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Discussions Torah

Numbers 10:11-36: When God says move, you move

When the cloud moved as God led Israel from Mt. Sinai to the Promised Land, the people were to follow it. Where the cloud rested, they rested. Similarly, we should not move anywhere unless God moves us. God knows our weaknesses. He knows how far we can move.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 10:1-13: Two silver trumpets and the Messiah

These silver trumpets have two primary purposes: to summon the congregation and to set out on their journey. The silver trumpet is used to make people alert and get attention. It is also used to sound the alarm of battle. It is the High Priest or His representatives who are to blow these silver trumpets. This job cannot be performed by a person who is not of the priestly line. It will be like this in the end time, as well, when a representative of our High Priest Yeshua will blow the final trumpet blasts to summon His people to resurrection and war against evil.

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Discussions Torah Trumpets

Numbers 10-11: Two silver trumpets; curse of craving quail; distributing the Spirit from Moshe

In chapter 10, use of two silver trumpets is explained, such as calling together the people to celebrate the New Moon and other appointed times. In chapter 11, the people of Israel call out for more than meat and manna, and God curses the cravers with copious quail followed by a plague.

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Torah readings

Torah reading Pinchas (פינחס): Numbers 25:10–30:1

Adultery is seen as no big deal in today’s society. Consider, though, how the hurt person in the relationship feels. That’s why Israel’s running after false gods and treating YHWH with contempt or apathy is compared to adultery many times in Scripture. This kind of unfaithfulness and rebuilding of the relationship between Creator and created is the subtext of this passage — פִּינְחָס Pinchas (“Phinehas,” Numbers 25:10–30:1).

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

Striking the rock, idolizing the snake: Lessons in trusting God’s provision (Numbers 19–21; 2Kings 18; John 3; 1Corinthians 10)

In this study on Torah reading חֻקַּת‎ Chukat (“statute of,” Numbers 19:1–22:1), we focus on how the parabolic instructions for the red heifer, serpent on the pole and water from the rock reveal a profound lesson on trust in God. The red heifer’s ashes, both cleansing and toxic, underscore our need for an external source of purification beyond our own efforts. The bronze serpent, healing initially then much later worshipped itself, reminds us not to idolize symbols over the true Source of life — think Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. And the water from the rock, supposed to be accessed through Moses and Aaron’s humble submission, shows that our trust must be in God’s provision, not our own strength. These ancient parables challenge us to abandon self-reliance and surrender fully to Adonai in the modern world.

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Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

How the 10 spies of the Promised Land reveal the dangers of confirmation bias (Numbers 13–14; Joshua 2; Matthew 10)

It is human nature to engage in confirmation bias. We have certain closely cherished beliefs, and we will give more weight to facts that confirm those beliefs versus facts that contradict those beliefs.

The Torah reading שלח Shelakh (“send,” Numbers 13–15) recounts how 10 “spies” of ancient Israel returned from the Promised Land with an “evil report.” They brought back the same basic facts about the geography, agriculture and social structure of the people currently living there.

The only difference was their interpretation of those facts. They looked at land through the bias of the world, while Joshua and Caleb looked at the same facts and view them through their bias of faith in the power of God. 

In Joshua 2, Rahab of Jericho overlooked her bias to see which deity was truly worth following. And in Matthew 10, Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) sent out His closest students with instructions to not be biased by the opposition they faced.

We easily and often fall into the same trap.

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Discussions Shabbat Torah

Why the Sabbath is an important first step in learning how to worship God (Numbers 25:10-30:1)

Selfless love. Righteousness. Mercy. These teach us how to be strong in our walk through life, how to keep from wandering from the path that the God of Israel has shown as the way life works best. These three show us what the point of our journey through life. They are the key lessons from the LORD’s appointments with humanity, further explained in the Torah reading פינחס Pinchas (“Phinehas,” Numbers 25:10-30:1). Discover why chief among those appointments and the entry point for new believers is the weekly Shabbat (Sabbath).

Another key lesson in Pinchas is about the man after whom this reading is named. This junior priest, who would later be known as the “anointed for war,” looks forward to the coming Day of the LORD, when Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah, the Melchizedek high priest, will serve on Earth side by side with the legacy of the Aaronic priesthood.