בס”ד

Parashat Korach: Numbers 16:1-18:32

Maftir:  Numbers 28:9-15 / Haftarah:  Isaiah 66:1-24

Shabbat Rosh Chodesh-Tammuz

In this week’s Torah portion, one learns that there are very serious consequences to following improper leadership.  Korach was an important man, a leader among leaders, but he was not whom HaShem had chosen to speak through and to lead the Children of Israel.  Korach rebelled first and foremost against the L-rd and secondly against Moses.  On account of Korach’s rebellion, thousands from the Children of Israel died.  Those who were spared G-d’s wrath, as a result of Aaron’s sacrificial work, were convicted by their sin and their inability to deal with their sin.  The people felt hopeless.  They knew that due to their spiritual condition, they would eventually die separated from HaShem.  It is for these reasons that they cried out,

“…Behold we are perishing, we are lost, all of us are lost.  All who draw near to the Tabernacle of HaShem will die, will we ever stop perishing?”   Numbers 17:27-28

In verse 27, the two Hebrew verbs גווע and אבד are in the past tense. The Hebrew past tense is somewhat different than what the English past tense implies. The point which is being made is that their fate has been sealed and in the natural, there is nothing that is going to bring about any change to their spiritual condition. In the next verse they voiced the dilemma: they want to draw near to HaShem, but if they were to do so it would bring about their death. Hence, once again there is a sense of hopelessness among the people.

In one sense the Priesthood is provided to deal with this problem, but it is important to understand that the Priests were only a temporary and partial solution. As the writer of Hebrews states, that which occurred in the Tabernacle and then in the Temple only expressed in symbolic terms the finished work of redemption completed once and for all by Messiah Yeshua.

It was proper that the people realized that they were dead and distant (lost) from the Living G-d and unable to do anything to change their condition. This is but one of the many instances in the Hebrew Bible when the people should have requested from HaShem to send the Messiah in order to redeem them. What is the outcome of Yeshua’s work of redemption? Also, like the writer of Hebrew states, we can go boldly (with full confidence) before the throne of G-d being assured that the grace which is absolutely necessary in order to be able to draw before HaShem is available and will bind the believer in an eternal covenant with G-d.

I realize that many individuals struggle with the concept of an eternal covenant but does not the Scripture speak of an eternal redemption?

“Not by blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in to the holy (place) once for all, eternal redemption having obtained.” Hebrew 9:12

It is important that one understand that salvation is not a temporary condition. Once one is saved by the all sufficient work of Yeshua, he receives eternal life. If eternal life can be lost, forfeited, or given back; then it was only potentially eternal life. And it is dependent upon factors other than the work of Messiah. This is not the type of eternal life the Scripture reveals.  Stand in the affirmation that he whom Yeshua has saved is secure for eternity, for he has received the eternal redemption and not a “maybe” eternal life which is dependent upon the person.

Shabbat Shalom