In week’s reading from Parashat Beha’alotcha (בהעלתך) Bamidbar / Numbers 8:1-9:14 God commands Moshe on the construction of the Menorah and that the seven lamps are to give their light from the front of the lampstand (8:1-3). The Lord then instructs Moshe to take the Leviim from among the Sons of Yisrael and cleanse them. The purification process includes the sprinkling of water, using a razor to remove all of their hair, and to wash their bodies and clothing (8:6-7). The Cohanim (Priests) are purified for service in the Mishkhan (Tabernacle) along with an offering that is made by the blood of a bull for a Chatat Korban (לְחַטָּאת, Sin Offering) and a Mincha Korban (מִנְחָת, Grain Offering) mixed with oil (8:8). The Cohanim are presented before God and before the people (8:9) as a wave offering and only then are they qualified to perform their duties of service before the Lord (8:11). During the Korbanot (Sacrifices), the Cohanim are to lay their hands upon the head of the bulls; one is to be made as a Chatat Korban and the other as an Olah Korban (עֹלָה, Whole burnt offering) (8:12). Scripture goes on to say that the Lord will take the Levites instead of every first born of Yisrael drawing a parallel with the Passover and the first born dying (8:16). The Leviim are instructed to perform the service of work in the Mishkhan between the ages of twenty five and fifty years of age (8:24-25). The Lord then spoke to Moshe instructing the Children of Yisrael to observe the Pesach (Passover) festival saying that the Pesach festival is so important even a person who has touched a dead person and become unclean must still observe the festival (9:9). It is written in Vayikra / Leviticus 9:18 יח עַל-פִּי יְהֹוָה יִסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל וְעַל-פִּי יְהוָֹה יַחֲנוּ כָּל-יְמֵי אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכֹּן הֶעָנָן עַל-הַמִּשְׁכָּן יַחֲנוּ: 9:18 At the command of the Lord the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. (NASB) according to the lips/mouth of the Lord (עַל-פִּי יְהֹוָה) the people would set out or encamp. During the wilderness journey, the people were led by the Lord (YHVH) to move or to stay indicated by the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. During the people’s wilderness journey the Lord was teaching the people the role of obedience in their lives and the impact obedience has in their spiritual lives. In each place the people camped, the Lord taught them something and provided for their needs. Are you having or do you feel you are in wilderness journey today? What is the Lord teaching you and how is the Lord providing for your needs in the midst of your trouble? All sin makes us unclean before the Lord and can lead us to places we do not want to go. Praise the Lord today we are able to call upon His name, and in the name of His Son Yeshua the Messiah we have the forgiveness of sins. Read more here.
