Walk In The Blessings
- Posted on JunpmSun, 19 Jun 2016 13:51:22 -05002016-06-19T13:51:22-05:0001 17, 2016
- in Bible, God, Hebrew, Messiah, Nasso, Study, Torah, Yeshua
- by Hallelujah Girl
Shalom! This past week we examined the Parashah Nasso, “Make an Accounting”. Remember, we are still in Bamidbar (Numbers) and this book is still about “community”. Nasso can be found in Bamidbar (Numbers) 4:21-7:89, Judges 13:2-25, and John 11:1-54. One may have been taught that this is a book of the “law” and someone may have tried to say to you that the it is “done away with”, but this is false. Perhaps this is the reason why today our communities are so far away from the Holy One and His Word. Each and every commandment we preform is how we connect with our Father.
We find that that this portion of Torah continues with some “lifting up” of the heads of the tribe of the Gershonites. We left off last week with the Kohathite tribe being counted and all their duties are assigned. Just as any good healthy body, the next to be counted is the tribe of Gershon. Let’s let the opening verse tell the story.
Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying, “Take a census{Nasso} also {gam-haym}, of the sons of Gershon, by their ancestral households and by their families. -Bamidbar (Numbers) 4:21-22
Nasso is where our title comes from, meaning take, to lift, carry, arise, or bring forth. The Hebrew letters nun, sin, alef, make up the word nasso. The letter nun shows up a picture of the son or heir, a seed or to sprout. The shin or sin in this case, represents ascending tongues of fire. The alef pictures The Holy One, the leader, strength, the ox/head. What is Nasso? Appearing before the Holy One, to look through the ascending flames of fire, to focus all one’s attention upon Him. The first we see its root nasa in scripture is in Genesis 4:13, “Cain said to Adonai, “My iniquity is too great to bear!” Why was Cain’s iniquity to great to bear? He shed blood. For that there must be repentance.
If you notice back in Numbers 4:1, the Holy One speaks to both Moses and Aaron, but here in Numbers 4:21 as the next census commences the Holy One speaks to only Moses. Sure the Kohathites did have a more important job than the Gershonites when it came to the Tabernacle, but there was no favoritism in this community. Notice the text, after the word Nasso it says “also”. This word “also” has been translated from two hebrew words gam haym. gam, meaning also, moreover, again, alike, and both. The first we see gam in scripture is Genesis 3:6, Now the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a thing of lust for the eyes, and that the tree was desirable for imparting wisdom. So she took of its fruit and she ate. She also gave to her husband who was with her and he ate“. Haym,, means these or like. This word is found in Genesis 3:7, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made for themselves loin-coverings.”
Are we all not called to be a Royal Priesthood, and a Holy Nation? Those who are called are alike in that fact! Each part of the body makes up the whole. No part complains, no jealousy, each in tune with the heart and happy to perform their assigned task. Just as the Gersonites were now being lifted up and counted so to will the tribe of Merari. And this will round out the verses 21-33.
The rest of chapter 4 will focus on the numbering of the Levitical clan. Chapter five will begin with the separation of specific individuals that are in super unclean status then visit the protocol for restoration of a covenant breaker and end with the protocol for cleansing the suspected adulteress.
Breaking our covenant means we have disconnected, even if it is just “ever so slightly a sin”, it is still a sin. We connect with the Holy One through Prayer, Confession (teshuva/repentance/turning around), and through obedience/performance of Mizvot (commandments). We are not to remain in our sin. We are to strive against it, turn away from it. Repentance is a positive commandment. Even the smallest of sin should be confessed. 1John 9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Confession and repentance work together. Confession seems to be the first step towards repentance. Sometimes we all face hesitation when it comes to a complete turn around. We have what is called the “yetzer hara” or “evil inclination” and this represents “the inner impulse or tendency within the human heart to gravitate toward selfish gratification.” By loving His Torah and keeping His Mitzvot we envoke the yetzer hatov, the “good inclination” the inner impulse to do good. Yeshua informs us in Luke 15:7, “I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one repenting sinner than over the ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.”
Again, being restored is what our Messiah has in mind for His Bride! Chapter six will commence with the protocol of the Nazarite and end with the most beautiful of blessings. The Aharonic Benediction, or Priestly Blessing. The kohanim (priests) are commanded to bless in this manner: standing, raising their hands (hands pointed Heavenward), and facing the community.
And HASHEM spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, So shall you bless the Children of Israel, saying to them,
This is the first of the three part blessing:
Y’varekhekha Adonai v’yishmerekha (HASHEM bless you, and keep you);
This first verse promises material riches and success. “May He bless you”-wealth and “keep you”-from theives. HASHEM will guard us from misfortune which would impair our ability to enjoy that weath. “May He keep you” refers also to protection from the yetzer hara. Material wealth generates new types of desires. Money that is squandered becomes a curse rather than a blessing. The Holy One wants us to use our material wealth on Torah and mitzvot.
Ya’er Adonai panav eleikha vichunekha (Hashem make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee);
Here lies the spiritual blessing, asking the Shekinah of the Holy One to shine upon you. Of course, this is when you engage in His Torah. He will shine grace, wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. The word that means “be gracious unto you” is based on a special affection beyond logical understanding. A gift of grace, all because of love.
Yissa Adonai panav eleikha v’yasem l’kha shalom (Hashem lift up His countenance upon you, and give you shalom/peace).
And finally a culmination of the two. We desire the material and the spiritual only in order to achieve the ultimate blessing of closeness to the Holy One.
Let them place My Name upon the Children of Israel, and I shall bless them. -Bamidbar(Numbers) 6: 22-27
Chapter seven, verses 1-88, includes the Inauguration Day gifts from each tribe and verse 89 reads: “When Moses arrived at the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the Voice speaking to him from atop the Cover that was upon the Ark of the Testimony, from between the two Cherubim, and He spoke to him.” Divine communication in the “new season”.
In the wake of everything happening in the world today, is it not easy to see that the sense of “community” as the Holy One intended is suffering? Division, selfishness, and chaos surround the masses of society. Our only hope for shalom (peace) as His covenant people is to walk in His blessings. Divine communication from the Holy One is available from the Torah. This season of the world is playing out as He intended. Abiding with the Holy One is where you will have peace eternally! Hear and receive the Aharonic Benediction (< click here), given by Rabbi Jeramy Storch, a descendant from the tribe of Levi, and the walk in the blessings of Torah!
Shalom, Happy Day!
Hallelujah Girl!
Tags: #ReadYourBible #ItsAllAboutYeshua #TorahIsTruth, blessing, ItsAllAboutYeshua, Nasso, repentance, teshuva