This study of the Torah readings מַּטּוֹת Mattot and מַסְעֵי Massei (Numbers 30–36) draws a parallel between the ancient deception of Balaam and Midian, who enticed the Israelites into sensuality and idolatry at Peor, and modern efforts to desensitize children to inappropriate content, thereby undermining parental authority and leading them away from God. This timeless battle for the hearts and minds of the next generation continues today.
“As God is my witness, I will do that.” Such words can roll off our tongues easily, but we can forget that One is witnessing such a vow and watching to see whether we respect the Creator enough to follow through. That’s why Moshe (Moses), Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ) and His apostle Ya’akob (James) warned us against dragging the LORD in to co-sign on our promises. That’s a key lesson in the dual Torah reading מַּטּוֹת Mattot and מַסְעֵי Massei (Numbers 30–36).
The Torah double portion מַּטּוֹת מַסְעֵי Matot-Massei (Numbers 30–36) focuses on vows. The theme of this section, echoed by Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) and His apostle Ya’akov (James), is say what you mean and mean what you say.
This is true whether we are engaging with our equals, our leaders or those who are in a more vulnerable and marginalized position in our society. We should also communicate honesty and forthrightly with God, because no idle word will be forgotten by our God. Every comment, every joke, every insult will be noted and accounted in His book.
Paul, an apostle of Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ), wrote in Romans 9–11 that it was necessary for believers from the nations (“gentiles”) to be “grafted in” to Israel so “all Israel will be saved.” The dual Torah reading מטות Matot (“tribes”) and מסעי Massei (“journeys of”) (Numbers 30–36) goes through great detail on how the 12 tribes (plus Levi) must be kept together yet distinct. From this and Paul’s writings we learn the key Bible lesson of strength in the whole — Israel — when it is made of up parts defined by their integrity of mission and morals.
When we make a vow to God, we must be willing to keep it even if it’s hard. Yet God also extends grace and forgiveness when we make vows rashly without informed consent.
We also learn that although God’s law protects women who make rash vows through the agency of their fathers or husband’s but when they act with evil intent, their deeds will not go unpunished.
We also learn from the prophet Jeremiah that when a nation is evil and rotten at the top, at the people follow their leaders on the path of evil, not only does the nation suffer the consequences, but even nature suffers.
This is the lesson of the Torah passage מטות Matot / מסעי Massei (“tribes” and “journeys of,” Numbers 30-36).
Why wasn’t I born tall? Athletic? In a prosperous country? To wealthy parents? In a loving, stable home? There are so many ways popular culture, our peers and we ourselves can tell us that we are less than valuable. We might glean from a cursory pass through the Torah readings מטות Matot (“tribes”) and מסעי Massei/Mase’y (“journeys of”), covering Numbers 30–36, a few more points of discrimination against us: born a woman, born in the wrong family.
Yet we will discover in this Bible study after lifting the hood on the full message from Heaven, rather than pulling soundbites convenient to our bias, that where we start out in life and where we find ourselves doesn’t have to define what truly matters: “the content of our character,” to quote Martin Luther King Jr.
Here’s what Moses, Isaiah and apostle Paul have to say.
The LORD makes a big deal about fulfilling our promises, because He wants us to count on His promises of our transformation of character and world made new through the Messiah. That’s an important lesson in the Torah double reading מטות Matot (“tribes”) and מסעי Massei (“journeys of”), covering Numbers 30:2–36:13. covering Numbers 30-36.
But easy to miss in seemingly unending list of 40-plus place names in Numbers 33 are the critical lessons learned by the Exodus generations and each one to our current day about temptations “common to man” (1Cor. 10:13).
Apostle Paul riffs on the incidents behind the Egypt-to-Promised Land travelogue to show us we must trust that “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1Corinthians 10:13 NASB).