Ponderings of the Pentateuch #43 July 30, 2011

RaYBaSH's Ponderings of the Pentateuch

Parashah #43: Massei (Journeys/Allotments )

Numbers 30:2-32:42

By Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Num. 33:52-53, 55-56 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it… But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.

No one enjoys a picnic when ants crash the party. A house is unsanitary and unlivable when roaches scurry about in every corner and run up and down every wall. Leaves if left upon the ground will kill the grass. In each case, whether it be ants, roaches or leaves, they need to be “driven out.” How does one do this? First establish a presence, take up residence and as you set up and move about, some will scatter. But this is only temporary solution. For once you are settled they will return as they will acclimate to the new environment you set up. So what next, you may ask? Well, first we re-arranged the environment; make it a place undesirable or inclimate to what you wish to get rid of. Certain chemical whether natural or synthetic toxic or non-toxic will make it undesirable for ants and roaches to stay and they will leave on their own. Those stubborn ones that don’t will die from foolishness. With leaves  you make it to windy to stick around on the lawn, you blow them away.

V52-52 Now Israel was about to enter in and take over Canaan. G-d gave then Canaanites ample warning, hundreds of years to repent, change and conform to His standards. They refused and rebelled and thus overstayed their welcome, and like destroying ants and disease packing roaches, G-d commanded Israel to enter in and re-arrange and change the environment.

Second, G-d said to change the environment, make it intolerable for the Canaanites to stay by destroying what attracts them, their idols, temples and ritualistic pagan religious articles. This is like removing a fish from water or drowning a cat, you cut off that which sustained them; their life giving supply.

V. 55-56 It’s not good enough to re-arrange; after the dust settles again they will be back, and like living with ants or roaches they will become eye sores and a pain in the tuchas (bottom). They become nothing but a frustration that causes disease; one MUST change the environment.

The pagan idolatry of the Canaanites is like the contagious disease roaches carry. You MUST clean and change your environment in order to keep roaches out. You must clean their droppings and leave in its place an insecticide. Israel had to clean the fecal droppings of the Canaanites, the idols, temples, shrines and high places and replace them with holy monuments and boundary stones.

V. 56 When we encounter ants or roaches we intend to drive them out and if you don’t, eventually the creeping critters will drive you out. Adonai is saying drive out or be driven out. If they won’t re-arrange and change the environment, the Canaanites will and eventually drive Israel out and they would reap the disobedience they have sown.

You live long enough with roaches and you will become like them; filthy, dirty and unsanitary. You allow Canaanites to stick around you will become idol worshiping pagans, unholy and the L-RD will say:

“If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.”

Just…

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” - (James 4:7-8)

Just do as HE commanded and re-arrange and change your environment.

It is traditional after completing a book of Torah, in this case the book of Numbers, one says: “Chazak, chazak, v’nit’chazek (Be strong, be strong and let us be strengthened)!”

Shabbat Shalom and Shavuah Tov!

-- Rabbi Yehudah 

Missions Trip 2011: Nigeria

I am planning a return trip in November of 2011. I have been offered a temporary casual job at the local nursing home from June till August. Hopefully this will allow me to save up funds for my return trip to Nigeria this November. However, I still need the financial assistance of others to help make this trip possible. If you wish to help me fund this trip, it would be much appreciated. You would be actively participating in the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy in these last days in seeing a lost tribe of Israel come back into their own. Do not worry about the amount, every little bit helps! You can donate by finding the donation button on the home page of my website: www.adint-ministries.com

Or make checks or money orders payable to “Kris Shoemaker” and send it to:

PO BOX 763

Ft. Fairfield, ME. 04742

THANK YOU!!!

If just 100 people would give $30.00 I would have enough to cover my trip to Nigeria.

You can see photos of my trip to Nigeria, labeled “Nigeria 2010,” on my facebook profile:

www.facebook.com/raybashkatan

In the service of the God of Israel,

Shalom,

Founder and CEO of RaYBaSH Ministries and A.D. International,

-- Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Yeshua and Moses

Yeshua and Moses

R. Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Deut. 18:15, 18-19 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken… I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require [it] of him.
Act 3:22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

Moses went up onto Mount Sinai, where he communed and fellowshipped with YHWH Elohim for forty days and nights and received the Ten Mitzvot (Commandments), the foundation of the Torah.
When Moses comes down from the mount he saw the Israelites lewdly worshiping an abominable idol, the golden calf. He rebuked them and throws down the Ten Commandments in his anger and breaks them at the foot of Mount Sinai. For Moses knows by the people rejecting the Commandments, they in essence reject YHWH and His Word. Moses ascended the mountain once again, where once again he receives the commandments from God. This time when Moses comes down from the mountain he finds a different panorama before him. The people (Israel AND the mixed multitude) readily receives him and the Torah which he carried. By the people receiving Moses and the message of Torah he carried, they receive YHWH, the One who sent Moses and gave him the Ten Mitzvot.
God also sent Yeshua, who, like Moses, descended the "mountain/heaven" to deliver the "Torah/ The Word of The LORD" to the people. However, the first time He came, it brought rejection as the nation of Israel failed to embrace Him. The people, now as back then, are worshiping idols, but have not accepted God's Moshiach, His Sent and Anointed One, Yeshua. Like Moses, Yeshua will once again come down for his people. The second time He comes they will look upon him and "mourn for Him" (Zechariah 12:10). They will make teshuvah (repent) and accept Him and the Torah which He carries, "It is in this way that all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26).
Yeshua IS this Prophet like unto Moses.

The Mamba Spirit

The Mamba Spirit

R. Yehudah ben Shomeyr

There is a well known proverb in Nigeria which says, “You know a Nigerian is truly dead if you wave a Naira (Nigerian currency) under his nose and he doesn’t wake up; then you know he is truly dead.”

I Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

This is probably the most misquoted verse in the entire Bible. I hear all the time people say that, “money is the root of all evil.” Money is just a piece of paper that we attach value to; it is an inanimate object, in and of itself incapable of evil or even good for that matter. It is how we use money which is good or evil. Money can be a tool to build or a weapon to tear down; it’s all a matter of how one decides to use it. One can donate money to an orphanage to provide children with food, clothing and shelter, or one can take money and use it to buy drugs or to even hire someone to kill someone else. The Bible says that it is the LOVE OF MONEY which is the root of all evil. So the evil lies within the human being not in any form of lifeless currency or monetary wealth. It takes a human being with a soul and a choice to love something so much that they allow it to consume and destroy them.

Many Nigeria believers claim that money can have an evil spirit attached to it that influences the possessor of the money. They call it the Mamba Spirit, named after the Black Mamba Snake, the longest and most venomous snake in Africa, averaging around 2-3 meters or 8-9 feet, and sometimes growing up to 4 meters or approximately 14 ft. Its name is derived from the black coloration inside the mouth; the actual color of the skin varies, from dull yellowish-green to a gun-metal grey. It is the fastest snake in the world, capable of moving at 4.32 to 5.4 meters per second (16–20 km/h, 10–12 mph). When this Mamba Spirit strikes it injects the deadly venom of pride, greed, a lust for power, authority and reputation. Money in Nigeria is seen as a mark of success and can buy power and influence. If you have money in Nigeria you are considered a “somebody” to be sought after. People think if you have a lot of money you must be wise in order to make that money. So you are asked advise, or to be on boards. Money can not only buy you things such as homes and cars, but money in Nigeria can also buy one a chieftaincy title or a political seat. Money is therefore more greatly prized than even the necessities of life.

Sadly, money is thought to be able to buy happiness. The flawed logic is; if one has money one will not lack the necessities of life nor the luxuries of life and one will be without need or want and thus will be happy. Money will not and cannot buy happiness or true power and authority. This can only come from HaShem, even worldly powers are ordained by HaShem.

Rom. 13:1-8 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Money may buy a temporal euphoric sensation of the pleasure of newness and novelty, but it soon wears off like the crash after a sugar high. “Things” and “Stuff” money can buy eventually become a burden that others hound us for and lust after.  Just as Rav Sha’ul (Paul) said:

I Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Possessions need to be secured and maintain and such worry and attention to ones expensive and coveted possessions preoccupies ones mind with needless responsibilities, worry and strife. Jewelry, designer shoes and “bling” folks will murder others to posses. Cars and i-phones carry with it contracts, bills and insurance. With each new possession comes a new set of worries and cares. False friends and distant and estranged relatives come out of the woodwork and want a piece of what you have. Once you have been drained like a well, your so called friends and family are no where to be found. No one wants to ride a dry gravy train. Just like in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15).

Messiah’s Talmidim taught us about want and contentment:

Phil. 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.

1 Tim. 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Heb. 13:5a [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have:

If you have just food and clothes you should be happy and content. Notice, shelter was not a requirement for happiness. Why? Perhaps because Messiah was content without having the permanence of lodging.

Matt. 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head.

Yeshua Messiah Himself told us regarding possessions:

Matt. 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Monetary wealth and possessions in and of themselves are neutral, inanimate and neither good nor evil. The evil comes when such things become our masters and gods and influence our actions.

Matt. 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Most of us are not monetarily rich because very few of us can handle the responsibilities and pressures of being wealthy. Many of us, if were rich would rely less and less of HaShem and more and more on our wealth.

Matt. 13:22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Not even the wisest Israeli king who ever lived, Solomon, couldn’t handle the pressure with out given in to multiplying his wealth, wives and possessions which the Torah prohibited a King to do.

Deut. 17:16-17  But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

If the great Solomon could not rightly manage his wealth without, as Paul said, having “erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows,” what makes us be so arrogant to think we could.

There are real life story after story of people either inheriting wealth or winning the lottery who later ended up broke and miserable and curse the day the money came into their life. After their rub with wealth they are worse off than when they were poor. Why? Because they couldn’t handle it. They didn’t have mastery over the money, money had mastery over them. This is the essence of the Mamba Spirit which plagues Nigeria and threatens to slither its way into the Body of Messiah and destroy us.

Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Prov. 15:6, 16 In the house of the righteous [is] much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble… Better [is] little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

To conquer and not be influences by this Mamba Spirit we must see money and wealth for what is it; not as a way to better our own lives but as a tool to Tikkun Olam and to build up the Kingdom of HaShem.

As Rav Sha’ul said in Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another hath fulfilled the Torah.

Yeshua (Jesus) is The Way to What!?

Yeshua (Jesus) is The Way to What!?

R. Yehudah ben Shomeyr

John 14:6 CJB Yeshua said, "I AM the Way -- and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me.

First off, Yeshua is the emanation of YHWH Elohim (The LORD GOD) Himself. He is the “I AM”!

Exd. 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

John 8:58 Jesus (Yeshua) said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Secondly, Yeshua is, “The Way.” This is another way of saying and symbolizing Halacha; the way one obeys the Torah.

Yeshua said numerous time to follow Him (Matt. 4:19, 9:9, 16:24, 19:21, Mark 2:13, 8:34, 10:21, Luke 5:27, 9:23, 59, 18:22, John 1:43, 10:27, 12:26, 21:19)

Matt. 7:14b narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Yeshua’s Halacha, His Way is very specific in regards to how to obey the Torah.

Thirdly, Yeshua is the Truth.

John 18:38a Pilate saith unto him (Yeshua), What is truth?

What is the Truth? Torah!

Psa. 119:142 Thy righteousness [is] an everlasting righteousness, and thy law [is] the truth.

What is the Torah? God’s Word! The Truth!

Psa. 119:43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Num 23:19a God [is] not a man, that he should lie;

Heb. 6:18a That by two immutable things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie,

Who is Yeshua? The Living Manifestation of the Written Word (Torah)!

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

So Yeshua is Truth!

Yeshua said He was the Life as well. What is Life?

Deut. 32:46b - 47a Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. For it (Torah) is not a vain thing for you; because it [is] your life:

The Torah! Words of Life!

John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.

So Torah is Life as well as Yeshua is Life. Yeshua is the Living Manifestation of the Written Torah. He is the TRUE WAY to follow the WAY of LIFE which is the TORAH! We walk in the WAY of LIFE by walking in Yeshua’s footsteps, by walking the WAY He walked and lived out the TORAH.

What was Israel’s way to GOD at Sinai? The Written Torah, GOD’s Word! What is the way to GOD as presented in the verse of John 14:6? Walking the Torah as Yeshua did!  HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE AND NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY HIM!

The TORAH has NOT been done away with, but a covenant renewed and made more clear and specific by Messiah.

The Torah and Messiah are inseparable; they are The True Way to Life and Salvation.

Matt. 5:17-28, 43-48 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart… Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Unfinished Busines

Unfinished Business

R. Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Num. 31:1-2 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

Perhaps we can look at this verse in regards to unfinished business. When people are about to die they try and tie up the loose ends of their lives so they can leave this world in peace and not leave unfinished business that may burden their family and friends. Because after all it was Moses who fumbled the ball and Pinchas (Phineas) who picked it up (Num.25).

It was on Moses watch that the Nasi (Prince) of  Simeon took a Midianite Princess to his tent to commit fornication in front of all Israel and it was Pinchas  that put a stop to it. So this transgression was not handled as it should have been by Moses and so he has to make this up before he is permitted to pass from this world to the next. Moses, not handling this issue with the Nasi of Simeon was a sin of omission on Moses’ part and to rectify the situation he had to “avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites.” Just was Rav Sha’ul (Paul) tells us to do.

II Cor. 10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Striking of the Rock

Striking of the Rock

R. Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Num. 20:8-12 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

Woah! Pretty harsh don’t you think? So what, Moses lost his temper and hit a rock, an inanimate object, when G-d told him not to, and because of this he cannot enter the Promised Land!? It’s not like he struck a sheep, or another person!

Oh really? Is that so?

I Cor. 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

This Rock obviously was recognized as some sort of sacred place in the wilderness that they were in and it was some how related to and or symbolized in some way HaShem Himself. And The L-RD told Moses to give glory and honor to Him by speaking to, or petitioning the Rock if you will. And Moses in his grief over the loss of his sister Miriam and thus the drying up of the well, and in anger over the ingratitude and complaining of the Israelite people, lost it and struck the Rock twice. It’s as if and it was equivalent to Moses smiting Elohim Himself twice! He slapped Messiah; he slapped Salvation in the face so to speak. You slap a king you die or have your hand cut off at the very least and so I think Moses got off pretty easy! Many think he was ban from entering the Land but he was ban from leading this particular generation into the Land for we see after his death Moses shows up in the Land with Yeshua.

Matt. 17:1-3 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

It is believed that in the resurrection that it will be Moses that leads the resurrected saints into the Land. So in retrospect I think God was pretty easy on Moses.

The Mission of the 12 and 70

The Mission of the 12 and 70

R. Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Did you know that Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah had more than just 12 talmidim (disciples)? He had about 120 (Acts 1:13-15). He had many followers, approximately 120 official disciples; 70 of which at one point He sent out and 12 close ones which He made Apostles and 3 whom He was most intimate with. We read about how 12 of them went on to become Sheliachim (Apostles), which meant they were ordained as Rabbi’s by Yeshua Himself and “sent out” which is what the word Sheliachim and Apostle means.  

Sadly, some disciples abandoned Yeshua. Ironically this is found in John “6:66”

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”

11 symbolize chaos and incompleteness and 12 symbolizes order and completeness of a cycle. There are 12 tribes of Israel, 12 “minor” Prophets, and 12 months in a year. 12 Symbolizes Israel and this was the mission of the 12 Yeshua sent out.

Matthew 10:5-6 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

In Matthew 10, Mark 6, and Luke 9 we read about Yeshua sending out the 12 in pairs. He told them to go and minister miraculously as Yeshua did to the Jews and Hebrews who were not keeping Torah. He told them to preach repentance, in other words forsake Torahless ways and return to the obeying the Torah. He told them to travel light, take only the bare necessities, stay with upright and righteous people and do not stay anywhere they were not welcome. Yeshua told them if they did this all their needs as they traveled would be met. Even though they were not to shove The Message down people’s throats, nonetheless He told them they should expect to butt heads and make enemies. He told them no matter what, they need to refuse to give into fear, to be bold and in doing so God would give them the words to say to their enemies. He told them not to be afraid or ashamed to admit they were His (Rabbi Yeshua’s) talmidim and was sent out by Him. Yeshua told the 12 that this sending out was going to stir, wake and shake things up in Israel and that through this battle lines would be drawn. He told them that faithfulness to this mission, despite the hardships it brought, had its reward.

70 symbolize Divine Government. Moses appointed 70 elders to help him lead Israel (Num. 11:25), he and the 70 making 71 altogether and there were 71 elders that sat on the Sanhedrin of Israel in Yeshua’s day because of this.

In Luke 10 Yeshua and the 70 equals 71, and we see Yeshua sends out the 70 in pairs. Their mission was practically identical to that of the earlier 12, with the exception that they went before Yeshua to prepare the cities for His arrival and that this mission was not limited to just the house of Israel but to the Gentiles. 70 in the Bible represent the nations. When Moses appointed the 70, Moses represented Israel and the 70 elders represented the 70 nations of the world. A mixed multitude came up with Israel out of Egypt (Exd. 12:38) and they too agreed to keep Torah and it is believed there was one representative for ever nation in that mixed multitude and that is what the 70 elders represented. There were 70 bulls sacrificed during Sukkot, one for each Gentile nation. And so this mission of the 70 was for the Gentiles, in which also encompassed Israel, for by this time due to the Assyrian captivity there were 10 tribes scattered about the world, some of which had become gentilized and lived, acted and believed as the Gentiles did.

The 12 were sent out knowing they had authority in Yeshua over sickness and the demonic, the 70 had this authority too but was not told them and they returned amazed at what was done in Yeshua’s Name.

Luke 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Another difference is that in the accounts of the sending out of the 12 we hear no report of how the mission went, with the 70 they returned rejoicing at what happened. Could this be a hint that the 12 faced greater opposition and rejection among their own people the Jews, where the 70 found openness and acceptance among the pagans and gentiles?

Matt. 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Luke 10:3,18-20 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves… And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

We see that Kefa (Peter), among the original 12 was primarily an Apostle to the Jews, which the exception of his encounter with the House of Cornelius. Rav Sha’ul (Paul) was the Apostle to the Gentiles and was not one of the original 12, but being well schooled in Judaism represented the 70 elders which originally was to rule over the nations within Israel.

Yeshua’s philosophy was to the Jew first and then to the Gentile and Rav Sha’ul knew this well (Rom. 1:16, 2:9-10). Why? Because salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22) and Judgment comes first to the House of God (I Pet. 4:17).

Everyone in the service of the Almighty and His Messiah has a mission, the question is, are you one that will abandon him or are you one of the 12 or one of the 70? Are you one specifically called to reach the Jew or the Gentile? Regardless, we have the necessary tools and the authority to do so in Yeshua’s Name. Yeshua sent them out in pairs, no one is a lone gun, and everyone needs someone. You got to have someone watching your back and vice versa. Is your partner your spouse or another brother or sister? Find your partner and let’s get to harvesting!

“The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest (Luke 10:2b).”