Tag: Parashat Shelach

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Shabbat Torah

Promised Land and promised ‘rest’: Do we have enough faith to allow God to free us? (Numbers 13–14; Hebrews 3–4)

Promised land and promised rest: Do we have enough faith to follow God to freedom? (Based on Numbers 13 and 14; Hebrews 3 and 4.) Adobe Firefly AI image of a group of weary people walking up a hill from a dark, scary forest to a bright, restful place.

This study of the Torah reading שְׁלַח Shelach/Shelakh (“send,” Numbers 13–15) reports of the 12 spies in Numbers 13–14 foreshadow the sending by Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) of the 12 and 70 apostles in the Gospels. Just as the spies were sent to scout the Promised Land, the apostles were sent to proclaim the coming Kingdom.

However, the Israelites’ lack of faith prevented them from entering God’s “rest,” a spiritual reality that believers in Yeshua the Messiah can now access. This “rest” is not a replacement of Israel’s role, but a fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham. The Promised Land was a physical type and shadow of the eternal “sabbath rest” that believers can enter through faith in Messiah. This rest represents the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan for His people to dwell with Him in peace and righteousness.

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Torah readings

Torah reading Shelach (שלח): Numbers 13–15

Studies in Torah

Rebelliousness, laziness and fear lead us to fight against, avoid and run from what we know — or should know — we should do. This week’s reading, שְׁלַח Shelakh (“send,” Numbers 13–15), takes a deep dive into a pivotal moment where all three killers of Israel’s faith in the LORD and His messengers.

The common parallel passage for Shelach is Joshua 2. It covers the infiltration of Caleb and Yoshua (Joshua) into Yericho (Jericho). God favored the trust — faith — of Rakhab (Rahab) in the LORD over faith in the gods of Canaan, putting her in the genealogy of Mashiakh Yeshua (Christ Jesus) and making her a high symbol of faith (Matt. 1:5; Heb. 11:31; James 2:25).

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Discussions Torah

How you can rise above giant-sized fear (Numbers 13–15)

How you can rise above giant-sized fear (Numbers 13-15). Artwork shows four grotesque giants looming over several grasshoppers, referring to a line in which the 10 "bad report" spies of Israel said they saw themselves as grasshoppers compared to the giants in the land.

How do we see the troubles and difficulties we face each day? From our perspective, limited in knowledge and power, or from the perspective of the One Who made and sustains all things? That can make the difference between living a life paralyzed by fear or moving on courageously, no matter the outcome. This is a key undercurrent of the Torah reading שְׁלַח Shelakh (“send,” Numbers 13–15) and the teachings on faith by Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus).

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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)

Confirmation bias: Only a strong faith in God can cut through fear and bias (Numbers 13-14; Joshua 2)

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 Prophets and Writings Torah

Get a grip on God: Finding the why of the tassels (Numbers 15)

Get a grip on God: Finding the why of the tassels (Numbers 15)

The Holy One of Israel associated the צִיצִתות tzitzitot (tassles, fringes) with locks of hair or flower blooms: sources of identification, things that draw our attention and harbingers of messianic hope. The tzitzitot that Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ) wore as the quintessential Son of David brought hope and encouragement to those who followed Him, to hear His words and seek His healing through faith. In the Day of the LORD (i.e., the “latter days”), the tzitzit will continue to be a sign of faith, hope and healing for those who are looking for God.

Let’s explore from the Bible why these strings of fabric attached to the corners of the garments of the people of God can be anchors of faith — if they are worn with Heaven’s Torah written on our hearts.

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Discussions Torah

How we learn to walk by faith into God’s Promised Land (Numbers 13)

How to walk by faith into God's Promised Land (Numbers 13-15)
Torah reading Shelach: How we learn to walk by faith into God's Promised Land (Numbers 13-15)

Was the LORD setting up ancient Israel to fail by bringing the people to the border of the Promised Land, telling them to send in 12 spies then condemning that generation from being too scared of the opposition to go in? The Torah reading שְׁלַח Shelakh (“send,” Numbers 13–15) underscores the teaching of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) that God’s salvation must be faith-based.

We’ll find out that what was true at the time of the Exodus is true for each of us today when we leave our “house of bondage” and go to God’s kingdom of “rest,” i.e., freedom.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 13–15: 12 Israelites, 2 opinions, 1 very bad decision

Grasshopper

This week’s Torah reading שְׁלַח Shelakh (“send,” Numbers 13–15)  is a lesson in hope and human imagination. It is also a difficult lesson about how God often gives us a brief window of opportunity to take possession of what He wants for us. If we shirk away in unbelief (Heb. 10:26–31; Hab. 2:3–4), the opportunity and the blessing that goes with it are lost. God will give that blessing to someone who has the faith to receive them.