Parasha Korach 5785/2024 (פָּרָשָׁה קֹרַח) reading:

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:1-18:32
Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 11-12
Yochanan (John) 19

Fair Use: Pro-Israel Content, Academic Content, Autistic Content:
The following notes are a summation of the video dialogue.

Welcome to NI’s midrash on Parasha Korach. “Parasha Korach 5785 (2024): Rebellion Take 77” examines the rebellion Korach led against Moshe and Aharon (Yahweh’s anointed leadership), and our ancestors’ rejection of Yahweh as their king (First Samuel). We show how Yeshua HaMashiach fulfilled the Tanakh Messianic prophecies, and Judah and Israel’s rejection of Yahweh Elohim as our King throughout history.

Today, Orthodox Judah continues to reject Yeshua HaMashiach Nagid as Yahweh’s Mashiach, and Ephraim continues to refuse to submit to Yeshua’s authority and instructions. Parasha Korach emphasizes the need for both houses to end the Ramban cycle of rebellion against Elohim, His Mashiach Yeshua, and His anointed leadership, and the need to submit fully to the authority of Yahweh Elohim.

Review

First, we back up and review Shemote, and we see that the Torah portion is primarily about the house of Levi. Moshe, Aharon, and Korach are all from the house of Levi. Notice, Korach is a firstborn, and he is also a cousin to Moshe and Aharon.

Shemote (Exodus) 2:1-2
1  And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi.
2  So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months.

Shemote (Exodus) 6:18a, 20a, 21
18a  And the sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel…
20a  Now Amram took for himself Jochebed, his father’s sister, as wife; and she bore him Aharon and Moshe…
21  The sons of Izhar were Korach, Nepheg, and Zichri.

Ramban cycle: failure to follow Yahweh’s program

The commentary of the Ramban (Nachmanides) stated “Whatever has happened to the patriarchs is a sign to the children.” This is where we get the saying “history repeats itself“, particularly when we see patterns happen in the Torah. And sad to say, one of the patterns we see in Judah and Joseph, all the way baack to Shemote 16:2, our ancestors complain alot.

Shemote (Exodus) 16:2
2  Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moshe and Aharon in the wilderness…

The people place the locus of blame and cause on Moshe and Aharon, instead of focusing on obedience to Yahweh. As if Moshe is Elohim, somehow, and as if Moshe is the one in control (rather than Yahweh).

Shemote (Exodus) 16:3
3  And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of Yahweh in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Shemote (Exodus) 17:1
1  Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of Yahweh, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink…

Shemote (Exodus) 17:2
2  Therefore the people contended with Moshe, and said, “[You] give us water, that we may drink.” So Moshe said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt Yahweh?”

Shemote (Exodus) 17:3
3  And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moshe, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

Shemote (Exodus) 20:18-19
18  Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off.
19  Then they said to Moshe, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.”

In Shemote 32:1, our forefathers see that Moshe is gone, and now they ask for false gods to ‘replace Moshe’, and they have placed Moshe in a ‘god’ role. Notice that no credit is given to Yahweh, but the people ascribe everything that has happened to Moshe.

Shemote (Exodus) 32:1
1 Now when the people saw that Moshe delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aharon, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moshe, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

Vayiqra (Leviticus) 10:1-2
1  Then Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before Yahweh, which He had not commanded them.
2  So fire went out from Yahweh and devoured them, and they died before Yahweh.

Transition to Levitical Order

In Bemidbar 3:41, we see that the firborn priesthood is stepping down, and the Levitical Order is implemented. Why? Because the firstborn made up their own program. When Moshe disappeared, the firstborn did not seek Yahweh, they sought other gods.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 3:41
41  “And you shall take the Levites for Me—I am Yahweh—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.”

Bemidbar (Numbers) 8:17-18
17  “For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart to Myself.
18  “I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel.”

Listening in the Spirit

Moshe: “I wish that everyone would listen in the Spirit and do as Yahweh says!” Moshe did not desire to be the only one to hear and communicate with Yahweh. His desire was that all of the people would commit to Yahweh in such a way that everyone would listen to and obey His voice. For more on the two types of prophecy, and why all of Yahweh’s people should pursue the spiritual gift of prophesy (with the right intention), please see our study on “The Two Types of Prophecy”.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 11:27, 29
27  And a young man ran and told Moshe, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
29  Then Moshe said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all Yahweh’s people were prophets and that Yahweh would put His Spirit upon them!”

Qorintim Aleph (1 Corinthians) 14:1
1  Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

How long will Yahweh bear?

In Bemidbar 14, Yahweh speaks with Moshe, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me…” Do we see any repeat patterns, today? What happens when we hear that we are to obey and do ‘everything’ Yahweh says to do? Our ancestors were fine with getting the land and all of the pleasant things from Yahweh for themselves. But they did not want to give Yahweh what He wanted. And in general, this is the same problem within the Messianic movement, the church system, and in Orthodox Judaism today.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 14:26-27
26  And Yahweh spoke to Moshe and Aharon, saying,
27  “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me…”

Bemidbar (Numbers) 14:28-29
28  “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says Yahweh, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:
29  “The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above…

In our stuies on Yahweh’s feasts, we explain about the prophetic mirror imaging between the feasts of the first month and the feasts of the seventh month, and the significance in end-time prophecy. Just as our ancestors complained when Yahweh gave them a mission to accomplish for Him, what type of message does it send to Yahweh when His people today are not committed to fulfilling the mission given to us for His kingdom?

Bemidbar (Numbers) 14:30-31
30  “Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in.”
31  “But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.”

Torah Portion

Roles recap

First, in the Torah portion, we review the four main roles in Scripture. We see that Yahweh selects His leaders in the following roles:

Four Main Roles in Israel:
1. King: chosen by Yahweh. Heads the temporal army and host. Serves on the battlefield and in his court.
2. Priest: head of the spiritual army (altar, rituals, prayers, render judgment). Serves at an altar.
3. Prophet: hears from Yahweh and transmits His words to the people. (Foretell, forthtell.)
4. Anointed Judge: combination of all three for special circumstances (shaliachim / apostles).

Korach’s rebellion

We talked before about democracy. Elohim does not have a system of ‘shared power’. Democracy is a system of overthrowing Yahweh’s system and to replace and overthrow Yahweh’s words with the words of men.

Korach rises up with some 250 leaders/’representatives’ of the congregation. They accuse Moshe and Aharon of exalting themselves above the assembly of Yahweh, when Moshe is listening for Yahweh’s voice and doing as He commands.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:1-2
1  Now Korach the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men;
2  and they rose up before Moshe with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:3
3  They gathered together against Moshe and Aharon, and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is set-apart, every one of them, and Yahweh is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of Yahweh?”

Modern-day red-horse example

As a modern-day example, we had a Spirit of Esav write to NI saying that NI is not going to be “successful on a large scale” (first red-horse flag) until NI realizes that “our ministry” (second red-horse flag) “is not the end all be all of Yah’s work in the world“. And we already talked about this, but red-horse ideology is to build ‘personal kingdoms’ for themselves. In contrast, NI’s mission is to pray, to hear and obey Yahweh’s voice, and to adhere to Yahweh’s word and standards.

[Spirit of Esav]’s retort:
“You are not going to be successful on a large scale until you realize that your ministry is not the end all be all of Yah’s work in the world.
“You need to get off your high-horse there partner, and lose the pride!”

The red-horse always aims to replace Yahweh’s words and to unify on something other than Yahweh’s Halacha, the faith once for all given to the saints (Jude 3). The red-horse spirit claims to be replacing Yahweh’s kingdom “in humility”.

[Spirit of Esav]’s retort:
“I am uniting many elders of Israel of different persuasions and different backgrounds and different walks of life, but I am doing so in humility.
“Your ‘my-way-or-the-highway-attitude isn’t going to work.”

Levels of separation

In Bemidbar 16:3 (above) we saw Korach and the ‘representatives’ of the people rise up against Moshe. And they claimed “all the congrgation is set-apart (qodesh). This is true to a degree. However, there are levels of spearation in Israel, and not everyone is separated to the same role and purpose. You can be in the Qodesh HaQodeshim (or the most set-apart place-#1). Or you could be in the set-apart place (#2), but outside the most set-apart place.

Next, there is the courtyard (#3), which is outside the set-apart place (Qodesh). Then there is the camp (#4) that is outside the Mishkan courtyard. (You are still within the camp of Israel, and separted from the rest of the world.) Lastly, there is Eygpt, Babylon, or the world, which is outside the camp of Israel.

The levels of separation do not go away. And this is one thing the Messianic movement does not understand, is that Yahweh’s kingdom has never been a ‘headless mess’ with no order and no leadership. Our forefathers behaved like it was a headless, democratic mess. Moshe and Aharon resisted that rebellion.

Yahweh decides, not the people

Moshe resists Korach’s rebellion, and he says that “Yahweh will decide”.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:4-5
4  So when Moshe heard it, he fell on his face;
5  and he spoke to Korach and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning Yahweh will show who is His and who is set-apart, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him.”

Today we have a Rabbinical Order, which is an extention of the Levitical Order but it is not a pure Levitical Order. The house of Judah has both the kingdom and the priesthood roles. As we showed before, the house of Judah (Judah, Levi, Benjamin) has a violent intent against Joseph who has the prophetic role. As a question to the house of Judah, what do you have against Joseph’s prophetic role?

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:6-7
6  “Do this: Take censers, Korach and all your company;
7  “…put fire in them and put incense in them before Yahweh tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom Yahweh chooses is the set-apart one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!”

Korach does not understand that Moshe and Aharon are not making up their own program, but that they are implementing Yahweh’s program. Korach and the people are actually placing a man-made authority on Moshe and Aharon, rather than accepting that Yahweh has appointed them as His leaders who implement His instructions.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:8-9
8  Then Moshes said to Korach, “Hear now, you sons of Levi:
9  “Is it a small thing to you that the Elohim of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of Yahweh, and to stand before the congregation to serve them;

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:10-11
10  “…and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also?
11  Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against Yahweh. And what is Aharon that you complain against him?”

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:12-13
12  And Moshe sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up!
13  “Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us?

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:16-17
16  And Moshe said to Korach, “Tomorrow, you and all your company be present before Yahweh—you and they, as well as Aharon.
17  “Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before Yahweh, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aharon, each with his censer.”

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:18-19
18  So every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle of meeting with Moshe and Aharon.
19  And Korach gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the congregation.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:23-24
23  So Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying,
24  “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ “

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:31-32
31  Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them,
32  and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korach, with all their goods.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:35-37
35  And a fire came out from Yahweh and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.
36  Then Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying:
37  “Tell Eleazar, the son of Aharon the priest, to pick up the censers out of the blaze, for they are set-apart, and scatter the fire some distance away.”

Sinning against your own soul

By challenging what Yahweh said to do, these men sinned against their own souls. What we have today in the Messianic movement is a lot of men who think they are seasoned in the Torah, but they do not apply what the Torah says to today’s generation. Because there are so many lessons in the Torah neeed for today’s generation.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:38
38  “The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before Yahweh, therefore they are set-apart; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”

Yahweh just showed what side He was on, and who He selected as His leadership, and the people are again applying the blame to Moshe and to Aharon. Yahweh is tired of it, and He is coming to support Moshe and Aharon.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 16:41
41  On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moshe and Aharon, saying, “You have killed the people of Yahweh.”

Bemidbar (Numbers) 17:5
5  “And it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, which they make against you.”

Bemidbar (Numbers) 17:8
8  Now it came to pass on the next day that Moshe went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aharon, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.

Now the children of Israel are like, “What, we cannot rebell against Yahweh?” “Whoever comes near the tabernacle of Yahweh [to overthrow His program!] must die?” That depends. Are we willing to follow Yahweh’s program? Or are we going to continue to rebel against His program and implement our own programs?

Bemidbar (Numbers) 17:12-13
12  So the children of Israel spoke to Moshe, saying, “Surely we die, we perish, we all perish!
13  “Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of Yahweh must die. Shall we all utterly die?”

Priesthood’s responsibility

Yahweh tells Aharon that he and his sons are responsible for the priesthood, whatever happens. They are to take charge of the sanctuary and of themselves as the priesthood. Whatever happens, good or bad, it is their responsibility. They are responsibile for teaching the people and to help the people walk in the right ways. The priesthood is responsible for the nation.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 18:1
1  Then Yahweh said to Aharon: “You and your sons and your father’s house with you shall bear the iniquity related to the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity associated with your priesthood.”

And as Ma’asei (Acts) 6 also seems to imply, it is necessary to have a standing priesthood doing the job full-time. And they need to be doing it in accordance with Yahweh’s instructions, and not making up their own thing.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 18:5
5  “And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, that there may be no more wrath on the children of Israel.”

The priesthood is ‘serving’. It is not making up its own thing, not making up a Talmud or their own thing. They are serving, following Yahweh’s voice and Yahweh’ instructions, as recording in the written Torah and in the Tanakh.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 18:7
7  “Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

We saw that in Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 66:20-21, some of Joseph will be taken for priests and for Levites. But if we want that role, we need be keeping as much of the written Torah as we can while in the Diaspora, outside of a cleansed Levitical temple environment, which we will not have until after Armageddon.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 18:19
19  “All the heave offerings of the set-apart things, which the children of Israel offer to Yahweh, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before Yahweh with you and your descendants with you.”

There is a job to do, and it costs. Everyone should be supporting the kingdom work. And when we get to Ma’asei (Acts) 6 in other presentations, we will see that this is what they were doing in the first century as well. They were establishing a standing priesthood. An important lesson to remember is that we are not to conform Scripture to fit our standards. Rather, we are to read Scripture and to conform to Elohim’s standards.

Bemidbar (Numbers) 18:20-21
20  Then Yahweh said to Aharon: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.
21  “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.”

HAFTARAH

What type of king?

As we will see in later parashiot (Devarim), it was always prophesied that Israel would have a king. However, the problem in First Shemuel is that Israel (all 12 tribes) cried out to have a king like all of the non-set-apart nations. Yahweh had been their king all the way up to that time, but now the people are asking for a king like the other nations. And Yahweh says that the people rejected Him, and He shows the type of king that will be over the people.

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 8:4-5
4  Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Shemuel at Ramah,
5  and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 8:6-7
6  But the thing displeased Shemuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Shemuel prayed to Yahweh.
7  And Yahweh said to Shemuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 8:10-11
10  So Shemuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked him for a king.
11  And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 8:12-13
12  “He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
13  “He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.”

Bad trade

The people were to serve Yahweh, now they will be serving a human king. Prior, Yahweh had been our King the entire time, now the people get an intermediary who will basically own them.

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 8:14-15
14  “And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.
15  “He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants.”

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 8:16-17
16  “And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
17  “He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.”

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 8:18
18  “And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and Yahweh will not hear you in that day.”

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 8:19-20
19  Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Shemuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us,
20  “that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 11:14-15
14  Then Shemuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”
15  So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh, and there Shaul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

If you fear and serve Yahweh

In Shemuel Aleph 12, Shemuel reasons with the people about having chosen a human king rather than having Yahweh as their king. And in verses 13-14, we see that if the people fear, serve, and obey Yahweh’s voice, and if they do not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then both Israel and the king who reigns over Israel will continue following Yahweh. But if they do wickedly (verse 25), both Israel and their king will be swept away.

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 12:7-8
7  “Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh which He did to you and your fathers…”
8  When Yaakov had gone into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moshe and Aharon, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place.”

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 12:9
9  “And when they forgot Yahweh their Elohim, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them…”

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 12:10
10  “Then they cried out to Yahweh, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and served the Baals and Ashtoreths; but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’”

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 12:11-12
11  “And Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Shemuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety.
12  “And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when Yahweh your Elohim was your king.”

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 12:13-14
13  “Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, Yahweh has set a king over you.
14  “If you fear Yahweh and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following Yahweh your Elohim.”

Beforehand, Israel was to obey Yahweh. Now, the people got their king, and they must serve and support their king, and they must still obey Yahweh.

Shemuel Aleph (1 Samuel) 12:24-25
24  “Only fear Yahweh, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
25  “But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

BRIT CHADASHA

Yeshua’s purpose

In Yochanan 18, Yeshua is before Pilate, and Pilate asks Yeshua if He is a king. Yeshua answers that He is a king, but that His kingdom is no threat to Pilate’s kingdom. He was born for the purpose to bear winess to the truth (which is the Torah).

Yochanan (John) 18:35-36
35  Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”
36  Yeshua answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

Yochanan (John) 18:37
37  Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Yeshua answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

“A Son of Elohim” (Let’s talk Tanakh!)

Pilate found no wrong in Yeshua. The Jews answered that they have a law (Torah) that Yeshua must die, “because He made Himself the Son of Elohim.” And what we will see in this portion is that this is a misinterpretation of what the Scriptures actually say. (And for more details, please see our study “Yeshua: Manifestation of Yahweh”.)

Yochanan (John) 19:1-3
1  So then Pilate took Yeshua and scourged Him.
2  And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe.
3  Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands.

Yochanan (John) 19:4-5
4  Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.”
5  Then Yeshua came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”

Yochanan (John) 19:6-7
6  Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.”
7  The Jews answered him, “We have a Torah, and according to our Torah He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of Elohim.”

Let us start with some common understanding. Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, everything therein, in 6 days. Then He rested on Shabbat.

B’reisheet (Genesis) 2:1-2
1  Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished.
2  And on the seventh day Elohim ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

B’reisheet (Genesis) 2:7
7  And Yahweh Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Is Yahweh’s hand shortened?

One of the questions we always get is, how does a virgin become pregnant and give birth? And our response is this. Yahweh made heaven and earth from nothing. And He formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils. And then Yahweh took a rib from man and He made woman. And we ask, Yahweh can make a pregnant woman, but He cannot make a woman pregnant?

B’reisheet (Genesis) 2:21-22
21  And Yahweh Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.
22  Then the rib which Yahweh Elohim had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

We have seen all sorts of miracles throughout the Torah and the Tanakh. The miracle of the Reed Sea (Shemote 14:21-22), that is a pretty big miracle! The miracle of crossing the Jordan on dry gorund(Yehoshua 3:17). The miracle of the sun and the moon standing still (Yehoshua 10:13). Is Yahweh’s arm short? Is there anything Yahweh cannot do?

Shemote (Exodus) 14:21-22
21  Then Moshe stretched out his hand over the sea; and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.
22  So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Yehoshua (Joshua) 3:17
17  Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.

Yehoshua (Joshua) 10:13
13  So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Yashar? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.

Manifestation of Yahweh

In B’reisheet 18, we read about 3 men. And in verse 17 we see that one of these men is Yahweh. Verse 22, the men rose and looked toward Sodom, but Abraham stands before Yahweh. In verse 33, after He finished speaking with Abraham, Yahweh leaves. And in B’reisheet 19:1, the ‘two’ messengers went to Sodom.

B’reisheet (Genesis) 18:1-2
1  Then Yahweh appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.
2  So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,

B’reisheet (Genesis) 18:16-17
16  Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.
17  And Yahweh said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing…?”

B’reisheet (Genesis) 18:22, 33
22  Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before Yahweh….
33  So Yahweh went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

B’reisheet (Genesis) 19:1
1  Now the two messengers came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground…

B’reisheet (Genesis) 19:5
5  And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.”

B’reisheet (Genesis) 19:15
15  When the morning dawned, the messengers urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.”

By the time we reach B’reisheet 19:24, it says that Yahweh reained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from Yahweh out of heaven. And we are always asking, how many Yahweh’s is in this verse? Can Yahweh be on earth and in the heavens at the same time? Are there not 2 Yahwehs mentioned in this verse? If you ever have a question about whether Yahweh can have a Son, take a look at this verse. (For more about how the term ‘echad’ means ‘united’, please refer to “Yeshua: Manifestation of Yahweh”.)

B’reisheet (Genesis) 19:23-24
23  The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar.
24  Then Yahweh rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from Yahweh out of the heavens.

וַיהוָה הִמְטִיר עַל סְדֹם
| וְעַל עֲמֹרָה גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ 
: מֵאֵת יְהוָה מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם

In Shemote 23, Yahweh is speaking to our ancestors, saying to obey His Messengers’ voice, and that His voice is in Him.

Shemote (Exodus) 23:20-21
20  “Behold, I send a Messenger before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.
21  “Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.

He says “obey His voice”, and do all that “I speak”. This Messenger speaks everything that Yahweh speaks, and is a manifestation of Yahweh.

Shemote (Exodus) 23:22-23
22  “But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
23  “For My Messenger will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off.”

Messianic prophecies, doing the math

When we look at the Messianic prophecies, we see that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Mashiach Nagid, there will be 7 weeks and sixty-two weeks. Or a total of 49 weeks pluse another 434 years, equaling 483 years. Therefore, Mashiach Nagid would come 483 years after the command was given to rebuild Jerusalem.

Daniel 9:25
25  “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Mashiach Nagid, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.

Daniel 9:25
7 weeks = 7 x 7 years = 49 years.
+62 weeks = 62 x 7 years = 434 years.
= 49 years + 434 years = 483 years.
Mashiach Nagid would come 483 years AFTER the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was given.

King Cyrus’ decree-no Mashiach

King Cyrus gave the Edict of Cyrus in approximently 539 BC. We add 483 years from the Edict of Cyrus and Mashiach Nagid should have arrived at 3704 (56 BCE). No Mashiach Nagid came at 3704.

King Darius’ decree-No Mashiach

There was a second decree given by King Darius in about 3240-3245 (520-515 BCE). We add 483 years, adn we come to about 3723-3728 (37-32 BCE). Again, there is nobody reported as coming at that time.

King Artashasta’s decree-Yeshua’s ministry

Then we come to King Artashasta’s decree at about 3303 (457 BCE). We add 483 years which corrsponds to an arrival date for Mashiach Nagid of 3786 (26 CE). And this is in fact when Yeshua began His ministry.

Daniel 9:25
A. Edict of Cyrus given @ 3221 (@ 539 BCE). Adding +483 years brings us to about 3704 (56 BCE).
B. King Darius’ decree was about @3240-3245 (520-515 BCE). +483 years comes to about 3723-3728 (37-32 BCE)
C. King Artashasta’s decree was about 3303 (457 BCE). 483 years later corresponds to an arrival date of 3786 (26 CE).

After sixty-two weeks, Mashiach will be cut off, but not for Himself. That is exactly what happened. And the people of “the prince who is to come [Rome/Esav] shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. the end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.” The sanctuary was destroyed in 3830 (70 CE).

That is Yeshua, nobody else is ever able to fulfill that prophecy other than Yeshua.

Daniel 9:26
26  “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.”

Sanctuary destroyed 3830 (70 CE).

Tanakh describes HaMashiach:

Mashiach: Mighty Elohim, Everlasting Father

We come to Yeshayahu 9:6. This is clearly a messianic prophecy. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty Elohim, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace… What human is named Mighty Elohim? What human is named Everlasting Father?

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 9:6
6  For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty Elohim, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 9:7
7  Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will perform this.

Mashiach: the King, Mighty One, O Elohim

Tehillim (Psalms) 45:1
1  To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.” A Contemplation of the Sons of Korach. A Song of Love. My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Tehillim (Psalms) 45:2-3
2  You are fairer than the sons of men; Favor is poured upon Your lips; Therefore Elohim has blessed You forever.
3  Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, With Your glory and Your majesty.

Tehillim (Psalms) 45:4-5
4  And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.
5  Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; The peoples fall under You.

Mashiach: “Elohim, Your Elohim”

The King of the Kingdom is being addressed as “Elohim”, and it continues speaking about His Elohim anointing Him with the oil of gladness.

Tehillim (Psalms) 45:6-7
6  Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
7  You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore Elohim, Your Elohim, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

Mashiach: “One like the Son of Man”

Daniel 7 speaks about “One like the Son of Man” coming with the clouds of heaven, and that “He came to the Ancient of Days, and to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away…”

Daniel 7:13
13  “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.

Daniel 7:14
14  Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

Mashiach: “Yahweh said to my Master”

We come to Tehillim 110, and we see David speaking of Yahweh saying to his [David’s] Master, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” If there is nothing special about this ‘son of David’, and if He is not deity, why do we see David calling Him “Master”?

Tehillim (Psalms) 110:1
1  A Psalm of David. Yahweh said to my Master, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

Mashiach: What is His [Elohim’s] Son’s name?

Mishle 30:4, asks, “Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?

Mishle (Proverbs) 30:4
4  Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?

Again, if you want to all of the details, check out “Yeshua: Manifestation of Yahweh” in NSS1. It explains why Yeshua claims to be the Son of Elohim, because that is what He was.

Returning to Yochanan 19, the Jews cried out to Pilot, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” Pilot asks, “Shall I cruciy your King?” And the Jews cry out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him! We have no king but Caesar!”

Yochanan (John) 19:12
12  From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”

We see here another example of the people rejecting Yahweh’s king, and choosing the King of Esav instead.

Yochanan (John) 19:14-15
14  Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”
15  But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross, which read “Yeshua of Nazareth, the King of the Jews“. The sign was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. (And just to mention it, there is a theory out there that the sign could read as “Yeshua of Nazareth the King, and the King of the Jews“. This theory does not quite mesh, because it requires an extra vav, and this extra vav does not necessarily have to be there.)

Yochanan (John) 19:19-20
19  Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: YESHUA OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20  Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Yeshua was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

ישוע הנצרי ומלך היהודים

But what we see is that our forefathers of both houses (Judah and Joseph), we refuse Yahweh as our King, and we refuse His Son Yeshua HaMashiach as our King (even in the house of Ephraim). Because to know what He commands and not to do what He commands is in effect, rejecting Him.

Shabbat shalom.

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