son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways. And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten. Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb. Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance. Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land? Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them." (Ezek. 33)
God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life
The problem is that . . .
2. All of us have done, said or thought things that are wrong. This is called sin, and our sins have separated us from God.
The Bible says
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
God is perfect and holy, and our sins separate us from God forever. The Bible says
The wages of sin is death.
The good news is that, about 2,000 years ago,
3. God sent His only Son Yeshua(Jesus) the Messiah to die for our sins.
Yeshua (Jesus) is the Son of God. He lived a sinless life and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners Messiah (Christ) died for us.
Yeshua (Jesus) rose from the dead and now He lives in heaven with God His (our) Father. He offers us the gift of eternal life -- of living forever with Him in heaven if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Yeshua (Jesus) said
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me.
God reaches out in love to you and wants you to be His child.
As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name.
You can choose to ask Yeshua the Mesiah (Jesus Christ) to forgive your sins and come in to your life as your Lord and Savior.
4. If you want to accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Savior and turn from your sins, you can ask Him to be your Savior and Lord by praying a prayer like this:
Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always.
Now, begin to learn about Him & obey Him.
Did you pray this prayer? Please let me know.
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Imagine having the mental prowess to be able to create living filaments heretofore unknown, that can reproduce themselves, some of which come with identifying letters embossed on them, and then to make them extrude from beneath your skin, all against your conscious will.
Sound like science fiction? It’s not, says the US Centers for Disease Control.
Despite having spent four years and $600,000, and using the world’s largest forensic database, the premier health agency reports it is unable to identify the source of the fibers emanating from those suffering with Morgellons.
The CDC suggests that four out of a hundred thousand people -- the rate of infection in Northern California -- are imagining these filaments into existence.
Comprising an array of physical and mental symptoms, Morgellons is distinguished by novel fibers that protrude from the skin, causing lesions and sores that do not heal, or that heal very slowly.
“We conducted an investigation of this unexplained dermopathy to characterize the clinical and epidemiologic features and explore potential etiologies,” the paper explains. The only potential etiology suggested was that the patients were delusional:
No common underlying medical condition or infectious source was identified, similar to more commonly recognized conditions such as delusional infestation.
The CDC provided more information in its press releases hyping the study than it did in the 300-word study published last week. Its Unexplained Dermopathy webpage goes beyond what was reported in the actual study, saying there is “no evidence of an environmental link,” and promised to do no further studies.
“People who suffer from Morgellons disease are NOT delusional no matter what the CDC or the mainstream press would have you believe,” says Jan Smith of MorgellonsExposed.com. She’s suffered with Morgellons for over 13 years.
The image above is on her home page. “Ponder why a person with Morgellons disease would have tissue coming out of their body with embossed letters on it. This photo is real and the sample has not been altered in any way. It is available for research and DNA testing.” The CDC study reported, “Most materials collected from participants’ skin were composed of cellulose, likely of cotton origin.”
One of the specimens extruded from Smith’s body was found to be composed of cellulose and GNA, the synthetic form of DNA. Glycol nucleic acid does not occur naturally; it is used to create synthetic life forms.
But why would the CDC not know exactly the origin of the cellulose, instead saying it’s likely from cotton? And what about the rest that was not cellulose? The study provided no details.
The CDC sent the cellulose and unnatural fibers to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, reports the Associated Press. AFIP has been collecting fiber samples and other forensic material for 150 years. Its 2011 budget was $65 million. Surely, if these novel fibers are natural or lab-created, the AFIP would know. Apparently not.
AFIP is the same group that collected all the forensic evidence of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon and at the Pennsylvania crash site, under code name Operation Noble Eagle.
The Center for the Investigation of Morgellons Disease, headed by Dr. Randy Wymore, was also unable to identify the fibers. The Oklahoma State University research center had the forensics team of the Tulsa Police Dept. compare samples to its database of 800 fibers and 90,000 organic compounds, without success, reports Natural News writer Barbara Minton.
Though Wymore did not respond to my request for comment in reaction to the new CDC study, the Center’s home page still maintains that Morgellons “is frequently misdiagnosed as Delusional Parasitosis or an Obsessive Picking Disorder.”
What is the CDC hiding about Morgellons?
What the CDC didn’t say in the public report is that those fibers are alive and motile. They grow and reproduce, and have been shown to do so in a petri dish using certain visible light frequencies. If delusions are creating them, that would be a first in human evolution.
Research conducted by Cliff Carnicom indicates that the still-unidentified fibers seen in Morgellons patients are the same as those collected after an aerial spray of chemtrails.
After being cultured for five days, the fibers produced a sheen across the wine medium, right before explosively reproducing hundreds of new fibers in a 24-hour period. He later explored how these nanoworms feed on the iron in human blood, explaining that, “changes in iron and the utilization of iron in a pathogenic sense are at the heart of the Morgellons issue.”
An arduous course of research led Carnicom to conclude that the nanoworms present in Morgellons patients represent an entirely new life form, and one that was engineered using features from each of the three Domains of life (Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya).
To bolster his argument, he refers to a Feb. 2010 disclosure by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) “to develop immortal ‘synthetic organisms’, as outlined in the unclassified version of the 2011 budget,” citing Wired.com:
As part of its budget for the next year, Darpa is investing $6 million into a project called BioDesign, with the goal of eliminating ‘the randomness of natural evolutionary advancement.’ “… The project comes as Darpa also plans to throw $20 million into a new synthetic biology program, and $7.5 million into ‘increasing by several decades the speed with which we sequence, analyze and functionally edit cellular genomes.’
If these unidentified fibers are some sort of top-secret nanotech military weapon, that would explain why no answer and no help will come from the CDC or the military.
Using Carnicom’s research, and others, documentarian Sofia Smallstorm (9/11 Mysteries) raised a singularly spectacular question at a speech last year: Is it possible that Morgellons sufferers are those whose bodies are genetically rejecting these nano-engineered life forms, while our bodies are integrating them?
That question must be noodling the brains over at the CDC and DARPA. They must be wondering what is different about those 4 in 100,000 people whose bodies reject these synthetic life forms. The report they didn’t reveal to the public is the one I want to read.
We do know that back in 2006, the National Institutes of Health listed Morgellons as a genetically caused disease, due to the presence of three copies of a chromosome rather than the normal two (known as trisomy). This was found at the 5S rRNA genes located on chromosome 1, in the q42.11 to q42.12 region, according to the following screen capture by Jan Smith, who explains that a year later NIH deleted the webpage: Trisomy can result in mental retardation and physical deformities. Are these bioengineered life forms causing rRNA to produce a third copy of chromosome 1 at q42.11 to q42.12? Or, do Morgellons sufferers already have a third copy, and its presence is somehow forcing the nanoworms to leave the body?
Rady Ananda is an investigative reporter and researcher in the areas of health, environment, politics, and civil liberties. Her two websites, Food Freedom and COTO Report are essential reading. Several people agree with Carnicom that these living fibers are being sprayed on us via the vociferously denied chemtrail program. Morgellons patient Kandy Griffin, president of Morgellons Research Group, puts it right out there:
Morgellons is not a disease. It is a process. It is a form of forced/directed evolution of the human genome. It is the fetal stage of transhumanism, and it is upon us.
This stealth project is being carried out with the use of the daily chemtrail operations, which are happening globally. There is no escape. The chemtrail operations are terraforming the earth and everything on it, including you.
There is hope. In the last section of Carnicom’s Thesis, he suggests several mitigation strategies that would apply equally to those who develop Morgellons and those who don’t, but who are likely assimilating rather than rejecting these bioengineered life forms.
CLICK HERE FOR ACTUAL LAWSUIT PAPERS The granddaughter of Trinity Broadcasting Network’s Paul and Jan Crouch has accused the world’s largest Christian broadcaster of unlawfully distributing charitable assets worth more than $50 million to the company’s directors. The charges are leveled in a federal lawsuit filed by Crouch granddaughter Brittany Koper last week against her former lawyers, who also do legal work for TBN. “Observers have often wondered how the Crouches can afford multiple mansions on both coasts, a $50 million jet and chauffeurs,” said Tymothy MacLeod, Koper’s attorney. “And finally, with the CFO coming forward, we have answers to those questions.” Koper had served as chief financial officer, director of finance, corporate treasurer and director of human resources for Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana, which does business as Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), according to the suit. Koper’s complaint is not directed against her grandparents or TBN — but against the two attorneys who handle some TNB legal work, and who once worked for Koper herself. She accuses them of professional negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and other transgressions in the suit. Koper was using these attorneys for her personal affairs, and she went to them with her suspicions over the legality of the payments to TBN’s directors, only to be told to shut up, return everything she had earned through TBN to the company, and be gone, according to the suit. Douglass S. Davert of Davert & Loe in Long Beach is one of the attorneys targeted in Koper’s suit. ”Her assertions are outright fiction and wholly without merit,” he said. ”The allegations are defamatory and to the extent they get printed we are going to defend ourselves vigorously.” Davert said he couldn’t comment fully on pending litigation, but that there’s a great deal more going on here. To wit: Koper and her husband were actually the ones doing the misdeeds, according to a suit originally filed by Davert & Loe in Orange County Superior Court in October (the original and amended complaints are here). Though apparently crafted to avoid mentioning TBN, that suit accused Koper and her husband — both of whom worked for TBN and were on its board of directors — of forging documents and misappropriating funds to the tune of some $400,000. The suit was dismissed without settlement in January. Koper’s lawyer says that suit was a preemptive strike, an attempt to discredit Koper, because Koper was going to blow the whistle. Redemption Strategies Inc. — a corporation formed by Loe on Oct. 17 — sued the Koperts on Oct. 18, charging embezzlement, fraud, intentional misrepresentation and other misdeeds. At the time, Davert & Loe were still representing Koper, MacLeod said. “It’s kind of a sordid affair,” said MacLeod, Koper’s attorney. “Many layers. But at the heart is the wrongful termination. She was terminated for insider whistleblowing.” MacLeod is getting to be something of an old hand at suing TBN: He represented Brian Dugger, a gay broadcast engineer who sued Trinity in 2009, claiming he was harassed and discriminated against by employees of the world’s largest Christian broadcasting empire. Paul Crouch Jr. allegedly taunted Dugger with pornography, said TBN was no place for fairies and declared that ‘Brian has a man-gina!’ ” In court paperwork, Crouch said those things never happened. The case was settled in 2010, but its terms were confidential. We asked TBN to comment directly on these new cases, and will let you know if and when we hear back. TBN, a nonprofit, reported revenues of $175.6 million, expenses of $193.7 million, and net assets of $827.6 million at the end of 2010, according to its tax returns. Its highest-paid officer was Paul Crouch, with compensation of $400,000. Its officers, directors and key employees included Paul and Jan Crouch, Paul Crouch Jr., Matthew Crouch, Koper and her husband, among others, according to TBN’s most recent tax returns. MacLeod said that Koper is readying documentation regarding her charges and will submit a package to the Internal Revenue Service for its review. We’ll keep you posted on how all this shakes out. (Thanks to Carole Levitsky of the Orange County Superior Court for helping us with document access issues.) More Watchdog: Feds approve first new nuclear reactors since 1978 Pension wars: Calling bull on both sides Updated: Tug of war over $157,076: County seeks relief in court Suit: TBN board diverted millions from ‘charitable assets' Must your English be perfect to run for office? Mosquito district forced to buy $4 million building Former GM set up deal district couldn't refuse Norby: Why redevelopment was evil Voters want to tax, regulate, medical marijuana New plan for ditching America's nuclear waste More nonprofits: Suit: TBN board diverted millions from ‘charitable assets' Charities get extra time to file taxes from IRS Americans are most generous in the world, survey finds IRS yanks nonprofit status of 3,200 O.C. charities O.C. animal group: No bad fundraisers OC: Worst homeless charity in America? Are you donating car to charity, or to for-profit middleman? Famous charities lose millions on fundraisers, report says Pro fundraisers pocket millions meant for charity Americans remain generous, despite hard times
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Balak - "HEE HAW! - The Sin of Balaam - Greed & Spiritual Pride"
Parashah Summary:
Balak’s invitation to Balaam
Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, grew alarmed at the Israelites’ military victories among the Amorites. (Num. 22:2–4.) He consulted with the elders of Midian and sent elders of Moab and Midian to the land by the Euphrates to invite the prophet Balaam to come and curse the Israelites for him. (Num. 22:4–7.) Balaam told them: “Spend the night here, and I shall reply to you as the Lord may instruct me.” (Num. 22:8.) God came to Balaam and said: “You must not curse that people, for they are blessed.” (Num. 22:9–12.) In the morning, Balaam asked Balak’s dignitaries to leave, as God would not let him go with them, and they left and reported Balaam’s answer to Balak. (Num. 22:13–14.) Then Balak sent more numerous and distinguished dignitaries, who offered Balaam rich rewards in return for damning the Israelites. (Num. 22:15–17.) But Balaam replied: “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, big or little, contrary to the command of the Lord my God.” (Num. 22:18.) But Balaam invited the dignitaries to stay overnight to let Balaam find out what else God might say to him, and that night God told Balaam: “If these men have come to invite you, you may go with them.” (Num. 22:19–20.)
Balaam and the donkey
In the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and departed with the dignitaries, but God was incensed at his going and placed an angel in Balaam’s way. (Num. 22:21–22.) When the donkey saw the angel standing in the way holding his drawn sword, the donkey swerved from the road into the fields, and Balaam beat the ass to turn her back onto the road. (Num. 22:23.) The angel then stationed himself in a lane with a fence on either side. (Num. 22:24.) Seeing the angel, the donkey pressed herself and Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he beat her again. (Num. 22:25.) The angel then stationed himself on a narrow spot that allowed no room to swerve right or left, and the donkey lay down under Balaam, and Balaam became furious and beat the ass with his stick. (Num. 22:26–27.) Then God allowed the donkey to speak, and she complained to Balaam. (Num. 22:28–30.) And then God allowed Balaam to see the angel, and Balaam bowed down to the ground. (Num. 22:31.) The angel questioned Balaam for beating his donkey, noting that she had saved Balaam’s life. (Num. 22:32–33.) Balaam admitted his error and offered to turn back if the angel still disapproved. (Num. 22:34.) But the angel told Balaam: “Go with the men. But you must say nothing except what I tell you.” So Balaam went on. (Num. 22:35.)
Balaam’s blessing
Balak went out to meet Balaam on the Arnon border, and asked him why he didn’t come earlier. (Num. 22:36–37.) But Balaam told Balak that he could utter only the words that God put into his mouth. (Num. 22:38.) They went together to Kiriath-huzoth, where Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and they ate. (Num. 22:39–40.) In the morning, Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-Baal, overlooking the Israelites. (Num. 22:41.) Balaam had Balak build seven altars, and they offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. (Num. 23:1–2.) Then Balaam asked Balak to wait while Balaam went off alone to see if God would grant him a manifestation. (Num. 23:3.) God appeared to Balaam and told him what to say. (Num. 23:4–5.)
Balaam returned and said: “How can I damn whom God has not damned, how doom when the Lord has not doomed? . . . Who can count the dust of Jacob, number the dust-cloud of Israel? May I die the death of the upright, may my fate be like theirs!” (Num. 23:6–10.) Balak complained that he had brought Balaam to damn the Israelites, but instead Balaam blessed them. (Num. 23:11.) Balaam replied that he could only repeat what God put in his mouth. (Num. 23:12.)
Then Balak took Balaam to the summit of Pisgah, once offered a bull and a ram on each of seven altars, and once again Balaam asked Balak to wait while Balaam went off alone to seek a manifestation, and once again God told him what to say. (Num. 23:13–16.) Balaam returned and told Balak: “My message was to bless: When He blesses, I cannot reverse it. No harm is in sight for Jacob, no woe in view for Israel. The Lord their God is with them.” (Num. 23:17–21.) Then Balak told Balaam at least not to bless them, but Balaam replied that he had to do whatever God directed. (Num. 23:25–26.)
Then Balak took Balaam to the peak of Peor, and once offered a bull and a ram on each of seven altars. (Num. 23:27–30.) Balaam, seeing that it pleased God to bless Israel, immediately turned to the Israelites and blessed them: “How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! . . . They shall devour enemy nations, crush their bones, and smash their arrows. . . . Blessed are they who bless you, accursed they who curse you!” (Num. 24:1–9.) Enraged, Balak complained and dismissed Balaam. (Num. 24:10–11.) Balaam replied once again that he could not do contrary to God’s command, and blessed Israelites once again, saying: “A scepter comes forth from Israel; it smashes the brow of Moab.” (Num. 24:11–24.) Then Balaam set out back home, and Balak went his way. (Num. 24:25.)
The sin of Baal-peor
While the Israelites stayed at Shittim, the people went whoring with the Moabite women and worshiped their god Baal-peor, enraging God. (Num. 25:1–3.) God told Moses to impale the ringleaders, and Moses directed Israel’s officials to slay those who had attached themselves to Baal-peor. (Num. 25:4–5.) When one of the Israelites publicly brought a Midianite woman over to his companions, Phinehas son of Eleazar took a spear, followed the Israelite into the chamber, and stabbed the Israelite and the woman through the belly. (Num. 25:6–8.) Then the plague against the Israelites was checked, having killed 24,000. (Num. 25:8–9.) (Summary from Wikipedia.com)
THE WEEKLY WORD
"Balak - HEE HAW! - The Sin of Balaam - Greed & Spiritual Pride"
The story of Balaam is evidence that not everyone who calls on the name of the LORD is necessarily a good guy. It is possible to know about God, and even suppose that “God is on my side,” while being quite godless. Our history is marred with endless examples of zealous religious leaders who believed they were doing God a favor by persecuting Israel. Balaam is their forerunner. He spoke ‘God talk,’ but his heart was full of malice and greed.
Numbers 22–24: While the Numbers text itself is inconclusive, both rabbinic legend and the Apostolic Scriptures clearly paint Balaam as wicked through and through. Though he may seem to be godly and well-meaning—only speaking what the LORD puts into his mouth—let us not allow his fake piety to deceive us. When he set out, he had every intention of cursing Israel, and he did his best to do so. The blessings he spoke over Israel were inadvertent. The LORD placed them in his mouth against his will.
The Angel of the LORD blocked the way three times, but Balaam did not see Him. On the third occasion, Balaam assaulted his donkey with a stick. When the donkey rebuked him, Balaam said, "If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now." The Sages noticed the absolute irony of such a statement from a man who allegedly could defeat an entire nation simply by the power of his words. Balaam intended on smiting all Israel with the power of his speech, but he needed to beat his donkey with a stick and wished for a sword to kill her. This villain was going to curse an entire nation which had not sinned against him [merely by the power of his speech], yet he has to smite his donkey [with his hand] to prevent it from going into a field! ...the donkey spoke to Balaam saying, "You need a sword in your hand to kill me? How then do you intend to uproot an entire nation with only your words?" Balaam could not think of an answer, so he kept silent. (Numbers Rabbah 20:14) The same midrash goes on to explain that one should never argue with donkeys or any other animals. They will always outwit you. For that reason, God, in His mercy and wisdom, has closed the mouths of animals. If not, they would continually make us feel stupid. The Holy One, blessed be He, has consideration for the dignity of mankind and, knowing their weakness, He shut the mouth of beasts. For had they been able to speak, it would have been impossible to put them to the service of man or to stand one's ground against them. For here was this donkey, the most stupid of all beasts, and there was the wisest of all wise men, yet as soon as she opened her mouth he could not stand his ground against her! (Numbers Rabbah 20:14)
In the days of the Apostles, Shimon Kefa (Peter), an Apostle and a Bond-servant of Messiah Yeshua compared Balaam to those who “loved the wages of unrighteousness.” (2 Peter 2:15) To the Apostolic community, Balaam is the example of a man who misuses religious authority for his own profit. Regarding such a person, Jude (the brother of the Master) says, “for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam.” (Jude 11) The error of Balaam was that he obeyed his greed rather than the LORD. The Master railed against those who used the sacred for dishonest gain: We remember well His anger toward the money-changers in the Temple. He overturned their tables and drove them out of the courtyard. Interestingly, the Midrash Rabbah refers to Balaam as a ‘money-changer.’
Some say Balaam of Pethor (פתור) was called a money-changer (petor, פתור) because the kings of the nations rushed to him for counsel in the same way that people rush to a money-changer to change their currency. (Numbers Rabbah 20:7) Shimon Kefa tells us, “[Balaam] received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.” (2 Peter 2:16) The Angel of LORD blocks Balaam’s donkey three times, corresponding to Balaam’s three attempts to curse Israel. Each time he tried, the LORD stood in his way, so to speak, and changed his curse into a blessing. Still, Balaam refers to himself as “the man whose eye is opened” (24:4) and as the man “who knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty…having his eyes uncovered.” (24:15–16) He is full of himself. He is the model of spiritual pride. He sees himself as righteous, but his donkey disagrees with his self-assessment. Balaam, the man who “sees clearly the vision of the Almighty with eyes open,” does not see as clearly as his donkey.
May the LORD open our eyes, and may we avoid the error of Balaam—greed and spiritual pride.
Adapted from ffoz commentaries by Reb Benzion of Kehilath HaDerekh, Messianic Jewish Congregation, New York, NY ***
The red cow God told Moses and Aaron to instruct the Israelites the ritual law of the red cow (Hebrew "parah aduma") used to create water of lustration. (Num. 19:1–2.) The cow had to be without blemish, have no defect, and not have borne a yoke. (Num. 19:2.) Eleazar the priest was to take it outside the camp, observe its slaughter, and take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the Tabernacle. (Num. 19:3–4.) The cow was to be burned in its entirety along with cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson stuff. (Num. 19:5–6.) The priest and the one whom burned the cow were both to wash their garments, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. (Num. 19:7–8.) The ashes of the cow were to be used to create the water of lustration. (Num. 19:9.)
One who touched the corpse of any human being was to be unclean for seven days. (Num. 19:10–11.) On the third and seventh days, the person who had touched the corpse was to cleanse with the water of lustration and then be clean. (Num. 19:12.) One who failed to do so would remain unclean, would defile the Tabernacle, and would be cut off from Israel. (Num. 19:12–13.)
When a person died in a tent, whoever entered the tent was to be unclean seven days, and every open vessel in the tent was to be unclean. (Num. 19:14–15.) In the open, anyone who touched a corpse, bone, or a grave was to be unclean seven days. (Num. 19:16.)
A person who was clean was to add fresh water to ashes of the red cow, dip hyssop it in the water, and sprinkle the water on the tent, the vessels, and people who had become unclean. (Num. 19:17–18.) The person who sprinkled the water was then to wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be clean at nightfall. (Num. 19:19.)
Anyone who became unclean and failed to cleanse himself was to be cut off from the congregation. (Num. 19:20.) The person who sprinkled the water of lustration was to wash his clothes, and whoever touched the water of lustration, whatever he touched, and whoever touched him were to be unclean until evening. (Num. 19:21–22.)
Miriam’s death The Israelites arrived at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, and Miriam died and was buried there. (Num. 20:1.)
Water from a rock The people were without water, and they complained against Moses and Aaron. (Num. 20:2–5.) Moses and Aaron fell on their faces at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of God appeared to them, telling them to take the rod and order the rock to yield its water. (Num. 20:6–8.) Moses took the rod, assembled the congregation in front of the rock, and said to them: “Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?” (Num. 20:9–10.) Then Moses struck the rock twice with his rod, out came water, and the community and their animals drank. (Num. 20:11.) But God told Moses and Aaron: “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.” (Num. 20:12.)
Embassy to Edom Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom asking him to allow the Israelites to cross Edom, without passing through fields or vineyards, and without drinking water from wells. (Num. 20:14–17.) But the Edomites would not let the Israelites pass through, and turned out in heavy force to block their way, and the Israelites turned away. (Num. 20:18–21.)
Aaron’s death At Mount Hor, God told Moses and Aaron: “Let Aaron be gathered to his kin: he is not to enter the land that I have assigned to the Israelite people, because you disobeyed my command about the waters of Meribah.” (Num. 20:23–24.) Moses took Aaron and his son Eleazar up on Mount Hor, and there he stripped Aaron of his vestments and put them on Eleazar, and Aaron died there. (Num. 20:25–28.) The Israelites mourned Aaron 30 days. (Num. 20:29.)
Victory over Arad The king of Arad engaged the Israelites in battle and took some of them captive. (Num. 21:1.) The Israelites vowed that if God gave them victory, they would destroy Arad. (Num. 21:2.) God delivered up the Canaanites, and the Israelites killed them and destroyed their cities, calling the place Hormah. (Num. 21:3.)
Serpents The people grew restive and spoke against God and Moses, so God sent serpents that killed many of the Israelites. (Num. 21:4–6.) The people came to Moses, admitted their sin by speaking against God, and asked Moses to intercede with God to take away the serpents, and Moses did so. (Num. 21:7.) God told Moses to mount a serpent figure on a standard, saying: “If anyone who is bitten looks at it, he shall recover.” (Num. 21:8.)
Victories over Sihon and Og The Israelites traveled on, and sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, asking that he allow them to pass through his country, without entering the fields or vineyards, and without drinking water from wells. (Num. 21:21–22.) But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory and engaged the Israelites in battle. (Num. 21:23.) The Israelites defeated the Amorites and took possession of their land and towns. (Num. 21:24–25.)
Then the Israelites marched on, and King Og of Bashan engaged them in battle. (Num. 21:33.) The Israelites defeated his forces and took possession of his country. (Num. 21:35.) The Israelites then marched to the steppes of Moab, across the Jordan River from Jericho. (Num. 22:1.) (Summary from Wikipedia.com)
THE WEEKLY WORD
"Holy Cow - Red Heifer an image of Messiah"
In the Torah, human death is regarded as ritually contaminating. Numbers 19 relates the complex laws of the red heifer sacrifice—a purification ceremony meant for cleansing from death. The color red is common to purification rituals. It is associated with blood, the means to purification: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) The sacrifice and burning of the red heifer was to take place outside of the camp. Ordinarily, it is forbidden to sacrifice outside of the Tabernacle/Temple. But in this case, it is commanded to be conducted outside of the camp. In Leviticus 4, we learned that the sin offerings made on behalf of the anointed priest or on behalf of the entire nation were also burned outside of the camp. The writer of the book of Hebrews saw a Messianic shadowing in these sin offerings which were burned outside of the camp. In Temple times, the entire city of Jerusalem was considered ‘the camp.’ Just as the sin offerings were brought outside Jerusalem, so too Messiah, the ultimate sin offering, was sacrificed outside of the city. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Yeshua also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. (Hebrews 13:11–13) In Second Temple times, the ritual was conducted on the Mount of Olives. The Mount of Olives stood just outside the city walls, just across from the Temple Mount itself. The Mishnah (m.Parah 3:5–10) describes how the red cow was led forth from the Temple and brought to the slopes of the Mount of Olives. The writer of the book of Hebrews specifically mentions in Hebrews 9:13-14 the ashes of the red heifer. What is more, he attributes efficacy to them as regards cleansing the flesh. The passage compares the blood of Messiah to the ashes of the red heifer. If the ashes of the red heifer work on the outside (the flesh), how much more so does the blood of Messiah work on the inside (the conscience) from sin. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:13-14) In Numbers 19, God gives the laws for preparing the ashes of the red heifer. The red heifer is an unusual sacrifice which was slaughtered and burned outside of the Tabernacle. Its ashes were then collected and mixed with water. The water was sprinkled in a purification ceremony which removed ritual uncleanness engendered by contact with death. Paradoxically, the preparation of the red heifer renders each person involved unclean. The priest who oversees the slaughter and the burning is rendered unclean. The man who ignites the fire is rendered unclean. The man who gathers the ashes together is rendered unclean. We learn in Numbers 19:21 that the one who sprinkles the water is also rendered unclean. It is one of the great paradoxes of Torah, explicable only as a decree of God. "Who decreed this? Was it not...[God]? We have learned that all the people engaged in preparing the water of the ashes of the Red Heifer, from beginning to end, defile garments, while the Heifer itself makes garments ritually clean. The Holy One, blessed is He, says, 'I have laid down a statute; I have issued a decree! You cannot transgress My decree.'" (Numbers Rabbah 19:1) This is the paradox of purification. Though the priest and the men who assisted him were administering a purification ritual, they themselves were rendered somehow impure. The paradox of purification is that the one performing the cleansing is rendered unclean. Everyone involved in the preparation of the ashes of the red heifer or in the sprinkling of the ashes and water is made unclean. So too, in order to cleanse us, the Master conquered the unclean. In order to liberate us from death, He died, but death had no hold on Him, and He rose on the third day. Yeshua took the curses upon Himself. He passed through death for us, so that we might be freed from death. In Torah, nothing is as contaminating as a dead body. Yeshua came into contact with mortal uncleanness by virtue of His human birth. He came into contact with human uncleanness by virtue of His healing ministry in our midst. He came into contact with the uncleanness, the iniquity, the transgression and sin of Israel in order to cleanse us. He came into contact with and conquered death itself--the very most contaminating source of uncleanness--in order to cleanse us. The Book of Daniel has a reference to a Red Heifer. In Daniel 12:10, God tells Daniel that in the last days, "many shall be purified and made white"; a reference to the purification ritual of the Red Heifer, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isa 1:18, Num 19:6). The analogy appears to relate to a partner of the returning end time Messiah. In the non-canonical Epistle of Barnabas, an early writing (80-120 C.E.) and part of the New Covenant in the Codex Sinaiticus - chapter 8 tells us that the writer of this epistle saw the Red Heifer as a type of Messiah: Now what do you suppose this to be a type of, that a command was given to Israel, that men of the greatest wickedness should offer a heifer, and slay and burn it, and, that then boys should take the ashes, and put these into vessels, and bind round a stick purple wool along with hyssop, and that thus the boys should sprinkle the people, one by one, in order that they might be purified from their sins? Consider how He speaks to you with simplicity. The calf is Yeshua (Iesous) ... Just as those administering purification with ashes of the red heifer mixed with pure water to purify from contact with the dead, are rendered unclean, Messiah Yeshua raises the bar and conquers death for us, and being lead outside the camp, purified us with His blood. Preparing the way for us as Abba says: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed.” (Yochanon 3:16)
Adapted from ffoz commentaries by Reb Benzion of Kehilath HaDerekh, Messianic Jewish Congregation, New York, NY ***
There are two rebellions this week. First, Korach, a Levite who was passed over for the leadership of his tribe, challenges Moshe over the position of High Priest. No good rebellion can be "sold" as a means for personal gain, so Korach convinces 250 men of renown that they must stand up for a matter of principle - that each and every one of them has the right to the office of High Priest (which Moshe had already announced that God had designated his brother Aharon to serve as the High Priest). Moshe also announces that if the earth splits and swallows up Korach and his rebels, it is a sign that he (Moshe) is acting on God's authority. And thus it happened!
The next day the entire Israelite community rises in a second rebellion and complains to Moshe, "You have killed God's people!" The Almighty brings a plague which kills 14,700 people ... and only stops when Aharon offers an incense offering. To settle the question once and for all, Moshe has the head of each tribe bring a staff with his name on it. The next morning only Aharon's staff had blossomed and brought forth almonds. The people were shown this sign. Aharon's staff was placed in front of the curtain of the ark as testimony for all time.
THE WEEKLY WORD
Though Dathan and Abiram accused Moses of arrogance, he was actually the most humble man on earth. At the burning bush, he had argued with God against his appointment, and he only reluctantly stepped into the role of prophet and redeemer. He regarded himself as nobody special. It was not that Moses had poor self-esteem; he simply had an accurate assessment of his own worth before God.
And they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown. (Numbers 16:2)
"You're not the boss of me." That's what we used to say when we were kids. And it was probably true. Your older brother or the bully on the playground wasn't the boss of you, even if he thought he was. Korah and his followers rose up against Moses and said, "You're not the boss of us." In Numbers 16:3, we read that Korah and his followers "assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, 'You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?'" They accused Moses and Aaron of taking the first-boss positions. They questioned whether Moses had really heard from the LORD, and they refused his authority over their lives. In reality, Moses never said, "I'm first boss. I should be the leader of all Israel. I am fit to be a leader." Moses never said, "I am really something. I am a big somebody."Neither He nor Aaron volunteered for their positions, submitted an application for their jobs or campaigned for their offices. They were simply serving God in the positions to which He had appointed them. When Moses summoned the Reubenites Dathan and Abiram, they replied with a stunning display of impertinence. They reversed the promises of Canaan by speaking of Egypt, the land of their servitude, as a "land flowing with milk and honey" (Numbers 16:13). In other words, they were saying they had been happier being unredeemed in Egypt. They rejected Moses' authority and asked, "You would also lord it over us?" (Numbers 16:13). They denied his prophetic inspiration when they asked, "Would you put out the eyes of these men?" (Numbers 16:14); that is to say, "Are you trying to pull the wool over our eyes?" Ironically, Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their followers were the ones exalting themselves and claiming to be big somebodies. Theirs was a posture of self-exaltation. "And they rose up before Moses" (Numbers 16:2). Regarding Moses, the Torah says, "He fell on his face" (Numbers 16:4). The Master says, "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted" (Matthew 23:12). Moses was not putting on a fake or obsequious humility. He had a genuine sense of insignificance in the face of the Almighty. That is why he was exalted by God. When a man regards himself as a big somebody, he becomes angry with others who do not acknowledge his big somebodiness. He wants to be the boss. God says to the big somebody, "There is not room in the universe for both you and Me." God is the only true Somebody and the only real Boss. Only when a man utterly subjects his own will to God and says, "Not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39), is God able to inhabit him, work through him and ultimately exalt him. Such a person was Moses, the most humble man of his generation. In one way or another, we believers in Yeshua have often come to the same theological conclusions. It would seem that Korach’s theology has had some influence on our thinking. Throughout our history, it has been common to assume that the Torah is not really God-given. Rather it is considered to be a burdensome maze of laws, rules of men and rules of condemnation, never intended for believers. It is often said, “The Torah is not given by God, at least not to believers in Yeshua.” This was the very counsel of Korach. Though everyone readily admits that Moses was a prophet, his prophecy is lowly regarded. He is considered a prophet made irrelevant by later prophets who saw with greater revelation. Moses is so diminished in his office of prophet that it is as if he were not a prophet at all. His words are largely disregarded. Korach would approve. If Korach was alive today, he would have his pockets stuffed with passages plucked from their context in the Apostles (NT) as he endeavored to convince us of his threefold premise: “The Torah was not given by God, Moses is not a prophet, and Aaron is not the high priest.” But Messiah endorses the Torah of Moses saying, “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Torah until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:18-19) On another occasion, He says that unless we believe Moses, we can not believe in Messiah. He says, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:46-47) If we are to be believers in Messiah, we must first acknowledge the authority of the words of Moses and the Prophets and not only the New Covenant alone. Its one Bible, One Word of God! We must not join in Korach’s rebellion, but follow the example of Moses and Yeshua! ***
Shelach Lecha - The "Fringe" Group The woman with issue of blood grasps onto Yeshua's Tzitzit (Mk 5:25-34)
Parashah Summary:
The Jewish people received the Torah on Mt. Sinai and were ready to enter the land of Israel. There was a consensus of opinion amongst the people that we should send spies to see if it was feasible to conquer the Land. Moshe knew that the Almighty's promise to give the Land included a guarantee to conquer it. However, one of the principles of life which we learn from this portion is: the Almighty allows each of us the free will to go in the direction we choose. Even though one man and the Almighty is a majority, Moshe - by Divine decree - sent out the princes of the tribes (men of the highest caliber) to spy out the land.
Twelve spies were sent. Ten came back with a report of strong fortifications and giants; they rallied the people against going up to the Land. Joshua ben Nun and Calev ben Yefunah (Moshe's brother-in-law) tried to stem the rebellion, but did not succeed. The Almighty decreed 40 years of wandering in the desert, one year for each day they spied in the land of Israel. This happened on the 9th of Av, a date noted throughout Jewish history for tragedy - the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem and the expulsion of the Jews from Spain amongst them.
THE WEEKLY WORD
Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. (Numbers 15:38)
When we don the Tallit in synagogue we recite:
ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להתעטף בציצת. Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hit'atef ba‑tzitzit. Translation: "Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to wrap ourselves with fringes."
The Torah says that the tassels (tzit-tzit) on the four corners of the a garment are supposed to remind us of "all the commandments of the LORD" (Numbers 15:39). The sages explain that the numeric value of the Hebrew word tzit-tzit, when added to the number of knots and windings, adds up to 613: the traditional number of the Torah's commandments.
In Pslam 104:1-2 it states: "Bless the L-RD, O my soul. O L-RD my G-d, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with glory and majesty. Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment, who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain"
God commanded the Israelites to affix tassels (tzit-tzit, צצץ) on the four corners of their garments. This commandment made more sense in the ancient world than it does today. For one thing, modern garments are typically not four cornered. In the ancient world, a person's main outer garment was a large, rectangular, poncho-like robe or tunic. In Hebrew, each corner of such a garment is called a canaph (כנף). Canaph also means "wing." In the days of Moses and the days of the Apostles, people did not wear ritual garments like prayer shawls or tallit because their common garments had four corners. When four-cornered garments ceased to be the norm, Judaism developed four-cornered ritual garments in order to keep the commandment of wearing tzit-tzit.
In the ancient world, the hem that terminated at the corners of the garment was often lavishly embroidered. The tassels were natural, decorative extensions of the threads used in the hem. God commanded Israel to attach a single thread of blue to each of the four corners of their garments. The blue thread is not just any shade of blue. The Torah uses the Hebrew word techelet (טחלת), the same precious blue dye used to color the weavings of the Tabernacle and the high priest's robe. The high priest's robe, with its bells and pomegranates hanging like tzitzit (tassels) from its hem, was made completely of wool dyed blue. "You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue (techelet)" (Exodus 28:31).
The thread of blue on the corner of every Israelite's garment represents how every Israelite is, in a small way, like a priest in the "kingdom of priests" (Exodus 19:6). It represents his connection to the Tabernacle and the priesthood. The high priest, in his robe of blue, may be considered a spiritual root source to which the thread of blue on every garment symbolically connects.
In 1st Kefa (Peter) chapter 2: 4-10 we see the priestly calling: 4 As you come to him, the living stone, rejected by people but chosen by God and precious to him, 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be cohanim [priests] set apart for God to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him through Yeshua the Messiah. 6 This is why the Tanakh says, "Look! I am laying in Tziyon a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and whoever rests his trust on it will certainly not be humiliated." 7 Now to you who keep trusting, he is precious. But to those who are not trusting, "The very stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone"; 8 also he is a stone that will make people stumble, a rock over which they will trip. They are stumbling at the Word, disobeying it - as had been planned. 9 But you are a chosen people, the King's cohanim [priests], a holy nation, a people for God to possess! Why? In order for you to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; before, you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
"By this we know that we love the children of G-d, when we love G-d and observe His commandments. For this is the love of G-d, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:2,3)
By wearing Tzitzit, we emulate Yeshua in His example, and follow His teaching on keeping the Commandments (Matthew 5:17-19). The Tzitzit is a sign for us to Remember the L-RD and His Commandments, which we obey and in this obedience, we show Him our love and we honor Yeshua's sacrifice! ***
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