Shalom!
 
The Israelites have been camped now at Mount Sinai for one year. The time has come for them to head for the "Promised Land."
 
Bemidbar/Numbers 1:1 Now YHWH spoke to Moshe in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying...
 
What happens between Mount Sinai and the Promised Land is a very necessary process. It is called the "journey." The "journey" is what the book of Bemidbar/Numbers is all about. It should be of interest to us because the "journey" is exactly where we are all at today. The final destination cannot be our only focus. The first four chapters of Bemidbar will address the Israelite's marching orders as they organize for their "journey."
 
There are logistics to take care of. On the way, there will be attacks by the enemy. Who will fight in Israel's battles? Who will take down, carry along the way, and set up again the Tabernacle? How will the tribes set up in an orderly fashion surrounding the Tabernacle? What will their witness to the nations look like? The first leg of the journey from Egypt to Sinai was not always very positive. There was a lot of complaining and longing for Egypt. What is it about the journey that brings out the worst in us? I read of a pastor who teaches "toothpaste theology." Whenever you squeeze the tube, what's on the inside comes out! Thus Israel's journey through the desert becomes a spiritual mirror for us all.
 
Bemidbar begins with several censuses. Torah teacher Joe Snipes (Gates to Zion) writes about how YHWH went about restoring the dignity and identity to His chosen ones:
 
One of the reasons you 'count something', is because it is precious and valuable. You want to establish its worth, so you determine its size accordingly. If you remember, as we have been studying the Torah, Yisrael had fallen into a terrible state of declension during their time in Mitzrayim/Egypt. In the opening of Shemot/Exodus, we found the Pharaoh, who had come on the scene, was not like the one living during the days of Yosef. This Pharaoh was cruel, and wicked. He was afraid of the people of Yisrael, and so, he set out on a determined plan to reduce them to a nothing..to an 'it'. Through a regimen of constant work, terrible conditions, and ever increasing burdens, the psyche of Yisrael was broken.
 
YHWH set in motion His plan to redeem and deliver them. All that He did for His people, through Moshe, was to provide them the hope of realizing their destiny as a nation. In so doing, He would be showing forth His glory to the entire world. This is the reason for the census.
 
Verse two, of chapter one, opens with this statement,
 
Bemidbar/Numbers 1:2 'Take the rosh (top amount, census) of all the congregation of the children of Israel
 
Most Bible translations fail to really give exactly what YHWH was 'instructing' Moshe to do in this census...The 'literal rendering' of the verse is:
 
LIFT UP THE HEADS of the assembly of the Sons/Children of Yisrael....
 
The phrase 'lift up the heads' is used two other places in the Torah. (Bereshith/Genesis 40:13,19) Both involved 'Yosef/Joseph during his time in prison. If you remember, he met the 'butler', and the 'baker' while there, both former servants of Pharaoh. They each had dreams, which 'Yosef/Joseph' interpreted. In both instances, the 'interpretations' had to do with 'each of their heads' being 'lifted up.' The 'butler' was 'lifted up' to promotion and restoration. However, the 'baker' was 'lifted up' to judgment and death. So, it is very important who is 'lifting up your head,' and for what purpose.
 
The 'lifting of the head' of each Yisraelite in our parasha, is concerned with recognition. The rest of verse two tells us, each family, from each tribe, each name of each 'man's head,' was to be 'lifted up' before YHWH. It wasn't just about a number. It would have been easier to do the census in a corporate manner. However, YHWH asked it be done individually as well as by family, from each of the twelve tribes. The whole point was, to cause every son of Yisrael to sense his worth before YHWH. So much had been lost in Mitzrayim/Egypt. Now, was the time to show His care and restore the hope of Yisrael. They had a destiny. It was a glorious one, woven together with their Creator. Thus, He 'lifted up their heads' to heal and restore His purpose, and renew His call to make Yisrael great among all the nations.
 
Insight Into Master Yeshua's Death at Golgatha
 
As we have seen above, having your 'head lifted up,' is a serious thing. In this sense of being 'lifted up,' there is something quite interesting to be found in the name of the hill where our Master Yeshua was crucified. The name of the hill was Golgotha. This name is, in fact, an Aramaic word, Golgota. It literally means, 'Skull.' What makes this so interesting, and important is, when YHWH instructed Moshe to 'count the Yisraelite men,' as we saw above, he was told to 'count them' by their 'heads.' The Hebrew word for 'head,' as it is used in chapter one, verse two is 'gulgoleth.'
 
Bemidbar/Numbers 1:2 'Lift up the heads of all the assembly of the sons of Israel by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names -- every male by their heads (gulgoleth)
 
Gulgoleth, like its Aramaic counterpart, 'Golgota,' also means 'head,' or 'skull.' So, now with this understanding, what our blessed Master Yeshua was doing on that hill, at his crucifixion was, having 'His head lifted up' to be COUNTED IN OUR PLACE! The death He was dying, was not His own. IT WAS FOR OUR REDEMPTION! Oh the wonder of YHWH's love, and mercy toward us. Amein! (end of quote)
 
The tribes were arranged around the Tabernacle, demonstrating that the Presence of the Holy One was their focus and their strength. The wilderness will become the training ground for the Israelites as they learn to live together, camp together, and walk together.
They have been appointed guardians of the Torah as they will bring it from Sinai to the Promised Land from which they are to shine its light to all the inhabitants of the world! As long as Israel maintained her faith in the One who resided in their center (their heart), there would be victory. But sadly, none of those named (with the exception of Yehoshua and Calev), would complete the journey to the Land. They did not survive what laid ahead of them for testing and refining.
The wilderness became a burial ground for an entire generation that left Egypt with the exception of Caleb and Yehoshua.
That is sobering for us to consider. How will we ever make it?
 
The only way to the Promised Land is through the wilderness. At the time the
Messianic Kingdom is established, however, something amazing is prophesied to be there:
 
Isaiah 35:
1 The wilderness and the parched land shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
..8 A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
 
Perhaps it is not a literal highway, but the point of the prophecy is that Elohim will remove all obstacles and smooth the way for His people, enabling them to access the blessings of the Kingdom. There will be physical healing and environmental blessings:
 
Isaiah 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert. 7 The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water; In the habitation of jackals, where each lay, There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
 
The "Highway of Holiness" is a place of safety in the wilderness for those who are righteous in His sight. Messiah provides that for us, yet we still must walk the walk:
 
2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of Yah in Him.
 
Isaiah 35:8 A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray.
 
Isaiah's mention of a "highway" occurs again in Isaiah 40:3, referencing the first coming of the Messiah which was fulfilled by Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist):
 
Isaiah 40:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of YHWH; Make straight in the desert A highway for our Elohim.
 
Matthew 3:3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of YHWH; Make His paths straight.' "
 
Yet, all the details of restoration in Isaiah 35 point to another future "Highway of Holiness" through the wilderness. The wilderness is His choice for our journey. Testing occurs there and rebellious hearts are revealed.
 
 
Devarim/Deuteronomy 8:2 "And you shall remember that YHWH led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
 
The ultimate goal is to arrive in the Promised Land as a unified community with the Living Word in our midst. The Israelites left Egypt as a mob of people. Kind of like the mob of Hebrew roots people that we are today. In Parashat Bemidbar, YHWH gave organization to the tribes in lines and rows, by households with banners. Restoration of the family is a priority as the Good Shepherd turns His children homeward. At the center was the Tabernacle which was meant to be almost like a magnetic attraction - drawing the Israelites inward to the epicenter of spiritual life, the Torah and the Almighty. It's His perfect plan. And it will come to pass, yet once more:
 
Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of YHWH shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
 
Now, if you missed the moving speech of Prime Minister Netanyahu at the United States opening of the the embassy in Jerusalem, you can catch it here - US embassy opens
 
 
In 1967, less than a week after the old city of Jerusalem was liberated as a result of the 6 Day War, Shavuot was celebrated. You can read a very moving first hand account here - The story of Shavuot - 1967
 

Ardelle