Tag: Numbers 25

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

Path to spiritual maturity: How to align our thoughts, emotions, actions with God’s words (Numbers 9 and 27)

"Path to spiritual maturity: How to align our thoughts, emotions, actions with God's words." Adobe Firefly AI artwork showing five Ancient Near East women, representing the daughters of Zelophehad looking at a high desert mountain in the background, representing Sinai. A Paleo-Hebrew alef is shown over one woman's head.

Yosef (Joseph), Moshe (Moses), Eliyahu (Elijah), Kefa (Peter), Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ), the five daughters of Zelophehad. This study of the Torah reading פִּינְחָס Pinchas (“Phinehas,” Numbers 25:10–30:1) and parallel passages explores some of the many examples on how to answer the call the biblical call to be “alefs”/”alphas” — leaders who wield power with humility and obedience to God, not domineering self-interest. We’ll see patterns of God’s sovereignty over earthly powers, the importance of aligning our hearts (thoughts and emotions) and actions with His Word, and the dangers of deception and self-serving motives, even in religious giving.

We’ll discover a Bible challenge to cultivate emotional intelligence by storing God’s wisdom in our hearts, and prioritize transparency and integrity over outward displays of authority. Ultimately, we learn to turn toward and depend on the true Source of power — the Creator Who commissions and sustains those who faithfully serve Him.

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Torah readings

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

Studies in Torah

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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Discussions Torah

How God guides us to pursue real change by standing up for what’s right (Numbers 25–26)

How God guides you to pursue real change by standing up for what's right (Numbers 25-26). Oil painting style image of a white-clothed man standing while holding a spear.

People are looking at what is going on in American culture and government right now and see a repeat of what was going on in pre-Nazi Germany. Some are advocating for preparing to fight, and some look for guidance from priest Phinehas’ bold action in Torah reading פִּינְחָס Pinchas (Numbers 25–29) to stop iniquity in the house of God.

However, a look at the actions Pinchas actually took leading up to that moment reveals what was behind the extreme restraint exercised by the founders of the U.S., drawing from David’s example when persecuted by Saul. These lessons teach followers of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) how to “stand” as times get darker leading up to the Day of the LORD.

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Torah readings

Parashot Chukat–Balak: Numbers 19:1–25:9

Studies in Torah

This week’s double Torah reading, Chukat-Balak (Numbers 19:1-25:9), contains key prophecies about the Messiah: life-giving water from “the rock,” the death of an exceptional offering would give life, a mighty King would arise from Israel. That’s why the red heifer, “living water” and Balaam are brought up repeatedly in the New Testament to teach us more about Yeshua (Jesus).

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Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

How to know if there’s a leader worth following (Numbers 25–29)

How to know if there's a leader worth following (Numbers 25-29)

A peaceful transfer of power is worthless if the former leaders and the new leaders ignore God’s commandments. The only leaders who are worth following are those who inquire of God and lead the way He wants. That’s a key lesson of the Torah reading פינחס Pinchas (“Phinehas,” Numbers 25:10-30:1).

When we look for leaders, we need to see if they have the humility of Moses and Jeremiah or if they have the arrogance of the rebellious leaders who Moses and Jeremiah confronted.

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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)

Sabbath: Discover why it's a key first step in learning how to worship God
Sabbath: Discover why it's a key first step in learning how to worship God

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.

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Discussions Torah

So you say you want a revolution? Better watch where it’s headed (Numbers 19:1–25:9)

It’s apt that the double Torah reading חֻקַּת‎ Chukat and בָּלָק Balak (Numbers 19:1–25:9) this year includes Shabbat on July 4, when we here in the United States celebrate the Declaration of Independence and what it states about the intent for where this nation was going to go.

Ancient Israel was at a spiritual and literal crossroads. Would it embrace its destiny as the people beyond number (Genesis 15 and 22) and as a nation of priests (Exodus 19), taking the nations closer to the Creator?

Similarly, we in the U.S. can ask ourselves if we’re going to follow the God-led legacy of freedom started at Plymouth in 1620 or the greed-led legacy of bondage started in Jamestown in 1619? The Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights point to the Spirit-led legacy of Abraham through Sinai and Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) to Plymouth, rather than flesh-led legacy of Jamestown.

And we’ll see in this study that we can ask ourselves which kind of legacy are we pursuing in how we walk out our lives today and in the days to come.