In the Wilderness - (Bamidbar) במדבר - Audio Podcast May 20, 2023
Notes
Transcript
Numbers 1:1-4:20
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TORAH GPS
We continue to use the Torah as our guide to do our portions
So far we have come from Genesis to now Leviticus, and God has been at work
We have talked about Vayikra in the last few weeks
So far we can summarize what we have studied by Cumulative Summary and Overview
b’Reisheet, in the beginning, God creates Paradise, but we fail to rest. God begins again with Avraham and his family of covenant faith.
And these are the Sh’mot, names of the children of Yisra’el, who go to Egypt to survive famine. Our numbers grow. We’re enslaved. But God delivers us from bondage and forms us into a nation!
vaYikra—and He calls us to become holy, a kingdom of priests with God at the heart of our camp.
The Land of Promise lies ahead, but we wander in the wilderness, b’Midbar Sinai …
One of the last topics we covered in Vayikra was the idea of walking -
Halak B’Chukotai- (walk on my Statutes) הָלַךְ בחקתי
Although, we are starting a new series in this new Torah Portions in the book of Bamidbar - In the Wilderness, commonly known as Numbers
We will revisit this idea of walking and how important it is in the end times.
We have done expositional presentation on the book of Numbers in the last two years
Feel free to look at our Podcast for a refresher
We are set off today to take at look at Bamidbar at a deeper level.
I do not recommend this study to someone who has no foundational understanding of the Gospel and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
Introduction
Introduction
The roadmap
One of the main objectives of the Torah Portions is to find the prophetic significance of the tribes, and their journey in the wilderness
In our Torah Portions today we are going to look at the purpose of the organization behind the tribes
Their prophetic implications
We will look at the prophets and will end with the Gospel
In the first part of the Torah portions we are going to briefly conceptualize some terms related to the portion.
We will introduce the Torah Portion and the book of Bamidbar
We will look at the covenant of God in this book
This Torah Portion pops up in Revelation and prophecy quite frequently.
ba = in the
midbar = wilderness
Winds come as part of a storm usually.
Storms represent trouble in Biblical language.
Winds are also part of the Biblical narrative.
Storms are not always pleasant or even welcomed
Many speak of storms in the Bible
12 He stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.
4 For You have been a strength to the poor, A strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, A shade from the heat; For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Certainly Jacob knows all about those storms
The bones that come to life in Ezekiel are the bones of Ephraim
11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’
16 “As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’
17 Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.
18 “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not show us what you mean by these?’—
19 say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.” ’
20 And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.
9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’ ”
8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely.
I believe this segment from Ezekiel introduces our Torah portion for today perfectly.
We will see how God plans to bring His 12 tribes back together from every corner of the world
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying:
On the first day of the second month.
The Sages compared the Jewish people’s connection to Adonai to the marriage of a bride and groom in regard to two events:
1- The first one is the Giving of the Torah, based on the verse
18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
“And He gave to Moshe when He finished (ככלתו).”
The word ככלתו is written without the vav suggesting that just as the Torah was given to him as a bride (כלה), who is adorned with twenty-four adornments, so, too, a Torah scholar must be knowledgeable in the twenty-four books.
(The Hebrew Bible contains only 24 books divided in three sections: Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim.)
He made - finished = כָּלָה (kā·lāh)
3983 I. כָּלָה (kā·lā(h)): v.; ≡ Str 3615; TWOT 982, 983, 984—1. LN 68.22–68.33 (qal) finish, complete, i.e., come to the end of an event (Ge 41:53); (piel) finish, complete (Ge 2:2); (pual) be completed, be concluded
1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished.
; Ps 72:20+); 2. LN 13.69–13.103 (qal) be gone, used up, vanish, i.e., to no longer exist (Ge 21:15); (piel) be all gone, spend (Ge 43:2; Dt 32:23); 3. LN 74 (qal) wear out, fail, i.e., no longer be in an able or capable condition (Dt 28:32); (piel) grow weary (Job 31:16); 4. LN 25.68–25.79 (qal) be determined, decide, intend, i.e., have a feeling of focus and eagerness to accomplish a task (1Sa 20:7; Est 7:7); (piel) be bent on (Pr 16:30); 5. LN 20.31–20.60 (qal) perish, i.e., be in a state of ruin or destruction, with a focus on a lack of state of existence (Job 4:9; Pr 22:8); (piel) destroy, end, wipe out, ravage, eliminate, consume (2Sa 21:5); 6. LN 13.104–13.163 (qal) fulfill, hanging over, i.e., to make an event happen (2Ch 36:22); 7. LN 25.12–25.32 (qal) yearn, long for, i.e., have a very strong desire for an object (2Sa 13:39; Job 19:27); 8. LN 59.35–59.43 (piel) be full, i.e., have a quantity of space completely occupied (2Ch 24:10), note: Da 9:24
Bride = כַּלָּה (kǎl·lāh)
3987 כַּלָּה (kǎl·lā(h)): n.fem.; ≡ Str 3618; TWOT 986a—1. LN 10.57 bride, i.e., a woman in the very initial stage of marriage to a man, or possibly just prior to marriage (SS 4:8, 9, 10, 11, 12; 5:1; Isa 49:18; 61:10; 62:5; Jer 2:32; 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; 33:11; Joel 2:16+), see also 3994; 2. LN 10.60 daughter-in-law, i.e., a father’s son’s wife by marriage (Ge 11:31; 38:11, 16, 24; Lev 18:15; 20:12; Ru 1:6, 7, 8, 22; 2:20, 22; 4:15; 1Sa 4:19; 1Ch 2:4; Eze 22:11; Hos 4:13, 14; Mic 7:6+)Research Systems, Inc., 1997).
2-The second event was the inauguration of the Mishkon/ Temple, as it says in:
1 Now it came to pass, when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, that he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; so he anointed them and consecrated them.
“It came to pass, on the day Moshe finished erecting the Mishkon.”
Rashi explains that on the day the Mishkon was erected, the Israelites were like a bride entering the wedding canopy.
This teaches us that the Giving of the Torah was like betrothal (erusin),
and the day the Mishkon was erected was like marriage (nisuin).
In between there was about ten months, which is comparable to the ten months given to a bride from the time of betrothal to marriage to be adorned in the twenty-four types of adornments mentioned in Yeshayahu /
18 In that day the Lord will take away the finery: The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents;
19 The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils;
20 The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; The perfume boxes, the charms,
21 and the rings; The nose jewels,
22 the festal apparel, and the mantles; The outer garments, the purses,
Besides the wedding, Adonai numbered and organized the Israelites by tribe in order to prepare them for the journey into the land of Israel- which will be the place of the wedding.
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying:
2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male individually,
3 from twenty years old and above—all who are able to go to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
4 And with you there shall be a man from every tribe, each one the head of his father’s house.
The ordering and organizing is significant and happens after a few censuses taken in the Torah.
He never numbers anybody.
A Jew shall not be numbered.
The idea is that if you count a head in Israel you can bring plagues upon you.
Instead, the would count the coins -shekels.
The idea of order is to maximize their service in the temple and for war.
The purpose is to bring marriage back to the way was intended to be.
Bamidbar starts by giving us a specific date
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying:
Man was placed in the Garden in the second month.
The same way Adonai places Israel and the 12 tribes in the wilderness in the second month.
In other words, Adonai placed Israel within His boundaries in relation to the Tabernacle (Mishkan)
on the first day of Lyar
within the cloud
where Garden-like life is possible in the midbar.
The organizing was for war
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
8 The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
9 And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
Tree of Life:
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
12 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
12 months = 12 fruits = 12 tribes
Man was placed in the garden- Lyar- April / May
There is a connection between man being placed in the garden and Israel finding their placement with the camp itself, which eventually will depict the promised land.
In the next Torah Portion of Bamidbar - NASO - the 12 tribes start bringing food of Adonai to dedicate in the Mishkan, but in the next month says “man was commanded to bring food.”
In the subsequent Torah Portion - BEHA-ALOTKHA, they are shown as wanting to eat meat themselves -transgressing what Adonai had said.
There are so many cycles functioning among the cycles.
There’s the cycle of hours, the cycle of days.
The cycle of months, etc.
Our Torah Portions in Bamidbar are always tied to fall around the MOED of Shavout.
We will unpack part of the first verse.
It did not only say in the wilderness; or only at Sinai
but in the wilderness of Sinai (the mount of God- the Temple of God)
In the wilderness, Badmidbar, corresponds every year to the time of Shavuot - which emphasizes the time the Torah was given at Sinai (back to Exodus 31:18) .
So the context is in the wilderness of the Sinai, bringing it together with the feast - Shavuot.
The temple is built.
The tribes need to be counted now since the Lord spoke to Moses regarding the order.
The text emphasizes that they are organizing for war - when we transgress the will of the Lord, we most of the time, head for war - a storm.
Only men are counting for war - no women and children. Just like in the garden the responsibility was given to Adam to protect and keep the garden.
So, we see in the rest of the Bible, especially in Revelation, the 12 tribes, we need to come back to the Torah - the seed, to understand the message being presented.
For example: 12 tribes / Matot the 12 Tribes Torah Portion.
Presentation
Presentation
In Badmidbar, we also need to consider the 12 tribes - not always obvious, but if we pay attention
it is about the 12 tribes: the census, the organization, the way the tribes move, how the Levites camped, is seen in Badmidbar.
They are organized in “four corners.”
Their positioning in the camp is directly correlated to the blessing each received ( as in Genesis chapter 49:1-33)
Characteristics of each one of the tribes slides
The camp of Judah, Isaachar and Zebulun were known for their commerce which they used to support holy causes, especially in the tribe of Isaachar.
They were organized for war, and for specific reasons but more importantly for peace, which was not achieved since down south: Kohath - Korach which had a break out.
Again, there are “four corners” in their formation.
The cloud surrounded the Camp on all four sides.
Outside were kept those with tsarat / leprosy, or those rejected from the Camp by the cloud.
At the center you have the temple, surrounded by Moses’ family, levites.
Moses, Aaron and High Priest will camp on the east side, by the entry way.
The idea is that Moses is mentioned as being the father of Aaron’s sons because he was the spiritual father.
The four corners were given to live stock.
The clouds of glory were like a wall that are going to envelop all four sides -except the sick.
Clearly there were boundaries.
How did they know where these boundaries began and ended?
How did they keep their tribes separate?
A tradition talks about Mariam’s well.
Miriam’s Well was said to delineate the boundaries between the tribes and its 12 streams which became the boundaries, except for Ephraim and Menashe - midrash
What are the four winds?
Four Winds as Every Direction — Four winds represent every direction.
Source: Four Winds
Factbook | Wind
Target: Every Direction
Category: Metonymy
Example: Government of Canada - Ottawa
Example:
19 and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
Judah, Isaachar and Zebulun are facing in the direction of the East Wind.
The wast side, you have Benjamin, Ephraim and Mesashe.
The west side is said to be from where darkness comes.
We have in the North Dan Asher and Naphtali.
The north side is said to be the side from which hail will come with damaging rains
Over the south side: Simon, Gad Ruben.
Ruben being a positive encouraging influence to the other two tribes in his pod.
But Ruben appears in a rebellion later.
The South is the one direction of wind that does not seem to be overly damaging.
It is to bring the dews.
For example the dew of heaven = resurrection.
But this does not make it a complete good things.
Sometimes dew is not used to emphasize as a blessing.
What the tribes are doing at the encampments is affecting the four winds we see coming to the camp, prophetically- concerning the angels of the 4 winds, which they will find as they face the wilderness.
So, the devisions (three tribes on each side) are a way of bringing order to the winds.
If you lived in a tornado area you will know the effects of it.
Stormy zones can give you a lot of experience in things flying around in front of your face.
If you live in an area where the climate is very severe, you will know what to expect under those circumstances.
The winds of affect us as well.
Wherever you live, you are susceptible to the 4 winds.
The winds do affect us.
Although the winds come from God
what we do contributes as well to the influence of the wind in us.
The chaos we experience on earth seems to be a direct correlation of what Israel is doing or not doing
especially in the land of Israel.
In our Torah Portion we have the statement “as they camp, so shall they journey, everyone at his place”
17 “And the tabernacle of meeting shall move out with the camp of the Levites in the middle of the camps; as they camp, so they shall move out, everyone in his place, by their standards.
Finger/ Hand = יד (yad)
3338 יָד (yāḏ): n.fem. [BDB: masc. Ex 17:12+ ]; ≡ Str 3027; TWOT 844—1. LN 8.9–8.69 hand, i.e., the part of the human body from the upper wrist to the tip of the fingers (Ge 3:22); 2. LN 8.9–8.69 finger, i.e., a digit of the hand (Ge 41:42); 3. LN 8.9–8.69 arm, i.e., the entire arm on the body from the shoulder to the tip of the finger (Isa 50:2); 4. LN 57.1–57.21 possession, formally, hand, i.e., what is owned and/or controlled by another (Ex 22:3[EB 4]); 5. LN 76 power, i.e., the force and ability sufficient to accomplish a task, as an extension of the hand as a body part which is essential to manipulate one’s environment (Dt 7:8), see also domain LN 74; 6. LN 37.1–37.32 control, formally, hand, i.e., a state of domination over a less powerful object, as an extension of the hand as a body part which can grasp and hold an object (2Sa 8:1); 7. LN 35.36–35.46 care, i.e., the state of concern over persons or objects, implying the ability to use or control as necessary to their care (Ge 39:4)
In his place means literally = At His hand
The hand is the area at your side, your immediate surroundings.
Each tribe had a a standard/ banner (Heb- degel)
then the groupings of three moved under the banner of the assigned tribe within their division.
Ezra:
AS THEY ENCAMP, SO SHALL THEY SET FORWARD.
The reference is to the camps, which refers to the camp of the Israelites.
It (as they camp so shall they move forward) does not refer to the camp of the Levites.
The Gershonites, who pitched on the west (Numbers 3:23) of the sanctuary, and the Merarites on the north (Numbers 3:35 ) journeyed together (Numbers 10:17 ) , after the camp of Judah who pitched on the east.
EVERY MAN IN HIS PLACE.
The meaning of al yado (in his place) is, in his corner and place.
The word yado literally means his hand, Hence I.E.’s comment. The same applies to yad ha-yarden (by the side of the Jordan
29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”
and ve-yad tiheyah lekha (and thou shalt have a paddle) (Deut. 23:13). *The word yad, literally hand, is to be rendered as place in both of these verses.
Rashi expounds:
The traveling is like their camping, each traveling on the side assigned to it [“...kol degel mehalekh I’ruach ha-kvuah....”]
In other words,, as the camp moved with the Ruack HaKodesh, when the cloud and ark moved, so the tribes moved according to a distinct RUACH/ SPIRIT designated by the degel/banner, starting with Judah
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
The lesson to us is that the same way we camp - the degree of organization in our home life (temple-dwelling), private life, the way you carry on your daily household duties, is liable to be reflective in your journey.
If you are not able to keep order in your own house, and be organized, how can you be organized in the journey.
1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
If you are not organized at home, you will create a state of chaos. This is the reason for the boundaries the Lord is putting in place for the tribes.
The whole idea is that you learn your routines, your rituals, so that you are prepared when you do need to journey.
You will be able to do it in an organized way as it has become second nature.
So, when Israel moved as they were assigned, each one in the their position, the Lord took them by the hand, and they were able to accomplish and were powerful.
As they moved they maintained their order.
17 “And the tabernacle of meeting shall move out with the camp of the Levites in the middle of the camps; as they camp, so they shall move out, everyone in his place, by their standards.
The word “standards” sometimes translated as “division” = דֶּגֶל degel in Hebrew
1840 דֶּגֶל (dě·ḡěl): n.masc.; ≡ Str 1714; TWOT 402a—1. LN 6.215–6.225 standard, i.e., an ensign on a pole for identification of a tribe or special group for rallying or organization of groups (Nu 1:52–2:2-34 passim; 10:14, 18, 22, 25+), note: this is not a cloth flag on the upper end of the pole, but a figurine of some kind, sometimes an animal; 2. LN 6.215–6.225 banner, pennon, i.e., a pole shaft with cloth flag of some kind, which hovers over its people as a sign; here as a figure or sign of prominent love (SS 2:4+), note: see also domain
Degel has a deeper spiritual meaning.
We are so used to seeing people hanging little flags, and seasonal banners, Christmas ornaments, civic ornaments - which changes with the activity.
But in this case DEGEL has a deeper connotation.
In Biblical times a DEGEL was used to send a message that would speak to the people seeing it.
The deep spiritual meaning - ACCORDING HIS HAND. Like an English - what is there at hand?
The DAGEL symbolized the extend to which that tribe would reach
But not only in a physical way. But up into the heavenlies
The four winds and angels, and demons work in the heavenly places
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
You must be aware of your preparation for the war at hand.
Keeping holy is that preparation. When people keep the commandments, they are not always able to understand what is happening when they obey because they can’t see it.
Our eyes will not be able to see it in the natural, but only in the Spirit.
As we work together with the spirit, we hold back the four winds and the chaos they bring.
Each group of tribes would form a division: three at every flank. The key in here is unity:
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Three is more than 2.
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Together Everybody Achieves More
Sometimes we hold our own banner, and the banner looks like ourselves.
Other times we hold our brother’s banner, even when the banner does not look like mine.
They would have two DAGEL: your own tribe and your division’s, having been placed in the unit because of your unique strengths and weaknesses.
Whatever your strength is, you help the person in your division.
Whatever your weakness is, you can build up by your own division. Your shortcomings become the opportunity for others to shoulder with you as they help.
But, just as the tribes of Israel when they moved around, we move around promoting chaos.
This is why Rashi says “their traveling is like their camping.”
Each person journeying with you, on the side assigned to him, will be associated with that side.
Rashi said in Hebrew: [“...kol degel mehalekh I’ruach ha-kvuah....”]. He is talking about how the tribes moved.
כאשר יחנו כן יסעו AS THEY ENCAMP SO SHALL THEY JOURNEY — just as I have explained (v. 9): their positions when marching shall be the same as when encamping — each division marches on that side that is assigned to it.
יסעו
nasa - marching as synonym for the word mehalekh = marching
נָסַע (v) heb
to pull out, pull up, set out, journey, remove, set forward, depart
(Qal)
to pull out or up
to set out, depart
to journey, march
to set forth (of wind)
(Niphal) to be pulled up, be removed, be plucked up
(Hiphil)
to cause to set out, lead out, cause to spring up
to remove, quarry
I. נָסַע
vb. pull out or up, set out, journey (NH id., move, march; Assyrian nisû, set out, withdraw, etc.
34 Thus the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; so they camped by their standards and so they broke camp, each one by his family, according to their fathers’ houses.
Pull out / out of wind, נ׳ רוּחַ מֵאֵת י׳ Nu 11:31 there set forth (sprang up) a wind from י׳.
31 Now a wind went out from the Lord, and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground.
BDB Dictionary
F Brown, S. Driver & C. Briggs
Last Torah portion we talked about WALKING with the Lord, studying the Torah.
So, what he is saying here is They Walk with Ruach.
The Lord is placing an equivalency with having a side and the Ruach - The Holy Spirit of God.
In other words, where the Lord has placed you, He will anoint you with the Holy Spirit to do what He wants you to do - in your proper division.
Last year we spoke about the whole camp moving together with the cloud.
They would know when to move when the cloud would move.
This is how they would know when to move.
This is also applicable for us today. We move/ march/ walk when He says we move/march/ walk
Each tribe moved according to their designated DAGEL -banner.
Each one of us has his own banner.
There were 4 divisions.
Each division would be interpreted as having a different Spirit.
There are 4 living creatures of the divine chariot, as the DAGEL has a very powerful and significant meaning.
It wasn’t just a pretty flag.
4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
6 Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.
7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze.
8 The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings.
9 Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning.
14 And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces.
16 The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went.
18 As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them.
19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21 When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”
These DAGELS are representative of the Spirit you should be moving with.
The same Spirit that was at rest in your camp, by the banner - Dagel, is that same spirit you are going to follow as you begin to journey- walk.
Where the cloud went they went. Organizationally, Judah will go first. He will initiate the movement to lead the 12 tribes.
Consider
6 His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me.
Targum -Aramaic (most commonly language spoken at the time) first century for those who did not understand the Hebrew text.
There are different Targums.
Targums are translations.
By looking at the Targums we hope to understand how they read the Hebrews scriptures by means of the translations into Aramaic.
While the people of the House of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, four clouds of glory surrounded them from the four winds [i.e., directions] of the earth, so that the Evil Eye had no power over them. Another cloud was above them, so that neither the heat nor the sun, and neither rain nor hail would overcome them.
(Paul addresses this in
1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,
2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
there was a pillar of cloud, but they were covered by 4 clouds)
Another was below them, and it carried them as a nursing father carries the infant in his bosom.
Another ran before them three days’ journey to level mountains and raise valleys; it killed all the poisonous serpents and scorpions in the wilderness;
and it would scout out for them a suitable place for them to rest, so that they could be occupied with instruction in the Law (Torah) which had been given to them by the right hand of YY (Adonia)
When they disobeyed, they grumbled and complained, they were attacked from different angles and were pray of the Amalekites
There is a relation of the clouds with the four winds “the directions of the earth.”
Each of the clouds that surrounded them represented each direction of the earth.
The faces of the four creatures tell us the divisions of the tribes:
8 The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings.
Rashi:
on their four sides (taking about the divine chariot)
To the four directions of the world, for they have faces and wings in every direction.
Each of these winds:
Has a face
Has a direction
Has wings - for movement
East - hot damaging land
West - darkness
North - hail and damaging rains
South - dews
Where did these clouds come from?
They came down in Sukkot, after they left Egypt.
This is why in Jewish writing they are referred to Clouds of Glory / Sukkot of Glory. We all can relate to Cloud of Glory.
It was thought that the clouds descended on mount Sinai, from the Throne of Glory
Targum Jonathan explains it:
6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.
But a cloud of glory descended from the throne of glory, and was filled with waters from the ocean, and afterward went up from the earth, and gave rain to come down and water all the face of the ground.
Consider that which we enjoy or suffer sometimes is the result of the winds, as it is divinely ordained.
We must be aware that our behaviour affect these clouds of Glory.
They can withdraw because our behaviour.
It is not difficult to understand- we obey the Torah and the blessings will rain down from the cloud.
When we obey there is a response in the heavenlies.
When you obey the word, you are part of the watering of the ground.
There is an interaction between you and heaven when you keep the law, for smallest it may be.
We have this same event at a lower scale in the Wilderness, with Israel enveloped by the clouds for 40 years.
These 40 years of cloud enveloping were designed to bless the whole world because it promoted discipline to the four winds.
The same as the Israelites, we do not act out, disobey, rumble and complain, we can live a garden like experience, even in the wilderness.
Our journey and encampment has direct effect not only on the earth as to the consequences to our choices, but also as to the effect in heaven.
It is almost impossible to believe that heavens takes a good look at the little things we do, and how much effect they have.
There is a dispute regarding the banners for the tribes of Israel, as to the way they look.
We have the picture of each tribe presenting their strength. From there we draw the four important ones who lead the others, again:
Picture of 4 tribes
Each one of the 4 leader encampment or division, we mentioned before, represents a spirit of that tribe and its calling. We find this in
10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
They were not just banners, but they represented spirits:
Jewish tradition has it:
Blue banner (degel) - Judah - lion - Gabriel
Red banner - Ruben - man - Michael
(there is a debate as to it was a man or a dudaim - mandrake that he found.
They say the roots of the mandrake look like a human being)
Black banner - Ephraim - (associated with Joseph) bull/ox - Raphael
Sapphire banner - Dan -eagle - Uriel
Can we prove this? NO
We can only see the four angels in Revelation holding back four winds.
1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,
3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
This portion of Revelations goes back to the Tribes of Israel.
These angels have a division, domain, assigned to them.
So, what happens to Judah can affect to what happens with wind controlled by Gabriel and so forth.
10 Behold, it is planted, Will it thrive? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the garden terrace where it grew.” ’ ”
12 But she was plucked up in fury, She was cast down to the ground, And the east wind dried her fruit. Her strong branches were broken and withered; The fire consumed them.
15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.
36 Against Elam I will bring the four winds From the four quarters of heaven, And scatter them toward all those winds; There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go.
Closing
Closing
These are the patterns of the wind used in the Bible.
They can be used for punishment or they can be used for cause and effect.
Whatever the angel is holding back, he is not supposed to hold back if you rebel.
In the physical realm there will usually be a predominant wind.
There is a saying that goes: “In the land of Israel, winds do not move simultaneously.”
Meaning one will be more predominant - depending on the season, there will be a different direction.
They take turns. Sometimes the wind comes from the most unusual place.
We say that is not normal.
Each accomplishes a job, just like the divisions in the tribes.
They do not blow at the exact same time, with the exact same strength.
There might be chaos if this happened.
Nevertheless, these winds can only be disciplined and organized by One person.
He can command the winds in a way that they can do what He commands.
They can move simultaneously, or sparely - which ever way He chooses.
If He does command them blessings can come from them.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”
8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes, And the deaf who have ears.
9 Let all the nations be gathered together, And let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, And show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”
10 “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.
11 I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses,” Says the Lord, “that I am God.
13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?”
14 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I will send to Babylon, And bring them all down as fugitives— The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.”
This is the point of studying the tribes
So, if we can learn to behave and be dedicated in our home, there is no reason to be concerned or worried.
Be organized keeping your position in the camp - know your boundaries - know what is in your hand - Work with what He has given you in your hand.
You do not want to wander. Hold the line.
If we manage what He has given us, He will manage the winds.
Don’t say you are not doing much - you would not believe what He can do with the little we do - with your service.
His domain is the North wind- only at the time of Messiah
Remember His promise
You gotta know who you belong to:
The Re-gathering of Israel
Since the Jewish prophets had predicted in great detail the world-wide re-gathering of Israel, Jesus did not spend much time with this, but only specified that it will occur after His Second Coming. This re-gathering is found in Matthew 24:31
Gospel:
35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”
36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
and Mark 13:27
27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
Following the Second Coming, the Messiah will send his angels all over the world to re-gather every Jew and bring them back into their Land.
The background to the Matthew passage is Isaiah 27:12–13, which prophesied that the final restoration of Israel will be signaled by the sound of a great trumpet.
12 And it shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will thresh, From the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt; And you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel.
13 So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.
The background to the Mark passage is Deuteronomy 30:4, which also emphasizes that the final restoration will come from two localities: earth and Heaven.
4 If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you.
Those who are gathered from the uttermost parts of the earth will be living Israel, the one-third Remnant that survives the Tribulation.
Those who are gathered from the uttermost part of heaven will be the resurrected Old Testament saints.
This part of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew chapter 13, verse 27) summarizes many Old Testament prophecies, specifying that the final world-wide restoration will come only after the Second Coming, not before
Get ready for the harvest - it will not come without tribulation
Are you ready?
This is the Torah Portions for Today
Shabbat Shalom