41st Portion
[21-27 July 2024]
Theme of the Book of Numbers:
Desert life whilst here on earth. Between Egypt & Promised Land. Faith is the key.
Meaning of "Pinchas" = "Pinchas"
This week's Torah portions:
Sunday: Numbers 25:10-26:4
Monday: Numbers 26:5-51
Tuesday: Numbers 26:52-27:5
Wednesday: Numbers 27:6-23
Thursday: Numbers 28:1-15
Friday: Numbers 28:16-29:11
Shabbat: Numbers 29:12-30:1 & 1 Kings 18:46-19:21
Apostolic Writings:
Romans 11:2-32
Daily Bread for Busy Moms portions:
Ezekiel 2-13
Nehemiah 3-8
Galatians 2-6
Ephesians 1
Luke 10-13
This is the second last portion in the book of Numbers. Once we are done with Numbers, only Deuteronomy remains in the Torah.
In last week's portion we read that one of the Israelite men (he was from the tribe of Simeon) fell for Balaam & Balak's plan and took one of the Medianitish women to sleep with her. But we read that Pinchas killed them both because he knew the consequences it would have carried for the nation and the generation to come.
In this portion we read that Pinchas was rewarded for his act - killing Zimri, the leader of the tribe of Simeon and the Medianitish woman whom he took into his tent. We are obviously not looking into the physical act of commiting murder which still applies to us today. But the spiritual act of obedience and intercession if we can label it as that - which Pinchas did for the nation when he stepped in and prevented that curse to come over the nation.
We read how God rewards Pinchas with a covenant of peace (shalom) and the inheritance of the priesthood (Num 25:11-13). In Chapter 26 we also read that a census was done again under the Israelites and Moses was instructed on how to divide the land between the different tribes of Israel.
The Promised Land was the inheritance of the Israelites. When God led the people out of Egypt, He gave them a promise that He'll give them land to call "home!"
When Moses and Eleazar (Aaron's son who took over the position of the high priest after Aaron died) did the census, Zelopehad's five daughters came to Moses. Zelopehad was from the bloodline of Joseph (Jacob (Israel) > Joseph > Manasseh > Machir > Gilead > Hepher > Zelophehad). The 5 daughters spoke to Moses and Eleazer and told them that their father had died in the desert - without having any sons. Families were (are) put forth through sons and thus the inheritance were linked to the sons in the families. They mentioned that their father were not involved in the rebellion of Korach and the other leaders - who was swallowed up by the earth when they came into rebellion against Abba's selection of authority (if you need a recap - you can read the blog here).
They asked Moses what will happen to them - since their father had died and had no sons - thus they wanted to know if they will receive an inheritance.
God instructed Moses that they should indeed receive an inheritance and that their father's inheritance should be passed onto them (Num 27:7-11) regardless if there was no son to pass it onto. And a whole inheritance "law" was instructed.
It's also in this portion that Moses told the Israelites who will be his successor - whom we know was Joshua. Joshua was the one who took the Israelites into the promised land as Moses himself didn't enter.
Lastly but not least, we read about the daily offerings which had to be brought. It also confirms the appointed times of shabbat and the seven Biblical feasts and also the concept about the eighth day after the seven days of Sukkot. This could be a full blog post on its own, but I'm going to keep it short today. The overhanging theme / concept of all the offerings and feast days / appointed times - has to do with inheritance.
Obedience to Abba's instructions and honouring His appointed times will bring forth a harvest and an inheritance in our lives.
Especially in today's day and age, so often we live with the mentality of "what's in it for me?" We keep our wants and needs, our effort, our reward and our personal preferences at the top of the priority list. And we easily ignore the important "law of the inheritance" - which states that we should leave something for the generations to come.
In Proverbs 13:22 we read "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children." Immediately our minds race to a physical or financial inheritance - because our fleshly mindsets are so so small in relationship to Abba's bigger picture!
When the Word says that a good man will leave an inheritance to his children's children - it's not referring to a physical / financial inheritance. Surely that's a nice-to-have but it should be seen as a GIFT! A physical inheritance has nothing to do with what we can learn from this portion. It's not a given or a pre-requisite, it's a gift.
What is however a pre-requisite according to the Word of God, is that we should be leaving a spiritual inheritance behind. This instruction applies a lot of weight to each one of us, but especially to fathers!
A true inheritance is to leave something behind that can reproduce and have eternal value. When fathers leave a spiritual inheritance for their grandchildren, they are doing what God has called them to do.
When Abba rewarded Pinchas with the covenant of peace and the inheritance of the priesthood... Abba was actually blessing him to "duplicate" his faith. Duplicating our faith means that we have to share what we know / have learned on our faith journeys - so that others could also have what we have - which is an inheritance through Yeshua!
Abba's inheritance is not like a worldly inheritance which is limited. Abba's inheritance is unlimited and there is always room for more. When we share what Abba has taught us or done for use - in other words what we have inherited - others can also experience His inheritance. The good news is that His inheritance cannot run out! When we share it with others, it won't reduce our portion. Abba's Kingdom does not work like a worldly kingdom!
This inheritance which Pinchas has received because of his obedience and righteousness - is also available to us when we walk obedience and righteousness. In other words, we should ask ourselves what we have to do and how do we have to live so that others will also be able to experience and enter into their inheritance which they have in Yeshua. As believers in Christ, we have the calling and responsibility to teach and help others to also step into their callings and experience the inheritance which Abba has in store for them.
Thus, having an inheritance means that we should duplicate our faith in others. We have to share what we know so that others can come to know it as well.
The world teaches us to fend for ourselves and to gather for ourselves. Our vision is self-centred and so far from Abba's vision for our lives. A physical inheritance is not something that can reproduce forever - it is limited. If you leave someone a million rand when you die - it cannot become more. Yes, they can invest it - but the amount you left them cannot become more. The spiritual inheritance which we are called to leave, can increase, it can multiply, and it can never run dry! Because it's not rooted in the world - but in Abba, Whose mercy and provision and love and grace and goodness and riches and and and... will NEVER run dry!
The late Gerrit Nel explained it so nicely in this week's teaching when he compared it to a cookie jar. When we have a cookie jar and we start handing out one cookie after the other, very soon the cookie jar will be empty. And sadly, that's how our worldly perspective also works. Our fleshly mindsets believe that when we give away / share what we have learned or what Abba taught us - that we'll run out of "cookies." But Abba's Kingdom does not work like the worldly kingdom! He is unlimited - like a bottomless cookie jar! When we share our faith with others it doesn't mean that we have to share the limited resources which are available. The good news is that His resources are not limited. And sharing my faith with others, won't make me lose out on anything! You will never loose when you operate in Abba's Kingdom principles and share your faith with others! In 2 Kings 4 we read about a widow who only had a single jar of olive oil in her house. She asked Elisha what she had to do, and he instructed her to collect empty containers from all of her neighbours and to pour the olive oil she had into those containers. We all know the story of how she kept on pouring olive oil from her single small jar until there were no more empty containers left. When we are obedient - we will never run out of resources!
Just like the women kept on pouring oil from her vase until there were no more empty containers left - so should we also continue to "pour" into other "containers" (people's lives) - until there are no more containers left (which we know would most likely never happen in our lifetimes).
In this portion Moses was instructed on how to split the land between the tribes of Israel. Land can reproduce / provide a harvest and an inheritance. When you reap a harvest from the land this year, it doesn't mean that the land is down and out and serve no further use - no! All throughout the year you can plant and harvest different things and next year you can do it again! The land therefore can reproduce - but it will also require some effort from your side. You have to plant the seeds; you have to water the ground and tend to the weeds if you want to reap a harvest.
To have a harvest in the physical, we have to do our part. The same applies to the spiritual realm. Abba's promises and inheritance for our lives don't die after a year or wither away. They remain intact and of effect. But if we want to experience it and live in our inheritance - we have to be obedient to His instructions.
As mentioned earlier, this portion ends of with Moses telling the Israelites that Joshua would "replace" him. And that's one of the major reasons why people these days do not share their faith and what they have learned through their walk with Abba. People are afraid that when they share, they would lose out or that others would do better than them or put the information to better use than what they could have. This is a major problem because it's rooted in pride and self! If that's our view point, we are walking the road of faith for self-gain and we miss the entire purpose and plan of Abba's heart.
When we walk in obedience to Abba's instructions and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us - it shouldn't bother us when others put to use what we have equipped them with. That's the very purpose of why we are called to share what we have learned and testifying of what Abba has done in our lives - to enable those people to also go out and testify.
Our motivation or point of view should never evolve around the position we have in His Kingdom. Abba decides whom He calls and for what purpose He does so. Breaking your head about whether He will use someone you've "taught" or equipped more than what He has used you in a certain area is spiritual immature behaviour. Abba's Kingdom is never about position, but operating in line with His Word - then He will appoint and place you in the positions which He has ordained for you. It's never about position but always about responsibility. When you try to obtain a position, which Abba did not intend for you to have, you are not pursuing His will but your own. And then we are living outside of His plans and dreams for us.
Just like the inheritance of the Israelites were "handed" down from the fathers to the sons - the same way our spiritual inheritance is handed down. A father does not become less of a father when his sons also become fathers.
The people whom we "father" (teach and equip) will also receive an inheritance. That's the whole point! Just like you have received an inheritance from your "fathers" (spiritual leaders) - those you learn from.
The inheritance does not "belong" to us, and it cannot run out! We have a responsibility to share it with others and equip them so that they could also go out and share it with even more people! Our responsibilities start within the corners of our own homes. Whether you are a father or a mother or not even married yet. We have a responsibility towards the members in our households first and foremostly and THEN to the world. To leave an inheritance to our children (within and outside of our houses) is to ensure that we walk by faith. Walking in faith requires obedience to Abba's instructions. It requires dealing with bondage, sin and strongholds that are present in our lives and the lives of the generations before us. It requires time, effort, and spiritual warfare.
Like mentioned earlier, this week's portion finishes off by stating the importance of keeping shabbat and Abba's appointed times. And it's almost in a sense that Abba is saying to us that in order for us to understand His "law of inheritance" - we first have to understand His appointed times. We have to abide in His Kingdom principles - which evolves around His appointed feasts - if we want to experience and live in the inheritance which He has in store for us and to enable us to share it with others.
The theme of all of the Biblical festivals (which belongs to God - not the Jews) is about a harvest. We can only understand the principle of the "law of inheritance" when we understand the Biblical feasts and His "harvest principle." It's annual festival, which means that they are repetitive. Just like our faith should be. We should continue to duplicate our faith - sharing with others. And we can rest in knowing that the Source will never be depleted, we can have a repetitive harvest. The inheritance can reproduce!
Life is not about what I can gather for myself - but about what inheritance I can leave behind for the generations to come!
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Portion 36: Pinchas (The blog you are reading now)
