Disciples of Jesus Christs Memorial Parsha Shelach Num. 13-15

The Disciples of Jesus Christs’ Memorial Parsha Shelach

Welcome! To the Memorial Parsha of Shelach. Torah Numbers 13:15. Sabbath – June 18th, 2011 (Sivan 16 5771). Shelach Haftorah: Joshua 2:1-24

Numbers 13-15

King James Version (KJV)

Numbers 13

 ¹And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
 ²Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
 ³And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
 ⁴And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.
 ⁵Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
 ⁶Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
 ⁷Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
 ⁸Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
 ⁹Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.
 ¹⁰Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.
 ¹¹Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
 ¹²Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
 ¹³Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.
 ¹⁴Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.
 ¹⁵Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
 ¹⁶These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
 ¹⁷And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, “Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:

 ¹⁸And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;

 ¹⁹And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;

 ²⁰And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.”
 ²¹So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.
 ²²And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
 ²³And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
 ²⁴The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
 ²⁵And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
 ²⁶And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
 ²⁷And they told him, and said, “We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

 ²⁸Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

 ²⁹The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.”

 ³⁰And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
 ³¹But the men that went up with him said, “We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.”
 ³²And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
 ³³And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Numbers 14: 1-45

 ¹And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
 ²And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, “Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
 ³And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?”
 ⁴And they said one to another, “Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.”
 ⁵Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
 ⁶And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
 ⁷And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, “The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

 ⁸If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

 ⁹Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.”
 ¹⁰But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
 ¹¹And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?

 ¹²I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.

 ¹³And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)

 ¹⁴And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.

 ¹⁵Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,

 ¹⁶Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.

 ¹⁷And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,

 ¹⁸The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

 ¹⁹Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
 ²⁰And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:

 ²¹But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

 ²²Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

 ²³Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

 ²⁴But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
 ²⁵(Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
 ²⁶And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
 ²⁷How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

 ²⁸Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:

 ²⁹Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.

 ³⁰Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

 ³¹But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

 ³²But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.

 ³³And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.

 ³⁴After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

 ³⁵I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

 ³⁶And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,

 ³⁷Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.

 ³⁸But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.

 ³⁹And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
 ⁴⁰And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.
 ⁴¹And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper.

 ⁴²Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.

 ⁴³For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.

 ⁴⁴But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.
 ⁴⁵Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

Numbers 15:1-41

 ¹And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
 ²Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,

 ³And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd or of the flock:

 ⁴Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.

 ⁵And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.

 ⁶Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.

 ⁷And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

 ⁸And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD:

 ⁹Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.

 ¹⁰And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

 ¹¹Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.

 ¹²According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.

 ¹³All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

 ¹⁴And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do.

 ¹⁵One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.

 ¹⁶One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

 ¹⁷And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
 ¹⁸Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,

 ¹⁹Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the LORD.

 ²⁰Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it.

 ²¹Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations.

 ²²And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses,

 ²³Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations;

 ²⁴Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.

 ²⁵And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:

 ²⁶And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.

 ²⁷And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.

 ²⁸And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

 ²⁹Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.

 ³⁰But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

 ³¹Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

 ³²And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
 ³³And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
 ³⁴And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
 ³⁵And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
 ³⁶And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
 ³⁷And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
 ³⁸Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

 ³⁹And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

 ⁴⁰That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

 ⁴¹I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

Video. Revelation Song. Phillips, Craig & Dean. http://youtu.be/u8Pj2ha9uzM  

COMMENTARY:

Numbers 13:1-25: Exploring Canaan

In chapter 13, God commands Moses to gather ancestral leaders from each of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel to go explore the land, of the Canaanites – the promise land (Numbers 13:1-16). Moses sends the spies each from a tribe of Israel and the wilderness of Paran, throughout the mountainous region – through Negev, the Wilderness of Zin, Rehob, Lebo Hamath, Hebron and the Valley of Eshkol to see if the land was fertile, or not, and to determine how the people were living in a town or city, even to the region was fortified or not with courage the spies were told to bring back the first ripe grapes, and some of the other first fruit of the lands.

Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh Jephunneh was of African descent

The spikes gathered a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes, on a pole by two men. The others care some pomegranates’ and figs from the valley of Eshkol, at the end of the forty days from exploring the land (Numbers 13:23-25).

Numbers 13:26- Report on the Exploration

The spies, the ancestral tribal leaders of the children returned back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community as well as the whole assembly at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran, with a report and the fruit of the land. The ancestral tribal leaders sent to explore the land of Canaan said that the land was wonderful, fruitful. However, they were afraid of the people and described the inhabitants of the land of Canaan as being like a big tree with little or no weak branches (the spies gave the report that the land was fruitful, and the people are strong; the cities are fortified; the children of Anak are in Hebron). The explorers basically felt that they did not fit in with people who were doing well and prosperous and that living peacefully alongside the people, as well as conquering the people would not be a good idea because the people are powerful, population (statistics), large fortified cities and the descendants of Anak were in Hebron, the Nephilim (Giant possibly cannibalistic)the Amalekites were in Negev; the Hittites’, Jebusites’ (Jerusalem) and the Amorites’ were living in the hill country; and the Canaanites were living near the ear by the Jordan (river). (Numbers 13:26-39)

Then, Caleb quieted the people and said to Moses and the other people; we can obey God’s word. We can inhabit the promise land. “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” (Numbers 13:30). Caleb had a different spirit. He was positive that God would see him through and do all that he said he would do. God is not a man that would lie, God can do anything but fail.

Caleb was positive throughout the entire trip. He knew that if God was before him then no one could be against him. Unfortunately the other men that went to scout the promise land had a different report, a report that was very unfavorable to God and disheartened the hopes and dreams of the entire Israelite community. Whose report will you believe? It is true that sometimes you can become a part of something that takes up all of your time and you won’t be able to tithe God your treasures like your time, your money, your first fruits etc. You have to believe that God will come first, and you have to trust God and expect the best even in the very worst of crisis. 

In Chapter 13, the spies were sent to explore the land of Canaan to see the mountainous land, the people that dewell and to determine of the people to see if they were strong, or week, few or many. Moses wanted to know how the people were living. Most of all when he investigated the life style he said be sure that you are courageous, and then believe that you can bring a sample of fruit (13:17-20).


In Chapter 14, Moses instead got a turn of events. He tried to act as intermediary to the people. He petitioned God, to not destroy the people that gave the evil report. So God obliged his prayer. However God said that there would be grave consequences for giving an evil report. At this time there was only the law – there was not much grace. So the individuals except Caleb that gave an evil report with lack of confidence were sentenced to wonder in the desert one year for each day that they wondered into the promise land and did not believe that God would deliver the Israelite community, just as he said that when the Amorites iniquity was full then they would receive their promise land, as promised to the Descendants of Abraham. Somehow during the forty days of exploring the promised land something went wrong when the explorers gave an ill report to Moses, Aaron and the entire Israelite community (Numbers 13:26).


Unfortunately there probably had been many attempts to flee Egyptian oppression, and probably six figures died in the process and so God lead the new formed nation, the Israelite community. Nevertheless, the rebellious and the ones with little faith decided to go to the promise land on their own, and they were met with opposition because the Ark of the Covenant of God was not with them. Like Joshua, even King David knew the importance of regulation in battle and seizing, doubling your proportion and warfare with the ark of the covenant. The rebellious were smoted and discomfited by the Amalekites and the Canaanites (Numbers 14:44).


The good lesson in this Parsha is that God agrees to keep the covenant with the children of the rebellious people, and God protects the children for forty years, and eventually in the book of Deuteronomy by the fifth chapter, these very same children inherit the promise land.


In Chapter 15, there is a Supplementary Offering Law to be observed because he has already given you the promise land as an inheritance. The supplementary (drink, meal, burnt, or meat) offering can be prepared as burnt, vow, special offering, fellowship offering or a sacrificial offering, much like the Saints drink the symbolical blood of the Lord Jesus Christ with the Bread, the one ordinance to the Church. God encourages the Israelite community to bless Him with their threshing floor, to offer offerings this way there will be no idolatry amongst even the stranger or the sojourners (Numbers 15:1-20).


Lastly, in Chapter 15, God commands Moses to ordain the heave offering unto Jehovah. The Heave offering is not only symbolical but this offering causes healing in the body. You don’t have to worry about the giants that give their friends jobs while you idoly sit back and envy the heathen, and the idolater. This offering alone ceremoniously and miraculously cleansed the community from intentional sin ignorantly committed without voluntary knowledge of committing a sin. (Numbers 15:17-30).  Then a man gathered sticks on the Sabbath Day, we all know that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, but in ancient times a man was stoned to death because he gathered sticks on the Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-37).

Finally, a common icon that you see often are the fringes on the borders of the garments (tallits). Many people kiss the garment and pray before the alters of physical sanctuaries. Hopefully you will follow Gods law to look upon it and follow all of his commandments and do them because if you don’t then you will go whoring. Otherwise you will remember all the commandments of God and be Holy to your God, for he is Holy. (Numbers 15:36-41). God is Jehovah, He brought you out of the land of Egypt, He will be your God. Jehovah. (Numbers 15:41).

Disciples Reference:

1. Matthew 4:7
   Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
   Matthew 4:6-8 (in Context) Matthew 4 (Whole Chapter)
2. Matthew 4:10
   Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”
   Matthew 4:9-11 (in Context) Matthew 4 (Whole Chapter)
3. Matthew 12:1
   [ Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath ] At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.
   Matthew 12:1-3 (in Context) Matthew 12 (Whole Chapter)
4. Matthew 17:4
   Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
   Matthew 17:3-5 (in Context) Matthew 17 (Whole Chapter)
5. Matthew 21:42
   Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ?
   Matthew 21:41-43 (in Context) Matthew 21 (Whole Chapter)
6. Mark 2:23
   [ Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath ] One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.
   Mark 2:22-24 (in Context) Mark 2 (Whole Chapter)
7. Mark 12:29
   “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
   Mark 12:28-30 (in Context) Mark 12 (Whole Chapter)
8. Luke 4:8
   Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ ”
   Luke 4:7-9 (in Context) Luke 4 (Whole Chapter)
9. Luke 4:12
   Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
   Luke 4:11-13 (in Context) Luke 4 (Whole Chapter)
10. Luke 6:1
    [ Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath ] One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.
    Luke 6:1-3 (in Context) Luke 6 (Whole Chapter)

Recommended References:

Parsha in a Nutshell. Shelach. Sabbath June 18, 2011. http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/2201/jewish/Shelach.htm ‘

E-Drash. Parasha: Shelach. Shelach - שלח : “Send thou” .Torah : Numbers 13:1-15:41.Haftarah : Joshua 2:1-24.Gospel : John 7, 8. http://www.ffoz.org. Sabbath, June 18, 2011.

 Parsha Eikev. Thalia’s Blogspot. http://thalia-journal.blogspot.com/2010/08/memorial-parsha-of-jesus-christs-eikev.html August 2nd, 2010. Deuteronomy 7 through 11.

STANDARD LESSON COMMENTARY: International Sunday School Lessons. 
Unit One. Summer Quarter. Lesson 2: God’s People Learn from Prosperity.

Mon. June 13. The Promises of God. 2^nd Corinthians 1:16-20

Tue. June 14. God’s Promises Kept. Joshua 21:43-22-6

Wed. June 15. Rahab’s Confession of God. Joshua 2:10-14

Thu. June 16. Rahab’s Pact with the Spies. Joshua 2:17-21

Fri. June 17. Rahab’s Help Rewarded. Joshua 6:22-25

Sat. June 18. Rahab and Her Works. James 2:18-25

Sun. June 19. Rahab’s Protection of the Spies. Joshua 2:2-9, 15, 16, 22-24

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