Author: Daniel

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 16–18: Korah, an early anti-Messiah

Moses and Korah, 1466 manuscript miniature, National Library of Poland. Photo via Wikipedia Commons under Creative Commons License.

There are no shortcuts to holding a position of authority in God’s kingdom. People who try to take shortcuts to greatness will not prosper in the end. Just as Aaron and Moses are examples of how God and Yeshua interact with each other, Korah is an example of the “spirit of antichrist” (1John 4:3).

Novelist Catherine Aird wrote, “If you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.” This fits very well this week’s Torah reading, aptly named קֹרַח Korakh/Korach, after the leader of this merry band of rebels.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 8–12: Heaven wants you to be Spirit-filled

Photo by FreeImages.com/Andre Larsson

The Creator of all things, the LORD of Israel, sees what people do, but Heaven also wants to pour out the Spirit to help us become more like the Son of God.

That’s the subtext of Torah reading בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ Beha’alotcha (“when you raise up” [the lamps]). It starts with Aaron’s lighting the menorah (seven-branch candelabra in the Sanctuary), which represents the fact that God can see all we offer to Him. There was also a lot of complaining, grumbling and jealousy, but the LORD was also able to “download” His Holy Spirit onto 70 of the elders of Israel, equipping them to share a little bit of Moses’ burden.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 1:1–4:20: Adopted into God’s family

The Numbering of the Israelites by Henri Félix Emmanuel Philippoteaux (1815–1884). Public Domain artwork.

The lesson of the Torah reading בְּמִדְבַּר Bamidbar (“in the wilderness,” Num. 1:1–4:20) is the family of God started with Abraham, then his son Yitskhak (Isaac), his grandson Ya’akob (Jacob) and Jacob’s 12 sons. From that small family, the knowledge of God has spread all over the world.

It is the job of the Messiah — Yeshua (Jesus) — to find and gather all those who want to be adopted as God’s sons and daughters until He returns again. There will be no Gentiles in the Kingdom of God. All those who come in become part of Israel.

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Discussions Torah

Leviticus 21–24: How the High Priest deals with death

The first tombs in the Bible were caves. This burial cave was found in the Bitan Aharon nature reserve. Photo by supplied by David Padfield © Padfield.com and released under a Creative Commons License.

In the Torah reading אמר Emor (“to say, speak or tell”), we will spend most of our time together discussing how God instructed the High Priest and the priestly line to respond to the reality of death around them. We will also ponder how God teaches us to give and receive charity and the difference between legalism and obedience in keeping Torah and God’s appointed times, aka the festivals of Yisrael.

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Discussions Prophets and Writings

Amos 6-9: Only the Messiah can restore Israel’s Northern Tribes

God spoke to Amos about his judgement on the Northern Tribes of Israel through a basket of summer's bounty. Photo by zdelia, Freeimages.com.

Our sins affect other people, including our children and grandchildren or as Scripture says, “to the third and fourth generation.” We aren’t punished for our parent’s sins, but we have been affected by them. We suffer when other people sin.

The ancient House of Israel were so far gone, so utterly unrepentant that God’s only recourse was to send 90% of them to the grave and the other 10% into exile. The exile will end only when Messiah Yeshua returns to the earth.

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Discussions Torah Unleavened Bread

Exodus 14:1–15:21: Seventh day of Unleavened Bread teaches repentance, salvation and righteousness

Crossing the sea in the 1956 movie "The Ten Commandments" (PARAMOUNT PICTURES)
Crossing the sea in the 1956 movie "The Ten Commandments" (PARAMOUNT PICTURES)

The seventh day of Chag Matzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread) is a memorial to the crossing of the Red Sea. It’s not only the zenith of most movies about Israel’s flight from Egypt but also a parable about every believer’s path to repentance, salvation and righteousness.

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Discussions Reflections on Scripture Torah

Leviticus 6:8–8:36: God wants a relationship with you that responds and grows

Photo from Freeimages.com by Rodrigo Roveri.

The relationship that God wants with you is a relationship that responds and grows. If we respond and grow, we are like a tree that will produce good fruit. If we don’t grow and respond, we won’t produce good fruit. The High Priest is supposed to encourage the relationship between God and His people produce good fruit for eternity.

When God commands one to do something, deviation from the instruction isn’t tolerated. The Torah reading צו Tzav (“command,” Lev. 6:8–8:36) includes detailed instructions on how the priests are to handle other people’s offerings, symbolizing their approach to God. The LORD told Aaron that doing this right matters, not just to the people, but to God.