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Parshah Pinchas opens with Adonai saying to Moses: “Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was zealous for My sake among them; and I did not consume the children of Israel in my jealousy.”
As we learned in last week’s parasha, a plague had broken out among the people of Israel when they sinned with the daughters of Midian and worshiped the idol Peor. Zimri, a Simeonite prince, took a Midianite princess into his tent before the eyes of Moses and the people. Pinchas responded by killing them both, thus stopping the plague. God makes a covenant of peace with Pinchas and promises a perpetual priesthood to him and his descendants. Adonai then tells Moses to wage war against the Midianites.
Chapter 26 describes a census being taken of the new generation of Israelis in preparation for entering the Land of Promise. This would ensure the orderly division of their new homeland. A detailed lineage and count are given for each of the 12 tribes. Such details remind me that the Bible isn’t only a book of theological wisdom and moral teachings but also an accurate, detailed historical document.
In chapter 27 The daughters of Zelophehad request land inheritance even though they have no brothers. They explain to Moses that their father died in the wilderness, but that he was not in the company of those who gathered against the Lord with Korah. Moses brings it to the Lord and Adonai honors their request, affirming the rights of women in inheritance, thus setting a legal precedent.
Adonai also informs Moses in this chapter that he will not enter the Promised Land with the rest of Israel. Instead, he is to commission Joshua as his successor. Moses obeys Adonai and lays hands on him, passing on the mantle of leadership.
Chapters 28 and 29 conclude the parasha with detailed instructions for various offerings. These include the twice-daily, Sabbath, and monthly offerings. They also detail festival offerings for Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.
This week’s Parasha delivers many lessons and practical applications for God’s Word in our lives.
Pinchas acted boldly to stop sin and bring peace through judgment. His actions highlight the importance of righteous zeal, leadership, justice, and the importance of acting against wrongdoing. God’s covenant of peace with Pinchas anticipated the greater New Covenant accomplished by Messiah Yeshua, which would bring eternal reconciliation with God. And the perpetual priesthood given to Pinchas’ descendants also reflects Yeshua’s eternal priesthood. We all need to be zealous for God, but zeal must be balanced with the compassion shown by our Messiah.
The daughters of Zelophehad showed bold faith by stepping into what was traditionally denied to them. Similarly, Gentiles who were previously denied access to the Temple, are now grafted into Israel’s inheritance by faith in Messiah Yeshua. We should embrace the fullness of our inheritance in Yeshua, whether Jewish or Gentile.
The prescribed offerings are a reminder to each of us of the cost of sin and the need for atonement. Each festival or appointed time mentioned in this week’s parasha foreshadows aspects of Yeshua’s work: Passover foreshadows His death, Shavuot, the giving of the Spirit. Yom Kippur, His atonement and Sukkot foreshadows Yeshua’s future reign. We do well to honor Adonai’s appointed times, and at the same time celebrate their rich prophetic meaning.
Finally, I’d like to talk a bit about Moses not entering the promised Land. Nearing the end of their forty years of wandering, Israel came to the Desert of Zin. There was no water, and the community turned against Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron went to the Tent of Meeting and prostrated themselves before God. God told Moses and Aaron to gather the assembly and speak to the rock. Water would come forth. Moses took the staff and gathered the people. Then, seemingly in anger, Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must WE bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses struck the rock twice with his staff. Water came from the rock, as God had promised. But God immediately told Moses and Aaron that, because they failed to honor Him as holy, they would not bring the children of Israel into the Promised Land.
The punishment might seem harsh to us, looking at it through the lens of our human eyes, as opposed to God’s holy eyes. Previously, in Exodus 17, Adonai had commanded Moses to strike the rock. But the instructions were different this time. He was told simply to speak to the rock. Instead, Moses struck the rock in anger with his staff. To make matters worse, Moses took credit for bringing forth the water. He said to the people gathered at the rock, “Must WE bring water out of this rock for you?” God could not allow this dishonor to go unpunished. Israel needed to understand His holiness. And, in fact, Moses didn’t complain about his punishment. Instead, he continued to faithfully lead the people and honor God.
In His holiness, Adonai is also compassionate. He invited Moses to ascend Mount Nebo, where He showed His beloved prophet the Promised Land before his death.
We are human. We have mind, emotions, and will. Adonai created us this way. But we need to have enough humility to recognize that we are but the creature, and He is the Creator. Therefore, it is essential that we learn to control our emotions, rather than allow them to control us. We should use our free will to honor and serve God and to accomplish His purposes for our lives.
Shabbat Shalom.