa 64:4 since the beginning of the ages they have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any Elohim besides You, who acts for those who wait for Him.

Jaimie Fausset and Brown give following explanations: Isa 64:4   ---- perceived by the ear — Paul (1Co_2:9) has for this, “nor have entered into the heart of man”; the virtual sense, sanctioned by his inspired authority; men might hear with the outward ear, but they could only by the Spirit “perceive” with the “heart” the spiritual significance of God’s acts, both those in relation to Israel, primarily referred to here, and those relating to the Gospel secondarily, which Paul refers to…O God ... what he ... prepared — rather, “nor hath eye seen a god beside thee who doeth such things.” They refer to God’s past marvelous acts in behalf of Israel as a plea for His now interposing for His people; but the Spirit, as Paul by inspiration shows, contemplated further God’s revelation in the Gospel, which abounds in marvelous paradoxes never before heard of by carnal ear, not to be understood by mere human sagacity (discernment), and when foretold by the prophets not fully perceived or credited; and even after the manifestation of Messiah  not to be understood save through the inward teaching of the Holy Ghost. These are partly past and present, and partly future; therefore Paul substitutes “prepared” for “doeth,” though his context shows he includes all three. For “waiteth” he has “love Him”; godly waiting on Him must flow from love, and not mere fear…1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear holds punishment, and he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

This is why talmidin (disciples) are called to walk according to the “ruach” (Spirit) and not after the flesh.

6……and they removed from Elim, and encamped by the sea of reed…

7. and they removed from the sea of reed and encamped in the wilderness of Sin….

Sin was the name of an Egyptian city and probably desert adjoined (Strong). Sin means also ‘thorn”. Thorn does are dry plants growing in small bush in the desert. We find thorn as sign of curse…..

Gen 3:17 ….and to the man He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘Do not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground because of you, in toil you are to eat of it all the days of your life, .....Gen 3:18 and the ground shall bring forth thorns and thistles for you, and you shall eat the plants of the field.....

8……and they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in DophKah.........

9……and they departed from Doph Kah and encamped in Alush (also a place in the desert)........

DophKah Strongh’s # 1850 Dalet, (4), pey(80), qof(100), He(5), (total(199), from # 1849 daphaq: a knock, to press severely , beat, overdrive.....

For some few days after they rest in Elim, the pressure is coming again, and begin to manifest.....

10...and they removed from Alush and encamped at Rephidim, were no water was for the people to drink. This is now the second time. The first time in Marah the water was bitter and it was the tree (euphmism for Torah) which made the water sweet....

Now the people murmured and wanted to stone Moshe (read Yochanan 10:59, 11:31-32).

Here we will see again how Elohim embed the mystery of Messiah in the Torah. Verse 5-6 יהוה command Moshe to go with some of the elders and his rod, to go to Horeb and to smite the rock, and the water will come out of it (verse 6). The place was called Massah (Hebrew for temptation), and Meribah (heb; for strife).... There is a second time later when Moshe will have to do with the rock to get water. The second time he will be counted by יהוה that he doesn’t believe Elohim (Badmidbar 20:1). Moshe was commanded this time to “speak” to the rock, instead Moshe, because of his anger against the children of Israel (carnal man) “smote” the rock twice and the water came out... יהוה Elohim didn’t stop the water to run but punished Moshe for his behaviour...These two passages in Sh’mot 17:6 and Badmidbar 20:10 are directly connected and give is a very deep insight of what Elohim reveal to those who seek Ihm....

Horeb: Strong’s #2722 from # 2717 חרב chôrêb kho-rabe'.... From H2717; desolate; Choreb, a (generic) name for the Sinaitic mountains: - Horeb...... H2717 chârab  chârêb khaw-rab', khaw-rabe'..... A primitive root; to parch (through drought), that is, (by analogy) to desolate, destroy, kill: - decay, (be) desolate, destroy (-er), (be) dry (up), slay, X surely, (lay, lie, make) waste....

I will not take the glory for myself unfortunately I forgot to note the name of the brother who gave this explanation; so to him I give the honour for this revelation.... I must say that for many years I was looking for the explanation why Elohim was so harsh toward Moshe, a faithful servant, telling him that he had no faith! It was a riddle to me...

To understand we will have to go into the sod or “mystery of the Torah” in order to catch this beautiful hidden treasure.... יהושע told his talmidin (disciples) that to them it was given to know the “mystery” (sod) (Mark 4:11)....

The rock in Marah, picture יהושע at his first coming to bring the Torah to people who were thirsty. The rock at Marah represented the first coming of Messiah who will be crush, stricken, bitten for us and out his impalement the water of the Torah will become “sweet” to the talmidin....

The second time in Horeb, Moshe was counted not believing Elohim, because he was told to speak and he smote the rock twice..... יהושע will not die twice. Moshe was asked to act by speaking to the rock. Speaking was an act of faith (trusting Elohim), pointing to all those who thirst for the living water. The anger made Moshe blind for a short time. Let us learn from this action and walk by fait speaking the word of life....

In Rephidim it is with another consequence that the children of Israel (carnal man) had to do, following their murmuring against Moshe. Amalek came verse 8, and fought against Israel.

Tovia from Yashanet give us an interesting explanation for the deeper interpretation concerning this situation.

Yehoshua fought against Amalek, and Moshe and Aaron went to the top of the hill. When Moshe held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed (verse 10). So Hur and Aaron took stones and put them under Moshes’s arm so that both supported him and his hands remained up until the going down of the sun. Yoshuah won and discomfited Amalek....

Now, the hands up looking toward heaven, the place of Elohim’s throne gave the victory. The hands down toward the earth are where we get defeated, for our victory is in heaven where יהושע is, at the right hand of the Father...

Now we can explain the relation between the children of Israel (carnal man) and Amalek! It is not obvious and only some Hebrew understanding how to approach scriptures will help us to see what יהוה has put in His word....

Verse 7 from Sh’mot 17 we read:….and he called the name of the place ……..because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted יהוה saying: “is יהוה among us or not?”

The children of Israel doubted of the presence of יהוה in their midst, to help them....

Do you doubt also when you face challenge? The word for “doubt” in Hebrew is the word “sufek”. The word “sufek” and the word “Amalek” have the same gemetria, the value counted with the letter from the Hebrew alphabet, which is 240: Sufek: samek(60), pey (80), Qof(100), (total 240).

Amalek: Ayin (70), mem(40), lamed(30), Qof(100) (total 240)...

What a beautiful approach! In Hebrew, by using the gemetria we can found some connections, which are not obvious in the Peshat (plain or literal) level. Elohim knows how to reveal secrets to his people. Christians will tell you that there is “no secrets” in the scriptures. Just read:

Psa 25:14 the secret of יהוה is with those who fear Him, and He makes His covenant known to them.

The word used here for secret is strong’s # H5475 סוד sôd sode....From H3245; a session, that is, company of persons (in close deliberation); by implication intimacy, consultation, a secret: - assembly, counsel, inward, secret (counsel)........

Verse 16: for he said, because יהוה has sworn that יהוה will have war with Amalek from generation to generation...... Amalek died but the spirit of doubt is to be found in every generation.

We should learn to lift our hands toward heavens, when the enemy tries to bring doubt or fear in our life.....

Gen 28:15 “And see, I am with you and shall guard you wherever you go, and shall bring you back to this land. For I am not going to leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”...

Heb 13:5 Let your way of life be without the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. For He Himself has said, “I shall never leave you nor forsake you”.....

Do you realize that יהוה has not yet fully done what he promised to Abraham, in order to finish it he will raise Abraham from the dead when the Kingdom will be established by יהושע!

11. .......and they departed from Rephidim and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai (Sh’mot 19:1-2). It is now three month that the children of Israel (carnal man) have left Egypt and make experiences between euphoria and doubt, sometime trusting, and then murmuring. Now they come as one before the Mount and commit themselves to all what יהוה will tell them to do.

Verse 8 It is very amazing! The children of Israel (carnal man) are just coming out of Egypt, only three month separated them from their bondage in Egypt where they spent 430 years. They knew Him only from the tradition of their ancestors. יהוה was not in their life.

They knew about him but not Him......

How does it was with us? Is it different? Until יהוה brought us out of our spiritual Egypt we, knew Him only out of the traditions!

The pressure of life in Egypt, made the Children of Israel cry to the Elohim of their forefathers, but they were not ready to live this life. Egypt was still a place of comfort to them. It is amazing how we can find one place good in spite of all the bad in it. The carnal man can accommodate with all what is abomination to יהוה, and still find excuse for it.....How many times we hear in Christianity: “God” knows my heart, I don’t need to do that or that, he knows that I love him ……..do not think I am judging! These are facts, when somebody has not the Ruach HaQodesh, he is blind to the truth. In another Midrash, I come to speak about the Ruach HaQodesh (Set Apart Spirit). And ask who has the Ruach HaQodes ? Does every believer receive the Ruach HaQodesh? Does the Ruach HaQodesh come in the same measure to every believer?

There are many questions which have also answer and can help us to improve our relationship to our Heavenly Father. Life is very amazing the children of Israel are just coming out of Egypt, only three month separates them from their bondage in Egypt, where they spent 430 years. They knew Elohim only from the tradition of their ancestors. יהוה was not in their life. The pressure of life in Egypt made the cry to Elohim, but they were not ready to live this life. Nevertheless יהוה did deliver them, because of the promise He did to Abraham.

When we come to יהושע, even to Elohim through Messiah, we also say: we will do all what יהוה ask of us! We are persuaded that nothing will stop us. Time will show that things are not so easy. When the first confrontation of life comes, we react eventually differently. Suddenly come our personal “Amelek” and we must stand and lift up our hands in faith for the victory. We also come that we become thirsty, because we have no water (Torah). We face our “Meribah” or “Massah” and everything in life is discouraging. The water is bitter as it was in “Massah” and we need to drink the water from יהושע, the living Torah to refresh us. We, like the children of Israel (carnal man) will turn in circle because of our unbelief until we have renewed our mind (Romains 12:2) and do not put our trust in man (Psalm 146:3) but in יהוה (Psalm 146:5-9, Proverbs 3:5). The third month is also the time to receive the word of the covenant which is the covenant of marriage between יהוה Elohim and His people.....

It requires sanctification. Sanctification will take two days, verses 10-11. We read:” and יהוה say to Moshe, go unto the people and sanctify them, today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes, and be ready again the third day: for the third day יהוה will come down in the sight of all people upon Mount Sinai”.

Again a lot of mystery in these few words: Sanctify them today and tomorrow. These are two days Messiah came 2000 years ago or two days. One day is as one thousand years (2^nd Kefa 3:8).....

The third day is a euphemism for the Millennium. “They shall wash their clothes”.

We read in Rev 7:14 and I said to him, “Master, you know.” And he said to me, “These are those coming out of the great distress, having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. .... Rev 19:7 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him praise, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife prepared herself.”.  Rev 19:8 and to her it was given to be dressed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the set-apart ones. ....

Sanctified: Strong’s # 6942 קדשׁ qâdash kaw-dash'...A primitive root; to be (causatively make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally): - appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy (-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify (-ied one, self), X wholly.....

The Hebrew word for “saints” is Strong’s #6918 from 6942 Qadosh: D’varim 33:3, Yob.5:1, 15:15, Psalm.16:3, 34:9, 89:5; Hosea.11:12, Zech.14:5...............

The process of sanctification is a long process in the life of believers. Before Elohim we are made acceptable in יהושע Messiah who has become for us sanctification (1st Corint. 1:30, Yochanan 17:19)......Sh’mot 19:11.....for the third day יהוה will come down in the sight of all people.

In the book of Revelation 21:2-3, we read; “and I Yochanan saw the holy City, new Yerushalayim comig down from Elohim out of heaven (third day, or 3000 years since Messiah first coming))..... 3 and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, behold the tabernacle of Elohim is with man, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and Elohim himself shall be with them and be their Elohim”.

It is amazing to see what Elohim prepared in His infinite wisdom.....Sh’mot 19:20…and יהוה came down upon Mount Sinai on the top of the Mount....... יהוה wanted to meet his people and give them His instruction and covenant. Chapter 20 we read verse 18-19 and all the people saw the thundering, and the lightning, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, and when the people saw it they removed, and stood far off. 19 and they say unto Moshe, speak thou with us, and we will hear, but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.

This was the situation between the children of Israel and Elohim. Moshe was confident, but not the children of Israel. They walked by sight not by faith....

12......and they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at KibrothHata’vah............KibrothHata’vah in Hebrew means: “the grave of lust”. ............

Number 11:4 and the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel wept again and said: who shall give us flesh to eat? 5 we remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers, and the melons and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic. 6 but now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all beside this mana before our eyes.......

In this verse we see again that Moshe quote six products at what the Children of Israel were lusting at. Again the “sod” shows us that it is the work of man through the number six. .....

We have here a new situation with two groups of people:

The Children of Israel and the mixed multitude......

Mixed: Strong’s # H6154 ערב    ערב ‛êreb  ‛ereb ay'-reb, eh'-reb Ayin(70), resh(200), beth (2) (total 272)

The second form used in 1Ki_10:15 with the article prefixed); from H6148; the web (or transverse threads of cloth); also a mixture, (or mongrel race): - Arabia, mingled people, mixed (multitude), woof.....

Multitude: Strong’s # 628 אספּסף 'asp^esûph as-pes-oof'....... By reduplication from H624; gathered up together, that is, a promiscuous assemblage (of people): - mixed multitude........

This word is used only in this place.

This mixed multitude was made up of people from different origins, living also in Egypt (the world system today) who followed Moshe, joining themselves to the children of Israel, when they saw what Elohim was doing for His people. They didn’t have the tradition of their ancestors and knew nothing, if not what they saw during the plagues. Elohim didn’t reject them. ..................

Is it different today? People from every tribes and tongues come to Elohim. We read in the book of Revelation:

Rev 7:9 After this I looked and saw a great crowd which no one was able to count, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, and palm branches in their hands.....

The children of Israel (carnal man) were intermingled with a mixed multitude. Elohim accept all who will believe Him and follow Him, keeping the Torah (vayyiqra 25:22, 19:34, Badmidbar 15:15-16). So speaks also the prophet YeshaYahu chap.56:2-7 “Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it, guarding the Sabbath lest he profane it, and guarding his hand from doing any evil. ....

Isa 56:3 “And let not the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to יהוה speak, saying, ‘יהוה has certainly separated me from His people,’ nor let the eunuch say, ‘Look I am a dry tree.’ ” ……………..Isa 56:4 for thus said יהוה, “To the eunuchs who guard My Sabbaths, and have chosen what pleases Me, and hold fast to My covenant: ---- Isa 56:5 to them I shall give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters – I give them an everlasting name that is not cut off. ..Isa 56:6 “Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to יהוה, to serve Him, and to love the Name of יהוה, to be His servants, all who guard the Sabbath, and not profane it, and hold fast to My covenant – Isa 56:7 them I shall bring to my set-apart mountain, and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their slaughtering are accepted on my altar, for My house is called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

What is the “House of prayer”, is it not the Temple?

We see in the book of Acts, a believer from Ethiopia going to Yerushalyim, Acts 8:27-39. The word “Eunuch” here is an error. The word “m’haimna” is an Aramaic word which also means “believer”, “faithful one”. The man was making a pilgrimage to Yerushalayim. The Torah forbids a Eunuch to become a proselyte and to worship in the Temple (D’varim 23:1)

The mixed multitude lusted and the children of Israel (carnal man) once again complain. They missed the pleasures of Egypt (world system), cucumbers, melon, leek, onions, and garlic are not bad, but יהוה wanted to teach them His way by giving them “manna”….

The double meaning here, is to see that first, living Egypt (the world system) we will have what יהוה want us to give, and that he will always provide. …….

The second meaning is pointing to the one who will come from heaven, our redeemer; Messiah יהושע (Yochanan 6:30-35). Apostle Sha’ul goes further saying: and did all eat the same spiritual food (1^st Corint 10:30)…………… Sha’ul understood that the “manna” was pointing to יהושע. The children of Israel (carnal man): The carnal man look to satisfy the lust of the flesh (Galatian 5:17). The duality in man is obvious. The Ruach HaQodesh lead us into the truth (Yochanan 16:13).

 יהוה gave the people what they wanted: quails, so much that they were not able to eat all of them, but this brought the anger of יהוה to destroy those who lusted after the meat. יהושע say unto him, no man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back is fit for the kingdom (Luke 9:62).

Luk 9:62  and Yehoshua said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of YHWH.

In Psalm 106 we can also read verses 13-15

Psa 106:13 They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel,........Psa 106:14 But greedily lusted in the wilderness, and tried Ěl in the desert.  Psa 106:15 and He gave them their request, But sent leanness within their being.....Psalm 81:

Psa 81:10 “I am יהוה your Elohim, Who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim; Open your mouth wide, and I fill it….

Psa 81:11 “But My people did not listen to My voice, and Yisra’ĕl would not submit to Me.

Psa 81:12 “So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels…

People today think that it is different. Christians rebel against יהוה and walk after their own counsel. Shaul says that it is Elohim who will cause them to walk so (2^nd Tessal 2:10-11)….

The word delusion is the Greek word strong’s # G4106 planē plan'-ay.......Feminine of G4108 (as abstraction); objectively fraudulence; subjectively a straying from orthodoxy or piety: - deceit, to deceive, delusion, error.....G4108 planos plan'-os....... Of uncertain affinity; roving (as a tramp), that is, (by implication) an impostor or misleader: - deceiver, seducing..................It is interesting, as Sha’ul is speaking concerning the man of perdition who himself will be the “planos” impostor or deceiver!

14 and they departed from “kibrot HaTa’avat” and encamped in HaZeroth (read K’hazeroth)……………..Strong’s # 2698 from # 2691 chatzer (katzer) a yard, (as inclosed by a fence)…………….

This is the place where Myriam and Aaron spoke against Moshe (Badmidbar chap. 12) and Myriam was covered with Tzarah, translated as leprosy. Moshe the forerunner of Messiah cried to יהוה verse 13 and she was healed…………….

We read how יהושע intercede for us (1^st Yochanan 2:1……and if any man sin (break the Torah) we have an advocate with the Father יהושע the righteous…………..

The Greek word for advocate is Strong’s # 3875 paraklētos par-ak'-lay-tos An intercessor, consoler: - advocate, comforter............. The idea is that, as Moshe stand before יהוה, today we have Messiah יהושע who stand for us. HalleluYah. See also Hebr. 7:25, Rom. 8:34……………

15. They departed from chazeroth and pitched in rithma………….

Rithma is a place in the desert in the wilderness of Paran. Strong’s #6290 from #6286 paar, pey (80), alep(1), resh(200), (total 281), to embellish, figurative, to boast, also to explain………..

From this place the twelve went to explore the Promised Land (badmidbar cha.13-14). This is also the place where Oshe son of Nun got the name “Yohushua 13:16.
Oshe Strong’s # 1954 הושׁע hôshêa‛ ho-shay'-ah...............From H3467; deliverer; Hoshea, the name of five Israelites: - Hosea, Hoshea, Oshea..........H3467 yâsha‛ yaw-shah'.............A primitive root; properly to be open, wide or free, that is, (by implication) to be safe; causatively to free or succor: - X at all, avenging, defend, deliver (-er), help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation, save (-iour), get victory.....

Rithmah ( Heath) Numb. 33:18-19 ………The Hebrew word « Rithmah » come from the roots word:

Strong’s #H7573 רתם râtham raw-tham'..............A primitive root; to yoke up (to the pole of a vehicle): - bind.

Rithmah is in wilderness of Paran (Badmidbar/Number 2:16) they pitched there just after Myriam sinned by speaking against Moshe and was plagued with “leprosy”. Now יהוה ask Moshe to sent twelve spies to the land of Canaan. We see that the root of the word mean “to yoke up to the pole of a vehicle”. Here we see that from twelve spies only two, namely Caleb and Yohsuhua came back with good report full of faith.  What is the “vehicle” are we not also “yoke” together as we walk in our daily life is not our faith the vector of our common life in Messiah יהושע? What is our report when we meet others, are we like Yohushua and Caleb, or like the other spies who just look with their natural eyes?....

16. Rimmon-Perez  Nu. 33:19-20 ……….BDB Definition:

Rimmon-parez = “pomegranate of the breach”......................... 1) a station of Israel in the wilderness

A breach:

Jdg 21:15 and the people were sorry for Binyamin, because יהוה had made a breach in the tribes of Yisra’ĕl. …

Isa 30:26 and the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that יהוה binds up the breach of His people, and heals the wound of His blows. ….

Amo 9:11 “In that day I shall raise up the booth of Dawiḏ which has fallen down. And I shall repair its breaches and rise up its ruins. And I shall build it as in the days of old, . 

Act 15:14 “Shimʽon has declared how Elohim first visited the gentiles to take out of them a people for His Name. ....Act 15:15 “And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it has been written: ....Act 15:16 ‘After this I shall return and rebuild the Booth of Dawiḏ which has fallen down. And I shall rebuild its ruins, and I shall set it up,

Breach: division, falling out, fracture, rent, split, .......

Pomegranate; Strong’#H7416 רמּון rimmôn rim-mone', rim-mone'..........;From H7426; a pomegranate, the tree (from its upright growth) or the fruit (also an artificial ornament): - pomegranate.........

H7426 râmam raw-mam'.....A primitive root; to rise (literally or figuratively): - exalt, get [oneself] up, lift up (self), mount up..............Because the children of Israel didn’t trust יהוה they turned in circle and a few days journey became forty years in the wilderness......

Num 14:25 “Since the Amalĕqites and the Kenaʽanites are dwelling in the valley, turn back tomorrow and set out into the wilderness by the Way of the Sea of Reeds.” ......................

17 Libnah  Nu. 33:20-21 …………..libnâh...........BDB Definition:

Libnah = “pavement” ("pavement"or "compact foundation")…………..A station between Sinai and Kadesh of Israel during their wilderness wanderings.......................

Commentary from Jamieson, Fausset and Brown: ---- But as there are no less than eighteen stations inserted between Hazeroth and Kadesh, and only eleven days were spent in performing that journey (Deu_1:2 ).....

Deu 1:2 (There are eleven^{H259 H6240} days'^H3117 journey from Horeb^{H4480 H2722} by the way^H1870 of mount^H2022 Seir^H8165 unto^H5704 Kadeshbarnea.)^H6947 ...............Iit is evident that the intermediate stations here recorded belong to another and totally different visit to Kadesh. The first was when they left Sinai in the second month (Num_1:11; Num_13:20), and were in Kadesh in August (Deu_1:45), and “abode many days” in it. Then, murmuring at the report of the spies, they were commanded to return into the desert “by the way of the Red Sea.” The arrival at Kadesh, mentioned in this catalogue, corresponds to the second sojourn at that place, being the first month, or April (Num_20:1). Between the two visits there intervened a period of thirty-eight years, during which they wandered hither and thither through all the region of El-Tih (“wanderings”), often returning to the same spots as the pastoral necessities of their flocks required; and there is the strongest reason for believing that the stations named between Hazeroth (Num_33:8) and Kadesh (Num_33:36) belong to the long interval of wandering............

This commentary give us a clue what happen to us when we bring evil report in our journey, יהוה will bring us back to the same place (circumstances) in order for us to learn what he want us to know. Let us not be like our forefathers who died in the wilderness, but followers of יהושע in obedience, patience and endurance, because faithful is he who has called us

Sha’ul makes a strong warning for the followers of Messiah reminding what happened to our forefathers:

Heb 3:8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, Heb 3:9 where your fathers tried Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years. Heb 3:10 “Therefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’

Heb 3:11 “As I swore in My wrath, ‘If they shall enter into My rest...’ ”¹ Footnote: ¹Ps. 95:7-11....Heb 3:12 Look out, brothers, lest there be in any of you a wicked heart of unbelief in falling away from the living Elohim, Heb 3:13 but encourage one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened by the deceivableness of sin. ..... Heb 3:14 for we have become partakers of Messiah if we hold fast the beginning of our trust firm to the end,..........................;

18 Rissah ("a ruin (as dripping to pieces)") Nu. 33:21-22…..;..rissâh………..BDB Definition: Rissah = “ruin”……………1) a station of Israel in the wilderness..............Strong give following definition: rissâh ris-saw'........... From H7450; a ruin (as dripping to pieces); Rissah, a place in the Desert: - Rissah.

Remember the stations now are during the wandering in the 40 years because of the unbelief of the Children of Israel (carnal man). What could have been a “short trip” became a teaching for life where many didn’t saw the outcome, but died in their rebellion. For many it is the same today, they walk after their own delusion and deceitfulness of pastors teaching. Have we not the “teacher”, the Ruach HaQOdesh (Set Apart Spirit) to help us in our weakness (Yochanan 16:13).......

19 Kehelathah ("assembly") Nu. 33:22-23 .........qehêlâthâh...................BDB Definition: ----- Kehelathah = “assembly”.......Strong’s #H6954 קהלתה q^ehêlâthâh keh-hay-law'-thaw

From H6950; convocation; Kehelathah, a place in the Desert: - Kehelathah...............H6950 qâhal kaw-hal'

A primitive root; to convoke: - assemble (selves) (together), gather (selves) (together)......

20 Mount Shapher ("beauty") Nu. 33:23-24 shepher..... BDB Definition: Shapher = “beauty”.............

Strong’s definition: hepher sheh'-fer...............The same as H8233; Shepher, a place in the Desert: - Shapper.......

21 Haradah Nu. 33:24-25 Means fright or fearful. …….chărâdâh..BDB Definition: --Haradah = “fear”.... Strong’s# H2731 חרדה chărâdâh khar-aw-daw'....Feminine of H2730; fear, anxiety: - care, X exceedingly, fear, quaking, trembling.

Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” ............ 2Ti 1:7 for^G1063 Elohim^G2316 hath not^G3756 given^G1325 us^G2254 the spirit^G4151 of fear;^G1167 but^G235 of power,^G1411 and^G2532 of love,^G26 and^G2532 of a sound mind.^G4995......

Fear comes where there is no faith (trust in Elohim) or love! So was the heart of our forefathers in the wilderness, they were in bondage of fear, because they didn’t trust Elohim and the result was forty two stations in the wilderness during the remaining thirty eight years! We must learn and ask Aba יהוה to give us confidence and to strengthen us every day to be overcomer......

22 Makheloth Nu. 33:25-26 place of assembly .........maqhêlôth...................BDB Definition:----- Makheloth = “place of assembly”................Once again the “place of assembly” or “congregation as Strong give it. The all assembly was entangled in the punishment because of the rebellion of those from the children of Israel coming out of Egypt without belief. Yohushua came also out of Egypt and had another spirit he trusted יהוה and entered the Promise land....Are you also like Caleb and Yohushua, not by our own power but much more by the power of the one who is in you, that nobody see, but every day bring miracle in our life!.............

23 Tahath Nu. 33:26-27 station

Strong’s # H8480 תּחת tachath takh'-ath...............

The same as H8478; Tachath, the name of a place in the Desert, also of three Israelites: - Tahath.............H8478 tachath takh'-ath...............

From the same as H8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.: - as, beneath, X flat, in (-stead), (same) place (where . . . is), room, for . . . sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when . . . was mine, whereas, [where-] fore, with.....How many time must a man come to the “bottom” before he can understand what our heavenly father want us to understand? Rebellion makes man blind!...............

24 Tarah Nu. 33:27-28 delay .........Strong’s H8646 תּרח terach.......BDB Definition: Tarah = “delay”..............Rebellion or unbelief make us delay in our journey, and by keeping the same attitude, we can die in the wilderness of life.....

25 Mithcah Nu. 33:28-29 .............Strong’s H4989 מתקה mithqâh.................BDB Definition:

Mithcah = “sweetness”..........Even unbelief can become “sweet” when one is used with it and become blind to the reality..........

26 HashmonahNu. 33:29-30 fatness……..

Strong’s #H2832 חשׁמנה chashmônâh

BDB Definition: ---- Hashmonah = “fatness”...........Psa 81:10 “I am יהוה your Elohim, Who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim; Open your mouth wide, and I fill it………..Psa 81:11 “But My people did not listen to My voice, And Yisra’ĕl would not submit to Me….Psa 81:12 “So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels.

27 Moseroth Nu. 33:30-31 ……….
Strong’s #H4149 מסרות  môsêrâh  môs^erôth mo-say-raw', mo-ser-othe'......Feminine of H4147; correction or corrections; Moserah or Moseroth, a place in the Desert: - Mosera, Moseroth. A place near Mount Hor where Aaron died ……
Pro 7:22 He goeth^H1980 after^H310 her straightway,^H6597 as an ox^H7794 goeth^H935 to^H413 the slaughter,^H2874 or as a fool^H191 to^H413 the correction^H4148 of the stocks.....Same root word is used in proverb as it is in Badmidbar 33:30-31..........Again the same word used:
Pro 22:15 Foolishness^H200 is bound^H7194 in the heart^H3820 of a child;^H5288 but the rod^H7626 of correction^H4148 shall drive it far^H7368 from^H4480 him. ...
Pro 23:13 Withhold^H4513 not^H408 correction^H4148 from the child:^{H4480 H5288} for^H3588 if thou beatest^H5221 him with the rod,^H7626 he shall not^H3808 die....The purpose of correction according to Torah is to bring somebody back to the truth and not to destroy him. Many of the children of Israel died in the wilderness because of their stubbornness. A good lesson for us to learn!
28 Bene-Jaakan Nu. 33:31-32 ….Strong’s # H1142 יעקן בּני  benêy ya‛ăqân……..BDB Definition: Bene-jaakan = “sons of twisting”....
Do we know “sons of twisting” today, are they not this pastors who “twist” the word in order to make it “sweet” in the ears of those walking after their own counsel?
2Ti 4:3 For there shall be a time when they shall not bear sound teaching, but according to their own desires, they shall heap up for themselves teachers tickling the ear,¹ Footnote: ¹Isa. 30:10, Jer. 5:31, Rom. 16:18..........2Ti 4:4 and they shall indeed turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to myths. ..........
29 Hor Haggidgad Nu. 33:32-33 cavern of Gidgad (thunder?) …..
Strong’s# H2735 חר הגּדגּד  chôr haggidgâd khore hag-ghid-gawd'.........From H2356 and a collateral (masculine) form of H1412, with the article interposed; hole of the cleft; Chor hag Gidgad, a place in the Desert: - Hor-hagidgad.....This is the place where Moshe “saw the back” of יהוה.        .....Deu 10:5 and I turned myself^H6437 and came down^H3381 from^H4480 the mount,^H2022 and put^{H7760 (H853)} the tables^H3871 in the ark^H727 which^H834 I had made;^H6213 and there^H8033 they be,^H1961 as^H834 יהוה ^H3068 commanded^H6680 me. .........Deu 10:6 and the children^H1121 of Israel^H3478 took their journey^H5265 from Beeroth^{H4480 H881} of the children^H1121 of Jaakan^H3292 to Mosera:^H4149 there^H8033 Aaron^H175 died,^H4191 and there^H8033 he was buried;^H6912 and Eleazar^H499 his son^H1121 ministered in the priest's office^H3547 in his stead.^H8478 Deu 10:7 from thence^{H4480 H8033} they journeyed^H5265 unto Gudgodah;^H1412 and from^H4480 Gudgodah^H1412 to Jotbath,^H3193 a land^H776 of rivers^H5158 of waters....
Gudgodah:we have seen in Strong’s definition that it is the same root as “Chor hag Gidgad”......Now remember it is during the thirty eight years of wandering, not when they received the tablets. יהוה will keep the same way until we understand or obey to His voice.........
Commentary from Keil and Delitzsch: ---- When Aaron died, יהוה invested his son with the same honour, ...(Note: “In the death of Aaron they might discern the punishment of their rebellion. But the fact that Eleazar was appointed in his place, was a sign of the paternal grace of God, who did not suffer them to be forsaken on that account” (Calvin).......and also directed you to continue your journey-he proceeds in the following historical style: “And the children of Israel took their journey from the wells of the sons of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son became priest in his stead. And from thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of water-brooks.” The allusion to these marches, together with the events which had taken place at Mosera, taught in very few words “not only that Aaron was forgiven at the intercession of Moses, and even honoured with the high-priesthood, the medium of grace and blessing to the people of God (e.g., at the wells of Bene-jaakan) until the time of his death; but also that through this same intercession the high-priesthood was maintained in perpetuity, so that when Aaron had to die in the wilderness in consequence of a fresh sin (Num_20:12), it continued notwithstanding, and by no means diminished in strength, as might have been feared, since it led the way from the wells to water-brooks, helped on the journey to Canaan, which was now the object of their immediate aim, and still sustained their courage and their faith” (Schultz)............
30 Jotbathah Nu. 33:33-34 pleasantness …………………..Strong’s # H3193 יטבתה yoṭbâthâh………..BDB Definition: --- Jotbath or Jotbathah = “pleasantness”...............
31 Abronah Nu. 33:34-35 passage …….Strong’s H5684 עברנה ‛ebrônâh eb-roe-naw'………..Feminine of H5683; Ebronah, a place in the Desert: - Ebronah............H5683; brôneb-rone' From H5676; transitional; Ebron, a place in Palestine. (Perhaps a clerical error for H5658.): - Hebron. Perhaps a clerical error for H5658………
32 Ezion-Geber Nu. 33:35-36 ……..Strong’s H6100 עציון גּבר  ‛etsyôn geber (both) ets-yone' gheh'-ber........From H6096 and H1397; backbone like of a man; Etsjon-Geber, a place on the Red Sea: - Ezion-gaber, Ezion-geber.......H6096 ‛âtseh aw-tseh'...........From H6095; the spine (as giving firmness to the body): - back bone............H1397 geber gheh'-ber...From H1396; properly a valiant man or warrior; generally a person simply: - every one, man, X mighty..................
.יהוה will always have a “back bone”, valiant man to give “firmness” to the body of Messiah as it was with Caleb and Yohushua who left Egypt and entered the promise land. We shouldn’t be discourage but seek for example around us and hold fast to their example.....
33 Kadesh Nu. 20:1,22, 33:36-37 Located in the Wilderness of Zin; Miriam's burial place probably Ain el Qadeis ……….. H6946 קדשׁ qâdêsh.............BDB Definition:  ---- Kadesh = “holy”........ The place where the children of Israel (carnal man) rebelled and Moshe stroke the rock with the rod instead to speak to it as it was told of יהוה   
Num 27:14 for^H834 ye rebelled against^H4784 my commandment^H6310 in the desert^H4057 of Zin,^H6790 in the strife^H4808 of the congregation,^H5712 to sanctify^H6942 me at the water^H4325 before their eyes:^H5869 that^H1992 is the water^H4325 of Meribah^H4809 in Kadesh^H6946 in the wilderness^H4057 of Zin.^H6790
Also the burial place of Myriam:

Num 20:1 and the children of Yisra’ĕl, all the congregation, came into the Wilderness of Tsin in the first month, and the people stayed in Qaḏĕsh. And Miryam died there and was buried there. ............Once again they came to this place as remembrance to what they did, and to learn that obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Shmu’el 15:22). How many time do we turn in circle before we accept and learn what יהוה tell us in His word. How many times we try to make up our own doctrine in order to avoid obeying יהוה “striking” with our own rod instead of speaking in faith the words of the Torah? Are we like Myriam to die in “Qadesh” and be buried there instead to enter the promise land?

34 Mount Hor Nu. 20:22, 21:4, 33:37-41 On the Edomite border; Aaron's burial place …

H2022 H2022 har....

BDB Definition: 1) hill, mountain, hill country, mount.....H2023 הר hôr hore...Another form for H2022; mountain; Hor, the name of a peak in Idumaea and of one in Syria: - Hor.....har: BDB Definition:--- 1) hill, mountain, hill country, mount.....

Like Moshe Aaron died in the wilderness because of the rebellion: ……….

Commentary from Keil and Delitzsch: ------ The camp of 600,000 men, with their wives, children, and flocks, would certainly require a space miles wide, and might therefore easily stretch from the mouths of the Wady el Weibeh and Wady Ghuweir, in the Arabah, to the neighbourhood of Mount Harun. The place of encampment is called after this mountain, Hor, both here and in Num_33:37., because it was there that Aaron died and was buried. YHWH foretold his death to Moses, and directed him to take off Aaron's priestly robes, and put them upon Eleazar his son, as Aaron was not to enter the promised land, because they (Aaron and Moses) had opposed the command of Jehovah at the water of strife (see at Num_20:12). “Gathered to his people,” like the patriarchs (Gen_25:8, Gen_25:17; Gen_35:29; Gen_49:33)............

35 Zalmonah Nu. 33:41-42 - - - - Punon Nu. 33:42-43 - - - - Strong’s H6758 צלמנה  tsalmônâh tsal-mo-naw'……Feminine of H6757; shadiness; Tsalmonah, a palce in the Desert: - Zalmonah. .............

The root word is interesting when we will know what happened there:

H6757 tsalmâveth tsal-maw'-veth.......

From H6738 and H4194; shade of death, that is, the grave (figuratively calamity): - shadow of death......... Now let us see what was going on in this place before putting their camp in Oboth:

Num 21:4 and they departed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Sea of Reeds, to go around the land of Eḏom. But the being of the people grew impatient because of the way.

Num 21:5 and the people spoke against Elohim and against Mosheh, “Why have you brought us up out of Mitsrayim to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our being loathes this light bread.” Num 21:6 and יהוה sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people. And many of the people of Yisra’ĕl died. Num 21:7 Then the people came to Mosheh, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against יהוה and against you. Pray to יהוה to take away the serpents from us.” So Mosheh prayed on behalf of the people. Num 21:8 and יהוה said to Mosheh, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole. And it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”

Num 21:9 So Mosheh made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole. And it came to be, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived….Num 21:10 and the children of Yisra’ĕl set out and camped in Oḇoth.

יהושע took this passage in his talk to some yehudin:

Joh 3:14 “And as Mosheh lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so the Son of Aḏam has to be lifted up,  Joh 3:15 so that whoever is believing in Him should not perish but possess everlasting life. .....

The point is “to believe” in יהושע as it was required to the children of Israel (carnal man) to fix the serpent on the pole. Serpent come when we rebel against Elohim and we need to look to יהושע in order to claim the faith we received learning Torah......It is also interesting to look at the material with which the serpent was made “bronze”.......

Strong’s# H5178....נחשׁת n^echôsheth nekh-o'-sheth..... For H5154; copper; hence, something made of that metal, that is, coin, a fetter; figuratively base (as compared with gold or silver): - brasen, brass, chain, copper, fetter (of brass), filthiness, steel....It noteworthy to see that brass as it is often translated is an impure metal unlike Gold which represent purity and everlasting, and יהוה told Moshe to use this metal to make the serpent. There is more to discover, so we will pray and wait for more understanding............

36 Oboth Nu. 21:10-11, 33:43-44 …….Strong’s # H88 אבת  'ôbôth o-both'........

.Plural of H178; water skins; oboth, a place in the Desert: - Oboth......H178 'ôb obe

From the same as H1 (apparently through the idea of prattling a father’s name i.e. to talk in a foolish or childish way; babble ); properly a mumble, that is, a water skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer ...(ventriloquist, as from a jar): - bottle, familiar spirit.......Now let us see if we find something in this place:

Num 21:10 and the children of Yisra’ĕl set out and camped in Oḇoth (prattling,. to talk in a foolish or childish way) Num 21:11 and they departed from Oḇoth and camped at Iyĕ Ha-Aḇarim, in the wilderness which is east of Mo’aḇ, toward sunrise. ............

It seem that after having undergone the fiery serpents in their wandering to the next place they were talkative, loquacious on the name of יהוה

37 Abarim Ruins Nu. 21:11, 33:44-45 .... H5863 עיּי העברים ‛iyêy hâ‛ăbârîym yay' haw-ab-aw-reem'....

From the plural of H5856 and the plural of the active participle of H5674 with the article interposed; ruins of the passers; Ije-ha-Abarim, a place near Palestine: - Ije-abarim.......

38 Dibon Gad Nu. 33:45-46 .......

Strong’s # H1769 דּיבון dîybôn  dee-bone'........

From H1727; pining; Dibon, the name of three places in Palestine. Also, with H1410 added, Dibon-gad: - Dibon, the name of three places in Palestine - Dibon. [Also, with H1410 added, Dibon-gad.]...........That is also located in:

Num 21:12 From thence^{H4480 H8033} they removed,^H5265 and pitched^H2583 in the valley^H5158 of Zared.^H2218 Strong’s H2218 זרד Zered zeh'-red....From an unused root meaning to be exuberant in growth; lined with shrubbery; Zered, a brook East of the Dead Sea: - Zared, Zered..... ...

39 Almon Diblathaim Nu. 33:46-47

Num 21:13 from thence^{H4480 H8033} they removed,^H5265 and pitched^H2583 on the other side^{H4480 H5676} of Arnon,^H769 which^H834 is in the wilderness^H4057 that cometh out^H3318 of the coasts^{H4480 H1366} of the Amorites:^H567 for^H3588 Arnon^H769 is the border^H1366 of Moab,^H4124 between^H996 Moab^H4124 and the Amorites.^H567 ....... Num 21:14 wherefore^{H5921 H3651} it is said^H559 in the book^H5612 of the wars^H4421 of יהוה ^{H3068 (H853)} What he did^H2052 in the Red sea,^H5492 and in the brooks^H5158 of Arnon,^H769 There is a record (book) of what happened there in “the book of war”........

40 Abarim Mountains Nu. 33:47-48 Israelites encamped beneath Mount Nebo ……. Strong’s # H5682 עברים  ‛ăbârîym ab-aw-reem'......... Plural of H5676; regions beyond; Abarim, a place in Palestine: - Abarim, passages.................

Num 21:16 and from there on to Be’ĕr, which is the well where יהוה said to Mosheh, “Gather the people, and let Me give them water.” …………. Num 21:17 Yisra’ĕl then sang this song: “Spring up, O well! Sing to it, …………. Num 21:18 a well the leaders sank, which the nobles of the people dug with their staves, by the word of the Law-giver.” Then from the wilderness on to Mattanah,

Mattanah: Strong’s # H4979................ מתּנה mattânâh mat-taw-naw'..........;Feminine of H4976; a present; specifically (in a good sense) a sacrificial offering, (in a bad sense) a bribe: - gift............ H4976 mattân mat-tawn'.................. From H5414; a present: - gift, to give, reward........ After these 40 years in the wilderness come the reward from יהוה.....

41 Moab plains Nu. 22:1, 33:48-50 Israelites encamped on the Jordan River from Beith Hayishimoth to Aveil Hashittim occupied most of the Trans-Jordan region Canaan ……

It takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to fly from Cairo, Egypt to Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, Israel. .The number forty two is a divine number and with יהוה there is no coincidence, we should use all our energy to try to understand what our heavenly father want us to see in order to avoid to walk in the flesh as our forefathers did and died in the wilderness !......

Read the midrash on the 42 name of יהוה from Tobia (Yashanet) below to get more of the 41 stations in the wilderness! In (my commentary)..........

Now you will say, Daniel why do you speak of the 42 Stations in the wilderness and you ONLY COUNT 41, This is indeed very interesting, the answer is BECAUSE the 42th is when they ENTER the PROMISE LAND! 

There are many aspects of the Millennial Temple that can be measured. For the purpose of this study, we will focus on the gate to the Holy of Holies. As mentioned earlier, the Sephirah of Tipheret (Beauty) is often associated with the concept of "gate," particularly on the side of the east as is the entrance to the Holy of Holies………….

The dimensions of this gate are given as six cubits by seven cubits 6 x 7 = 42……………..

Ezekiel 41:3 - Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits….

As discussed in our previous studies, the number "6" is closely associated with the Sephirah of Tipheret. (Tree of life) i.e., Tipheret represents the Vav ("V") in YHVH, which has a numerical value of six. Tipheret is also sixth Sephirah in the “Tree of life” and represents the synthesis of the six Sephirah of “Ze'er Anpin” (Chesed, Gevurah, Tipheret, Netzah, Hod, Yesod), when they are not united with Malkhut, the last of the "lower seven" Sephirot….. The number "7" in Gematria is associated with "completion," This occurs when Ze'er Anpin (specifically Tipheret witch is Moschiach), is joined with its bride, Malkut (Kingdom, Ysrael), thus completing the unity of the lower seven Sephirot. (we know that Tiferet is the place of Messiah in the Tree of life also call “Sephirot of truth”)….

Thus, the gate to the Holy of Holies in the Millennial Temple is representative of the final union between the groom יהושע (Tipheret) and bride/Assembly (Malkhut). This is reflected in the dimensions of the gate, which are 6 cubits (representing Ze'er Anpin, the incomplete arrangement), by 7 cubits, (representing the completed arrangement that includes the bride, Malkhut/Shekinah)…….Besides their association with the union of Tipheret and Malkhut, the numbers 6 and 7 are also important in term of their product. The product of 6 and 7 (6 multiplied by 7) is

42, a number which we have already discussed the importance of in an earlier study, as Tipheret is linked to the "Forty-two letter name of God."…..(Recall the "frustration" of the Shekinah mention above in, Midrash Rabbah - The Song of Songs I:41, which depicts the "42" legs of the journey outside of the land.) …..

As mentioned earlier, the Sephirah of Tipheret is associated with the idea of a "gate" one must pass through to move upward spiritually. Recall also, that Tipheret is the Sephirah of Truth. (i.e., You can fool yourself as to who you think you are at the ego-level of Yesod, but you won't fool Elohim at Tipheret!)…..In summation, this gate to the Holy of Holies in the Millennial Temple, is equated with the forty-two letter Name of God and with Metatron, who is the Divine Son. Those who walk through this gate (Zohar 3:256b - above) enter eternity with God…………

Again, יהושע spoke of Himself in these kabbalistic terms:

John 10:7-9 - Therefore Yeshua said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture………

As the forty-two letter Name is also associated with advent of creation (which "groans" for tikkun/restoration - Romans 8:22), the "completed gate" of Ezekiel's Temple reflects this state of restored creation.

Parsha Masei - -Num 33:1-56 These are the departures of the children .....Num 33:3 So they departed from Raʽmeses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month, on the morrow of the Passover the children of Yisra’ĕl went out with boldness before the eyes of all the Mitsrites, Num 33:5 Then the children of Yisra’ĕl departed from Raʽmeses and camped at Sukkoth. Num 33:6 and they departed from Sukkoth and camped at Ětham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. Num 33:7 and they departed from Ětham and turned back to Pi Haḥiroth, which is east of Baʽal Tsephon. And they camped near Miḡdol. Num 33:8 And they departed from before Haḥiroth and passed over through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, went three days’ journey in the Wilderness of Ětham, and camped at Marah. Num 33:9 And they departed from Marah and came to Ělim. And at Ělim were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, so they camped there. Num 33:10 and they departed from Ělim and camped by the Sea of Reeds. Num 33:11  and camped in the Wilderness of Sin. Num 33:12…..nd camped at Dophqah. Num 33:13.. camped at Alush. Num 33:14 at Rephiḏim, and there was no water for the people to drink. Num 33:15  camped in the Wilderness of Sinai. Num 33:16 camped at Qiḇroth Hatta’awah.

Num 33:17 and they departed from Qiḇroth Hatta’awah and camped at Ḥatsĕroth. th and camped at Rithmah. Num 33:19 and camped at Rimmon Perets. Num 33:20 camped at Liḇnah. Num 33:21 camped at Rissah. Num 33:22 Qehĕlathah.

Num 33:23 and they departed from Qehĕlathah and camped at Mount Shapher. Num 33:24 camped at Ḥaraḏah. Num 33:25  at Maqhĕloth. Num 33:26 at Taḥath. Num 33:27 at Teraḥ. Num 33:28 camped at Mithqah. Num 33:29 at Ḥashmonah.

Num 33:30at Mosĕroth. Num 33:31 camped at Benĕi Yaʽaqan. Num 33:32 amped at Ḥor Haggiḏgaḏ. Num 33:33 amped at Yotḇathah. Num 33:34 at Aḇronah. Num 33:35d at Etsyon Geḇer. Num 33:36n the Wilderness of Tsin, which is Qaḏĕsh. Num 33:37amped at Mount Hor, Num 33:38 Then Aharon the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of יהוה, and died there in the fortieth year after the children of Yisra’ĕl had come out of the land of Mitsrayim, on the first day of the fifth month.Num 33:39 ow Aharon was one hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.

Num 33:40 and the sovereign of Araḏ, the Kenaʽanite, who dwelt in the South in the land of Kenaʽan, heard of the coming of Num 33:41camped at Tsalmonah. Num 33:42 mped at Punon. Num 33:43 at Oḇoth.Num 33:44 and they departed from Oḇoth and camped at Iyĕ Ha-Aḇarim, at the border of Mo’aḇ. Num 33:45d camped at Diḇon Gaḏ. Num 33:46amped at Almon Diḇlathayemah. Num 33:47 camped in the mountains of Aḇarim, before Neḇo. Num 33:48d in the desert plains of Mo’aḇ by the Yardĕn of Yeriḥo. Num 33:49 camped by the Yardĕn, from Bĕyth Yeshimoth as faNum 33:50 and יהוה

Num 33:52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and shall destroy all their engraved stones, and shall destroy all their moulded images, and lay waste all their high places, Num 33:53 and you shall possess the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land to possess. Num 33:54 ‘And you shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance among your clansNum 33:55 ‘And if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you,” Num 34:1-29Num 34:3 ‘Then your southern border shall be from the Wilderness of Tsin along the border of

Num 34:6 ‘As for the western border, you shall have the …Num 34:7 ‘and this is your northern border: From the Great Sea you mark out your borderline to Mount Hor, Num 34:18 “And take one leader of every tribe to divide the land for the inheritance. Num 35:1-34....Num 35:2Yisra’ĕl that they shall give the Lĕwites cities to dwell in from the Num 35:3 “outward a thousand cubits all around. Num 35:5 “And you shall measure outside the city on the east side two housand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits. And the city is in the middle. This is to them the open land for the cities.

Num 35:6 “And the cities which you give to the Lĕwites are the six cities of refuge, which you give to him who killed someone to flee to, and to these you add forty-two cities. Num 35:7 “All the cities which you give to the Lĕwites are forty-eight, these with their open land. many, from the smaller you give few, each one gives some of its cities to the Lĕwites, in proportion to the inheritance that each inherits.” Num 35:11 then you shall choose cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the one who accidentally killed someone shall flee there. Num 35:13 ‘And of the cities which you give, six are to be cities of refuge. Num 35:15 ‘These six cities are for refuge for the children of Yisra’ĕl, and for the sojourner, and for the settler in their midst, for anyone who accidentally kills someone to flee there.

Num 35:16 ‘. The murderer shall certainly be put to death. Num 35:17 ‘And if he has smitten him Num 35:22 ‘But if he pushes him suddenly without enmity, or throws an object at him without lying in wait, ……….e had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the set-apart oil. Num 35:26 ….Num 35:30 ‘Whoever kills someone has to be put to death as a murderer by the mouth of witnesses, but only one witness does not bear witness against someone to die. Num 35:33 ‘And do not profane the land where you are, for blood profanes the land, and the land is not pardoned for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.

Num 36:1-13...... let them marry only within the clan of their father’s tribe.’ Num 36:7 “And the inheritance of the children of Yisra’ĕl is not to change hands from tribe to tribe, for every one of the children of Yisra’ĕl is to cling to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

HAFTORAH

Jer. 2:4-28 & 3:4

B’rit HaChadashah — Phil. 3:12-16 & James 4:1-12

The Haftorah reflect the complain of  against Israel and the attitude of those who follow Messiah summarized in:- Jer 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Meaning they have exchange their doctrines to follow their own ways:

Jer 2:27 Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

Jer 2:28 but where are thy elohim that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy elohim, O Judah.

Sha’ul encourage believers to follow his example, the “race” is won, only at the end when we “pass the line”:

Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Php 3:14 I press toward (I keep going toward) the mark for the prize of the high calling of YHWH in the Messiah Yehoshua.

Php 3:15 Let us (you and me) therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, YHWH shall reveal even this unto you.

Php 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Php 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Php 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of the Messiah:

Ya’acov the Master’s brother compare the friendship with the world to adultery the cause of it been the lust in the carnal man.

Ya’acov say: submit (verse 7),resist the devil (7) draw nigh(verse 8), cleanse your hands (8), purify your heart (8), be afflicted (9), mourn (9), turn your joy to heaviness (9), humble yourselves (10), speak no evil of one another (11)

Thus entangled in friendship with the world should go into this process in order to be corrected and find again the way of life, the Torah by meditating on Ya’acov words who was called “Ya’acov the Just”.

Jas 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

Jas 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Jas 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with YHWH? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of YHWH.

Jas 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

Jas 4:6 But he giveth more favour. Wherefore he saith, YHWH resisteth the proud, but giveth favour unto the humble.

Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to YHWH. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to YHWH, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Jas 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of YHWH, and he shall lift you up.

Jas 4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Jas 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

May יהוה bless you as you keep to walk in the light of His Word, the Torah, in Messiah יהושע!

Daniel ben Ya’acov Israel

 

MEANING OF THE BIBLICAL SHABBATONS

The Shabbatons

On the Meaning of the Biblical Shabbatons

Written by David M Rogers

www.BibleTruth.cc

Published: June 2010

Table of Contents

Defining Our Terminology

The Sabbath as a Shabbaton

What is Melacha - "Work"?

The Other Annual Shabbatons

The Holy Days That Are Not Shabbatons

What About Shavuot?

The Land Shabbatons

A Prophetic Understanding of Shabbaton - Shadows of the Messianic Age

Summary

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If you scan the internet for websites which explain the meaning of the biblical Shabbatons, you will be sorely disappointed.  The vast majority of web pages which contain the term Shabbaton are Jewish websites which use the term as a synonym for a weekend get together, a youth event, a "special" seventh day Sabbath, or some other annual social event.  None of these usages are derived from the meaning of the term as it is given in the written Torah of Moses.

Shabbatons are not parties.  Nor are they the private social events of any congregation of Torah observant communities.  The Shabbat Shabbatons as found in the writings of Moses have a very specific meaning and usage.  It is our goal in this study to examine the biblical usage of the term Shabbaton and discern its meaning and application.

Defining Our Terminology

The Hebrew word Shabbaton is found 11 (eleven) times in the Tanach, all of which occur in the Torah of Moses.  6 of those times, the word is used in the phrase Shabbat Shabbaton, and the other 5 occurrences the word Shabbaton is used independent of the phrase above.  The term shabbaton is used to describe the weekly Sabbath and each of the 7^th month moadim.  It also describes the 7^th year.  Our word occurs 11 times in 10 verses:  Used of: Sabbath (Shemot 16:23; 31:15; 35:2; Vayiqra 23:3), Yom Teru’ah (Vayiqra 23:24), Day of Atonement (Vayiqra 16:31; 23:32), Feast of Tabernacles (Vayiqra 23:39 twice), every seventh year (Vayiqra 25:4,5).

The terms Shabbat and Shabbaton are not interchangeable.  They do not have the same meaning.  The Shabbat (Hebrew, שַׁבָּת) is a day of cessation from regular work.  The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT) defines shabbat as meaning to cease, desist, rest.  The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT) presents our word as to cease, stop; to come to an end; to rest.  Almost exclusively, the term shabbat as a noun refers to the seventh day of the week, which Yehowah blessed and separated in Creation:

By the seventh day Elohim had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.  And Elohim blessed the seventh day and separated it, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Bereshith 2:2-3)

(More about the seventh day Sabbath below).

The Shabbaton is the Hebrew ! שַׁבָּתוֹן; (pronounced shăbătōwn).  TWOT renders this word as Sabbath observance.  The Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Brown Driver Briggs) defines our word as sabbath observance, sabbatism.  And HALOT says this of the word:

one individual and particular שַׁבָּת;, such as one that is to be observed in a particularly strict way, or one observed as a special celebration.

The "particularly strict way" which the Hebrew ! שַׁבָּתוֹןimplies is usually indicated by its translation as "cessation, rest, sabbath observance, complete rest."  In the body of our study, we will explore two theories about why some days are shabbaton and others are not.

The Sabbath שַׁבָּת  as a Shabbaton שַׁבָּתוֹן 

The seventh day Sabbath is called a shabbaton in four different places (Shemot 16:23; 31:15; 35:2; Vayiqra 23:3).  The first reads thus:

He said to them, "This is what Yehowah commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to Yehowah. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.'" (Shemot 16:23)

The Hebrew of the key phrase is:

Exod 16:23 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה שַׁבָּתֹון שַׁבַּת־קֹדֶשׁ לַֽיהוָה מָחָר אֵת אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאפוּ אֵפוּ וְאֵת אֲשֶֽׁר־תְּבַשְּׁלוּ בַּשֵּׁלוּ וְאֵת כָּל־הָעֹדֵף הַנִּיחוּ לָכֶם לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת עַד־הַבֹּֽקֶר׃

Literally rendered this reads, "Shabbaton, Shabbat” of set-apartness to Yehowah (is) tomorrow."

The reference of "tomorrow" is to the seventh day Shabbat.  Then, the instruction which follows seems to explain the significance of the Sabbath being a shabbaton.

So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.

Special instructions are given in regard to the manna which was on the ground every morning and which the benei Yisrael would gather each morning:  It seems that the activity of preparing food to eat was the definitive prohibition which the Sabbath as a shabbaton requires

On the seventh day, because it is a "Shabbaton, Shabbat of set-apartness to Yehowah," the congregation was instructed NOT to go out and gather the manna, for it would not be found on the Sabbath day.  On the Sabbath, Mosheh told the people,

"Eat it today," Mosheh said, "because today is a Sabbath to Yehowah. You will not find any of it on the ground today.  Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any." (Shemot 16:25-26)

The second place where the seventh day Sabbath is called a shabbaton is in Shemot 31:

For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest (Hebrew, Shabbat shabbaton), set apart to Yehowah. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death (vs 15).

In this text, what makes the Sabbath a complete rest (shabbaton) is that no work at all is to be performed on that day.  On pain of death, the sons of Yisrael are urged to set this day apart to Yehowah and not do any of their work.  But nothing is said specifically about preparing food in this passage.

The third occurrence of shabbaton as delimiting the Sabbath day is in Shemot 35:2-3:

For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your set apart day, a Sabbath of rest (Hebrew, Shabbat shabbaton) to Yehowah. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.  Do not gather a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day."

In this text, the special restfulness of the Shabbat as implied by the term shabbaton is described by the prohibition of "gathering a fire."  (I lay out in great detail the meaning of the prohibition of "kindling a fire on the Sabbath" in my study of Keeping Shabbat). 

And the final text in which the Sabbath day is called a shabbaton is in Vayiqra 23:3

There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest (Shabbat shabbaton), a day of set apart assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to Yehowah.

As in the Shemot 31 passage, this text does not specify the particular activity which is prohibited by the term shabbaton.

While shabbaton was connected to the prohibition of preparing food on the Sabbath in Shemot 16, in Shemot 35 shabbaton is connected to the prohibition of "gathering a fire" on the Shabbat.  In the other two passages we are merely told that we are not to do any work on the Sabbath on pain of death.  So, it’s difficult at this stage to draw the conclusion that the shabbaton is linked specifically with the preparation of food.  Rather, it seems to prohibit all non essential activity - any activities that could be taken care of in advance.

What is Melacha - "Work"?

What exactly does it mean that no work is permitted on these shabbatons?  This is the million dollar question.  People debate the meaning of work as used in this context all the time.  Everybody has an opinion about what this forbidden work is.  Usually, the opinions expressed are derived from one's own selfish desire to exonerate oneself from their own cherished activities which people refuse to cease doing on the Sabbath!

But, let's not guess anymore at what "work" is.  Let's find the definition for "work" by its usage in the Tanak (the Old Testament).  In Shemot 20:9 and 10, the Hebrew word for "work" is מְלָאכָּה. (pronounced "melacha").  So it reads, "For six days you may labor and do all your melacha, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yehowah your Elohim; on it you shall not do any melacha."

Melacha is defined by The BDB Hebrew Lexicon as "occupation, work."  The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT) defines this word as "work, business."  And the Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT) renders it "1. trade mission, business journey, 2. business, work, 3. handiwork, craftsmanship."

The first occurrences (3 times) of our word comes in the account of the seventh day following the six days of creation:

By the seventh day Elohim finished the work (melacha) that he had been doing, and he ceased on the seventh day all the work (melacha) that he had been doing.  Elohim blessed the seventh day and made it set-apart because on it he ceased all the work (melacha) that he had been doing in creation (Bereshith 2:2,3).

How should we understand the meaning of melacha in Scripture?  What was the nature of the melacha which Elohim was doing here? 

In other places the melacha which Elohim was doing in creation is described in different terms:

The depths of the earth are in his hand, and the mountain peaks belong to him.  The sea is his, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land (Tehillim 95:4,5).

And

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place (Tehillim 8:3).

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands (Tehillim 102:25 NIV).

In each of these Scriptures, the melacha of creation is described as the "work of his fingers" or "work of his hands."

Hold that thought while you consider this:

If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges, to see whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor's goods (melacha) (Shemot 22:8)

...then there will be an oath to Yehowah between the two of them, that he has not laid his hand on his neighbor's goods (melacha), and its owner will accept this, and he will not have to make it good (Shemot 22:11).

Sometimes the Hebrew melacha is translated "goods" (in the NIV of these verses above, it is translated "property") and refers to the end result of the work of one's hands. 

We should understand, then, that the word melacha refers to human activity (work) that results in the production of a finished end product.  Just as the "work" of Elohim's hands produced heaven and earth (an end product), the work which we are forbidden to do on the Sabbath is that melacha which results in products which are made or produced by the skill and labor of our hands.  It is easy to see how melacha could also be translated "occupation," "business," "handiwork," or "craftsmanship."  All of these terms have to do with the work that people do to produce goods and services.

But keep in mind that this is just a human attempt to understand the meaning of melacha.  If we use my definition above for work, then we will still run into problems in the grey areas.  At this point, we must use common sense and reasonability.  For example, Yahusha said it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.  And he ordered a man to pick up and carry his mat on the Sabbath.  Thus, reason and the example of Messiah should show us that there are many things which are perfectly fine to do on the Sabbath, but which we will be criticized for doing.  The important thing to remember is that your daily occupational tasks should cease on the seventh-day.

With that in mind, we can produce a kind of general "list" or rule of thumb (but this is not a "law") regarding work that is forbidden on Shabbat.  Activities which produce an end product are not permitted, such as any occupational work done to produce an income (one's normal business affairs) including craftsmanship, work in a field which ultimately will produce a crop, chores done in a home (which requires the work of one's hands to accomplish) such as gathering wood for a fire (or grocery shopping!), and cooking which produces an end product (a cooked or prepared meal), or anything that requires someone else to work on your behalf (you are commanded to let your servant rest, too!).  [More on cooking being explicitly prohibited by Scripture in section below.]

Activities which are permitted on Sabbath include (clearly) Scripture study which makes us wise in our walk before Elohim, personal hygiene tasks, games which exploit friendship and fellowship, rest, eating (as long as it doesn't require melacha on the Sabbath to prepare said meal), and the like.  Also included in activities which are permitted are those acts of mercy and compassion to help men and animals in a situation which endangers their health and life.  Remember, "it is always right to do good on the Sabbath."  But "good" is not an activity which profits you.

The Other Annual Shabbatons

Each of the appointments (moadim) of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar are also called shabbaton.  And so, the next 5 occurrences of the Hebrew word shabbaton refer to Yom Teru’ah (Vayiqra 23:24), Day of Atonement (Vayiqra 16:31; 23:32) and the Feast of Tabernacles (Vayiqra 23:39 twice).

Of Yom Teruah, which falls on the first day of the seventh month, Scripture says,

Say to the sons of Yisrael: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a set apart assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts.  Do no regular work, but present an offering made to Yehowah by fire.'" (Vayiqra 23:24-25)

The Hebrew reads,

Lev 23:24 דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם שַׁבָּתֹון זִכְרֹון תְּרוּעָה מִקְרָא־קֹֽדֶשׁ׃

Lev 23:25 כָּל־מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָֽה׃ ס

Literally, this reads in English, "Shabbaton v.24), a remembrance of trumpet blast, a set apart proclamation." And “melacha” (work v.25)

Though we are told that Yom Teruah is a shabbaton, no specific details are given regarding prohibitions.  We are merely told that no regular work is to be performed.  What is this "regular work" which is prohibited on the shabbatons?  The Hebrew phrase here is:

Lev 23:25 כָּל־מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָֽה׃ ס

 which literally is rendered, "all work of service you shall not do."  The Hebrew word for "work" is מְלָאכָּה. (pronounced "melacha").  And the Hebrew word עֲבוֹדָה (pronounced ăvōdăh) means simply labour, service.  So, in Vayiqra 23:24, the instruction is telling us all work of service is not to be done.  In other words, any activity of our hands which produces a product or service is forbidden on this day.  As we saw above in the examples given regarding the seventh day Sabbath, these forbidden activities would include such things as preparing food and gathering a fire.

Yom HaKippurim - the Day of Atonement - is twice said to be a shabbaton.

This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work-- whether native-born or an alien living among you-- because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before Yehowah, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a sabbath of rest (Shabbat shabbaton), and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. (Vayiqra 16:29-31)

And also later,

The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a set apart assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to Yehowah by fire.  Do no work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before Yehowah your Elohim. Anyone who does not deny himself on that day must be cut off from his people. I will destroy from among his people anyone who does any work on that day.  You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.  It is a sabbath of rest (Shabbat shabbaton) for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath." (Vayiqra 23:27-32)

Again, as above, no melacha is to be done on Yom HaKippurim.  All work is banned for the day.  Because it is a Shabbat shabbaton, all work is forbidden.  Yet, because it is a day of fasting, it makes sense that preparation of food is forbidden on this day.

The first and eighth days of the Feast of Tabernacles (Chag HaSukkot) are called shabbaton.

So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to Yehowah for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest.

Lev 23:39 אַךְ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יֹום לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאָסְפְּכֶם אֶת־תְּבוּאַת הָאָרֶץ תָּחֹגּוּ אֶת־חַג־יְהוָה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים בַּיֹּום הָֽרִאשֹׁון שַׁבָּתֹון וּבַיֹּום הַשְּׁמִינִי שַׁבָּתֹֽון׃

 literally, "on the first day - shabbaton - and on the eighth day - shabbaton."

The prohibition against work is given in verses 34-36 of Vayiqra 23:

Say to the sons of Yisrael: 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month Yehowah's Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days.  The first day is a set apart assembly; do no regular work.  For seven days present offerings made to Yehowah by fire, and on the eighth day hold a set apart assembly and present an offering made to Yehowah by fire. It is the closing assembly; do no regular work.

Here, again, the word translated as work is melacha.

The Holy Days That Are Not Shabbatons

There are three annual biblical appointments (moadim) that are not said to be shabbatons.  Two of these occur in the springtime.  The 1^st and 7^th days of Chag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread) are NOT called shabbaton.  Nowhere in all the Torah are these days commanded to be shabbaton.  Thus, it is notable that on these days, food is permitted to be prepared - presumable the reason they are never called “complete rests.”

For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. Surely on the first day you must put away the yeast from your houses because anyone who eats leavened bread from the first day to the seventh day may be cut off from Yisrael.  And on the first day there will be a set-apart miqra, and on the seventh day there will be a set-apart miqra for you. You must do no work of any kind on them, only what every person must eat--that alone may be prepared for you (Shemot 12:15,16).

Here, we are told not to do "all melacha" (any melacha), except to prepare that which you need to eat!  The Hebrew is somewhat emphatic:

Exod 12:16 And in the first day [there shall be] an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work (melacha) shall be done in them, save [that] which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.

 literally rendered becomes, "all work shall not be done for them, except that which is eaten by every person - that alone shall be done for you."

The Hebrew אַך (pronounced ahk), here rendered only or except, is a restrictive adverb used to contrast what precedes it with what follows.  The result is that while work is forbidden, an exception to the rule is being established here.  The conclusion we may draw from this curious statement is that preparing (boiling, baking) food falls under the umbrella of melacha.  So, while melacha is restricted on the first and last days of Unleavened Bread, there is an exemption from the rule for this one thing: to prepare your food.

It is important that we assimilate the point just made.  The prohibition against all melacha includes the preparing of food, except in those cases where special permission to prepare food is granted.  The term shabbaton implies "no melacha" and visa versa - "no melacha" means "no work of any kind" (except where an exception is made).

What About Shavuot?

The third annual biblical appointment (moed) which is nowhere said to be a shabbaton is Chag Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), more commonly known as Pentecost.  If the term shabbaton is always associated with "no preparation of food," then we might be quick to assume that on Shavuot, food preparation is permitted, since it is not called a shabbaton.

But before we jump to that conclusion, consider this: the first and seventh days of Unleavened Bread are not designated shabbaton, but the permission to prepare food on those days is explicitly made as an exception to the rule of "no work of any kind is to be done."  So, the combination of not calling those two days shabbaton with the explicitly given instruction permitting the preparation of food is what causes us to conclude that we may cook on those two appointment days.

But what about Shavuot?  Neither occurs here.  Shavuot is not called a shabbaton.  But neither is explicit permission given for preparing food!  However, there is an explicit instruction about not doing any melacha!  Here is what Scripture says of Shavuot:

On that same day you are to proclaim a set apart assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. (Vayiqra 23:21)

"Do no regular work" is from the Hebrew

Lev 23:21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, [that] it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile (abodah) work (melacha) [therein: it shall be] a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

 again using melacha followed by avodah - "works of service."  The prohibition is clear - all work of service is banned on Shavuot.  No work of any kind is permitted.  If the definition of melacha includes preparing food (and that is clearly implied in Shemot 12:15-16), and no exception here is given, is it permissible to prepare food on Shavuot?  What gives?

On balance, since melacha includes all work done for the benefit of ourselves, including preparing of food, we conclude that the ban on "all works of service" on Shavuot must surely include the prohibition against preparing of food, even though Shavuot is not designated as a shabbaton.  We do not need to find a reference to Shavuot being a shabbaton to conclude that cooking is prohibited on Shavuot, because the prohibition against all works of service includes preparations for food.

The Land Shabbatons

The two remaining occurrences of the term shabbaton in the Scriptures are used to describe the seventh year land rest.  The instruction is given as follows:

Speak to the sons of Yisrael and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath (Heb. shabbat) to Yehowah.  For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops.  But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest (Heb. Shabbat shabbaton), a sabbath (Heb. Shabbat) to Yehowah. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.  Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest (Heb. shabbaton).  Whatever the land yields during the sabbath (Heb. shabbat) year will be food for you-- for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten. (Vayiqra 25:2-7)

Every seventh year while living in the Land, all the sons of Yisrael were to give their fields rest.  They are to neither sow nor reap their fields.  All the produce which grows up of itself could be taken for food.  But the crops were not to be harvested for storage or for sale.  Thus, the seventh year was the designated shabbaton.

The usage of shabbaton to describe the "complete rest" of the land in the seventh year is evident.  No work at all was to be done in the fields.  Though shabbaton when it applies to the appointed days appeared to have had a direct correlation to the preparation of food, that correlation does not exist here where the seventh year is in view.  As such, it would be incorrect to connect the primary significance of the term shabbaton with the instruction not to do any food preparation.  The primary biblical significance of the word shabbaton must lay somewhere else.  This primary meaning is what we shall next explore.

A Prophetic Understanding of Shabbaton - Shadows of the Messianic Age

The Jewish Rabbis have long held that the seventh day Sabbath is a little foretaste of the Messianic Age.  They have a phrase they use which expresses this thought.  Yom shekulo Shabbat is that saying.  It means, "a day that is all Shabbat."  What they mean by this is that the Sabbath day was designed to be a rehearsal of the time of Messiah's reign over the kingdoms of men.  The Sabbath is to be a day of ceasing from all of our own work, pleasure and pursuits in order to enjoy fellowship with our Maker.  As a shadow of the Messianic Age, the Sabbath is a time of joy and delight and great blessing.

The writer to the 'Ivrim (the Book of Hebrews of the Brit Chadashah) talked at length about the rest that is connected with the Sabbath day.  This rest he speaks of corresponds to the Yom shekulo Shabbat.

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.  For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.  Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as Elohim has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world.  For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day Elohim rested from all his work."  And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."  It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.  Therefore Elohim again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."  For if YHUSHA had given them rest, Elohim would not have spoken later about another day.  There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of Elohim; for anyone who enters Elohim's rest also rests from his own work, just as Elohim did from his.  Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. ('Ivrim 4:1-11)

It is clear to anyone who will hear that the writer is talking about keeping Sabbath and the promises connected with keeping Sabbath as a sign of fidelity to Elohim.  The "promise of entering his rest" is identified as that rest Elohim established at "the creation of the world" and of which it says that "on the seventh day Elohim rested from all his work."  And yet, entering that rest also speaks of another rest to which Elohim's may enter into.  Those who were disobedient in the wilderness did not go into that rest.  It is clear that "that rest" was the entering into the land of promise under Elohim's authority.  The disobedient ones all fell in the desert and failed to enter the promised land.

So, he goes on to say, the opportunity to enter the rest still stands.  Who will go into that rest? - that is, the "rest" of the Messianic Age?  "Anyone who enters Elohim's rest also rests from his own work, just as Elohim did from his."  In other words, participating in the Sabbath day rest and ceasing from all melacha is the avenue by which Elohim's faithful ones will enter into the Messianic rest.

Of interest to us here is that the word translated "a Sabbath rest" in verse 9 is the Greek sabbatismo,j (pronounced sabbatismos).  The BDAG Lexicon lists this word as meaning sabbath rest, sabbath observance - a special period of rest for God’s people modeled after the traditional sabbath.   Thayer's Greek Lexicon says this word means 1. a keeping sabbath. 2. the blessed rest from toils and troubles looked for in the age to come.

Used only this one time in the Greek New Testament, sabbatismo,j answers to the Hebrew shabbaton.  The "Sabbath rest" (sabbatismos) is entered into by resting on the Sabbath day.  By participating obediently in the Sabbath commandment, the covenantee is "making every effort to enter into that rest."  So the "complete rest" (shabbaton) of the Sabbath day is a participating in the foreshadowing experience of the Messianic Age.

What's peculiar about the usage of the Hebrew shabbaton in the Torah is that the days and times which are declared to be shabbaton are all foreshadowings of the Messianic Age and they all find their fulfillment in the Messianic Age.  Think about it.  The first and last days of Unleavened Bread and Shavuot are not called shabbaton.  These all had their fulfillment in Messiah's appearance as "Messiah ben Yoseph" - the suffering servant nearly two thousand years ago.

But the seventh day Sabbath, the four appointment days of the seventh month, and the seventh year are all presented as shabbaton.  Each of these finds its fulfillment in the Messianic Age.  The Sabbath depicts the Yom shekulo Shabbat, Yom Teruah finds fulfillment at the appearing of Messiah ben David with the sounding of the trumpet blasts, Yom HaKippurim occurs when Messiah punishes all his enemies and binds HaSatan, and the first and eighth days of Sukkot depicts Messiah ruling and reigning in his kingdom.  And the land Sabbaths also foreshadow and find fulfillment when Messiah rules from Yerushalayim.

We suggest, therefore, that the primary intent and meaning of the Hebrew word shabbaton is to indicate the complete rest of the Messianic Age.  All of its usages and applications point toward the fulfillment of the Messianic Hope.

Summary

The Shabbatons are those appointed times which depict the Messianic Age.  As such, Elohim draws our attention to this by requiring a complete rest on those days and years.  By ceasing from all our work, even from preparing food, we are better able to hear and respond to the proclamation of the coming of the Age of Righteousness with Messiah as the king of all the earth.

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