Parashat Masei

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G-d controls Israel’s borders

“These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the LORD. And these are their journeys according to their starting points” (Numbers 33:1-2).

And so begins the ‘parshah’ (‘Torah’ portion) this week, ‘Parashat Masei’ (Journeys) found in Numbers 33:1 – 36:13; the corresponding ‘haftorah’ (reading of the prophets) is found in Jeremiah 2:4-28 -  4:1-2.

‘Parashat Masei’ is the tenth and final ‘parshah’ in the Book of Numbers.

Moses recorded the various journeys of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt as directed by G-D. ‘Parshah Masei’ also recounts the forty two stations from the Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land.

Numbers 33:3-4 tells us that the children of Israel journeyed boldly from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover, in front of the Egyptians who were burying their firstborn whom the L-RD had killed among them; they then camped in Succoth.

From Succoth they journeyed to Etham to Pi-Hachirot to Elim to The Red Sea to the Wilderness of Sin to Dofkah to Alush to Rephidim, where they thirsted for water, had doubts about G-D’S presence and fought Amalek.
They then camped in the Sinai Desert for eleven months and twenty days where they received the ‘Torah’ and built the Tabernacle.
From there they journeyed to Kivrot Hattaavah to Hatzerot, where Miriam spoke against Moses to Ritmah, where the incident of the twelve spies occurred.

From Ritmah they journeyed to Rimon Peretz to Livnah to Rissah to Keheilatah to Mount Shefer to Charadah to Makhelot to Tahath to Terach to Mitkah to Hashmonah to Moserot to Bnei Yaakan to Hor Hagidgad to Yotvatah to Abronah to Ezion Gever to Kadesh where Miriam died, and the incident of the "Waters of Strife" took place.

From Kadesh they journeyed to Mount Hor where Aaron died and the Israelites were attacked by the Canaanite king of Arad.
From Kadesh they journeyed to Zalmonah to Punon to Ovot to I'yei Haavarim on the border of Moab to Divon Gad to Almon Divlataim to the hills of Avarim where they camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River across from Jericho - from Bet-HaYeshimot to Avel-HaShittim in the plains of Moab

G-D told Moses to tell the children of Israel that when they passed over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, they must drive out all the inhabitants of the land and destroy all their engraved stone, all their moulded images and demolish all their high places.
They also had to dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell in it; for G-D had given Israel the land to possess.
However, if they did not drive out the inhabitants of the land, then it would happen that those whom were allowed to remain would be as “thorns in their eyes, and stings in their sides” and they would also harass Israel in the land.
G-D also said that, if Israel did not carry out these commandments, as He had purposed to do to the inhabitants of Canaan, He would do to Israel.

‘Parashat Masei’ goes on to give the Boundaries of the Land of Canaan according to G-D’S promised inheritance to the children of Israel. The borders are as follows:
The southern border was from the Dead Sea eastward to Ma'aleh-Akrabbim to Kadesh-Barnea to Hazar-Addar to Atzmon to the wadi of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. Thus the western border was the Mediterranean Sea.
The northern border was from the Mediterranean Sea to the entrance of Hamat to Zedad to Zifron and to Hatzar Einan.
The eastern border was from Hatzar Eienan to Shefam to Rivlah to the east projection of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) down to the Jordan River to the Dead Sea.
The land described above includes: Israel, Sinai, Jordan, Syria, part of Iraq and part of Saudi Arabia.

The tribe of Levi was not allotted a portion of the land; however forty eight cities were given to them.

‘Parashat Masei’ then speaks of the ‘Cities of Refuge’.
Six cities - three on each side of the Jordan River – had to be set aside as ‘Cities of Refuge’ for anyone who accidentally killed another person.
Anyone who caused someone’s death – whether intentionally or unintentionally – had to immediately go to one of the Cities of Refuge. The reason for this was so that the killer would not be executed before standing trial before the congregation.
Only in a City of Refuge was the killer safe from vengeance taken by a relative of the slain person. If a relative took vengeance outside of a city of refuge, he would not be guilty of killing that person.

The killer had to be brought before the court and if he was convicted of intentional murder, he had to be executed. The executioner would be a relative of the slain person.
However, if he was found guilty of causing a death through negligence or by accident, the congregation of judges would save the killer from vengeance and send him back to the City of his Refuge.

Finally, we see certain marriage restrictions given to the people, and ‘Parashat Masei’ concludes with the following words found in Numbers 36:13: “These are the commandments and the judgments which the LORD commanded the children of Israel by the hand of Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho” thus concluding the book of Numbers.

‘Haftorah Masei’, found in Jeremiah 2:4-28 - 4:1-2, is the second of a series of three ‘haftarot’ of affliction’. These three ‘haftarot’ are read during the three weeks of mourning for Jerusalem, between the fasts of 17 Tammuz and 9 Av.
In ‘Haftorah Masei’, we read that the prophet Jeremiah passed on G D’S message to the Jewish people chastising all the sectors of the people, including the leadership, for their abandonment of G D. He then reminded them of the faithfulness of  G-D who took them out of Egypt, led them through the desert and settled them in the Promised Land; yet they repaid G-D’S faithfulness and kindness with disloyalty.
Jeremiah goes on to foretell the suffering the Jewish people would suffer at the hands of their enemies; also at the hands of their one time allies. However, the ‘haftorah’ ends on an encouraging note, assuring Israel that if they return to G-D - with sincerity - they would be restored to their full glory.

I want to focus on the boundaries of the land promised by G-D to Israel in ‘Parashat Masei’.

Let’s begin by looking at a quote from Palestine Liberation Organization leader Ahmad al-Shuqayri: “We shall destroy Israel and its inhabitants. As for the survivors -- if there are any -- the boats are ready to deport them.”

Recently, US President Barack Obama announced a major shift in official US policy to endorse a Palestinian State along the border which existed before the June 1967 Six Day war.
In his speech to congress, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made it clear that the 1967 border is completely indefensible from a security standpoint; in fact it is a death sentence for Israel.
A recent headline reads: ‘European officials back Obama on 1967 borders for Palestinian state’.
In fact, endorsing a Palestinian state is a direct attack on Divine prophecy; men are attempting to undo what G-D has done; and G-D has pronounced a curse on every nation that lifts up its hand against His Holy Land and His Chosen People.
Emboldened by world support for a Palestinian state, the Arabs are trying harder than ever to push for a Palestinian state by September of this year.

Remember that the boundaries of the land described in ‘Parashat Masei’ include: Israel, Sinai, Jordan, Syria, part of Iraq and part of Saudi Arabia; this is certainly not the tiny strip of land that has been allotted to the Jewish people by world leaders – who want to divide it once again.

Now every country that has divided Israel has itself lost land. A good example of this is the British Empire; in 1947 with a stroke of a pen, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill divided then Palestine, giving the majority to Trans Jordan and the minority to the Jewish people; it didn’t take very long before the huge British Empire itself lost most of its land.

G-D controls history, not man; we see this in Psalm 33:8-12: “Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.”

As dramatic developments continue to unfold with lighting speed in the volatile Middle East, national leaders everywhere might do well to ponder a word of warning about the disputed land that many are currently fiddling with - a word delivered by Almighty G-D through the prophet Zechariah: Zechariah 2:12-13: “And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!"

In the final chapter of the book of Joel, G-D warns that the Land of Israel must not be divided: Joel 3:1-2 declares: “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.”
The Bible is very clear that the L-RD is going to judge all the nations for dividing up the Land of Israel. Let the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, the Palestinian Authority and even the Israeli government itself be warned.
What appears like wisdom to the world - dividing up the State of Israel - is direct disobedience to the word of G-D. We clearly see in ‘Haftorah Masei’ the boundaries allotted by the LORD to the Jewish people. These boundaries have already been divided; I believe that dividing the borders again will trigger the most severe Divine judgment.

‘Haftorah Masei’ ends with G-D assuring Israel that if they return to Him - with sincerity - they will be restored to their full glory.
Today G-D is still imploring people – both Jews and Gentiles to return to Him: Joel 2:12-13: “"Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.”

Given that the Day of the L-RD is coming soon, the L-RD says, through the Prophet Joel - to anyone who will listen, to repent and implore G-D for mercy and forgiveness of their sins before the ‘Mashiach’, Yeshua comes back.

If you are reading this and you realize that this is speaking to you, then please confess your sin and repent of them; implore G-D for mercy and receive His forgiveness.
G-D has, through His Son Yeshua, been faithful to forgive your sins through the work of the cross. He is also faithful to grant you eternal life in heaven, through the death and resurrection of Yeshua.
All you need do is believe in the death and resurrection of Yeshua; confess your sins and repent of them; receive His forgiveness and invited Yeshua to be your L-RD and Saviour.

To my Jewish brothers and sisters, this applies to you as well; none of your good deeds or charity will grant you the forgiveness of sin or eternal life in heaven. Only through faith in Yeshua can your sins be forgiven you and eternal life in heaven be granted to you.
In fact, allow me to ask you a question: How do you make atonement for your soul?

Leviticus 17:11 tells us that the only way to the forgiveness of sin and eternal life in heaven is through the sacrificial system and the shedding of blood - “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.”
However, there is no temple; therefore there is no sacrificial system. Because there is no sacrificial system, there is no shedding of blood; how, then, can you make atonement for your soul?
Scripture records that Yeshua was the perfect sacrifice. He died on the cross, shedding every last drop of His blood, thus taking our sins upon Himself, guaranteeing all who believe in His death and resurrection and who invite Him to become L-RD of their lives, eternal life in heaven.

I would never ask you to stop being Jewish and follow another religion; I do, however, want to encourage you to have a personal, intimate relationship with the ‘Mashiach’ - Yeshua. Accepting and following Yeshua does not stop you from being Jewish; you were born Jewish, you will die Jewish; and by accepting Yeshua as your Saviour, you will be forever Jewish.

If you are not saved, please accept Yeshua as your L-RD and Saviour; and if you have backslidden and you know that you need to come back to the L-RD, receive His invitation today and pray the prayer of salvation found on this webpage.

Please feel free to email us or call us if you have any questions or queries; our contact number is +27 82 571 6653.

Also, please contact us if you have committed or recommitted your life to Yeshua. We would love to pray with you and encourage you in your new found faith.

We love you.

Shalom.

Scripture of the week: Jeremiah 3:14-18: “"Return, O backsliding children," says the LORD; "for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days," says the LORD, "that they will say no more, 'The ark of the covenant of the LORD.' It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers.”

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Bible Reading for today

And that the remission of sins should be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem...

Luke 24:47

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek..

Rom 1:16

For by Grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, least anyone should boast...

Eph 2:8-9