These are my first ever Torah Portion notes from 2018 and 2019, drawn from these sources. Every Saturday starting from Friday sunset, God's people get together and read portions from the Torah to learn and look deeper into His word, starting after the 8 days Feast of tabernacles until.Tabernacles the next year:
- Jim Staley - Torah Portion: Korah - PFT Fellowship 6-25-11
- The Way Biblical Fellowship: Korach (Torah Portion: Korach) 2015-2016
- Rob Skiba Virtual House Church
- 2013 Broadcast
- 2016 Broadcast
TORAH:
Numbers 16 - 18
PROPHETS:
1 Samuel 11:14-12:22
NEW TESTAMENT:
Luke 18:35–19:28;
Romans 13:1-7;
2 Timothy 2:8-21;
Jude
TORAH
This Torah Portion is the first recorded church split. If we continue reading about Korah's rebellion, we see YHWH does not appreciate it very much. This should frighten us since Christianity today has been shattered into more than 30,000 denominations based on division and dispute.
The 2 groups that are part of the Korah rebellion reject the Aaronic priesthood and Moses' leadership. There is a group of people today called Christians (Israel) that reject the Torah or Moses and a group today called the Jews that reject the priesthood of Yeshua.
The members of Korah's camp: Dathan and Abraim are the descendants of Reuben that also defiled Jacob's wife. Now, the descendants have taken on this persona and are trying to take God's bride from Him. They would never look at themselves as the problem and are always blaming Moses for being the problem of being in the wilderness for 40 years, even though he is not. This same thing will happen in the End Days. They will curse God for the plagues not even realising that it is their fault that the plagues have come.
Lets listen to the flattery of Korah's words on its own: "You take too much on yourself, since all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and Yahweh is among them! Why do you lift yourselves up above Yahweh’s assembly?”
Moses did not chose his possession to be exulted, YHWH did. And it is ironic because Moses as a good leader recognises his gift as leader is from Yah and he is humble from that.
Moses did not exult himself. He humbled himself. Korah's worldly view has completely changed his prospective.
"Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the surface of the earth." Numbers 12:3
A few weeks ago in parsha Beha'alotekha, we saw Miriam questioning Moses' authority just as Korah is doing in this week's portion.
Moses knows what YHWH's will is and does not need dreams or visions like Prophets do.
The spirit of Korah is heavy on the dispensationalist theologians that have a problem with Moses.
Korah would be Moses' cousin and the next in line after Aaron. So due to this, pride had puffed him up, deceptive him to think that he is right to be in ruler-ship.
The Nicoladean Model:
Nicolaitans were one of the heretical sects that plagued the churches at Ephesus and at Pergamum, according to Revelation 2:6,15.
The name "Nicolaitans" is derived from the Greek word nikolaos, a compound of the wordsnikos and laos. The word nikos is the Greek word that means to conquer or to subdue. The word laos is the Greek word for the people. It is also where we get the word laity. When these two words are compounded into one, they form the name Nicolas, which literally means one who conquers and subdues the people. It seems to suggest that the Nicolaitans were somehow conquering and subduing the people. Thus, as a symbolic reference, many believe that the "teaching of the Nicolaitans" refers to domination of the people (or lording over them). Dominating the people goes against the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 20:25-28.
This being the case, I find it quite interesting that this week's study deals with Korah and his rebellion against the leadership of Moses. While it is true that Moses was appointed by YHVH to be the leader of the people, he was not "lording over them." Rather, he was acting as the mediator between God and man, revealing the Father's will and giving His instructions (Torah) to the people.
Of even further interest, is the fact that the doctrine of the Nicolaitans appears to have been a form of antinomianism, which makes the fatal mistake that man can freely partake in sin (which is defined by the Bible as lawLESSness) because - supposedly - the Law of God is no longer binding. In our study, we see how the people of Israel often rebelled against Moses and the laws (instructions) he was giving to the people from YHVH.
Antinomianism comes from the Greek meaning lawless. In Christian theology it is a pejorative term for the teaching that Christians are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality. Few, if any, would explicitly call themselves "antinomian," hence, it is usually a charge leveled by one group against an opposing group.
Antinomianism may be viewed as the polar opposite of legalism, the notion that obedience to a code of religious law is necessary for salvation. In this sense, both antinomianism and legalism are considered errant extremes. It held the truth on the gratuitous reckoning of righteousness; but supposed that a mere intellectual "belief" in this truth had a saving power.
Nicolaitans of the 2nd century seem to have continued and extended the views of the 1st century adherents, holding to the freedom of the flesh and sin, and teaching that the deeds of the flesh had no effect upon the health of the soul and consequently no relation to salvation.
Today, the doctrine is now largely taught that the gospel of Christ has made God's law of no effect: that by "believing" we are released from the necessity of being doers of the Word. But this is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned in the book of Revelation.
Instead of auguring and sticking out his chest to challenge, like many people would do, Moses hits the deck before God.
If the final command God gave Israel was to wear Tzizit in chapter 15 then the Korah rebellion is a responses of hatred against that commandment and this sparked the complaint. They have had enough and did not understand what Moses was saying.
Korah and his followers are rebelling because they do not know what their purpose in life is. In modern day, they would buy the Purpose Driven Life Book. We need to quite being observers and to cross over.
Korah is behind the head of division. Because the ultimate head of division is Ha'Satan. If you are in a family unit where God has set an order for how the family should operate and one of the members becomes a Korah, you are removing yourself from YHWH's covering making you bold and exposed.
Korah is not God's leader but Satan's because he does not have God's anointing and the power of Yah from the yod or hand. We need to remove the letter koph or divisions from our lives by replacing it with a yod.
The Levities in Korah's camp have rejected the word of God which is Yeshua. So when theologians reject the Torah, they might as well forget Yeshua because He is the Torah. YHWH exults the humble. Korah was nothing but humble. "Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith." Hebrews 13:7
Korah is also ungrateful. He sees his role as not good enough. But he is a Levite and they where set apart to work in the Tabernacle.
The earthly and carnal desires of the rebels in Korach. They despised the Heavenly things. These people are not allowed to be in YHWH's Kingdom:
What do the elders mean? "Will you put out the eyes of these men? We won’t come up.” Numbers 16:14. This is a Hebrew indium that we see in Matthew about the good eye and the bad eye. The word eye is my favourite Hebrew letter ayin (the nail or the spirit). The all seeing eye of God that the Illuminati has stolen for their mystery religions. It is a silent letter - it sees all things but it does not speak.
This phrase putting out their eyes does not literally mean that. The ayin is the testimony or inner eye, or authority that Moses is accused to remove from Korah from being a Leivite.
By default, Korah's followers are still following and listening to Moses to get their censers while they are still challenging him. This is very ironic, physically they are being obedient, but their hearts are rotten. This should convict us all because, at the end of the day, it does not matter what you do, even if you are obedient, it what your heart is like.
What Korah and his followers were doing is that they wanted to come before YHWH defied and they had no die sire to listen to the protocols, so they learnt the hard way = death. Technicality, what this is saying is that those that think that they are holy people without the Torah, they will die before the holy God YHWH.
YHWH never looks at individuals first. He always looks at the bride as a whole community first. It is not about our personal relationship, it is about the church's relationship. In the Hebrew mindset, there was no such thing as individualism, we are one body and if one part is infected, the rest of the body gets sick and shuts down. We are all on a team. He looks at His people Israel as a whole. We need to intercede to those that are sinning and rebellion.
Moses is commanding God's people for stopping crowding around Korah like a bunch of school kids crowding around for a fight. YHWH is not saying that touching their possessions will lead to sin, but rather to get as far away as possible form the camp of Korah and leave the area because He is about to destroy it.
"Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don’t receive of her plagues," Revelation 18:4
This is the same concept. If we want to stay away from the wrath appointed on the sinners of pagan worship, we must set ourselves apart from that system by doing YHWH's will and His word. We are not appointed to wrath, if we do what YHWH says.
It seems that On is the only one from Korah's camp that repented because he did not die form the sinkhole/earthquake.
Moses was not commanded by God to send an earthquake. Moses just said that if it is true that they are rebelling against me, let God open up the earth. Against, words have power and it was made manifest because it was in line with God's will.
Sounds that Korah's fate was to fall into a sinkhole into the Hell part of Sheol. Not only that, the 250 men died like Nadab and Abihu, by offering up strange fire to YHWH. He was bringing discipline to the rest of the congregation to make it clear to not go against the koph or you will remove the anointing of the yod from your life.
Even when the earthquake hit, the people still did not recognise YHWH's authority. They fled with a selfish intent thinking that they need to preserve themselves from death without realising that YHWH's will has been conducted and submitting to obey Him.
Since the Korahites loved their earthly desires, YHWH let the earth literally swallow them up since they desired the things of below than the things above.
Those that disobeyed and sought heavenly things, got fire from Heaven as an expression of what happens when we try to do things our own way to get to God.
Korah's rebellion and the Last Days:
Note that Korah and his followers were against the Law (Torah) of YHVH and Moses and they were therefore "cast alive into Sheol" (Numbers 16:33).
Sheol is found in the Bible sixty-five times. It is translated “the pit” three times, “the grave” thirty-one times, and “hell” thirty-one times. Hades is used eleven times, being rendered “hell” ten times and “grave” once. Adding to the confusion is that two other words are also translated hell in the New Testament. These are Tartarus, which is found once and Gehenna, which is used twelve times.
It seems Israel at this point is very prideful since they cannot see the simple fact that these plagues and earthquakes are there doing and not YHWH. This is a picture of the human attitude during the End Days.
"But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed Yahweh’s people!” Numbers 16:41
Moses and Aaron fall on their faces before God three times. This in itself is Messianic.
Due to the sin of Korah, the entire congregation is sick will illness because the demonic spiritual virus had successfully crept into His people like a caner and was now manifesting into the physical realm through a plague, slowly killing the people. 14,700 people died on that day. This is the purging of the generation that did not want to go into the promise land and their wishes to die in the wilderness are coming true. The first generation will never see the promise land.
However, God commands Aaron to save His people from the demonic illness by getting incense (prayer) to intercede for the people as, " He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed." Numbers 16:48. What this reminds us, is the prayer is the most powerful weapon a man could ever weld. It has the power to stop the spiritual enemy in their tracks. We must pray to enter into the battle field of the spiritual dimension to fight the true fight. This is the division of koph and the dividing zayin of the sword that is achieved through prayer that separates the clean and the unclean.
Yeshua stood in the gap for us - between the dead and the living which is taking on the curse of the law for us so we do not have to.
"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Revelation 1:!8
The Tabernacle of the testimony is the eye of the door of the nail (Yeshua) that divides from good and evil. "I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 They overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death. 12 Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time.” Revelation 12:10-12. So that means the testimony is the Ark that contains His commandments and His mercy. Our personal testimony of how we came to know the Messiah means nothing if it is not backed up by YHWH's which is His word - the Ten Commandments.
In Hebrew, Rod is a mem, a tet and a hey. It is the waters of chaos of the decision to be revealed. This fits in perfectly with the context with Korah. The rod is the rod of authority will wash away or purge away evil, that leads to a decision giving revelation from YHWH.
The word for blossom is tzit. Same word for tzitzit.
When we wear tzitzits, we are under Yeshua's authority or wings because He wore them too.
Why did Aaron's rod bloom almonds? The Ark had three items in it: the manna, the rod of Aaron and the two tablets of stone with the commandments. All are connected to the three offices of a Levitie: the prophet (manna "Yeshua answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God’” Luke 4:4), the priest (rod. When Yeshua died, He toke on the role of the High Priest. It was dead, but YHWH brought Resurrection by its blooms. It represents authority. We must die before we are put into authority. Resurrection is ultimate authority. We know someone has authority when they produce fruit or an almond branch "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit." Matthew 7:18-20) and the king (the 10 Commandments, the King sets the rule of law.)
Almond characteristics:
The blossom of Aaron's rod represents the resurrection of Yeshua. The branch was alive, is dead and bloomed again.
"And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." Hebrew 7:15-16
The Levities are under a stricter judgement since they have more responsibilities by performing sacrifices and offerings.
Since the Levities have no inheritance of land, those that do when they offer their sacrifice animals to the priests, the priest after the sacrifice is done, are allowed to have the meat left over form themselves as a blessing from YHWH.
The Levities recognises that their gifts are from YHWH and by giving it to Him, He blesses them.
The people that are ministering in the Tabernacle are living entirely by faith in trust of YHWH all the time for their survival.
Verse 24 of Numbers 18 is the only part of the Torah that the Christians still practise. But, is the law done away with? See the hypocrisy? It does not make senses because they are picking and choosing form the perfect law. If you are giving up your inheritance or possessions in order to minster the word of God to people, they live by the gifts people bring to them.
So we are commanded to give a tenth of our income whenever possible to anyone that is ministering the word of YHWH to us.
You shall not profane the sacred gifts of the sons of Israel, or you will die.
Those ministering the word of God need inheritance that is through tithing. If this does not happen, both the Levites and God gets robed. They are supposed to take a tenth of the ten percent of income that was given to them so they can offer it up to YHWH.
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings." Malachi 3:8
This ties in when Abram gives a tenth to Melchizedek (who i believe is Yeshua).
The 2 groups that are part of the Korah rebellion reject the Aaronic priesthood and Moses' leadership. There is a group of people today called Christians (Israel) that reject the Torah or Moses and a group today called the Jews that reject the priesthood of Yeshua.
The members of Korah's camp: Dathan and Abraim are the descendants of Reuben that also defiled Jacob's wife. Now, the descendants have taken on this persona and are trying to take God's bride from Him. They would never look at themselves as the problem and are always blaming Moses for being the problem of being in the wilderness for 40 years, even though he is not. This same thing will happen in the End Days. They will curse God for the plagues not even realising that it is their fault that the plagues have come.
Lets listen to the flattery of Korah's words on its own: "You take too much on yourself, since all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and Yahweh is among them! Why do you lift yourselves up above Yahweh’s assembly?”
Moses did not chose his possession to be exulted, YHWH did. And it is ironic because Moses as a good leader recognises his gift as leader is from Yah and he is humble from that.
Moses did not exult himself. He humbled himself. Korah's worldly view has completely changed his prospective.
"Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the surface of the earth." Numbers 12:3
A few weeks ago in parsha Beha'alotekha, we saw Miriam questioning Moses' authority just as Korah is doing in this week's portion.
Moses knows what YHWH's will is and does not need dreams or visions like Prophets do.
The spirit of Korah is heavy on the dispensationalist theologians that have a problem with Moses.
Korah would be Moses' cousin and the next in line after Aaron. So due to this, pride had puffed him up, deceptive him to think that he is right to be in ruler-ship.
The Nicoladean Model:
Nicolaitans were one of the heretical sects that plagued the churches at Ephesus and at Pergamum, according to Revelation 2:6,15.
The name "Nicolaitans" is derived from the Greek word nikolaos, a compound of the wordsnikos and laos. The word nikos is the Greek word that means to conquer or to subdue. The word laos is the Greek word for the people. It is also where we get the word laity. When these two words are compounded into one, they form the name Nicolas, which literally means one who conquers and subdues the people. It seems to suggest that the Nicolaitans were somehow conquering and subduing the people. Thus, as a symbolic reference, many believe that the "teaching of the Nicolaitans" refers to domination of the people (or lording over them). Dominating the people goes against the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 20:25-28.
This being the case, I find it quite interesting that this week's study deals with Korah and his rebellion against the leadership of Moses. While it is true that Moses was appointed by YHVH to be the leader of the people, he was not "lording over them." Rather, he was acting as the mediator between God and man, revealing the Father's will and giving His instructions (Torah) to the people.
Of even further interest, is the fact that the doctrine of the Nicolaitans appears to have been a form of antinomianism, which makes the fatal mistake that man can freely partake in sin (which is defined by the Bible as lawLESSness) because - supposedly - the Law of God is no longer binding. In our study, we see how the people of Israel often rebelled against Moses and the laws (instructions) he was giving to the people from YHVH.
Antinomianism comes from the Greek meaning lawless. In Christian theology it is a pejorative term for the teaching that Christians are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality. Few, if any, would explicitly call themselves "antinomian," hence, it is usually a charge leveled by one group against an opposing group.
Antinomianism may be viewed as the polar opposite of legalism, the notion that obedience to a code of religious law is necessary for salvation. In this sense, both antinomianism and legalism are considered errant extremes. It held the truth on the gratuitous reckoning of righteousness; but supposed that a mere intellectual "belief" in this truth had a saving power.
Nicolaitans of the 2nd century seem to have continued and extended the views of the 1st century adherents, holding to the freedom of the flesh and sin, and teaching that the deeds of the flesh had no effect upon the health of the soul and consequently no relation to salvation.
Today, the doctrine is now largely taught that the gospel of Christ has made God's law of no effect: that by "believing" we are released from the necessity of being doers of the Word. But this is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned in the book of Revelation.
Instead of auguring and sticking out his chest to challenge, like many people would do, Moses hits the deck before God.
If the final command God gave Israel was to wear Tzizit in chapter 15 then the Korah rebellion is a responses of hatred against that commandment and this sparked the complaint. They have had enough and did not understand what Moses was saying.
Korah and his followers are rebelling because they do not know what their purpose in life is. In modern day, they would buy the Purpose Driven Life Book. We need to quite being observers and to cross over.
Korah is behind the head of division. Because the ultimate head of division is Ha'Satan. If you are in a family unit where God has set an order for how the family should operate and one of the members becomes a Korah, you are removing yourself from YHWH's covering making you bold and exposed.Korah is not God's leader but Satan's because he does not have God's anointing and the power of Yah from the yod or hand. We need to remove the letter koph or divisions from our lives by replacing it with a yod.
The Levities in Korah's camp have rejected the word of God which is Yeshua. So when theologians reject the Torah, they might as well forget Yeshua because He is the Torah. YHWH exults the humble. Korah was nothing but humble. "Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith." Hebrews 13:7
Korah is also ungrateful. He sees his role as not good enough. But he is a Levite and they where set apart to work in the Tabernacle.
The earthly and carnal desires of the rebels in Korach. They despised the Heavenly things. These people are not allowed to be in YHWH's Kingdom:
- Have a longing to return to the world or Egypt.
- Do not want to die in the wilderness, even though it is their fault and their choice to disobey.
- They hate Moses' 'harsh' leadership given by God for Him being humble, unlike them.
- They desired land, riches and inheritance immediately.
What do the elders mean? "Will you put out the eyes of these men? We won’t come up.” Numbers 16:14. This is a Hebrew indium that we see in Matthew about the good eye and the bad eye. The word eye is my favourite Hebrew letter ayin (the nail or the spirit). The all seeing eye of God that the Illuminati has stolen for their mystery religions. It is a silent letter - it sees all things but it does not speak.
This phrase putting out their eyes does not literally mean that. The ayin is the testimony or inner eye, or authority that Moses is accused to remove from Korah from being a Leivite.
By default, Korah's followers are still following and listening to Moses to get their censers while they are still challenging him. This is very ironic, physically they are being obedient, but their hearts are rotten. This should convict us all because, at the end of the day, it does not matter what you do, even if you are obedient, it what your heart is like.
What Korah and his followers were doing is that they wanted to come before YHWH defied and they had no die sire to listen to the protocols, so they learnt the hard way = death. Technicality, what this is saying is that those that think that they are holy people without the Torah, they will die before the holy God YHWH.
YHWH never looks at individuals first. He always looks at the bride as a whole community first. It is not about our personal relationship, it is about the church's relationship. In the Hebrew mindset, there was no such thing as individualism, we are one body and if one part is infected, the rest of the body gets sick and shuts down. We are all on a team. He looks at His people Israel as a whole. We need to intercede to those that are sinning and rebellion.
Moses is commanding God's people for stopping crowding around Korah like a bunch of school kids crowding around for a fight. YHWH is not saying that touching their possessions will lead to sin, but rather to get as far away as possible form the camp of Korah and leave the area because He is about to destroy it.
"Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don’t receive of her plagues," Revelation 18:4
This is the same concept. If we want to stay away from the wrath appointed on the sinners of pagan worship, we must set ourselves apart from that system by doing YHWH's will and His word. We are not appointed to wrath, if we do what YHWH says.
It seems that On is the only one from Korah's camp that repented because he did not die form the sinkhole/earthquake.
Moses was not commanded by God to send an earthquake. Moses just said that if it is true that they are rebelling against me, let God open up the earth. Against, words have power and it was made manifest because it was in line with God's will.
Sounds that Korah's fate was to fall into a sinkhole into the Hell part of Sheol. Not only that, the 250 men died like Nadab and Abihu, by offering up strange fire to YHWH. He was bringing discipline to the rest of the congregation to make it clear to not go against the koph or you will remove the anointing of the yod from your life.
Even when the earthquake hit, the people still did not recognise YHWH's authority. They fled with a selfish intent thinking that they need to preserve themselves from death without realising that YHWH's will has been conducted and submitting to obey Him.
Since the Korahites loved their earthly desires, YHWH let the earth literally swallow them up since they desired the things of below than the things above.
Those that disobeyed and sought heavenly things, got fire from Heaven as an expression of what happens when we try to do things our own way to get to God.
Korah's rebellion and the Last Days:
Note that Korah and his followers were against the Law (Torah) of YHVH and Moses and they were therefore "cast alive into Sheol" (Numbers 16:33).
Sheol is found in the Bible sixty-five times. It is translated “the pit” three times, “the grave” thirty-one times, and “hell” thirty-one times. Hades is used eleven times, being rendered “hell” ten times and “grave” once. Adding to the confusion is that two other words are also translated hell in the New Testament. These are Tartarus, which is found once and Gehenna, which is used twelve times.
The online Jewish Encyclopedia has this to say about Sheol:
):
Position and Form.
It connotes the place where those that had died were believed to be congregated. Jacob, refusing to be comforted at the supposed death of Joseph, exclaims: "I shall go down to my son a mourner unto Sheol" (Gen. xxxvii. 36, Hebr.; comp. ib. xlii. 38; xliv. 29, 31). Sheol is underneath the earth (Isa. vii. 11, lvii. 9; Ezek. xxxi. 14; Ps. lxxxvi. 13; Ecclus. [Sirach] li. 6; comp. Enoch, xvii. 6, "toward the setting of the sun"); hence it is designated as 
(Deut. xxxii. 22; Ps. lxxxvi. 13) or 
(Ps. lxxxviii. 7; Lam. iii. 55; Ezek. xxvi. 20, xxxii. 24). It is very deep (Prov. ix. 18; Isa. lvii. 9); and it marks the point at the greatest possible distance from heaven (Job xi. 8; Amos ix. 2; Ps. cxxxix. 8). The dead descend or are made to go down into it; the revived ascend or are brought and lifted up from it (I Sam. ii. 6; Job vii. 9; Ps. xxx. 4; Isa. xiv. 11, 15). Sometimes the living are hurled into Sheol before they would naturally have been claimed by it (Prov. i. 12; Num. xvi. 33; Ps. lv. 16, lxiii. 10), in which cases the earth is described as "opening her mouth" (Num. xvi. 30). Sheol is spoken of as a land (Job x. 21, 22); but ordinarily it is a place with gates (ib. xvii. 16, xxxviii. 17; Isa. xxxviii. 10; Ps. ix. s. v. Eschatology). Here the dead meet (Ezek. xxxii.; Isa. xiv.; Job xxx. 23) without distinction of rank or condition—the rich and the poor, the pious and the wicked, the old and the young, the master and the slave—if the description in Job iii. refers, as most likely it does, to Sheol. The dead continue after a fashion their earthly life. Jacob would mourn there (Gen. xxxvii. 35, xlii. 38); David abides there in peace (I Kings ii. 6); the warriors have their weapons with them (Ezek. xxxii. 27), yet they are mere shadows ("rephaim"; Isa. xiv. 9, xxvi. 14; Ps. lxxxviii. 5, A. V. "a man that hath no strength"). The dead merely exist without knowledge or feeling (Job xiv. 13; Eccl. ix. 5). Silence reigns supreme; and oblivion is the lot of them that enter therein (Ps. lxxxviii. 13, xciv. 17; Eccl. ix. 10). Hence it is known also as "Dumah," the abode of silence (Ps. vi. 6, xxx. 10, xciv. 17, cxv. 17); and there God is not praised (ib. cxv. 17; Isa. xxxviii. 15). Still, on certain extraordinary occasions the dwellers in Sheol are credited with the gift of making knowntheir feelings of rejoicing at the downfall of the enemy (Isa. xiv. 9, 10). Sleep is their usual lot (Jer. li. 39; Isa. xxvi. 14; Job xiv. 12). Sheol is a horrible, dreary, dark, disorderly land (Job x. 21, 22); yet it is the appointed house for all the living (ib. xxx. 23). Return from Sheol is not expected (II Sam. xii. 23; Job vii. 9, 10; x. 21; xiv. 7 et seq.; xvi. 22; Ecclus. [Sirach] xxxviii. 21); it is described as man's eternal house (Eccl. xii. 5). It is "dust" (Ps. xxx. 10; hence in the Shemoneh 'Esreh, in benediction No. ii., the dead are described as "sleepers in the dust").
14), and seems to have been viewed as divided into compartments (Prov. vii. 27), with "farthest corners" (Isa. xiv. 15; Ezek. xxxii. 23, Hebr.; R. V. "uttermost parts of the pit"), one beneath the other (see Jew. Encyc. v. 217,
God Its Ruler.
Hebrew word of uncertain etymology (see Sheol, Critical View), synonym of "bor" (pit), "abaddon" and "shaḥat" (pit or destruction), and perhaps also of "tehom" (abyss).
—Biblical Data:
It connotes the place where those that had died were believed to be congregated. Jacob, refusing to be comforted at the supposed death of Joseph, exclaims: "I shall go down to my son a mourner unto Sheol" (Gen. xxxvii. 36, Hebr.; comp. ib. xlii. 38; xliv. 29, 31). Sheol is underneath the earth (Isa. vii. 11, lvii. 9; Ezek. xxxi. 14; Ps. lxxxvi. 13; Ecclus. [Sirach] li. 6; comp. Enoch, xvii. 6, "toward the setting of the sun"); hence it is designated as (Deut. xxxii. 22; Ps. lxxxvi. 13) or (Ps. lxxxviii. 7; Lam. iii. 55; Ezek. xxvi. 20, xxxii. 24). It is very deep (Prov. ix. 18; Isa. lvii. 9); and it marks the point at the greatest possible distance from heaven (Job xi. 8; Amos ix. 2; Ps. cxxxix. 8). The dead descend or are made to go down into it; the revived ascend or are brought and lifted up from it (I Sam. ii. 6; Job vii. 9; Ps. xxx. 4; Isa. xiv. 11, 15). Sometimes the living are hurled into Sheol before they would naturally have been claimed by it (Prov. i. 12; Num. xvi. 33; Ps. lv. 16, lxiii. 10), in which cases the earth is described as "opening her mouth" (Num. xvi. 30). Sheol is spoken of as a land (Job x. 21, 22); but ordinarily it is a place with gates (ib. xvii. 16, xxxviii. 17; Isa. xxxviii. 10; Ps. ix. s. v. Eschatology). Here the dead meet (Ezek. xxxii.; Isa. xiv.; Job xxx. 23) without distinction of rank or condition—the rich and the poor, the pious and the wicked, the old and the young, the master and the slave—if the description in Job iii. refers, as most likely it does, to Sheol. The dead continue after a fashion their earthly life. Jacob would mourn there (Gen. xxxvii. 35, xlii. 38); David abides there in peace (I Kings ii. 6); the warriors have their weapons with them (Ezek. xxxii. 27), yet they are mere shadows ("rephaim"; Isa. xiv. 9, xxvi. 14; Ps. lxxxviii. 5, A. V. "a man that hath no strength"). The dead merely exist without knowledge or feeling (Job xiv. 13; Eccl. ix. 5). Silence reigns supreme; and oblivion is the lot of them that enter therein (Ps. lxxxviii. 13, xciv. 17; Eccl. ix. 10). Hence it is known also as "Dumah," the abode of silence (Ps. vi. 6, xxx. 10, xciv. 17, cxv. 17); and there God is not praised (ib. cxv. 17; Isa. xxxviii. 15). Still, on certain extraordinary occasions the dwellers in Sheol are credited with the gift of making knowntheir feelings of rejoicing at the downfall of the enemy (Isa. xiv. 9, 10). Sleep is their usual lot (Jer. li. 39; Isa. xxvi. 14; Job xiv. 12). Sheol is a horrible, dreary, dark, disorderly land (Job x. 21, 22); yet it is the appointed house for all the living (ib. xxx. 23). Return from Sheol is not expected (II Sam. xii. 23; Job vii. 9, 10; x. 21; xiv. 7 et seq.; xvi. 22; Ecclus. [Sirach] xxxviii. 21); it is described as man's eternal house (Eccl. xii. 5). It is "dust" (Ps. xxx. 10; hence in the Shemoneh 'Esreh, in benediction No. ii., the dead are described as "sleepers in the dust").God Its Ruler.
God's rulership over it is recognized (Amos ix. 2; Hos. xiii. 14; Deut. xxxii. 22; I Sam. ii. 6 [Isa. vii. 11?]; Prov. xv. 11). Hence He has the power to save the pious therefrom (Ps. xvi. 10, xlix. 16, the text of which latter passage, however, is recognized as corrupt). Yet Sheol is never satiated (Prov. xxx. 20); she "makes wide her soul," i.e., increases her desire (Isa. v. 14) and capacity. In these passages Sheol is personified; it is described also as a pasture for sheep with death as the shepherd (Ps. xlix. 15). From Sheol Samuel is cited by the witch of En-dor (I Sam. xxviii. 3 et seq.). As a rule Sheol will not give up its own. They are held captive with ropes. This seems to be the original idea underlying the phrase 
(II Sam. xxii. 6; Ps. xviii. 6; R. V., verse 5, "the cords of Sheol") and of the other expression, 
(Ps. cxvi. 3; R. V. "and the pains of Sheol"); for they certainly imply restraint or capture. Sheol is used as a simile for "jealousy" (Cant. viii. 7).
(II Sam. xxii. 6; Ps. xviii. 6; R. V., verse 5, "the cords of Sheol") and of the other expression, (Ps. cxvi. 3; R. V. "and the pains of Sheol"); for they certainly imply restraint or capture. Sheol is used as a simile for "jealousy" (Cant. viii. 7).
Getting back to Korah and his rebellion...
Paul called the Antichrist the "man of sin" (2 Thess. 2:3). John defines sin as lawLESSness (1 John 3:4). Thus, the Antichrist is one who is against God (rebellion) and against His law (Torah). Those who oppose the Torah/Moses are operating under the rebellious spirit of lawlessness just as both Korah did and the Antichrist will. And in like manner, note what happens to the Antichrist and False Prophet:
Revelation 19:20
(KJV)
"20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who wrought miracles in his presence, by which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone."
It seems Israel at this point is very prideful since they cannot see the simple fact that these plagues and earthquakes are there doing and not YHWH. This is a picture of the human attitude during the End Days.
"But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed Yahweh’s people!” Numbers 16:41
Moses and Aaron fall on their faces before God three times. This in itself is Messianic.
Due to the sin of Korah, the entire congregation is sick will illness because the demonic spiritual virus had successfully crept into His people like a caner and was now manifesting into the physical realm through a plague, slowly killing the people. 14,700 people died on that day. This is the purging of the generation that did not want to go into the promise land and their wishes to die in the wilderness are coming true. The first generation will never see the promise land.
However, God commands Aaron to save His people from the demonic illness by getting incense (prayer) to intercede for the people as, " He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed." Numbers 16:48. What this reminds us, is the prayer is the most powerful weapon a man could ever weld. It has the power to stop the spiritual enemy in their tracks. We must pray to enter into the battle field of the spiritual dimension to fight the true fight. This is the division of koph and the dividing zayin of the sword that is achieved through prayer that separates the clean and the unclean.
Yeshua stood in the gap for us - between the dead and the living which is taking on the curse of the law for us so we do not have to.
"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Revelation 1:!8
The Tabernacle of the testimony is the eye of the door of the nail (Yeshua) that divides from good and evil. "I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 They overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death. 12 Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time.” Revelation 12:10-12. So that means the testimony is the Ark that contains His commandments and His mercy. Our personal testimony of how we came to know the Messiah means nothing if it is not backed up by YHWH's which is His word - the Ten Commandments.
In Hebrew, Rod is a mem, a tet and a hey. It is the waters of chaos of the decision to be revealed. This fits in perfectly with the context with Korah. The rod is the rod of authority will wash away or purge away evil, that leads to a decision giving revelation from YHWH. The word for blossom is tzit. Same word for tzitzit.
When we wear tzitzits, we are under Yeshua's authority or wings because He wore them too.
Why did Aaron's rod bloom almonds? The Ark had three items in it: the manna, the rod of Aaron and the two tablets of stone with the commandments. All are connected to the three offices of a Levitie: the prophet (manna "Yeshua answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God’” Luke 4:4), the priest (rod. When Yeshua died, He toke on the role of the High Priest. It was dead, but YHWH brought Resurrection by its blooms. It represents authority. We must die before we are put into authority. Resurrection is ultimate authority. We know someone has authority when they produce fruit or an almond branch "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit." Matthew 7:18-20) and the king (the 10 Commandments, the King sets the rule of law.)
Almond characteristics:
- Represents the 5 books of Moses (Torah). The five petals on the flower.
- Only produces fruit after the fifth year. Fruit is only produced because we are connecting to the commandments.
- In Hebrew it means "the awakening one" because it is the first to awaken or resurrect in the spring (during Passover).
- Responds first to light. Since trees are people, it is therefore the very first person to respond to the light of the word (Yeshua is the light).
- The Menorah or the Tree of Life was an almond tree. So when Aaron's rod budded, it was literally the tree of life! So all of Israel is looking at the Garden authority.
The blossom of Aaron's rod represents the resurrection of Yeshua. The branch was alive, is dead and bloomed again.
"And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." Hebrew 7:15-16
The Levities are under a stricter judgement since they have more responsibilities by performing sacrifices and offerings.
Since the Levities have no inheritance of land, those that do when they offer their sacrifice animals to the priests, the priest after the sacrifice is done, are allowed to have the meat left over form themselves as a blessing from YHWH.
The Levities recognises that their gifts are from YHWH and by giving it to Him, He blesses them.
The people that are ministering in the Tabernacle are living entirely by faith in trust of YHWH all the time for their survival.
Verse 24 of Numbers 18 is the only part of the Torah that the Christians still practise. But, is the law done away with? See the hypocrisy? It does not make senses because they are picking and choosing form the perfect law. If you are giving up your inheritance or possessions in order to minster the word of God to people, they live by the gifts people bring to them.
So we are commanded to give a tenth of our income whenever possible to anyone that is ministering the word of YHWH to us.
You shall not profane the sacred gifts of the sons of Israel, or you will die.
Those ministering the word of God need inheritance that is through tithing. If this does not happen, both the Levites and God gets robed. They are supposed to take a tenth of the ten percent of income that was given to them so they can offer it up to YHWH.
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings." Malachi 3:8
This ties in when Abram gives a tenth to Melchizedek (who i believe is Yeshua).
PROPHETS AND NEW TESTAMENT
Prophet Samuel is a descendant of Korah that has recognised the sin and repented.
"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king." 1 Samuel 15:23
Saul was originally anointed and ordained by God just as Aaron was in a possession of authority. The blew it completely by committing a sin that was on the same level of Korah: witchcraft which is rebellion.
Unlike what happened in 1440 BC, during the time Saul was ordained around 1046 BC that Israel saw the signs YHWH was giving them and they repented and sought His ways.
Unlike what happened in 1440 BC, during the time Saul was ordained around 1046 BC that Israel saw the signs YHWH was giving them and they repented and sought His ways.
There were two main groups that challenged Aaron for the High Priesthood: the group of 3 and the group of 250. Same with Yeshua when the two main groups of the Korah spirited Pharisees and the Sadducees. The 3 died from an earthquake and the 250 died by fire. Therefore we should see an earthquake and fire connected with the final judgement of the religious system of the First Century that hijacked the High Priesthood. It was in this moment in 1440 BC, where Moses' authority was finally put in place are not to be questioned. There is nothing new under the sun and history repeats itself so the next time we see this same incident happen again when authority is put down and never questioned is when Yeshua resurrected in 30 AD.
When the veil was torn when Yeshua died, there was an earthquake. But 40 years later, in 70 AD the second temple was destroyed by fire. The human High Priesthood is no longer in play but now the Messiah is in control.
3+250=253
14,700 (the people that died form the plague)%365= 40 (years).
There are 14,700 days from 30 AD to 70 AD. This points to the same number of people that died in Korah's day.
The authority of Korah is forever gone. It is now in the hands of Yeshua. YHWH, just like the Exodus time, He gave His people 40 years to repent.
When the veil was torn when Yeshua died, there was an earthquake. But 40 years later, in 70 AD the second temple was destroyed by fire. The human High Priesthood is no longer in play but now the Messiah is in control.
3+250=253
14,700 (the people that died form the plague)%365= 40 (years).
There are 14,700 days from 30 AD to 70 AD. This points to the same number of people that died in Korah's day.
The authority of Korah is forever gone. It is now in the hands of Yeshua. YHWH, just like the Exodus time, He gave His people 40 years to repent.
When the blind man asked to receive his eye sight and his ayin, it is connected to the Hebrew idiom above about the receiving of the testimony and the authority no ability to be part of the congregation because he could not see straight. The man had his ayin removed already and this is what the people feared from Korah's rebellion. Yeshua's healing the blind-man is the antithesis of the story of Korah. The man immediately has a testimony and authority about what Yeshua did to him in his life.
The Torah Portion is all about how we see things and our spiritual insight. We need to see things half full. YHWH blesses us when we see things His way.
Romans 13 is talking about obeying authority given in the spiritual realm and not the manly authority. However, we are to still respect the authority of men and women in power, even if we do not honour them or agree with them necessarily. God had given them a higher position whether they realise it or not. It was God that raised Nebuchadnezzar to become emperor of Babylon.
"Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme; 14 or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well. 15 For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:" 1 Peter 2:13-15
When there is an unjust government of ruler/president or prime-minster, we must pray for them to turn on the path of righteousness (Torah).
"I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks, be made for all men: 2 for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence." 1 Timothy 2:1-2
We obey people in authority because it is very clear that it is YHWH's will that we do. Like teachers at school, it would be very wise to listen to them, because it paints a physical picture of what it should look like in the spiritual when we submit to YHWH's will and do what He says in this word. Did Daniel also serve the Babylonian kings during the captivity? We are in exile too, so we are to serve our superiors until a future Passover when YHWH regathers His people. We should obey superiors, who, most, thankfully, are fair and good-willed. If they tell us to disobey God, like working on Saturday that is an exception to disobey them and obey them. If what they tell us to do does not break His Commandments, we ought to serve them.
"We must obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29
Whenever we can, we must give to those that are ministering the word of God to us. It doe snot have to one tenth, if you are following the spirit of giving because you feel lead by the spirit, it fulfils this commandment anyway. We also complete this by giving to the needy.
"For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, attending continually on this very thing." Romans 13:6
When people criticise the Torah (Moses) and what the Torah says, Jude says that what they are actually doing is they are criticising God.
Shalom
Jonathon Karagiannis - 29/6/19
