The last battle that Moshe oversees is with the Midianites. Elohim wants the people of Isra’el to carry out His vengeance. ‘Vengeance’ is defined as ‘punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.’ Adonai says when His people are wronged, He will repay. He will take vengeance because when anyone messes with the ‘apple of His eye,’ they are messing with Him and become His enemy. Elohim makes it very clear that He alone takes vengeance; it is not our responsibility (Zechariah 2:8).
Category: Torah Portions
Parashah 41: Pinchas (Phineas)
In Hebrew, Pinchas may mean ‘the mouth of the serpent’ derived from the fiery serpent that Moshe made out of bronze. Though he was Aaron’s grandson, he was never anointed high priest over Isra’el. However, Pinchas was zealous for Adonai and received a priesthood forever. The word ‘zealous’ in Hebrew is quinah and also means ‘jealous.’ It is used to describe Simon in Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13. The favor upon the priestly lineage of Pinchas began when he served before the Ark of the Covenant at Beit-el.
Parashah 40: Balak (Balak)
This parashah is about a talking donkey. As a child, I remember hearing about this donkey, but never understood the reason for his chattering. I knew there was an angel and some man hit his donkey a few times; however, no one in my years of Sunday school or even my early years as a believer taught the reasons for this event. Since Yeshua warns the Congregation in Pergamum about the teachings of Balaam, it is important to understand who this man was and what he did (Revelation 2:14-15).
Parashah 39: Hukkah (Regulation)
Adonai instructed the Israelites to find a pure, undefiled parah adumah, red heifer, and bring it to Eleazar the priest. Unlike other sacrifices where a male animal was offered, the slaughter for the purification water was female. A heifer is a young cow that has never birthed a calf. The animal’s hair was to be entirely of one color: red. However, the word adumah and adamah (earth) have the same root so the color is more brownish red like the earth than bright red like a rose. Its hair was to be straight to ensure that the heifer had never worn a yoke.