Wisdom From the Torah Book 4:

NUMBERS 
With Portions From the Prophets and New Testament

This Bible study guide is presented as an extension to our Virtual House Church. It is designed to show you how the themes, stories, and words of the Torah (the five books of Moses) are woven throughout the writings of the prophets and New Testament. There is much wisdom to be gained from the Torah. The word is often translated as “law” but really, it represents the instructions of our loving Father to His children. We pray this study draws you into a closer, more intimate relationship with Him.

To view a PDF sample of this workbook CLICK HERE.

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From Facebook user Holly Cross:

This may help us as we share with Christians WHY we are Keeping The Feasts of YHWH:

In the End, there is no such thing as "Jew" or "Gentile"... There is only "In Covenant" or "Out of Covenant" with YHWH.

To learn how to "Get in Covenant," begin by learning:

• who you are (Genesis) 
• where you should be going (Exodus) 
• to be Set Apart and Holy (Leviticus)
• to Trust YHWH as He guides you (Numbers)
• to OBEY HIS INSTRUCTIONS so you may Live (Deuteronomy)

This will not be too hard for you, because Messiah laid down His Life to make it possible for you to "Get in Covenant" with His Father! He even sent His Set Apart Spirit to give you strength to finish the Race!

If you think of yourself as a "Gentile Christian" you may be suffering from Spiritual Identity Theft. The only Cure is to start at the very BEGINNING.

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New Resource:

(click pic to download FREE PDF)

You can also order a hard-copy print:

PLEASE NOTE:

This calendar is still very much a work in progress. It represents our current understanding of the Scriptures and the way the calendar is to be followed. Therefore, we recommend that you use it only in prayer and search all things out for yourself, asking the Holy Spirit to confirm or deny these things. Like the calendar, we are also a work in progress and make no claims that we have it all figured out.

Naso (Make an accounting)

2014 Broadcast:

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Audio Bible Info:

© 2007 Zondervan King James Audio Bible. Performance Copyright © 2007 Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Audio help.

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This week's study in 60 seconds

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Additional Torah study reading:

http://yourlivingwaters.com/Numbers/Naso-Commentary-2008.pdf

http://yourlivingwaters.com/Numbers/Naso-Commentary-2009.pdf

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Resource for the yearly readings:

CLICK HERE for the calendar readings from Hebrew for Christians

Other Bible study resources:

http://www.biblegateway.com/

http://www.bible.cc/

http://www.bible.is/

The Aramaic English New Testament Bible:

http://www.aent.org/

A Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names (online): http://www.biblecentre.org/ebooks/jbj_dictionary_of_bible_names.htm

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Why Study the Torah? Because it is very important to YHVH:

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1 Corinthians 10:11
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

11 These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

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PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING WORKBOOK DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

How does this week’s Torah Portion relate to the Haftarah and Brit Chadasha Portions? 

What did you find most interesting about this week’s reading?

 

What is the general theme of this reading and how does it apply to our lives today?

2013 Broadcast:

Naso (Make an accounting)

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The NRSV has the translation of Numbers 5:22 and 27 wrong:

Numbers 5:

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

²² now may this water that brings the curse enter your bowels and make your womb discharge, your uterus drop!” And the woman shall say, “Amen. Amen.”

²⁷ When he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has been unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her womb shall discharge, her uterus drop, and the woman shall become an execration among her people. 

It should have been translated as "thigh" and "belly" (or womb):

yarek: thigh, loin, side, base

Original Word: יָרֵך
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: yarek
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-rake')
Short Definition: thigh

beten: belly, body, womb

Original Word: בָּ֫טֶן
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: beten
Phonetic Spelling: (beh'-ten)
Short Definition: womb

Compare other translations here: http://biblehub.com/numbers/5-22.htm

The KJV really got this one right!

Numbers 5:

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:

¹⁸ And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:

¹⁹ And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse:

²⁰ But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:

²¹ Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The Lord make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell;

²² And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.

Did Yeshua take the curse of the adulterous wife onto Himself? Consider the following...

CRUCIFIXION:

The Roman form of crucifixion was not employed in the Old Testament by the Jewish people, as they saw crucifixion as one of the most horrible, cursed forms of death (Deuteronomy 21:23). In New Testament Bible times, the Romans used this tortuous method of execution as a means of exerting authority and control over the population.

Before nailing the victim to the cross, a mixture of vinegar, gall, and myrrh was usually offered to alleviate some of the victim's suffering. Wooden planks were usually fastened to the vertical stake as a footrest or seat, allowing the victim to rest his weight and lift himself for a breath, thus prolonging suffering and delaying death for up to three days. Unsupported, the victim would hang entirely from nail-pierced wrists, severely restricting breathing and circulation. This excruciating ordeal would lead to exhaustion, suffocation, brain death and heart failure. At times, mercy was shown by breaking the victim's legs, causing death to come quickly. 

Wasted thighs?

Swollen belly?

Colossians 2

King James Version (KJV)

¹³ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Watch these videos by 119 Ministries for some amazing insights on this...

YouTube Video

YouTube Video

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John defines sin:

1 John 3:4

King James Version (KJV)

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

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Did Paul really teach against the Law? Was he a hypocrite? Did he take a Nazarite vow? Many suggest that he did:

Paul's Nazirite Vow - Acts 18:18

[source]

Paul Kept A Nazirite Vow - Acts 18:18

Acts 18:18-19 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. NKJV

Let's be clear. There’s no explicit reference in this scripture to a Nazirite vow, but let’s see what the commentaries have to say about this.

Commentators Agree That Paul Kept A Nazirite Vow

Firstly the Wycliffe Bible Commantary. Acts 18:18

Paul now stayed in Corinth ….Before leaving Corinth, he assumed a Nazarite vow (see Num 6:1-21) which was an OT act of thanksgiving or of dedication to God. During the period of the vow, the devotee allowed his hair to grow uncut, and at the end of the period he cut his hair. ………. As he came to Cenchrea, the eastern port of Corinth, on his way to Syria and Palestine, the time of his vow elapsed, and he therefore cut his hair.(from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press)

Barnes Notes 1997 Acts 18:18

[For he had a vow] …. The most remarkable vow among the Jews was that of the Nazarite, by which a man made a solemn promise to God to abstain from wine, and from all intoxicating liquors, to let the hair grow, not to enter any house polluted by having a dead body in it, or to attend any funeral. This vow generally lasted eight days, sometimes a month, sometimes during a definite period fixed by themselves, and sometimes during their whole lives…. Those who made the vow out of Palestine, and who could not come to the temple when the vow was expired, contented themselves with observing the abstinence required by the Law, and cutting off the hair where they were. This I suppose to have been the case with Paul. His hair he cut off at the expiration of the vow at Cenchrea, though he delayed to perfect the vow by the proper ceremonies until he reached Jerusalem, Acts 21:23-24. (from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)

Expositors Bible Commentary says:

Nevertheless, that Paul cut his hair at Cenchrea shows that he had earlier taken a Nazirite vow for a particular period of time that had now ended. Such a vow had to be fulfilled at Jerusalem…

Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on Numbers 6:

"On other cases of this kind in the Talmud, and particularly on the later form of the Nazarite vow-for example, that of the Apostle Paul (Acts 18:18) - see Winer, bibl. R. W. ii. pp. 138-9, and Oehler in Herzog's Cycl.)" (from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

Now let’s take a look at what Matthew Henry has to say. Acts 18:18-23

At Cenchrea, which was hard by Corinth, the port where those that went to sea from Corinth took ship, either Paul or Aquila (for the original does not determine which) had his head shaved, to discharge himself from the vow of a Nazarite:

Matthew Henry then goes on to argue that Paul kept a Nazirite vow to be "all things to all men". Was Paul really a hypocrite?

Remarkably then, in the view of all of these commentators, Paul himself kept the “ritualistic old testament law” of the Nazirite vow, but at the same time was preaching that it was all "done away with".

Doesn't that argument beg some rather big questions?

Indeed. But as we've said here many times, Paul was NOT arguing nor teaching against the Torah!

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MUST READ:

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Kevin & Amanda Roberts on Obedience to YHVH's Calendar and Feasts:

The Scriptures for this week's study are:

TORAH:

Numbers 4:21 - 7:89

PROPHETS:

Judges 13:2-25