RSEA.D. Week 122

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Week 122

Read
Aloud together to hear the Word (Leviticus 23:1-3; Nehemiah 8:1-4; Luke 4:16-17)

  • Torah (T): Bemidbar (Numbers) 32:1-42
  • Prophets (P): Joshua 22:7-9
  • Apostolic (A): 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
  • Additional (ADD): Sirach 46:13 – 47:25

Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

  1. Chapter 32
    1. Reuben and Gad sought their inheritance on the eastern plains surrounding the land of promise. A logical choice given the greatness of their livestock and the area being suitable for livestock. However, this desire of theirs conjured up doubt amongst the leadership as to their faithfulness to complete the task YHWH had given them. Moses responded with a stern reminder of how disruptive the discouraging report their forefathers had brought back from surveying the land. And how the anger of YHWH had burned against them resulting in forty years of wandering. Thus, he warned not to turn away from Him and cause the people to suffer the same fate.
    2. The sons of Gad and Reuben laid out the entirety of their motives and that they intended to participate in the war campaign to subdue the land. Moses sets forth a vow upon them to determine if their heart was truly invested in obeying. They agree and Moses gives command to leadership of the details of the vow.
    3. The territorial layout of the land consisted of a western and eastern hemisphere divided by the Jordan river. Most of the Canaanite tribes were on the western plain. The Amorites had occupied the eastern portion rule by King Og and Sihon. The half tribe of Manasseh was also given their inheritance on the eastern hemisphere along with Reuben and Gad (Jos. 22:7-9).
      1. Numbers 32:32-33: We will pass over armed before YHWH into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance will remain with us beyond the Jordan.” Moses gave to them, even to the sons of Gad, and to the sons of Reuben, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the reign of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the reign of Og king of Bashan; the land, according to its cities and borders, even the cities of the surrounding land.

Exhortation
Counsel, comfort, and encouragement (Acts 13:14-15)

  1. The Un-Wrapping
    1. How we communicate our intentions can have an unintended effect on the response.
      1. We see this played out as bookends between the leadership and the eastern land seeking group (Gad, Reuben, & Manasseh).
        1. Pre conquest – Num. 32:4-5; the land which YHWH struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock; and your servants have livestock.” 5 They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Don’t bring us over the Jordan.
          1. Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 4.7.3: Moses, supposing that they were afraid of fighting with the Canaanites, and invented this provision for their cattle as a handsome excuse for avoiding that war, he called them arrant cowards, and said they had only contrived a decent excuse for that cowardice; and that they had a mind to live in luxury and ease, while all the rest were laboring with great pains to obtain the land they were desirous to have; and that they were not willing to march along, and undergo the remaining hard service, whereby they were, under the Divine promise, to pass over Jordan, and overcome those our enemies which Elohim had shown them, and so obtain their land.
      2. The Link: Moses questioned their faithfulness as stewards of Elohim.
        1. The use of a vow – neder (H5088) means “to vow” and is when one promises to perform an act if another performs a certain act (cf. Genesis 28:20-22; Numbers 21:2-3; Judges 11:30)
          1. Moses was unable to see what was hidden in the heart of the sons of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. And so he utilized a technique to reveal the intent of their hearts. In 1 Cor. 4:5, the dark and hidden things of the heart will be disclosed at the revelation of Yeshua.
      3. The Link: They realized their faith was in question and humbled themselves.
        1. Stewards are to remain faithful, emunah, to Elohim. Stewards are household managers. Similar to a shepherd who protects, cares for, and provides safety for those given to his charge.
          1. emunah (H530) means to have a firm and complete trust and confidence in someone or something. אֱמוּנָה emunah is the feminine noun form of אֵמוּן emun which means “to be firm” and is concretely represented as a pillar; something that grabs hold or supports something else. אֱמוּנָה emunah is equivalent to the Greek word πίστις pístis (G4102) means “conviction” which is a firmly held belief or opinion.
          2. Rather than be offended they showed themselves to be worthy by following through with YHWH’s command to possess the land.
          3. The Link: Their faithfulness was rewarded.
      4. The Wrap Up
        1. Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 4.7.3: Moses was pleased with what they said; so he called for Eleazar the high priest, and Joshua, and the chief of the tribes, and permitted these tribes to possess the land of the Amorites
          1. Post conquest – Jos. 22:1-5, 10-13, 16, 21, 25b-28, 30: Joshua called the ones of Reuben, the ones of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of YHWH commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you. 3 You have not left your brothers these many days to this day, but have performed the duty of the commandment of YHWH your Elohim. 4 Now YHWH your Elohim has given rest to your brothers, as he spoke to them. Therefore now return and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of YHWH gave you beyond the Jordan. 5 Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the Torah which Moses the servant of YHWH commanded you, to love YHWH your Elohim, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
        2. YHWH bestows greatness and majesty on those who love Him with all their heart.
          1. Some examples:
            1. Samuel – Sirach 46:13-16; Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, loved by his Lord, established a kingdom and anointed princes over his people. 14 By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation, and the Lord watched over Jacob. 15 By his faithfulness he was proved to be a prophet. By his words he was known to be faithful in vision. 16 When his enemies pressed on him on every side, he called upon the Lord, the Mighty One, with the offering of the suckling lamb.
            2. David – Sirach 47: 2, 8-11; As is the fat when it is separated from the peace offering, so was David separated from the sons of Israel…8 In every work of his he gave thanks to the Holy One Most High with words of glory. He sang praise with his whole heart, and loved him who made him. 9 He set singers before the altar, to make sweet melody by their music. 10 He gave beauty to the feasts, and set in order the seasons to completion while they praised his holy name, and the sanctuary resounded from early morning. 11 The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his horn forever. He gave him a covenant of kings, and a glorious throne in Israel.
            3. Yeshua – Daniel 7:13-14; “I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. 14 Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be destroyed.

Application
Living the Word and following Yeshua (Acts 2:37; Romans 2:13)

  1. How are we to exercise good Stewardship?
    1. 1 Cor. 4:1-2: So let a man think of us as Messiah’s servants and stewards of Elohim’s mysteries. Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
  2. Point of Application #1
    1. It begins by remaining faithful to the calling we first received, the good news. Further, we must guard our hearts against disrupting brotherly love and unity. This leads to becoming ‘puffed up against one another (1 Corinthians 4:7). Like the exchange mentioned earlier between Moses-Joshua and the eastern group of tribes; how we communicate our intentions can cause undue factions. Saul list a host of parallels to the brethren at Corinth that are to be modeled through discernment as to which keeps us humble and which does not.
    2. 1 Cor. 4:7-8: For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!
      1. Last of all, sentenced to death.
      2. Made spectacles to the world.
      3. Fools for Messiah vs wise in Messiah
      4. Weak vs Strong
      5. Honor vs Dishonor
      6. State of Deprivation (1 Corinthians 4:11-13)
  3. Point of Application #2
    1. 1 Cor. 4:14-16: I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have ten thousand tutors in Messiah, you don’t have many fathers. For in Messiah Yeshua, I became your father through the Good News. I beg you, therefore, be imitators of me.

Discussion
Questions, input, and sharpening (Proverbs 27:17; Luke 2:46)

  1. How can our intentions be perceived in the wrong way?
  2. What is the correct response?
  3. How can we fulfill YHWH’s will against the momentary needs of our own?