REFLECTIONS FROM PARASHAH KORACH
June 12, 2021 Second of Tamuz, Fifty-Seven Eighty One In Ecclesiastes 1:9, King Solomon reminds that no matter how much we try to change circumstances in our own strength - we will always fail by stating, “What has been is what will be, what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” As we read of the Rebellion of Korach in the Torah, we also discover that this same demonic form of discontent and contempt for biblical leadership still exists today. In his devotional commentary on the Torah, “Judaism’s Life-Changing Ideas,” the late Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in his chapter, “The First Populist,” notes that “The Korach rebellion was a populist movement, and Korach himself an archetypal populist leader. Listen carefully to what he said about Moses and Aaron: ‘You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” (Num. 16:3) As noted by Rabbi Sacks, first insists that Moses and Aaron (God’s appointed leaders) are corrupt, and that Moses is guilty of nepotism in making his own brother the Cohen HaGadol and as a result kept the leadership within his immediate family instead of “sharing” it with “others.” Secondly, (and even more deceptive) Sacks reminds that Korach deceives the people by presenting himself as the champion of the people, that all the people are “holy” and there is nothing special at all with Moses or Aaron. Then as a crescendo of obstinance, Rabbi Sacks reminds that next “… [Korach] and his fellow rebels mount an impressive campaign of fake news - anticipating events of our own time.” As noted by Rabbi Sacks, such campaigns are always the fruit of false teachers, heretics and even dictators and propagators of the radical-Left. They first attack the good, malign the character of those whom God has appointed, insight chaos and discord and thereafter come in with the “solution” to fix to artificial problem they have created! Such deception is always seen within cult leaders, political dissidents and both socialist and fascist dictators - who in the end, only seek to uproot the authority and will of the living God! In last week’s Parashah (Sh’lach Lecha) we also saw this same form of rebellion with the ten spies and their embrace of the negative report, and here, such sin has come to full maturity and rebellion against the will of Adonai, where we are reminded that we cannot be in right relationship with God is we stand opposed to the leadership He ordains! Of this, it does not mean that true biblical leadership is unaccountable to authority, but it does mean that no leadership is self-appointed or taken by force. In this, the example we must all follow is that of both Moses and Messiah Yeshua our Lord. Of Moses, Numbers 12:3 reminds, “Now this man Moshe was very humble, more so than anyone on earth, and that of Yeshua who being in the form of God - “… humbled himself still more by becoming obedient even to death - death on a stake as a criminal.” (Phil. 2:6-7) Where populism is a politics of anger, rebellion is the counterfeit of God’s purposes and the spirit of humility which God requires of those He calls. Whether it be Moses or Yeshua, here we see the heart of God manifest where true leadership is ALWAYS servant leadership! ~ Rabbi Mark Rantz
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In the first chapter of this week’s Torah Portion (Parashah Sh’lach), Moses sends out spies to reconnoiter the Land of Canaan, commanding that they take notice of the people residing there and to confirm … Are they strong? Are they weak? Are they small in number or many? Are they good or bad and what is the condition of their cities? Off their cities, are they open with free access or are they well-fortified! In conclusion, of the land itself, is it fertile or unproductive for use? For Moses, the commissioning of the spies was not an act of fear, anxiety, or uncertainty - but instead a confirmation that the People of Isra’el would return to their land and would prosper in the fulfillment of God’s promises. This is confirmed in Exodus 3:17 (ESV) where Adonai proclaims, “... I PROMISE that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.” Moses knew the PROMISES of God and did not waiver, but of the spies, many did not walk in that same level of trust, but instead allowed their hearts and fears to overwhelm them declaring, “The land we passed through in order to it out is a land that devours its inhabitants. All the people we saw there are giant! We saw the N’filim, the descendants of “Anak, who was from the N’filim; to ourselves we looked like grasshoppers by comparison, we looked that way to them too.” (Numbers 13:32b-33) Counter to this negative report, Joshua and Caleb responded in light of God’s Promises declaring, “The land we passed through in order to spy it out is an outstandingly good land! If Adonai is pleased with us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us - a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Numbers 14:7b-8, CJB) … There it is again! Do you see it? … The promises which God had imparted to Moses is here, echoed in the lives (and words) of Joshua and Caleb, who themselves received that same impartation from Moses by the power of the Holy Spirit. In this moment, it is as if Joshua and Caleb are saying, “We are not going to die, but God in fulfillment of His promise has brought us here, that we might lay hold of and receive this great land, … This Promised Land - This land, flowing with Milk and Honey!” For us today as believers in Yeshua, we too can learn much from this legacy set by Joshua and Caleb. Although the Adversary will always come in with words of doubt and fear, for the purpose of drowning out the Promises of God from our lives. Even for us, a choice must be made as to whether we are going to believe God’s True Report of faith, life, and blessing. - or will we embrace the lie that we dare not move forward in faith and action, because there might be giants in the land who will overtake us. If we believe the devil’s report, we will be crippled with fear and in the end, we will accomplish nothing for the sake of God’s Kingdom. But dear friends if we not only choose to believe the Promises of God over our lives, but also walk them out, then we will experience blessing, peace, and a security that only God can provide. In the end beloved, let me ask again, … Whose report are you going to believe? ~ Rabbi Mark Rantz From Parashah Beha'alotecha
May 29, 2021 (18th of Sivan, 5781) “Tell Aharon, when you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to cast their light forward the front of the menorah.” ~ B’Midbar (Numbers) 8:1-2, CJB The beginning of Parashah Beha’alotecha begins with this powerful instruction and coupled with it are personal commandments for the cohanim in their service to Adonai. First, Aharon and his sons are told how to setup and position the lampstands in the Most Holy Place (vs. 1-4), and secondly, the Lord instructs through Moses to take the Levites (Cohanim) from among the whole House of Isra’el and be set apart ceremonially for service in and about the Mishkan/Tabernacle. (v. 5-7) In this, the Priests of Adonai were tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the lights of the lampstands in the Mishkan were to remain lit and to illuminate into the direction of the Menorah at all times. It is here in Parashah Beha’alotecha that we find that only the cohanim could perform priestly duties in the Most Holy Place, while under the direction and leadership of the prophet Moses (12:7) and in turn they were privileged with reaping the benefits of their ministerial service before Adonai. Not just in our Parashah today, but also through the entire Sefer B’Midbar (Book of Numbers) two-points emerge whereas Priests, the cohanim alone were allowed and called of God to serve in the Temple of Adonai, and in retrospect, all non-Levite’s were forbidden to conduct such service - and if a person who was not a Priest enacted such service, they would be judged by God, and could even be put to death! In Yeshua, this is a strong reminder for us (as both Messianic Jews and likeminded Messianic-Gentile believers) where although each of us are called to serve the Lord, each has a unique calling within the Kingdom of God. In speaking of Parashah Naso (last week), Rabbi Jonathan Sacks draws this same conclusion in stating that, “The answer [to our questioning] takes us into one of the most revolutionary of all Jewish beliefs. If we are each in the image of God, then every one of us has infinite value. We are each unique.” Although the cohanim had specific responsibilities which they alone could perform before God and the people, so within our New Covenant context, we as member of the Body of Messiah each have been graced by God with gifts and anointings uniquely intended for us as individuals in the fulfillment of things of God for our generation! Whether it be in the context of our calling to 5-fold ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13) or the Holy Spirit’s gifts as detailed in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 - it must nevertheless be acknowledged that we are called as both a community and individuals, wherein Timothy notes, “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” (1 Timothy 2:21-22, NIV) For some however, they may point to the ministry of cohanim and falsely conclude that God chose them over and above the rest of the House of Isra’el, but this is not true! From 1 Timothy, we see that in Messiah no one is just “common” or “second rate” for God purposes, but instead through Yeshua precious sacrifice - we are all made holy, [and are] useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” Counter to the purposes of God, during the time of the Communist Revolution, Karl Marx referenced the masses as “useful idiots,” but this has never God sentiment toward anyone at any time. Instead, Yeshua has a plan and purpose for all people and in every generation - yet we must exercise our own free will in obeying His commands and choose to delight in doing His will! We have all be set-apart for the purposes of God in this decisive hour before the Lord’s Return! ~ Rabbi Mark Rantz From Parashah Naso
May 22, 2021 (11th of Sivan, 5781) The Nazir and the One-New-Humanity In Parashah Naso (Num. 4:21-7:89), we see the calling of the Nazi stating, “… When either a man or a woman makes a special kind of vow, the vow of the Nazir, consecrating himself to Adonai, he is to abstain from wine and other intoxicating liquor, he is not to drink vinegar from either sources, he is not to drink grape juice, and he is not to eat grapes or raisins. As long as he remains a Nazir, he is to eat nothing derived from the grapevine, not even the grape-skins or the seeds.” (6:2-4) Early in my ministry, a non-Jewish congregant asked me how he could fulfill the Nazarite vow and perform it today? Although sincere in his questioning, this inquiry lacked a proper understanding of both biblical context or a understanding for both Messianic Jews and like-minded Gentile believers, our unique callings, and gifts in the Ruach. In answer, I told him that the Nazarite vow was an oath taken by Jews alone in direct connection to Temple worship and in connection to ancient-Torah observance. The Nazir (as referenced above) was forbidden to touch a dead body, cut their hair after taking the vow or drink alcohol or anything from the fruit of the vine. Although significant only to Temple worship and the sin offering at the Tabernacle, there is nevertheless no longer a pathway for Nazarite vows in the strictest sense since of the word since the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E. Of the many lessons these passages teach us, Acts 21:22 brings matters into full focus by stating, “…in regard to the Gentiles who have come to trust in Yeshua, we all joined in writing them a letter with our decision that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled and from fortification.” Noteworthy here is the rabbinical reference that, “… we all joined in writing a letter with our decision” thus revealing a ruling of a rabbinical ruling of a rabbinical court where in coming to trust in Yeshua, the non-Jew (for salvific purposes) did not need to keep the Torah, and from it be in right relationship with God! In the end, the Torah was given to Israel as a covenantal obligation and covenantal sign and in turn, God’s chosen people are tasked of God to be a light to all nations of the world, just as all of us are called to be Lights for Yeshua! This is best seen in Isa. 42:6 stating, “I, Adonai, called you righteously. I took hold of you by the hand. I shaped you and made you a covenant for the people, to be a light to the Goyim.” It is here that we see the full scope of both God’s revelation and calling, where both Jews and Gentiles have been brought together as one as a “single new humanity” for the purpose of making between us all shalom, in order to reconcile us to Adonai as a single Body of Messiah! (Eph. 2:15-16) In the end, just as we are reminded that we all have from God, different gifts and anointings for God’s kingdom (Rom. 12, 1 Cor. 12), so we as both Jews and Gentiles in Messiah Yeshua alike have unique callings, tasks, and responsibilities, given to us by the Ruach HaKodesh for sake of God’s Kingdom! ~ Rabbi Mark Rantz |
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