Parasha Chukat 5784
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Me
Me
This week we read Parasha Chukat, Numbers 19:1-22:1, and the name for the Parasha is from the second word of the second verse in Hebrew, Chukat, which means decree or statute. It is from the root word Chok and is a divine decree or statute that is supra-rational, in other words it is a command from HaShem that Israel is to honor and uphold whether they understand the reasoning or not.
The Parasha begins with the discussion of the Parah Adumah (the Red Heifer), which is the supra-rational decree. In fact, paraphrasing Midrash Rabbah, Moses asked God, “how in the world can the Parah Adumah be a purification?” And God responded, “It is Chok, a decree that I have decreed that no human can fully comprehend, so it is a purification simply because I said it is a purification.” And considering that 14,700 people had just died in the camps of Israel, the purification of the Parah Adumah is of great importance at this point.
Moses and Aaron are commanded to take a spotless and unblemished Red Heifer that has never been yoked and to slaughter it outside the camp. The blood is to be sprinkled toward the Mishkan then every bit of the Para Adumah is to be burned up. The Kohen is to take some cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet wool and toss them in the fire with the heifer. Then the ashes are to be kept in a clean place and as needed will be mixed with fresh water in order to create the Mayim Chayim that would cleanse one who had come into contact with a dead body. One of the most intriguing aspects of the Parah Adumah and Mayim Chayim made from it is that every single person who participates in the process of producing the Mayim Chayim becomes unclean until sundown in order for the one who is unclean to become clean.
Then the first part chapter 20 opens with Miriam’s death, about which Talmud says, “Why does the account of Miriam’s death follow the [laws of the] red heifer? To teach us that just as the red heifer achieves atonement, so does the death of the righteous achieve atonement.” Which is extremely interesting to me as we think about the reality of the true atonement provided by the 100% spotless and righteous Lamb of God, Messiah Yeshua. We also read about the second time Moses is instructed to bring water from the rock, however this time he is instructed by HaShem to simply speak to the rock and instead he strikes it again.
In the second half of chapter 20 Israel is denied passage through the land of Edom and Aaron dies on Mount Hor and the priesthood is passed down to Eleazar.
In chapter 21 Israel is attacked by the Canaanite king Arad and his army. Israel vowed to Adonai that if He delivered Arad and his army into their hand then they would put the cities under a complete ban of destruction. After this they journey on toward the Sea of Reeds again and become impatient and grumble against God.
Any of us here know anything about becoming impatient waiting on God’s plans?
Well, Adonai sends poisonous snakes into the camps of Israel and a bunch of people die. But, when Israel repents God commands Moses to fashion a bronze serpent on a pole and when anyone is bit by a snake if they look up at the Snake on a Stake they will be healed, and the plague is ended. (Which, by the way, at some point Israel ends up making the snake on a stake an idol, as we see with King Hezekiah destroying it in 2 Kings 18.)
Then Sihon and Og attack Israel and Israel conquers all of their territory.
(Talk about being thirsty)
We
We
God
God
Principle: This world will dehydrate our spiritual life, which means we must rely solely on Well of the Water of Life that will never run dry.
(Repeat)
Parasha Chukat
Now there was no water for the community, so they assembled against Moses and Aaron.
The people quarreled with Moses saying, “If only we had died when our brothers died before Adonai!
Now why have you brought the community of Adonai into this wilderness, for us and our livestock to die here?
Why have you brought us from Egypt to bring us to this evil place—a place without grain, fig, grapevine or pomegranate—and there’s no water to drink!”
So Moses and Aaron went from before the assembly to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of Adonai appeared to them.
Adonai spoke to Moses saying,
“Take the staff and gather the assembly, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will give out its water. You will bring out water from the rock, and you will give the community something to drink, along with their livestock.”
So Moses took the staff from before the presence of Adonai, just as He had commanded him.
Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock. He said, “Listen now, you rebels! Must we bring you water from this rock?”
Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with the staff. Water gushed out and the community and its livestock drank.
But Adonai said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in Me so as to esteem Me as holy in the eyes of Bnei-Yisrael, therefore you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given to them.”
These are the waters of Meribah where Bnei-Yisrael contended with Moses, and where Adonai showed Himself holy among them.
Parasha Chukat
The central them of this week’s Parasha is water…
-Mumbers 19— Cleansing waters of Parah Adumah
- Numbers 20:1-13— 2nd water from the rock/waters of Mirabah (The first being in Exodus 17:1-7)
-Numbers 20:14-21— Moses asks Edom for passage and guarantees they won’t drink any water as they pass through, Edom denies
-Numbers 20:22-29— Aaron died because of waters of Mirabah
-Numbers 21:1-9— Nehushtan (snake on a stake) is because Israel grumbled against G-d for no water and because of the Man Hu
-Numbers 21:10-20— Ad-nai provides water miraculously in Beer
-Numbers 21: 21-35— Moses makes the same request of Sihon and Og as he did Edom (including not drinking water as they pass), Sihon and Og attack and Israel takes possession of their territory
—Midrash Rabbah—
Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel (20:12)
But had not Moses previously said something that was worse than this? For he said (Numbers 11:22): “If flocks and herds be slain for them, will they suffice them? Or if all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, will they suffice them?” Faith surely was wanting there too, and to a greater degree than in the present instance. Why then did G‑d not make the decree against him on that occasion?
Let me illustrate. To what may this be compared? To the case of a king who had a friend. Now this friend displayed arrogance towards the king privately, using harsh words. The king, however, did not lose his temper with him. After a time he arose and displayed his arrogance in the presence of his legions, and the king passed a sentence of death upon him. So also the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: “The first offence that you committed was a private matter between you and Me. Now, however, that it is done in the presence of the public, it is impossible to overlook it.” Thus it says: “[Because you did not believe in Me] in the eyes of the children of Israel.”
Principle: This world will dehydrate our spiritual life, which means we must rely solely on Well of the Water of Life that will never run dry.
Parasha Chukat
And from there—on to Beer. This is the well where Adonai said to Moses, “Gather the people and I will give them water.”
Then Israel sang this song, “Spring up, O well! Sing about it!”
The well the princes dug, that the nobles of the people sank with their scepter and their staffs.” From the wilderness they went on to Mattanah.
Parasha Chukat
In that day you will say: “I will give You thanks, Adonai, for though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
Behold, God is my salvation! I will trust and will not be afraid. For the Lord Adonai is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
In that day you will say: “Give thanks to Adonai. Proclaim His Name! Declare His works to the peoples, so they remember His exalted Name.
Sing to Adonai, for He has done gloriously. Let this be known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, inhabitant of Zion! For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
Parasha Chukat
Israel will learn to rely solely on HaShem their God and not on those of the nations around them who are only temporary allies and who will lead them astray from HaShem. But rather, they will find Salvation in HaShem alone—through Mashiach Yeshua—and as such they will draw water from the wells of salvaltion.
“But now listen, Jacob My servant, Israel, whom I have chosen.”
Thus says Adonai who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you: “Do not fear, Jacob My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground. I will pour My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants.
They will spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams.
This one will say, ‘I am Adonai’s.’ That one will be called by the name Jacob. Another will write on his hand, ‘Adonai’s’ and will take the name Israel.”
Thus says Adonai, Israel’s King and his Redeemer, Adonai-Tzva’ot: “I am the first, and the last, and there is no God beside Me.
Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and announce it! Let him arrange it in order for Me— as I established the ancient nation. Let them declare to them what is coming and future events.
Do not dread or be afraid. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? So you are My witnesses! Is there any God beside Me? Is there any other Rock? I know of none.
Parasha Chukat
“My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me —the spring of living water— and they dug their own cisterns— cracked cisterns that hold no water.
Parasha Chukat
Principle: This world will dehydrate our spiritual life, which means we must rely solely on Well of the Water of Life that will never run dry.
Parasha Chukat
So He comes to a Samaritan town called Shechem, near the plot of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
Now Jacob’s well was there. So Yeshua, exhausted from the journey, was sitting by the well. It was midday.
A Samaritan woman comes to draw water. “Give me a drink,” Yeshua tells her,
for His disciples had gone away to the town to buy food.
Then the Samaritan woman tells Him, “How is it that You, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (For Jewish people don’t deal with Samaritans.)
Yeshua replied to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
“Sir,” the woman tells Him, “You don’t have a bucket, and the well is deep. Then from where do You get this living water?
You’re not greater than our father Jacob, are You? He gave us this well. He drank out of it himself, with his sons and his cattle.”
Yeshua replied to her, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again.
But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty. The water that I give him will become a fountain of water within him, springing up to eternal life!”
“Sir,” the woman tells Him, “give me this water, so I won’t get thirsty or have to come all the way here to draw water!”
Parasha Chukat
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Yeshua stood up and cried out loudly, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ”
Now He said this about the Ruach, whom those who trusted in Him were going to receive; for the Ruach was not yet given, since Yeshua was not yet glorified.
Parasha Chukat
Principle: This world will dehydrate our spiritual life, which means we must rely solely on Well of the Water of Life that will never run dry.
You
You
(Call worship team back up and unmute)
We
We
If our worship team will make their way back up to the stage.