41 Matot, Massei Page 1 “Vows”
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#41 Matot, Massei Page 1 “vows” This week’s Torah Portions: Numbers 30-36:13, Jeremiah 1-2:28, 3:4 4:1-2, Philippians 3:7-21, Matthew 5:33-37, James 4:1-12 (1st & 2nd Haftarah of Affliction) Torah-vows & oaths-promises to obey, or do you take the Name of Yahweh “in Vain”? We make a “vow or oath” when we agree to “follow” Yeshua/Jesus. Shavuot? When we forget or disobey Torah, we then are not blameless. We have spot or wrinkle and the consequence is that we then are: 1. corrected (tests, trials) or 2. punished (death-our soul turned over to satan for the destruction of our flesh so that “our soul” can receive eternal life, etc. 1Corinthians 5:5) (we cannot blame bad things that happen to us as happenstance) WE MUST REPENT & CHANGE or problems/bad things will repeat until we change. read Deuteronomy 23:23 Red flag: If bad things keep happening in your life. REPENT. Something is amiss. Numbers 30:3 If a man (or woman) makes a vow, he shall not violate his vow. If one violates his vow, he falls into judgement. (judgement that may lead to the 2nd death. We also lose rewards/blessings while alive). 1John 5:16-17 (2 types of sin). Some vows made by women or the young can be annulled. What is a vow? “OUR WORDS are very important” Rabbi Rashi says “one should not say words that are unholy-our words are to be set-apart. The parallel for today is that we have to guard the words we speak. We should not say words “in jest” or because the words are “clever”—especially if we are using the words to “validate” ourselves or our theology. “OUR WORD IS OUR BOND-we are to keep a promise” Exodus 20:7 Do not take the name of Yahweh in vain. Is it easy to do this and not know we are doing it? Do we make a vow or an oath to follow Jesus and then we do not do what Jesus did including guarding our speech. This is taking Yeshua’s name and Yahweh’s name in vain. Do we make a vow or oath when we agree “to follow Yeshua”, do we need to guard our words for they are “holy”. example: Jacob’s vow or a Nazarite vow? Our yes must be yes and our no must be no!.—Matt 5:37 Anything else could be sin. Romans 8:29-30 Yahweh has predestined and called me to be conformed to the image of His Son Yeshua. Am I conforming? #41 Matot, Massei Page 2 “vows” Lashon Hara: We are not to say bad things about people “even if it is true”. We are to pray, and give the issue to Yahweh. Our battle is against “principalities” and not flesh and blood!—Ephesians 6:12. We are to help people and encourage them. We do not know what has happened to them during the week. If one “jokes”, teases, or makes fun or light of people, tells little “white lies”, keeps secrets with others, etc., is this being set-apart? Do we talk about people without their knowledge of it TO OTHERS? or do we pray for them. When we hold on to the upset, the frustration, the anger, etc. we tie Yahweh’s hands. Yahweh wants to fix our people problems! Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words (more than “yes” or “no”) sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. Matthew 11:29 Take My yoke (TORAH) upon you and learn from me, for I am “gentle”. Ephesians 4:1-3 Walk worthy of the calling for which you have been called (a prisoner of Yahweh), with gentleness, patience, self-control, and peace. Job 6:24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred. (have I erred in some way?) for me: forgive me Yahweh for not raising my children properly. Job 6:30 Is there “sin” in my tongue? Proverbs 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. Every word that is not set-apart is an “idle word”. We are held accountable for every idle word. Malachi 2:17 Do we weary Yahweh with our words? many words? babbling? Matthew 12:36 Yeshua told the people “Every idle word that men speak shall they have to account for in the day of judgement”. red letter words! “idle” Strong’s word G692 meaning “words spoken without Yahweh’s purpose or (work). Sefer Chofetz Chaim and Sefer Shmires Haloshon say that we can spend all day earning blessings from Yahweh by doing Torah & mitzvos only to lose them all by speaking against our neighbors sin. This is called “Lashon Hara”. They also say that we are not to share negative information even if it is true about others with family, friends, or our spouse. To focus (by expressing words) on another’s shortcomings is undignified & wrong. There are exceptions in cases of abuse and harm to others. #41 Matot, Massei Page 3 “vows” We are to seek peace & pursue it for peace is the ultimate blessing. The key to heaven: Yahweh extends mercy & compassion “to us” based on how we extend mercy and compassion to others. Numbers 31:2-3 Yahweh tells Moses to go to war with the Midianites, then he will die. Moses married a Midianite (Zipporah). Her father Jethro was a grafted-in Midianite. Rashi says that Moses carried this out joyfully knowing that he would die. Rashi says that anyone who opposes Israel also opposes Yahweh. The Midianites lured Israel to disobey Torah. This is much worse than what the Moabites did by asking Balaam to place a curse. When the people disobeyed Torah with the sin at Baal Peor, the curse came and the plaque came. today: has Christianity been lured away from obeying Torah? Is the “sin” of the Christian Gentile nations full, has the book of Revelation begun? GRACE VS TRUTH or GRACE and TRUTH? example: “grace” has been taught to be the opposite of “Mosaic Laws of God” due in a large part to NT translator bias: John 1:17 The “law” was given through Moses, BUT “grace & truth” was given through Jesus Christ. This “implies” that Jesus is against Moses. This verse on it’s own is blatantly FALSE and a LIE. How do I know? It contradicts a multitude of other biblical scriptures! The word “BUT” is ADDED in at least 10 NT translations including the KJV. The word “BUT” is absent in at least 10 other translations. Any Berean or student of the word knows this verse is false, but it has been routinely preached for 2000 years. Our bible teaches in the OT & the NT that “salvation” is by grace and grace alone. Our bible teaches that God wants to save us through “belief” or “faith” then God gives us “grace” until we grow spiritually into a “mature” Christian that obeys the Torah (God’s teaching and instruction). We desire to do Torah like a “bondservant” because Torah is written on our heart! Numbers 31:5 12,000 men were armed for battle (1000 from each tribe of Israel). vs 7-8 Every Midianite male including Balaam were killed. #41 Matot, Massei Page 4 “vows” Numbers 31:14-17 Moses was angry with the military leaders because they had not killed the women that caused the incident at Baal Peor. Moses then had his men kill all the women of child bearing age and the males. vs 19 Because of the dead bodies, you are to stay outside the camp for 7 days. Purify yourselves on the 3rd Day and the 7th Day (6001AD). The year 6001 or 5881 begins “year one” of the 7th Millennium or Messianic Age. Numbers 32:1-42 The descendants of Gad and Reuben (and the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh) want to live “east of the Jordan”. Moses tells them OK, but that they must lead the battle with the rest of Israel to conquer the Canaanite land. They all agree. Numbers 33:3 Israel left Egypt as an “army in divisions” on Nisan 15 on the 2nd Day of the Passover). They ate the Passover on the 15th before midnight on Nisan 14. There are 8 days of Passover that include the Passover sacrifice on Nisan 14 and then the 7 days of Unleavened Bread from Nisan 15 to Nisan 21. This scripture confirms this fact by saying Nisan 15 is the 2nd day of the Passover. note: Nisan 15 can be the 1st Day of Unleavened Bread and the 1st Fruits offering on the morrow after the weekly Shabbat. This is proven in Joshua 5:7-12 when Israel crosses the Jordan into the promised land, is circumcised, kills the Passover lamb, and eats unleavened bread from the new crop of barley in the fields of the Canaanites. The Passover was on Shabbat-“Saturday”. note: this is when Hillel counts to Shavuot-by using the 16th. vs 1-49 Here is a summary of the journeys during the 40 years in the wilderness. There were 20 main journeys. In verse 49 it says they camped in the plains of Moab next to the Jordan ready to cross-over. Rashi says the camp was about 8 square miles in size: this is big! vs 4 Yahweh killed all the 1st Born of Egypt at “midnight” (Exodus 12:29) on the 14th being the 15th.