Message 7-19-08

Pinchas-Phineas (Dark-skinned)

Numbers 25:10-30:1

1 Kings 18:46-19:21

John 1:19-23

 

Introduction

Phineas is rewarded for killing the Israelite and the Midianite woman who cursed God. Israel fights a war against the Midianites. A second census is taken. The daughters of Zelophekhad force a change in the laws of property inheritance that allows them to inherit their late father’s share of Canaan. Joshua is chosen to succeed Moses. The sacrificial ritual for all the Festivals is described in detail.

 

Numbers 27:15-23

15 Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying: 16 "Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 "who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd." 18 And the LORD said to Moses: "Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; 19 "set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight. 20 "And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. 21 "He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the LORD for him by the judgment of the Urim. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him -- all the congregation." 22 So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23 And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him, just as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

 

I have commented on this passage in previous commentaries because it shows the heart of Moses. Moses knew he was going to die and that any further entreaties to the Lord would be fruitless as God had decided it was Moses’ time. It is curious that Caleb and Joshua were the only ones over the age of twenty, who had come out of Egypt, to make it into the Promised Land. I would have thought that Moses would have at least be one of those who would make it into the Land of Promise but he disobeyed God once and that sealed his fate. I believe this proves that leaders are held to a higher degree of accountability than others are. While we are all bond-servants of the Lord, leaders, teachers, etc. are on a different level. I do not mean to imply that leaders are better than others. What I am saying is their level of accountability is different and because they teach God’s people God holds them up to the light of examination more than most of the Body of Messiah.

 

Any leader who believes he is better than anyone in his congregation or anyone else, for that matter, had better go and look in the mirror.

 

Matthew 23:2 saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 "Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 "But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 "They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 "greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' 8 "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Messiah, and you are all brethren. 9 "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 "And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Messiah. 11 "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 "And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

 

I have seen where some have interpreted this passage literally when it comes to verses 8-10 especially verse 8 where it says do not call anyone Rabbi. They usually skip verses 9 and 10 when it talks about calling someone Father or Teacher but they love to quote verse 9. You can certainly apply a literal interpretation of the passage but not in the way we usually do because of the preceding and last verse where Yeshua is giving a description of what it is the leaders and teachers are doing. They teach the people the Torah but what they have apparently been doing is teaching their interpretation of the Torah and lifting themselves up as leaders over the rest of the population.

 

Messiah says in verse 11 and 12 of this passage that those who lift themselves up will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted. The meaning is clear for all leaders to make a note of this passage. Moses is our example of the type of leader we should strive to be if we are called to this position. Even more so than Moses is Yeshua, He was and is the Son of God, and as the Son of God and God Himself, He is higher than any of us could ever hope to be. As the Son of God He did not have to lower Himself by becoming one of us and then suffering the death He did. The bottom line is He was showing us the proper place of those who have been lifted up.

 

He was showing us that leaders must become servants and must become less than those we are leading and that leading means to serve. Leaders must possess a servant’s heart and not one where titles puff them up. Though I have been granted, through ordination, the title of Rabbi, I tend to use it in a limited fashion rather than to throw it around to show myself off. Believe me I have nothing to show off. I have made my share of mistakes in the world and as the leader of two Messianic congregations. I have made my share of mistakes when I was part of the leadership of two different Messianic organizations.

 

I tend to be hot-headed at times but as I have gotten older I have mellowed out to a degree. I am not what some would describe as a “warm and fuzzy Rabbi”. I have gotten better over the years but I still have a long way to go. I have a sarcastic way of speaking at times which I can trace back to my family. It does not make it right and at times it makes it wrong. I have to watch what I say, not only in a congregational setting but in a worldly setting as well. I use the title of Rabbi mostly when I need to do official things, like marrying someone. The Messiah is telling us to be careful of letting titles and positions go to our heads. Yet at the same time we must be careful because if we have been called to lead or teach for the Lord there must be some amount of respect given by those we have been called to lead and teach.

 

1 Corinthians 12:28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

 

Is everyone called to be an apostle, a prophet, a teacher, a worker of miracles, healings, etc? We all need to submit ourselves to the will of God and He will give the gifts as He sees fit not as we may desire. We must allow ourselves to be open to the will of God and allow Him to send His Ruach HaKodesh or Holy Spirit to work within us to show us what it is He has called us to do. We are servants of the Living God and He is alive within us so we need to learn to be alive in Him.

 

Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Messiah, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.

 

Not everyone has been called to be a leader or to a position that would bring them into leadership but at the same time God has given many gifts to His Body so that we can all work in unison to the glory of God. We just have to be patient and seek His will for our lives and work within our local Bodies to help build them up. The members of any Body of Messiah need to help their leaders. They need to pray for them and they need to find out what they can do to make things easier for them. If you are looking for the perfect congregation – guess what? – there are none! See what you can do to make a place for yourself in a local Body. Messianic congregations are not extensions of the Church nor should they be. While there are some aspects of the Church that Messianic Believers have in common there are many differences, the least of which is the keeping of the Torah and the Feasts of the Lord rather than the feasts of men.

 

When you cannot see the differences between the two worlds other than the fact that Messianic groups meet on Saturday and not on Sunday you need to question if this is where you belong. The Messianic world is not what it once was. It has changed. Some of the changes have been good ones while others have not been. Moses was moving off the stage of the world that he had been called by God to change for the better. He cast a giant shadow under which Joshua, the chosen man of God, would have to walk. One would have to believe that the task God had called Joshua to would be made that much more difficult because he had to follow in the footsteps of Moses. At the same time maybe it would explain some of the actions by Aaron, the brother of Moses. Aaron was the older brother but it would be his younger brother who would outshine his older brother. Aaron would always be seen in the light of his brother. That is not an easy for many of us who are outshone by parents, siblings, etc.

 

Our Biblical forefathers cast a large shadow for the rest of us to walk in. Let us hope and pray that we can do justice to their memory and to God.

 

1 Kings 19:11-13

11 Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

 

Elijah was a great prophet of God. He called down the fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice before the people of Israel and the pagan priests of Jezebel. He went toe to toe with the king and queen of Israel and with the help of God he stood heads and shoulders above them. He was great servant of God and yet after defeating the servants of Jezebel he fled for his life because of a word from Jezebel. He had just performed a great miracle with the help of his God and yet he could not stand against one woman.

 

1 Kings 19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

 

Elijah had just defeated 400 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah who sat at the table of Jezebel. A word sent to him from Jezebel against his life and he flees from the scene of his triumph for his God and the defeat of hers. This was a picture of those of us who follow God because we allow the world to get the better of us rather than looking past the things of this world and looking to God for our strength and support. There are times when our faith is God is rewarded in a mighty way and there other times when it falls flat and we lose heart. How we respond when this happens is up to us. Will we stand with the faith of Elijah as he did when he called down the fire from God or will we run, as Elijah did, and cry out to God that woe is me?

 

John 1:19-23

19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." 21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." 22 Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?" 23 He said: "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the LORD," ' as the prophet Isaiah said."

 

John the Immerser saw himself as a simple servant of God. I wish it were the same with many of us. I have found, in my years in ministry and in helping other congregations get started, that there tends to be too many cooks in the kitchen and too many who want to be chiefs and not enough Indians. The sad fact of the matter is, is this is what drives congregational splits and divisions with people figuring they know better than anyone else. I don’t care how many years a leader might go to Bible College or seminary or feel the call to ministry, the bottom line is until you actually lead a congregation or group, all the studying and all the people telling you what will happen mean nothing until you actually experience leading a group is like.

 

John the Immerser was exciting the people in a way they had not felt in a very long time. Something must have been going in because many people experienced the anticipation that John was bringing. He was at the forefront of a movement that was ushering in the time of the Messiah though he would have almost no part in it. John was preparing the way much as Moses had prepared the Children of Israel for their relationship with God and their march to the Promised Land, a journey that would end for Moses in his death by God on the brink of the Land. Joshua would pick up the reins of leadership after the death of Moses having been chosen by God to succeed his mentor and after having Moses lay his hands upon him to share with him a portion of the Ruach HaKodesh that had been given to Moses for the job he had been called to.

 

A leader, teacher, or whatever must be called by God to the ministry being laid upon them. There are many who are called but few who respond and there are many who step forward who are not called but insist on moving forward with their own vision and not that of God’s. I have seen this, not only in the Church, but in the Messianic Movement. The Messianic Movement is going through change and not all of it is good or necessary. What we need is teachers who teach Torah and salvation through Messiah Yeshua and keep the people grounded in the fundamentals. Too many are exploring things that only serve to confuse them. Many are looking at Hebrew, not to learn the language, but to seek the mystery believed to be found in the meanings and shapes of the Hebrew letters.

 

This is not foundational to our faith but a side trip that may only bring confusion. The understanding is found in the Hebrew words themselves that share with us the minds of those who put these words down on parchment. A Hebrew understanding of things has been given to the Jewish people to share with the nations of the earth when they were open to it. The Messianic Movement has been growing by leaps and bounds but too many people are trying to make it into something it was never meant to be. Messianic Judaism was meant to be a bridge to reach out to the Jewish people to share Yeshua with them but others have been drawn to it because Judah has been the caretaker of the torch for so long.

 

Instead of continuing this tradition many have rejected the Jewish flavor of the Movement and replaced it with something that is not Messianic in its intent or belief despite how hard some are trying to show it to be. We must be careful with these teachers who are bringing teachings that are not based in Torah. They may tickle the ears and sound exciting and get our juices flowing but in the end many will wind up being pulled in a direction that will turn them from the Way of Messiah and Torah. The road to one’s Hebrew Roots runs right through Judaism. Don’t try to detour around it or you will find something you never bargained for.

 

Do not judge another, until you are in the other’s place…Mishnah

 

If you want to learn more about your Hebrew/Jewish Roots sign up for one of our e-mail lists at http://etz-chayim.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi and for other Torah Studies check out:

Tony Robinson at www.devoted.to/Torah (sign up) 

Mark R. Ensign at mrensign@arn.net (request to be added to list) 

Ardelle Brody [abrody@mchsi.com](posted on Mordecai’s website along with his Torah commentary-an excellent woman’s perspective)

 

May the Lord bless you and yours… Mordecai Silver

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