Post by alon on Feb 21, 2019 4:17:50 GMT -8
Par’shah 21.2: Ki Tissa
This week’s readings: Par’shah 21
Date of reading: February 23, 2019/18 Adar 1, 5779
Name of Par’shah: Ki Tissa (When you take)
Par’shah: Sh’mot 30:11-34:35
Haftarah: M’lakhim Alef 18:1-39
Brit Chadashah: Luke 11: 14-20; Acts 7:35-8:1; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18
D’rash:
Sh’mot 30:11-12---Adonai said to Moshe, “When you take a census of the people of Israel and register them, each, upon registration, is to pay a ransom for his life to Adonai, to avoid any breakout of plague among them during the time of the census.”
The ransom, which was one-half of a shekel, was required for every male twenty years of age and older (qualified for military service) and would be used for the service of the Mishkan. No one was to pay more or less than this amount. A census taken without permission from Adonai or good reason, was forbidden and would likely be undertaken by Israel’s future kings, creating a danger of placing confidence in one’s strength (predominantly military) instead of Adonai.
Tehillim 20:7-9 (NKJV)---Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the Name of the L-rd our G-d. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright. Save, L-rd! May the King answer us when we call.
Tehillim 33:16-21---A king is not saved by the size of his army, a strong man not delivered by his great strength. To rely on a horse for safety is vain, nor does its great power assure escape. But Adonai’s eyes watch over those who fear Him, over those who wait for His grace to rescue them from death and keep them alive in famine. We are waiting for Adonai; He is our help and shield. For in Him our hearts rejoice, because we trust in His holy Name.
D'varim 17:14-20 lists three requirements for Israel’s kings: not to acquire many wives, excessive silver and gold, many horses or returning to Mitzrayim to obtain more horses. He was required to write out his own copy of the
that the cohanim and L’vi’im use and read it everyday so that he would learn to fear Adonai and obey His mitzvot, and not think himself more highly than his brothers. Here we see that the was to be an integral part of a king’s reign to help him remain humble and dependent on G-d. The half-shekel tax would serve as a reminder as atonement for the lives of those being counted; that is, it would act as a covering, and cancel out the punishment for taking the census.
B’midbar chapters 1-3 records the first census taken, then again in chapter 26, specifically for the second generation that came out of Mitzrayim after the first generation had completely died out, except for Y’hoshua and Kalev. There are three reasons why Adonai ordered these censuses to be taken: the first was for a military count and the second was to determine how the Land would be parceled out after it was conquered. A larger inheritance would be given to the larger tribes and a smaller inheritance to the smaller tribes (B’midbar 26:52-56). The tribe of Levi was excluded from any Land inheritance since Adonai would be their inheritance and would be responsible for the service in the Mishkan. This leads us to the third reason---there were two separate registrations taken: one for all the males one month old and over for the L’vi’im and one for all the firstborn males of the remaining tribes (B’midbar 3:14-51). All firstborn males belonged to Adonai (B’midbar 3:13) but it would be the male L’vi’im who would take the place of all the male firstborn of Israel and serve Adonai as cohanim. In this census there were 273 more Israelite firstborn males than there were male L’vi’im. To balance out this additional 273, a redemption offering of five shekels each was collected and given to Aharon and his sons.
There are a few other Scriptural examples of censuses being undertaken and the outcomes depend on the motives:
Sh’mu’el Bet 24:1---1 the anger of Adonai blazed up against Israel, so He moved David to act against them by saying, “Go, take a census of Isra’el and Y’hudah.”
No reason for Adonai’s anger is given but in the previous chapter the exploits of some of David’s military men are recorded, and though Adonai is given credit in a couple of these victories, perhaps Israel “crossed a line” and in a national sense placed their pride and confidence more in these mighty warriors than in Adonai. Yo’av, the army commander, attempted to dissuade David from taking this census but to no avail. After completing it, David became remorseful and repented. Through the prophet Gad, Adonai gave him three choices of punishment---seven years of famine, flee for three months from his enemies, or three days of plague in the Land. Note that he chose the third, which was the’s consequence for an unlawful census.
In Divrei-Hayamim Alef chapter 23, David numbered the L’vi’im, thirty years old and over, yet without negative consequences. The purpose was to assign them tasks to assist the descendants of Aharon with the service of the House of Adonai, which included officials and judges, gatekeepers, and worshipers with instruments to sing praise to Adonai.
The lesson we can learn from this is not to put our trust and confidence in anything above G-d particularly our abilities, accomplishments and successes. King N’vukhadnetzar of Bavel was driven to live with and like the wild animals because of his pride, taking the credit for building his kingdom instead of attributing it to Adonai (Dani’el 4:25(28)-30(33)). Wealth can be a trap for some as taught in Mishlei 11:28: “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like sprouting leaves.” The parable of the rich man in Luke 12:13-21 is a lesson on the futility of trusting in riches and not being rich towards G-d. Emissary Sh’aul teaches in many of his letters the importance of placing our trust and confidence in Yeshua HaMashiach for salvation and not in our own efforts:
Galatians 3:5-7---What about G-d, who supplies you with the Spirit and works miracles among you---does He do it because of your legalistic observance of commands or because you trust in what you heard and are faithful to it? It was the same with Avraham: “He trusted in G-d and was faithful to Him, and that was credited to his account as righteousness.” Be assured, then, that it is those who live by trusting and being faithful who are really children of Avraham (a similar Scripture can be read in Romans 4:1-5).
Ephesians 2:8-10---For you have been delivered by grace through trusting, and even this is not your accomplishment but G-d’s gift. You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast. For we are of G-d’s making, created in union with the Messiah Yeshua for a life of good actions already prepared by G-d for us to do.
Note that trust is not without actions---trust comes first, then our response is obedience from a right heart as was given in the example of Avraham:
Ya’akov 2:20-24---But, foolish fellow, do you want to be shown that such “faith” apart from actions is barren? Wasn’t Avraham avinu declared righteous because of actions when he offered up his son Yitz’chak on the altar? You see that his faith worked with his actions; by the actions the faith was made complete; and the passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled which says, “Avraham had faith in G-d, and it was credited to his account as righteousness.” He was even called G-d’s friend. You see that a person is declared righteous because of actions and not because of faith alone.
Emissary Sha’ul is an excellent example of one who would have every reason to boast in his accomplishments and position in the Messianic Community (Philippians 3:3b-6). But what was his response after coming to faith in Yeshua?
Philippians 3:7-11---But the things that used to be advantages for me, I have, because of the Messiah, come to consider a disadvantage. Not only that, but I consider everything a disadvantage in comparison with the supreme value of knowing the Messiah Yeshua as my L-rd. It was because of Him that I gave up everything and regard it all as garbage, in order to gain the Messiah and be found in union with Him, not having any righteousness of my own based on legalism, but having that righteousness which comes through the Messiah’s faithfulness, the righteousness from G-d based on trust. Yes, I gave it all up in order to know Him, that is, to know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings as I am being conformed to His death, so that somehow I might arrive at being resurrected from the dead.
We can clearly see here what our priorities should be. Hebrews chapter 12 encourages us to lay aside every weight and sin that easily sets us back, run the race with endurance, and submit to the L-rd’s discipline which He administers for our good. Just as an individual who enlists in the military is taken to be set apart, trained, disciplined and transformed away from civilian life to conform to military life, so we should set ourselves apart to consistent and disciplined reading, studying and practice of the Word to allow Yeshua Messiah to transform us from worldly views and ways to a holy life. As He accomplishes the changes in us, then we can confidently say that which is written in 2 Corinthians 10:17:
"So, let anyone who wants to boast, boast about Adonai;…”
References: Scriptures taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright 1998 by David H. Stern unless otherwise noted.
MRD
This week’s readings: Par’shah 21
Date of reading: February 23, 2019/18 Adar 1, 5779
Name of Par’shah: Ki Tissa (When you take)
Par’shah: Sh’mot 30:11-34:35
Haftarah: M’lakhim Alef 18:1-39
Brit Chadashah: Luke 11: 14-20; Acts 7:35-8:1; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18
D’rash:
Sh’mot 30:11-12---Adonai said to Moshe, “When you take a census of the people of Israel and register them, each, upon registration, is to pay a ransom for his life to Adonai, to avoid any breakout of plague among them during the time of the census.”
The ransom, which was one-half of a shekel, was required for every male twenty years of age and older (qualified for military service) and would be used for the service of the Mishkan. No one was to pay more or less than this amount. A census taken without permission from Adonai or good reason, was forbidden and would likely be undertaken by Israel’s future kings, creating a danger of placing confidence in one’s strength (predominantly military) instead of Adonai.
Tehillim 20:7-9 (NKJV)---Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the Name of the L-rd our G-d. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright. Save, L-rd! May the King answer us when we call.
Tehillim 33:16-21---A king is not saved by the size of his army, a strong man not delivered by his great strength. To rely on a horse for safety is vain, nor does its great power assure escape. But Adonai’s eyes watch over those who fear Him, over those who wait for His grace to rescue them from death and keep them alive in famine. We are waiting for Adonai; He is our help and shield. For in Him our hearts rejoice, because we trust in His holy Name.
D'varim 17:14-20 lists three requirements for Israel’s kings: not to acquire many wives, excessive silver and gold, many horses or returning to Mitzrayim to obtain more horses. He was required to write out his own copy of the
that the cohanim and L’vi’im use and read it everyday so that he would learn to fear Adonai and obey His mitzvot, and not think himself more highly than his brothers. Here we see that the was to be an integral part of a king’s reign to help him remain humble and dependent on G-d. The half-shekel tax would serve as a reminder as atonement for the lives of those being counted; that is, it would act as a covering, and cancel out the punishment for taking the census.B’midbar chapters 1-3 records the first census taken, then again in chapter 26, specifically for the second generation that came out of Mitzrayim after the first generation had completely died out, except for Y’hoshua and Kalev. There are three reasons why Adonai ordered these censuses to be taken: the first was for a military count and the second was to determine how the Land would be parceled out after it was conquered. A larger inheritance would be given to the larger tribes and a smaller inheritance to the smaller tribes (B’midbar 26:52-56). The tribe of Levi was excluded from any Land inheritance since Adonai would be their inheritance and would be responsible for the service in the Mishkan. This leads us to the third reason---there were two separate registrations taken: one for all the males one month old and over for the L’vi’im and one for all the firstborn males of the remaining tribes (B’midbar 3:14-51). All firstborn males belonged to Adonai (B’midbar 3:13) but it would be the male L’vi’im who would take the place of all the male firstborn of Israel and serve Adonai as cohanim. In this census there were 273 more Israelite firstborn males than there were male L’vi’im. To balance out this additional 273, a redemption offering of five shekels each was collected and given to Aharon and his sons.
There are a few other Scriptural examples of censuses being undertaken and the outcomes depend on the motives:
Sh’mu’el Bet 24:1---1 the anger of Adonai blazed up against Israel, so He moved David to act against them by saying, “Go, take a census of Isra’el and Y’hudah.”
No reason for Adonai’s anger is given but in the previous chapter the exploits of some of David’s military men are recorded, and though Adonai is given credit in a couple of these victories, perhaps Israel “crossed a line” and in a national sense placed their pride and confidence more in these mighty warriors than in Adonai. Yo’av, the army commander, attempted to dissuade David from taking this census but to no avail. After completing it, David became remorseful and repented. Through the prophet Gad, Adonai gave him three choices of punishment---seven years of famine, flee for three months from his enemies, or three days of plague in the Land. Note that he chose the third, which was the
’s consequence for an unlawful census.In Divrei-Hayamim Alef chapter 23, David numbered the L’vi’im, thirty years old and over, yet without negative consequences. The purpose was to assign them tasks to assist the descendants of Aharon with the service of the House of Adonai, which included officials and judges, gatekeepers, and worshipers with instruments to sing praise to Adonai.
The lesson we can learn from this is not to put our trust and confidence in anything above G-d particularly our abilities, accomplishments and successes. King N’vukhadnetzar of Bavel was driven to live with and like the wild animals because of his pride, taking the credit for building his kingdom instead of attributing it to Adonai (Dani’el 4:25(28)-30(33)). Wealth can be a trap for some as taught in Mishlei 11:28: “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like sprouting leaves.” The parable of the rich man in Luke 12:13-21 is a lesson on the futility of trusting in riches and not being rich towards G-d. Emissary Sh’aul teaches in many of his letters the importance of placing our trust and confidence in Yeshua HaMashiach for salvation and not in our own efforts:
Galatians 3:5-7---What about G-d, who supplies you with the Spirit and works miracles among you---does He do it because of your legalistic observance of
commands or because you trust in what you heard and are faithful to it? It was the same with Avraham: “He trusted in G-d and was faithful to Him, and that was credited to his account as righteousness.” Be assured, then, that it is those who live by trusting and being faithful who are really children of Avraham (a similar Scripture can be read in Romans 4:1-5).Ephesians 2:8-10---For you have been delivered by grace through trusting, and even this is not your accomplishment but G-d’s gift. You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast. For we are of G-d’s making, created in union with the Messiah Yeshua for a life of good actions already prepared by G-d for us to do.
Note that trust is not without actions---trust comes first, then our response is obedience from a right heart as was given in the example of Avraham:
Ya’akov 2:20-24---But, foolish fellow, do you want to be shown that such “faith” apart from actions is barren? Wasn’t Avraham avinu declared righteous because of actions when he offered up his son Yitz’chak on the altar? You see that his faith worked with his actions; by the actions the faith was made complete; and the passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled which says, “Avraham had faith in G-d, and it was credited to his account as righteousness.” He was even called G-d’s friend. You see that a person is declared righteous because of actions and not because of faith alone.
Emissary Sha’ul is an excellent example of one who would have every reason to boast in his accomplishments and position in the Messianic Community (Philippians 3:3b-6). But what was his response after coming to faith in Yeshua?
Philippians 3:7-11---But the things that used to be advantages for me, I have, because of the Messiah, come to consider a disadvantage. Not only that, but I consider everything a disadvantage in comparison with the supreme value of knowing the Messiah Yeshua as my L-rd. It was because of Him that I gave up everything and regard it all as garbage, in order to gain the Messiah and be found in union with Him, not having any righteousness of my own based on legalism, but having that righteousness which comes through the Messiah’s faithfulness, the righteousness from G-d based on trust. Yes, I gave it all up in order to know Him, that is, to know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings as I am being conformed to His death, so that somehow I might arrive at being resurrected from the dead.
We can clearly see here what our priorities should be. Hebrews chapter 12 encourages us to lay aside every weight and sin that easily sets us back, run the race with endurance, and submit to the L-rd’s discipline which He administers for our good. Just as an individual who enlists in the military is taken to be set apart, trained, disciplined and transformed away from civilian life to conform to military life, so we should set ourselves apart to consistent and disciplined reading, studying and practice of the Word to allow Yeshua Messiah to transform us from worldly views and ways to a holy life. As He accomplishes the changes in us, then we can confidently say that which is written in 2 Corinthians 10:17:
"So, let anyone who wants to boast, boast about Adonai;…”
References: Scriptures taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright 1998 by David H. Stern unless otherwise noted.
MRD
