Torah Commentary Archives

Mattot/Massei “Tribes” / “Journeys”

Numbers 30:2–36:13

Jeremiah 2:4–28, 3:4

Hebrews 1-6

On The Edge of Destiny

We come to the end of the Book of Numbers this week. Forty years have passed since Israel stood on the bank of the Red Sea. All that stands between the Hebrews and their destiny is another river, a war with the Midyanim, a few instructions to get to the end of Numbers and a pretty long sermon by Pastor Moshe. Oh yea, and Pastor Moshe has to die.

Imagine the thoughts running through the minds of the Hebrews here. They are on the edge of their future. Yet there is one major requirement given by Yah before crossing; a battle. Destroy the Midyanim! Why not just enter the Land then deal with these wicked people? Of course the answer, I am sure has many levels of meaning. Let us examine the base level. It was the women of Midyanim who caused 24,000 Hebrew men to die in a plague. We ask, “Who sent those Midyanim women into the camp in the first place?” Sadly, it was the Midyanim men, their spiritual leaders. Men, whose responsibility is to guard and protect them, instead sent them off to insight grievous sin. This battle was a test to see if the men of Israel would step up to the standard Pinchas set for them or would they sit back and watch as the next sin tried to enter the camp.

Last week, it appears, I touched a few nerves in my written commentary. If you missed it, the archive is posted on my website. I received feedback from some men who shared that my words brought conviction in their walk. They took a good look in their own mirrors, pulled up their big boy training pants and took action on areas Holy Spirit revealed to them were out of order. The overwhelming response I received was more from women who said they were yearning and praying for men to take their place in the Biblical roles mandated in Scripture.

In last week's commentary I was pretty direct with the men. Allow me to give a few words to the ladies to keep it fair and balanced. It is true that through the years men have not been known for leadership and when they did lead it was through dominance rather than becoming that place of protective shelter. There are some men who desire to walk in their Biblical roles who find it challenging because of independent women not willing to walk in their Scriptural function. This is just as discouraging for the men as it is for women who have husbands not being spiritual leaders. Let's consider this possible scenario of a woman out of alignment.

In the Garden we see Eve conversing with the creature seeking to deceive her. It seems in the reading that Adam was at least within earshot of the conversation. Fingers can be pointed at Adam for failing to shamar his garden. Why did he fail though? I am speculating, but please bear with me. Could it be that Eve had worn Adam down a bit? Is it possible that during the creatures first few visits to the Garden, Adam did stand his ground? Maybe over time, Eve decided she should at least have some input on what was and was not allowed in the Garden? Could we perceive this as Eve wanting her husband to guard and lead in the garden, but she was going to tell him how it should be done?

Ladies, what happens when your prayers are answered and men are brought forward to lead? Will you rejoice or resist? In the curse, the wording suggests that Eve's desire will not be for her husband, but rather for her husband's position. When your prayers are answered and men begin to lead, will you continue to pray for them or give suggestions on how they should do it?

Why do I bring this topic out this week and not others from these Torah portions? The answer for me is very simple. Without order in our lives, our homes and congregations, we will not move another step forward in our walk with Messiah from where we are today. Relationship is the key, not religious study or observance! We can stand and gaze at end time events all day, seeing our destiny just toward the horizon, but without order we will only view what is in the distance. We will not be allowed to enter in. I for one am not willing to settle for that!

A last thought. The final chapters of Numbers are probably not the most exciting chapters to read. Do not let that cause you to miss some finer points. They recap the Hebrews wilderness journey giving further instructions concerning how life is to be lived once Israel crosses this next river. In Numbers 35:34 Israel was told not to defile the Land, because it is the Land Yah lives in. Consider for a moment the first chapters of Genesis. What did He establish first in creation? Was it not order?

When we think of defiling the Land, we may think of specific sins which are committed. What allows sin to come in the first place? Is it not the lack of Godly order? Order establishes healthy boundaries to guard our gardens behind locked doors. Disorder opens the door to chaos. What keeps the land from being defiled? Godly order through the Torah in Yeshua is our shield of defense.

Today, we are not known as a people of order, but rather disorder. Do not be deceived into thinking Yah is going to allow us into His land with all our disorder then suddenly zap order upon us. We must take the responsibility as men and women today to set our lives and our houses in order. If we don't, you will enjoy the view, but the destination will never become a reality, it will just remain a view.