Forgiveness is a vital, and central practice of the messianic faith. How great a debt have we been forgiven? What should such forgiveness foster in us? In this episode of Messiah in Life, we consider forgiveness, and the dynamic of it in the human relationship; as well as how unforgiveness impacts our life and the lives of those around us.
“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.
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.
the mountain mensch 