Torah Portion – Week 43 (22-23)
Masei – the conclusion of the book of numbers. Retells the journeys in the wilderness, instructions for taking the land, cities for the levites, cities of refuge and daughters of zelophehad.
Why we are doing this- Psalms 119:18
“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”
Ch.33
- Each name for a stop has a meaning (Give Rameses and Sukkoth example).
- Ramses = Son of God/child of the sun
- Sukkoth = Shelter/ dwelling
- Etham = with them – the plowshare
- Pihahiroth = place where sedge grows
- (before migdol) “the tower”
- Passed through the midst of the sea, then 3 days journey
- Marah = Bitterness
- Elim = Big trees (fountains of water….)
- Red Sea = Sea of Reeds
- Ciyn = thorn or clay
- Dophkah = a knocking
- Alush = Mingling together / kneading together
- Rephidim = Rest or stays or resting places
- Sinai = Shining or to shine or Thorny/thorn bush
- Kibrothhattavaavah = graves of lust
- Hazeroth = villages, courts
- Rithmah = broom (as in wild desert broom)
- Rimmonparez = Pomegranate of the breach or
- Livnah – whiteness
- Rissah – Heap of ruins
- Kehelathah – Assembly
- Shapher – brightness
- Haradah – fear
- Makheloth – place of assembly
- Tahath – support
- Tarah – Stopping / station
- Mithcah – sweetness
- Hashmonah – fatness
- Moseroth – bonds
- Benejaakan – Sons of Jakaan (twisting)
- Horhagidgad – hill of felicity
- Jotbathah – Pleasantness
- Ebronah – Passage
- Eziongaber – backbone of a man
- Zin – thorn, dry place
- Kadesh – Holy, set apart
33:4-5 – coming out of EgypTesting in the wilderness https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+esdras+15%3A10-12%2C+is+19%3A1-4&version=RSV
- The Egyptians trusted in their idols and none saved them, they were all destroyed.
- Abraham in Jasher 11:16(30)-49 https://sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/jasher/11.htm
33:7 – Baal Tsephon (Targums Exo 14:2) https://parableofthevineyard.com/wp-content/uploads/Torah-Targums-Of-Exodus-FINAL.pdf
33:55 – Verse 55 – came true, the inhabitants that were not driven out became thorns… Book of Judges tells of this well.
- We must also drive out all idols and sin from our lives, lest they become pricks in our lives and drive us out.
- End: We need to be ready to move when the Most High says to move, just as the Israelites, but without all the complaining!
- Paul says these are for our admonition (1 cor 10)
- We need to continue on this journey in the wilderness with perseverance, as he is testing us (Deut 8) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=deut+8%3A2-3%2C+1+pet+4%3A12-16&version=KJV
- Excellent parallel with our journey now, but also in the future? Eze 20:33-38 https://classic.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Eze+20%3A33-38&version=KJV
Ch.34
- Show the borders map https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Map_Land_of_Israel.jpg
- Compare with Gen 15 borders https://www.gdconline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Capture-17.png
Ch.35
- Show visual of a town map and refer the website
- Levite cities https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=levite+cities&atb=v158-1&iax=images&ia=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-QTjlQ85hxN4%2FWMiUoCAicmI%2FAAAAAAAAT7A%2FNrqX86AszwY8UocZdTOiSQgOVDSuulztgCEw%2Fs1600%2FJosh%252B21.jpg
Levitical cities write up https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Levitical-Cities
- Cities of refuge https://i2.wp.com/www.bridgesforpeace.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/wikimedia-Richardprins-Jan-TL-screenshot-12_Tribes_of_Israel_Map-2.png?ssl=1
- Manslayer and death of the High Priest – a foreshadow of Yahusha!
- This is merciful of Yahuah to allow a man or woman be tried before judgement.
- Blood pollutes the land: Read 1st Adam and Eve 8-16 https://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/fbe/fbe084.htm
Ch.36