The lists of numbers in the book of Numbers can be somewhat overwhelming. The first chapters are talking about how they are to count and assemble an army, not the entire community. We don’t pay attention to Numbers 1 because it is “just a bunch of names and a bunch of numbers,” but these were real men who had to be ready to fight in a real war (Num. 1:17-54).
Numbers 1 foretells Yeshua’s burden, the burden He tried to give up three times in the garden before His crucifixion (Matt. 26:39–44). That message is embedded in the meanings of the names of the tribes and clans, and that message becomes clear when the meanings are read together.
The vows discussed in Leviticus 27 are voluntary and extraordinary, beyond what is required, to be dedicated to service in the Tabernacle. This is how you can do more than what is required, if you feel lead to do so. The type of vow described here is similar to a monastic vow, in which someone promises to serve God in His temple for an extended period, or even for one’s entire life.
It is only God Who can restore life from death, not only the death of a person but the death of a nation. God warns Israel and He will destroy their nation if they walk in idolatry but he will also restore their nation if they will humble themselves and accept their guilt.
The shabbats (sabbaths) of the land and the Yobel (Jubilee) are not about the U.S. or other countries, but about the land of Israel. Yet even in the diaspora (outside the land), there are lessons we can learn about how we should trust in God, how far God can take care of His people and how we are to take care of our families and each other.
Anything that is brought to God must be clean, pure and sincere, not just our olive oil and bread but our words and hearts are to be clean, pure and sincere, too. When a person blasphemes God’s name, that desecration of God’s reputation has to be dealt with in the most severest of terms, regardless of whether the person is a native born Israelite or a “stranger.” We can’t understand the depths of God’s mercy without understanding the depths of God’s justice.
An appointment can be a place, a time or an event. When we use the word moedim, it’s an appointment or an assignment. The Tabernacle of Meeting is the Tabernacle of Appointments. When we “proclaim” His holy days, God can work in us to sanctify us. How do you proclaim an appointed time? Proclaiming is an active verb, not a passive verb. It’s not something we say, it’s something we do. You proclaim an appointed time or moedim by what you do on that day. You either do it or don’t do it. You show up or you don’t. If you do it, you are proclaiming it. If you ignore it and don’t do it, you aren’t proclaiming it.