Voice for Israel

In this week's Torah portion (Numbers 4:21-7:89), we discuss the Law of Jealousy, the vow of the Nazarite, and the meaning behind the Aaronic Benediction (Priestly Blessing).  For more resources on the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith or to sign up for our weekly Torah studies check out our website:  www.voiceforisrael.net.  Thanks for listening.  Please share with a friend.

On the mountain, God commands a sabbatical year for the Land of Israel (called a Shemitah year) every 7 years. seven cycles of shemitah are followed by a 50th year of Jubille (Yovel) - of freedom, liberty restoration and reconciliation.

God promises that if Israel will keep His commandments they will enjoy prosperity and safety; but if they disobey and break His covenant, they will be exiled from their homeland. And yet God promises restoration in the end when the people humble themselves and repent.

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King Balak (Destroyer) tries to hire a sorcerer, Balaam, to curse Israel but he is unable to directly curse them, saying, "Who can curse those whom God has blessed?"  (Numbers 23:8) We are blessed and highly favored by the Most High God.    Listen to this podcast for insights into the weekly parashah (Torah portion).  Numbers 22:2 - 25:9; Micah 5:6 - 6:8, Romans 11:25 - 32.

After the Israelites passed through the Red Sea and God gave them a tremendous victory they were singing and dancing and praising the Lord. But after three days in the wilderness, they found no water. When they finally came to the waters of Mara they could not drink it because the waters were bitter.  The trials, tragedies &  disappointments of life can cause us to become bitter, sour and negative. Many people are thirsty for a drink of living waters but our waters may be too bitter to drink.  God wants to heal us and set us free from bitterness.  It was at the Waters of Mara that God revealed Himself as YHVH ROPHE (God our Healer).  The primary healing we need is from bitterness. Let us forgive and allow God to heal us. 

Jacob (Israel) on his deathbed blessed the sons of Joseph:  Ephraim & Menashe, giving the greater blessing to the younger son, Ephraim. Who is Ephraim today?  THe book of Hosea gives us clues.  The Father's blessing is so important.  EAch Friday night, we bless our sons with the blessing, "May God make you like Ephraim & Menashe". Why do we bless our sons to be like them? Because even though they lived in an ungodly society and culture like Egypt, they kept their Biblical faith and heritage. WE also bless our daughters to be great women of God: May God make you like Sarah, Rachel & Rivkah."  Jacob blesses each of his sons, but he curses the anger of Simeon & Levi, who slaughtered Shechem in their cruel wrath. We need to beware of a hot temper and keep our anger under control. Forsake wrath; it only causes harm."  (Psalm 37:8) Joseph does not hold a grudge against his brothers after his father's death but forgives them, comforts them, speaks kindly to them and even provides for them. May we also be forgiving, loving, kind people who refuse to hold grudges especially against members of our own family.   Both Jacob and Joseph ask that they not be buried in Egypt.  Israel was never meant to remain permanently in exile; but to return to the Land. May the Jewish people today also consider leaving the comforts and prosperity of exile and come home to the Land.  

Why do we have to wrestle or struggle in life?  There is a greater purpose at work.  When Jacob wrestled with an 'angel' all night, his name was changed from Jacob (Yaacov) to Israel (Yisrael).  But this changed more than his name; it transformed his entire character. We are also being transformed through our struggles - from glory to glory.  Discover spiritual secrets from the Hebrew in this  podcast.  If you are blessed, share the message with others and sign up for our free on-line Torah studies by e-mail on our website:  www.voiceforisrael.net

What does it mean, from a Hebraic perspective to have a steadfast heart? that we will not be moved?    God calls us to be steadfast, immovable, ....

Listen to this podcast to  discover the real Hebrew meanings of these words and be encouraged to stand firm, steadfast and immovable, trusting in Adonai.     Sign up for our free on-line Messianic Torah studies:  www.voiceforisrael.net  

Beware an Evil Heart of Unbelief

“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;” (Hebrews 3:12)

Unbelief is a dangerous thing. It can keep us out of our promised land.

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” (Heb 3:19)

Let us have faith and not limit the Holy One of Israel.

Be strong and of good courage.

The first and the last days of the Festival of Sukkot (Booths) (Feast of Tabernacles) are  holy - set apart - days (Leviticus 23:35 & 36).  But the middle days are called 'chol ha'moed'. They are still festival days but are also 'ordinary' work days as well.  Between the beginning and the end of any journey there is the middle; and the middle can be a tough place to be.  We have left where we didn't want to be; but haven't yet arrived at our desired destination.  Israel had to pass through the middle (the wilderness) after leaving Egypt on their way to the Promised Land.  Because they lost heart in the middle, most of them never made it to their destination.  Sukkot is a season of rejoicing. We are to rejoice before the Lord for all seven days.  

How do we keep our joy 'in the middle'?  Listen to this podcast and be encouraged.

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." 

"I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,"  (Isaiah 45:3)

God has treasures and hidden riches for us if we would only see them.  Sometimes the treasure is hidden or buried and we need to search for it.  "Seek and you shall find."  Sometimes it is sitting right out in the open but we may not recognize it because it's in a 'new place' or done a 'new way'.  God says, "Behold I do a new thing; do you not perceive (see) it?"  But where are we seeking for our treasure?  Do we seek for treasures of the world that ultimately cannot satisfy us and may even leave us sick or broken?  Or do we seek for the true treasures of the Kingdom:  Righteousness, peace and joy? The Kingdom is within us.  We have this treasure hidden in earthen vessels.  Enjoy this message about hidden treasures. 

"Also you shall destroy all the peoples whom the Lord your God delivers over to you; your eye shall have no pity on them; nor shall you serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you." (Deuteronomy 7:16)

In order to 'possess our land' we may need to 'dispossess' some 'inhabitants of the land'.  We have to root out those 'former inhabitants' from the Kingdom of Darkness and with God's help, destroy them in order to walk more and more in the Light.  But it wont' happen overnight - God says, 'little by little' we will drive them out.  There may also be relationships that need to go - people who drag us down or lead us astray.  We might have a Jonah in the boat that we need to throw overboard.  There is a time for compassion, patience and mercy; but there is also something called 'unsanctified mercy' where we are standing in the way of God's dealings with someone in our lives.  We need to stop enabling disobedience and stop allowing the enemy to use our hearts of compassion against us.

"And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not"  (Deuteronomy 8:2)

The wilderness is not a comfortable place for any of us - but it is a necessary part of our spiritual journey of faith.  It is where God humbles us, tests us and sees what is in our heart.  All the great people of God in the Bible went through their own wilderness.  The wilderness (or desert - in Hebrew 'midbar') is related to the word midaber which means to speak.  In the wilderness times of our lives, God can speak to our hearts.  How we respond to our wilderness experience may determine how long we stay there - or even whether or not we get out alive! 

 "Because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant (brit) and the mercy (chessed) which He swore to your fathers."  (Deut/Dvarim 7:12)  

God's covenant and His mercy and two of the most powerful forces in the Universe.  We are to not only listen (hear o Israel - Sh'ma Yisrael); but also to be 'doers' of the Word.  This is love for God that we keep His commandments.  

  Be encouraged that God has blessings in store 'because of' (ekev) your obedience to His Word.

This is how to sing the prayer from Deuteronomy 6:4.