How can hope be kept?

Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land to which I am taking you

(Num. 15:18 NIV)

How can hope be kept?

After the forty year sentence in the desert it was easy for the people to lose perspective of the goal. The land was further than ever and daily reality of life in the desert spoke by itself. Is it that we'll never get there? Is it that the Eternal will exterminate us all here?

The Eternal started talking about what would happen in the Promised Land just after dictating the sentence upon the rebellious generation (15:1-2). How kind is the Eternal! In the most difficult moments for the people He confirmed their vision and strengthened their hope. He didn't say: "If you enter the land...", but "When you enter the land..." with the implication of leaving out any possible doubt of their achieving the goal.

The Torah governs upon the whole world. What we read every week in the Torah reflects what happens in the world. During these last weeks we've read about gossip, rebellion, discourage among leaders, judgement and great defeats. But we've also read about the Eternal's manifestations of glory, meat to eat in the desert, multiplication of the Spirit of prophecy, forgiveness of the entire people's sins, healing of an incurable disease, the revelation of the Messiah's name and the certainty that the promised land is very good; and finally, the repeated affirmation of the fact that they will be able to see the promises fulfilled.

Dear disciple of the Messiah: If lately you have lived times of deep crisis, if you have been questioned as a leader, if you have been tempted to be rebellious, if you have doubted your authorities, if you've gotten tired of the food, if you've felt envious and have wished to be acknowledged, if you've felt discouraged and wanting to die, if your goals and visions have been postponed for a later time, it is because you are living the Torah and going through the same that was written in the Book that rules the world.

Don't cease to see the positive in the middle of the struggle. Humble yourself like Moshe, speak as Calev and Yehoshua. Don't look at what you have in front of you now, look toward the future with hope of the fulfillment of the divine promises. All the earth shall be full of the glory of the Eternal as the waters cover the sea. That is our future.

Baruch HaShem!

Who is the Torah for?

One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.

(Num. 15:16 NKJV)

Who is the Torah for?

The stranger mentioned in this text is the one that lives in Israel's community who has voluntarily embraced the covenant of circumcision and submitted to Israel's religious authorities. This kind of stranger is also called proselyte or convert.

As long as a stranger residing among the Jews doesn't enter the covenant of circumcision, he doesn't have the same Torah as the Jew, as we can see in Exodus 12:48-49 where it's written: “And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.” (NKJV) And in Numbers 9:14 it's written: “And if a stranger dwells among you, and would keep the LORD’s Passover, he must do so according to the rite of the Passover and according to its ceremony; you shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger and the native of the land.’” (NKJV)

Only when a stranger wants to eat the Passover – which implies living as a Jew in every aspect – he will have to be circumcised with all his family. If he doesn't wish to eat the Passover, he has no obligation of getting circumcised and the same law doesn't apply to him. In such a case he won't be committing a mortal sin when not eating the Passover, as the ones who belong to the covenant of circumcision (Num. 9:13).

The foreigner who lives among the Jews and doesn't get circumcised doesn't belong to the earthly people of Israel, as we see in Deuteronomy 14:21a where it's written: “You shall not eat anything that dies of itself. You shall give it to the stranger that is in your gates, so that he may eat it. Or you may sell it to a stranger. For you are a holy people to the LORD your God.” (MKJV revised).

Now, there is a heavenly people of the Eternal, the Messiah's congregation, where Jews who have been born of the Spirit and experienced the circumcision of the heart are registered, together with the righteous ones from among the nations who have experienced the same heart's circumcision, the Messiah's circumcision. That is a heavenly people, it's the heavenly temple of the Eternal, the heavenly city and the heavenly olive tree in which the spiritual grafting takes place.

The cornerstone that the builders rejected on earth was chosen by heaven and is the main rock in the heavenly building. The root of the olive, the root of David, is in heaven and there, there is unity between the spiritual Jew and the one redeemed from among the nations. Unity between them is in the Messiah in heaven. On earth, there are differences between Jew and Noachide, man and woman, slave and free man, but not in the Messiah who is in heaven, as it's written in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua.” (NIVUK revised)

There is only one people in heaven, there everyone is son of the Almighty, but on earth there are two kinds of people, sons of Israel and sons of Noach.

This way, there are three categories of people in total; two on earth and one in heaven: Jews and gentiles on earth and the congregation of the Almighty in heaven, as it's written in 1 Corinthians 10:32: “Be without offense both to Jews and Greeks, and to the assembly of God.” (LITV)

The Torah is not in heaven but on earth and it was given to the Jewish people. The entire Torah is not for both peoples: Jewish and Noachides, because in such a case all Noachides would have to take part in the covenant of circumcision and become Jewish. If this happened, there would be no more nations, but one. But the Eternal's plan is that there are many nations on earth and a priestly nation among and for them.

That's why we can't speak of one people and one Torah on earth. This rule only applies for the ones in the covenant of circumcision. The 613 commandments of the Torah were not given to those that are not in the covenant of the circumcision.

May the Eternal help us understand this well so that there may be harmony and peace between the two.

Blessings,

Who is stronger, the one who punishes or the one who forgives?

Numbers 14:8-25

"Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 'The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.' In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now."

(Num. 14:17-19 NIV)

Who is stronger, the one who punishes or the one who forgives?

Moshe asked the Eternal that His power be great and show mercy instead of acting in rigorous justice. What do mercy and forgiveness have to do with power? Wouldn't it be a greater manifestation of power to be able to exterminate the whole people in an instant?

This text teaches us that the Eternal has to use more power for mercy and forgiveness than for punishment.

It is so for men too. It's easier to act in a feeling of anger and outrage before injustice and sin than with mercy and forgiveness. It requires more power to forgive than to take revenge. The one who knows how to forgive is more powerful than the one who demands a fair sentence.

Let the Eternal's example be the guide for your behaviour. Let Him strengthen your inner man and allow mercy to triumph upon judgement in your dealings with your neighbour.

The one who knows how to forgive is powerful!

How do you see what is in front of you?

Numbers 13:21-14:7

And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size... and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good."

(Num. 13:32; 14:7 NIV)

How do you see what is in front of you?

Whatever we see determines the speech, decisions and conduct of each one of us. Our spiritual vision decides how our future will be. The twelve spies saw the same land, the same cities and the same inhabitants, but they had very different reactions to what they saw. What is important is not what lies before your eyes but your reaction to it.

Even though the ten spies saw a beautiful land, thoughts of problems and impossibilities took over their souls and they couldn't believe that it could be possible to defeat such great peoples and conquer such fortified cities. The reason was that they didn’t want to believe in the Eternal.

But the other two spies saw things in a different way. They had learned from what happened in Egypt and in the desert. They knew that they had a powerful Elokim and they believed in His promises. They saw the visible reality and also the invisible reality. The sons of Anak were gigantic, yes, the cities had tall fortified walls, yes, but the Almighty is much greater and He was with them. The ten spies saw things from down below but the two other spies saw them from above.

There are two voices, the voice of the impossible, that speaks of things from a natural perspective and the voice of possibilities that speak of things from the perspective of the power and promises of the Eternal. According to how we listen, we are going to believe; if we only see and listen to things from the natural perspective we are only going to act in the natural way and receive natural results. But if we see and listen to what divine promises say, we'll act in a natural way but receive help from heaven so our natural actions will become supernatural.

The way we listen determines our faith. According to the way we see things; it will be done to us.

Beloved disciple of the Messiah: learn to see things with your spiritual eyes, from above. Observe the reality of physical things but don't stay there. Watch and listen to what heaven says, because heaven has authority over the earth and the power to change the things on earth. Learn to cooperate with heaven and you'll see how the Eternal's promises are able to transform situations on earth according to what is in heaven.

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,” (Eph. 1:18-19 NIV)

What is the relation between the Messiah and Ephraim?

from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun... Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.

(Num. 13:8, 16b NIV)

What is the relation between the Messiah and Ephraim?

Y

ehoshua (Joshua) is the long form of the name Yeshua. Moshe knew prophetically that the name of the Messiah would be Yehoshua/Yeshua; therefore he named the one who was going to be his successor this name. This Yehoshua son of Nun came from the tribe of Ephraim, son of Yosef. This is a prophetic sign that the Messiah had to be a son of Yosef and fulfill the role of the suffering Messiah to be, afterwards, lifted up just as Yosef was in Egypt.

At the same time, we see an interesting connection between the Messiah and the tribe of Ephraim who represents the lost tribes of Israel. The Messiah has the task of representing and restoring these lost tribes.

Since his first coming, the Messiah has been working on the restoration of the lost tribes spiritually. The ten lost tribes are mixed among the gentiles. That's why when a gentile receives salvation and starts being obedient to the seven Noachide commandments they receive heavenly citizenship, and in that way Ephraim is restored in heaven and achieves a very high status.

However, the gentiles that come to the Messiah and represent Ephraim are not grafted in Israel on earth through this salvation; therefore they cannot call themselves Israelites nor replace the Jewish people. They are a people that belong to the Eternal, composed of righteous men and women from among the nations, but they are not the people of the Eternal in the sense of the covenant (of physical circumcision). And they do not have the obligation to fulfill the commandments that are meant for those of the circumcision.

The physical final and complete restoration of the lost tribes is reserved to the second coming of the Messiah. Then, according to my understanding, Ephraim's physical descendants that are mixed among the nations – who won't become immortal by the power of resurrection – will be chosen and pointed out by the Messiah and will have to enter the covenant of circumcision to take part in the physical people of Israel. Thus, the tribes will be restored, physically. These Israelites will be mortal.

So we can see that Ephraim's restoration is carried out in two stages: first, in a spiritual manner, in heaven, through the circumcision of the heart of those gentiles who receive the message of the Messiah; and second, with the restoration on earth of the lost tribes with the circumcision on the flesh and their gathering with the physical people of Israel on earth.

The righteous ones from among the nations that are now co-citizens in heaven are not part of those who are physically restored from the tribes, because in the moment of the return of the Messiah they will become immortal and will be the ones who rule over the earth, over the mortal ones.

This is how I understand the Scriptures.

Shavua tov,

Why is complaining so grave?

Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.

(Num. 11:1 NIV)

Why is complaining so grave?

The people of Israel's complaint produced the wrath of the Eternal to such extent that many of them died. Why is complaining so grave? Because it comes from sin and it produces disastrous results. Behind complaint is a challenge of doubt against the Eternal's goodness. That one who complains smears the image of the Eternal who is good forever. Complaining also affects man's image and transmits a bad spirit around him. Complaint has the ability to negatively affect everything in the creation. The remedy against it is praise.

Complaint is the opposite of gratitude. Lack of gratitude is the first step to idolatry and homosexuality, the lowest levels a person can fall in (Rom. 1).

Complaints are an expression of the evil inclination and gratitude is an expression of the good inclination. Gratitude is able to see positive things in spite of a negative situation, to acknowledge them and to praise the Eternal for them. Complaint only sees the negative aspects, gets upset by them and produces bitterness and rebellion against the Eternal. Complaint and bitterness are contagious. Complaint blocks the Eternal's giving hand, but gratitude activates it. Complaint produces death, gratitude produces life. Complaint produces mental and physical disease, while praise produces mental and physical healing as it is written in Jeremiah 17:14: “Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”

“And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Cor. 10:10-13 NIV)

May the Eternal help us see the positive and always thank for it. So we are not only giving Him what belongs to Him but also keeping ourselves healthy and safe every day.

Always be joyous,

What does "to stand" mean?

Moses answered them, "Wait until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you."

(Num. 9:8 NIV)

What does "to stand" mean?

The Hebrew word translated as "wait" is imdu – עמדו – which literally means "stand up!". It comes from the root amad – עמד – to stand, which can also mean: to be present, to establish, to arise, to remain, etc. In this text it means to remain still in one's place (until an answer is received).

The fact that this term may be understood as "to be standing, to be still with no movement" can help us understand the text in Daniel 12:1 in which the same term appears. It's written there: “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.” (NIV)

When this angelical prince, Michael, who is the angel protector of Israel, arises, shouldn't it be for the benefit of the Jews? Then, how come it says here that it will be a time of distress like never before for the people of Israel? Wouldn't it be the opposite? When Michael arises, Israel is protected, but when Michael is still the people are in distress, because he isn't defending them against the enemies. This teaches us that this term should be understood as "being still, standing up", not as arise.

That's the way Rashi understands the text in Daniel 12:1. He says that Michael will remain quiet. In this way, we can understand that when the people of Israel are protected against their enemies it is because Michael and the angels under his command are fighting on their behalf.

But there will be a moment in which this powerful angel will remain still and then, the great tribulation will come upon the Jewish people and upon all those who have the Jewish faith, which is also the faith of the Messiah and his emissaries. This time is close.

May the Eternal fill us with His power and wisdom to be able to endure the great tribulation that is coming. The one who perseveres in the faith of the Messiah until the end will be saved.