Pinchas

Numbers 25:10 thru 29:40Pinchas – Is the son of Eleazar,

Who was the son of Aaron the Priest

The 41ST Portion Reading

Mountaintop to Valley

• Balaam and Balak incident has ended• A new rebellion begins• Hebrews begin cavorting with the Moabites and Midianites• This is the NEW generation of Hebrews who is rebelling• The 1st generation of the Exodus is now dead

Pinchas

A wise man learns from his mistakes,

but a WISER man learns from the mistakes of others

Israel at Shittim

• Shittim = Acacia tree

• Israel was unaware of the Balaam and Balak effort against them

• Tradition is that Balaam suggested that Balak get Israel to worship Moab’s gods

• Chemosh, chief Ba’al of the Moabites

• Religious prostitution part of the ritual in worshipping a fertility god

High-Handed Sins

• The “whoring” Israel committed were high-handed sins• National rebellion• Yehoveh orders the “chiefs” to be executed• Hanging likely means “impaled” on a pole• The leadership was to blame for this national apostasy• Death of the chiefs was for atonement for the nation

His Blood is on His Own Head

• Punishment and discipline have NOT ended for the Believer• But eternal condemnation HAS ended for the faithful!• The Lord will NOT accept the blood of an animal in atonement for a high-handed sin• Moses did NOT order the Tribal Chiefs to die, instead he ordered lesser leaders to be executed• Moses made a political move• Tribal Chiefs would not have submitted to death, and their people would have risen up against Moses

His Blood is on His Own Head

Why would Moses have done this? Why was he so reluctant to execute those leaders? Well, in order not to go into great detail, I only ask you to think about the scenes we regularly see play out on our TV’s, from Iraq. Tribal members and Muslim sect members will do anything to protect their leaders. And the leaders will sacrifice any amount of their people to maintain their power; this is all the essence of the tribal system.

Pinchas

• Plague was raging among Israel for their sin• Hebrew man brings a Midianite woman into the camp of Israel• Parades her by the Tabernacle• Phinehas, a priest, follows the couple to the man’s tent, and there kills them with a spear• Belly = reproductive organs

Pinchas’ Act Stopped Plague

• 24,000 Israelites died• Ancient Rabbis were troubled by this act• Phinehas acted in righteous anger as protector of the Lord’s holiness• Yehoveh even granted Phinehas His SHALOM • The Lord declares that Phinehas would follow his father Eleazar as High Priest, and be the priestly clam

Tone of Chapter Shifts After Execution

• The Lord’s justice is met• The plague ends• The newest Exodus generation has learned a terrible lesson• Yehoveh demonstrated His kindness and His severity• The Lord declares war on the Midianites (allies of Moab) for their part in seducing Israel to worship false gods• A census would be needed before the battle

Numbers 26: Conquest

• Final 11 chapters begin process of possessing Canaan

• First census (Num.1,2) was of the 1st Exodus generation

• This census (Num. 26) is of the next generation

• Two purposes: 1) Military 2) Land allotment

Israel on east bank of JordanRiver, across from Jericho

Tribes Census Census Increase Decrease (year 2) (year 40)

1. Reuben

2. Simeon

3. Gad4. Judah5. Issachar6. Zebulun 7. Ephraim 8. Manassceh9. Benjamin10. Dan11. Asher12. Naphtali Total

46,500 59,300 45,650 74,600 54,400 57,400 40,500 32,200 35,400 62,700 41,500 53,400603,500

43,730 22,200 40,500 76,500 64,300 60,500 32,500 52,700 45,600 64,400 53,600 45,400601,703

1,900 9,900 3,100

20,50010,200 1,70011,900

59,200

2,77037,100 5,150

8,000

8,00061,020

Land Allotment

• TWO criteria: 1) Territory proportionate to size of tribe 2) By lot (chance)

• The lot determined the region, while the size of the tribe determined how MUCH land in that region a tribe would receive

Census of the Levites

• A fully separate census for the Levites• 1) Levites no longer seen by God as part of Israel• 2) Levites NOT entitled to land (territory)• Instead were given 48 cities scattered throughout the 12 tribes’ territories• Number of Levite males were 23,000• These were ONE MONTH and up• The Israelite tribes counted males 20 YEARS and up to about age 50

Separate Census for Levites

• Israelites and Levites counted separately• Israelite males, 20 to 50 years• Levite males, 1 month and up• Census to determine size of tribal territory in Canaan• Over the 40 years, the old generation died off• Some tribes increased and others declined in size

Succession of Inheritence

• This is dealing with some specific cases that aren’t covered by the Laws• Daughters of Zelophehad want to inherit their father’s wealth• He had no sons, and was not a rebel• A new way of setting up laws was established: PRECEDENT

Daughters May Inherit

• The Lord says that when there are no sons, the daughters are to inherit• If a man has NO children, wealth goes to his own brothers.• If a man has no brothers it goes to his uncles• If a man has no uncles then the nearest relative inherits the property• Some caveats to this later in Deuteronomy

Possessed Not Owned• Canaan belongs to HIM, not to the Israelites• Israel possesses the land, but the Lord OWNS the land• Hebrews had exclusive USE of the land• Laws of Jubilee returns land to original possessor• Land for peace, the “Roadmap to Peace” completely violates this commandment!!

Land to Remain in the Family

• When land passed on to son, name and family possession of land remained intact• When land passed on to daughter, land becomes under control of daughter’s HUSBAND and his family• Sons received inheritance, daughters received wedding dowry• Dowry ended all responsibility of father to his daughters• Laws of inheritance by daughters applied ONLY when she married within her own tribe

Land to Remain in the Family

Moses Appoints Joshua

• Moses old and would not be allowed by God to enter Canaan• Ascends mountain range of Abarim, on Mt. Nebo• Moses will NOT die immediately• Land must first be allotted by Moses• Aaron was replaced by an established and automatic line of succession• Moses was replaced by at the appointment of Yehoveh • Joshua was NOT a replacement Mediator

Only Two Mediators• Moses was the 1st, Yeshua was the 2nd and better• Neither had a successor• When Yeshua returns it will not be as Mediator, it will be as Kinsman Redeemer• Joshua commissioned by High Priest• Moses commissioned the entire priesthood• Samaka= laying on of hands• Symbolized substitution or transference

Sacrifice

• Sacrifice is the HEART of worship• Torah sacrifices were pictures and patterns• Modern Christians have no knowledge of biblical sacrifice• The ancients saw these sacrifices as self-evident• The DOING of sacrifice brought the understanding

Types of Offerings

‘Olah Burnt Offering

Hata’at Purification Offering

‘Asham Reparation Offering

Shelamim Peace Offering

Olah Hata’at Asham Shelamim

Burnt Offering

Entire animal is burned up

Every day by PriestsWe owe God allfor our sin.

We deserve complete destruction

Purification Officering

Some of the animal could be used for food by priests

Often usually after being unclean

Blood purifies.Without the blood God could not be among man

Reparation Offering

Some of the animal could be used for food by priests

Special to atone for serious sin

We owe God a dept as payment for our offenses against Him

Peace Offering

Most of animal used for food with largest portion to the worshipper

Very frequent To complete a vow. A “Free will” offering

A “thank you” gift. We Acknowledge that Shalom is from Him.

Atonement and Sin Complex

• May seem simple to a gentle, but a Jew knows better• Yeshua’s death did NOT reduce the complexity of sin and atonement• “….a sin is a sin..” ???• NO. Torah says there are levels and degrees.• Sacrifice is MORE than answering an altar call• Our deeds and works are a measure of commitment to our Savior

Sacrifice and Ritual

• Sacrifice and ritual seems irrelevant to the Western mind• Sacrifice and ritual are common throughout the world• Sacrifice and ritual are the FOCAL POINT of Biblical worship• Critical that we understand Torah-based sacrifice and ritual

What is so Primitive?• W.G. Plaut: “….likely it is the public nature of the ancient slaughtering process….”• “….a genuine form of worship that cannot be quickly dismissed..”• Animal sacrifices WILL begin anew in the coming NEW Temple in Jerusalem• Sacrifice might be used as a commemoration and NOT for atonement• It is the DOING of the sacrificethat gave the ancient the fullerunderstanding of it’s meaning

Occasion Lambs Rams Bulls Goats

Each day (28:3-8)Each Sabbath (28:9-10)Each New Moon (28:11-15)Each day of Unleavened Bread (28:16)Feast of Weeks (28:26-31)New Year (29:1-6)Yom Kippur (29:7-11) 1st of Sukkot (29:12-16)2nd of Sukkot (29:17-19)3rd of Sukkot (29:20-22)4th of Sukkot (29:23-25)5th of Sukkot (29:26-28)6th of Sukkot (29:29-31)7th of Sukkot (29:32-34)8th of Sukkot (29:35-38)

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Types of Offerings

1) The offerings are cumulative 2) Descending order of frequency 3) All the sacrificial animals are MALE animals 4) Order is prescriptive, not descriptive 5) The number 7 and it’s multiples are prominent 6) Many other occurrences of the number 7 in other rituals and feasts

Tamid• Tamid = the daily sacrifice• Animals provided by priests, offered-up on the Bronze Altar• Twice daily, in the morning and in the evening• Burnt-offering is a general term• ALL sacrifices were burned up on the Altar• Tamid consists of the ‘Olah and the Minchah offerings• These were NOT food offerings to God so He could eat!• This was acknowledgement that Yehoveh PROVIDED food

Libation Offerings

• Biblical “wine” is NOT grape juice• It is wine just as we think of it• Yayin = wine• Shekhar = strong drink• Could be ale or beer• Old wine = strong drink made from grapes• The Tamid libation offering is Shekhar, NOT Yayin• This Shekhar of the Tamid is “old wine” because the red color of grapes is needed to represent blood

Ezekiel’s Renewed System

• Sabbath day offering ADDS two Rams + an extra grain sacrifice• New Moon marks the end of one month and beginning of the next• Ezekiel sacrificial protocol is likely for the end-times AND the Millennial Kingdom (of Yeshua) to take place in the New Temple• Ezekiel’s protocol is somewhat different• Reason: Torah system is Pre-Christ• Ezekiel system is after His death andResurrection and in second coming.

Differences in the Two Systems

• In Torah system priests provide the Tamid animals• In Ezekiel system worshippers provide animals• In Torah system the Hata’at goes with the New Moon• In Ezekiel system, no Hata’at• Perhaps in Ezekiel system (Millennial Kingdom) priests will have a role of lesser significance• Sacrifices NOT for atonement, but for remembrance?

Types of Offerings

End of the Study Pinchas