Category: Inspiration

Lifted Up and Known

On By J. David Elwell, Th.D.In Applied Theology, Inspiration2 Comments

“May the Lord bless you and keep you (יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה, וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ). May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you ( יָאֵר יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וִיחֻנֶּךָּ). May the Lord lift up his face upon you and give peace (יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם).” (Numbers 6:24-26).

The opening of Torah portion Nasso (Num. 4:21 – 7:89) reads, “Again the Lord spoke to Moses saying, ‘Take a census also of the sons of Gershon by their ancestral households and by their families’” (Num. 4:21-22).

The phrase “take a census” can be translated as, “lift up the head” (נָשֹׂא אֶת-רֹאשׁ). While it may not be obvious by these words, this portion of Scripture is about encouragement: the lifting up of the people of God from their circumstance. Based upon the opening census of this portion, along with others found in Scripture, rabbinic sages concluded that the Lord counts those He loves. We learn from Messiah Yeshua/Jesus that so great is the love and care of the Lord for His people that “the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matt. 10:30). This should be a source of blessed encouragement.

The theme of lifting up extends through this entire portion of the Torah; as we note major concepts related to נָשֹׂא, “raise up.” As examples:

נָשֹׂא אֶת-רֹאש, “lift of the head,” the census of Gershon mentioned above.

The Priestly Blessing, בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים is also called נשיאת כפיים, the “lifting of the palms.”

The issue of marriage regarding the “spirit of jealous,” רוּחַ-קִנְאָה: marriage in Hebrew is נישואין.

יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ “Lift up His countenance,” יִשָּׂא is from נָשֹׂא.

The gifts from the heads of the tribes: prince is נָשִׂיא.

Additionally, the teaching of the Nazarite also lifted up the people of God. How so? No matter how poor, ordinary, or unlearned an Israelite was, he could reach a place of sanctity by first shaving, and then simply not cutting his hair and abstaining from the fruit of the vine. We note in the Apostolic Scriptures that the apostle Paul took the vow of a Nazarite, as we read in Acts 18:18, “At Cenchrea Paul had his hair cut off, for he was keeping a vow.” Then in Acts 21 Paul pays the Temple expenses of four other Jewish disciples of Messiah at the direction of the apostle James, in order for them to begin or fulfill their Nazarite vow (Acts 21:23-24, 26).

The theme of lifting up by the Lord is found throughout the Bible. We read in Psalm 30:1, “I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,” or James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of God, and He will lift you up.” Lifting up represents a change in circumstance, in position, and condition for both the poor and the wealthy among the covenant people of God; and in each case, we find the Lord meeting his people where they are in order to raise them to where He desires them to be.

Experiencing the Spirit-filled covenant life is not conditioned upon complex practices or elaborate or eloquent prayers, but on the people of God approaching him humbled, regardless of social position or condition. The Spirit-filled life in Messiah, the Risen One (Matt. 28:6), is not out of reach for the most esteemed or the most simple; rather, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise” (Ps. 51:19). Again, as James reminds us, “Humble yourselves in the sight of God, and He will lift you up” (Jas. 4:10).

The Spirit-filled life is secured not by our action or performance being accepted by the Lord (Eph. 2:8-9); but rather, the work of Messiah Yeshua lifted up on the cross (Jn. 3:14-18). The late Dr. Tim Keller explains, “It is not the level but the object of our faith that saves us.” All of the shadows of lifting, as found in this portion of the Torah, are fulfilled in the person of Messiah – who lifts us, rescues us, blesses us, and provides gifts to utilize in vertical worship unto the Lord by horizontal lifting service to the human other (Lev. 19:18; Ro. 12:1-8).

In this day and age, as the complexities of life continue to distract, let our faith rest on the Gospel of Messiah. Let us not complicate the simple matters of faith – prayer, worship and loving action. May we continue to rest on the simple, albeit complex, truth that Messiah gave it all, paid it all, and overcame it all in order to lift us to heavenly heights in Him regardless of our circumstance. Friends, may you have hope for today, tomorrow and every day the Lord blesses you with from these simple words: “May the Lord bless, and keep you” in the name of Yeshua. Amen.

Be well. Shalom.

Signs, Wonders and Messy Details

On By J. David Elwell, Th.D.In Applied Theology, InspirationLeave a comment

The Book of Numbers, סֵפֶר בְּמִדְבַּר/Sefer Bemidbar, is noticeably different from the other books of the Torah, as it focuses on life in the wilderness camp. Opening with chapters of accounting, positioning, and assignments, it seems a bit dry. The English title of the book, “Numbers,” perhaps influences this perspective; but once the book begins to unfold, we discover something different.

In the thirty-six chapters of this book, we see signs, wonders, and the miraculous provision of the covenant Lord. Yet, we also find chapter after chapter of the good, the bad, and the ugly reality of human life. These are the messy details that we assume would not happen in covenant community, but alas, they do.

The wilderness experience is part of the life of faith. The narrow way that we follow in Messiah is often set in the wilderness – the wild places in creation (Matt. 7:13-14). As many of you know, I spend a lot of time in the wild places, those wilderness places where so many people fear the wild things walking just out of sight, mixed with a fear of being lost. Still, biblically, the wilderness is for something else entirely. Numbers shows us how the Lord uses the messy details of the wilderness to set us along the narrow way.

The census opening the Book of Numbers, סֵפֶר בְּמִדְבַּר/Sefer Bemidbar, teaches us a simple, yet profound lesson: we all count. No matter how rich or poor, all of us are special to Him, we are all unique. In our uniqueness to Him, He knows how to do His work of renewal in us as He conforms us to Yeshua/Jesus (Ro. 8:28-29). That pressure of formation, the application of the Potter’s hands upon the clay in the turning of the Potter’s wheel is often set in the wilderness places of life.

How we fear those wilderness places. Those scary places of uncertainty and danger. Those wild places where animals or bandits can get you. Despite our trepidation, the Lord is still working in those narrow, pressing wild places; and Numbers tells us how.

As Numbers opens we find the Lord numbering His people, establishing order of the camp, assigning the Levites their duties, the priests are anointed, along with the redemption of the firstborn of man and beast. Rather quickly the wilderness becomes a place of order; and in fact, this is the Hebraic understanding of “wilderness” or מִדְבַּר.

בְּמִדְבַּר comes from the root דָבָר, frequently translated as “speak,” or to “order” or “arrange. Speech is an order to words expressing intelligible ideas. מִדְבַּר then, according to Hebraic understanding, is a place existing in its order (Gen. 1).

As we make our way in life, through the narrowing wilderness seemingly overrun by uncertainty, wickedness, vanity, and extreme harsh realities, we must remember that faith in the covenant Lord accounts for the harsh reality of obeying His call. In those harsh realities we find the pressure necessary to force out those fears of the wild things, and press in an enduring faith in the Author and Finisher of faith itself: Yeshua (Heb. 12:2).

The wilderness is where He manifests His assuring presence, as the covenant community walks in the grace of His calling, even in the midst of terrible circumstances. He will work all that has, will, and is going wrong together for your good, because you were called in Yeshua/Jesus; and you are presently being conformed to His image. Does it hurt? YES! Does it wear us out? YES! Is it emotionally exhausting? YES! A million times a million times: YES! But what a treasure He is working in you: Jesus.

How does Paul encourage us? “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Ro. 8:18).

The wilderness can be dirty, wet, muddy, dangerous, buggy, confusing, and exhausting, but we never compare the destination to the difficulty of the trail leading us there. Hold on … but God.

As you read and study Numbers, it will reveal His glory in the midst of our mess, and how He makes the mess into His message, as we love each other, even as He has loved us.

Be well. Shalom.

My Sons, and My Daughters

On By J. David Elwell, Th.D.In Applied Theology, Inspiration1 Comment

It was with deep and profound joy that my wife and I witnessed the graduation of our sons with graduate degrees in their respective disciplines, in the same month. While my wife and I have certainly contributed to their success, many others have entered their lives to help mold them into the men they have become; and to those influential teachers I say, as a dad, thank you.

וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת אַהֲרֹן, וּמֹשֶׁה: בְּיוֹם, דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֶת-מֹשֶׁה–בְּהַר סִינָי

“And these are the generations of Aaron and Moses, in the day the Lord spoke with Moses on Mt. Sinai” (Num. 3:1).

In the verse from Numbers above, the Torah says “these are the generations of Aaron and Moses …” yet, in Numbers 3:2, only Aaron’s sons are mentioned. The children of Moses are not mentioned. Why?

Moses was an uncle to Aaron’s sons; but the Torah also acknowledges Moses as a father to them. Moses, as the leader of Israel, and the recipient of the Word, taught the sons of Aaron, and therefore, the Talmud says in Sanhedrin 99b: “Reish Lakish said: ‘Anyone who teaches someone else’s child Torah is regarded by the Torah as though he made him.”

Moses was part of their growth, development, and ultimately, their maturity. The Lord then blesses Moses by linking him forever, in a place of prominence, to the lives of the sons of his brother.

As we all know, people’s lives do not always unfold or end as we would have hoped or prayed. For two of Aaron’s sons who learned from Moses, their lives ended suddenly and tragically; and generations later the priesthood would become corrupt. So there is an additional lesson here.

We must be mindful of what we are sowing into people, either intentionally or unintentionally. Our children often imitate us, and that, hopefully our positive attributes; but have you ever noticed that they have a way of imitating, flawlessly, the less desirable habits and attitudes of our personality? Those components of who we are that we really would like to see disappear.

As a minister I try to be mindful, especially on social media, of how my words or actions impact or influence the lives of others negatively. As amazing as it is to be included in someone’s success, it is a fearful thing to find that you may have actually influenced them negatively. Obviously, this is not a legacy we would desire to be part of.

A single post, like this one, will be read by thousands of people. If it was filled with negativity, how would that influence them today or tomorrow? And how would that negative impact affect other lives around them?

The Torah speaks of the heavy burden of relationship, especially as parents and teachers. He has given us the responsibility to form the life entrusted to us. How then should we proceed? Trust the Lord, walk in grace, and correct – in ourselves and others – that which is inconsistent with godly life.

We find beautiful examples of this in the epistles of John. John refers to his disciples as “my children.” As we read, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (I Jn. 2:1).

In my own sons lives, and my sons and daughters in faith, I pray I can help them avoid the worst that life can tempt one with, while pointing the way to reconciliation when they go astray. And I pray that they can see the best in me, Him, even when the worst of me stands prominent. Mistakes, too many to count; but I pray His grace works it all together for our good (Ro. 8:28-29).

The good and the bad, this is the lesson we find in Numbers 3:1-2. This is why the Torah links Moses with Aaron and his sons. We can learn so much from a single verse that says so little. Now, let us live what we have learned; and be the godly influence He has made us to be.

Be well. Shalom.