Chukat: Statute — חוקת

Thoughts on Torah for Last Week.
 
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Numbers 16-18
We see in this parsha the Korah rebellion.  Along with Korah joined 250 chiefs of the congregation who sided with Korah against Moses and Aaron.  Essentially what Korah is asserting is that he and his followers are as holy as Aaron and his sons and they should be priests.  This is an interesting assertion. Because when we review the Biblical record,  Aaron had his own misdeeds – casting the golden calf Exodus 32, him and Miriam challenging Moses Numbers 12, and then Moses not glorifying God with the water flowing from the rock incident in Numbers 20.

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Before we continue, lets review the Mitzvot/Commandments in this portion at Part 14 time mark 36:20 minutes - HERE.
 
Chosen Lineages
So what is so special about Moses and perhaps more questioning about Aaron.  Let me here suggest, that it is about lineage.  Both Moses and Aaron were Levites. We see God using specific lineages in the Tanakh/Old Testament to carry forward His work.  Abraham was faithful to God and through his lineage the nations of the earth are to be blessed – the Gospel would go forth in the earth.  Later, we will see that through the lineage of Judah would Jehovah take on flesh as Yeshua and save humanity from eternal death.  So even though Aaron was not without fault, he was chosen because of his lineage.  And in this parsha, God upholds Aaron’s priestly calling with the budding staff miracle.  Moreover, we see this pattern of lineages continue in Endtime prophecy.  Most notable is the arrival of God's Endtime Servant "David", who prepares the way for the return of the resurrected Messiah, Yeshua.  This Endtime David is a "Son of David" or from the lineage of Judah, but even more specific this David is probably of Messianic descent.

Jewish Expectations of an Endtime David
​The idea of an Endtime Servant named David with a Jewish connection is not new.  Jews have anticipated the arrival of this Endtime David to establish an Endtime political kingdom. Commenting on this Jewish expectation, Dr. Gileadi wrote:

"From the days of Israel's prophets, Jews have expected a latter-day David, servant of God who will reestablish the political kingdom of God on the earth much as it existed in Israel's Golden Age in the days of Kings David and Solomon.  Jews anticipate that this messianic figure will gather Israel's twelve tribes from their dispersion throughout the earth and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, ushering in Jehovah's coming to reign on the earth.  Those Jewish hopes are based not on tradition alone, nor on speculation, but on the predictions of prophets from Isaiah to Malachi that locate the mission of the Davidic servant in the endtime - at Israel's spiritual and physical restoration.  For holding fast to their beliefs, Jews down the ages have suffered grievous persecution by Christians, and we know from many scriptural examples that those who persecute aren't in the right.  Rather, a persistent trait of God's covenant people who were exiled among the nations is that they have been evil spoken of and persecuted."

"Christians, on the other hand, have traditionally assigned all messianic prophecies to Jesus of Nazareth, regardless of whether they match his earthly mission at his first or second comings and in spite of the endtime context of Israel's restoration in which almost all such prophecies occur.  When asked to provide scriptural evidence for their anomalous interpretations, the most Christians can offer is that it is "tradition", or that "everybody knows they refer to Jesus."​

What this says to Endtime Believers is to be prepared to identify and to gather to this Endtime Servant of God.  One identifier of the Endtime servant is that he will be of Jewish descent. Moreover, it is the arrival of this key Endtime figure upon which the final preparations to receive the return of Yeshua, Messiah - restoring the ten tribes, establishing God's political kingdom and rebuilding of the temple.

Consider what other aspects of this Endtime Servant include with the following video.

Isaiah Prophecy Highlights 7 — God’s Servant in the Prophecy of Isaiah — Avraham Gileadi from Color My Media on Vimeo.

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Isaiah Chapter 38
When interceding with Jehovah on behalf of his people against Assyria, Hezekiah suffers nearly to death. King Hezekiah is a type for God's Endtime Servant - David.

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Hebrew Study

Numbers 17:8

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Resource Links for this Week's Portion

TORAH: Numbers 19:1-22:1
GOSPELS: Matthew 19:1-17

Listen and Read the Portion
First Fruits of Zion

Torah Pearls with Nehemia Gordon

HAFTARAH: Isaiah Chapter 39

Commentary with Avraham Gileadi, PhD