Reflection for B’ha’alotkha
“Faithful and Humble Foundation”
John 19:31-37
Hebrews 3:1-6
excerpted from TorahScope Apostolic Scriptures Reflections
This week in our Torah studies we turn to B’ha’alotkha (Numbers 8:1-12:16), where the instruction delivered concerns the proper usage of the menorah,[1] followed by details on how the Levites were to be purified for service to the Lord, along with some specific age limits for priestly service.[2] Next, a delayed Passover commemoration is described, which allows those who might have been defiled or traveling on a lengthy journey, to participate in a convocation a month after the regular Passover memorial on the 14th of Aviv/Nisan.[3]
B’ha’alotkha continues, describing the cloud during the day and the pillar of fire at night, which covered the Tabernacle and the Tent of Meeting, while also being the visible guide for Ancient Israel’s desert sojourn.[4] This is followed by a short description of two silver trumpets and their use for assembling the various contingents of Israel, for announcing the arrival of the appointed times, as well as for sounding alarms when engaging an enemy in warfare.[5] Then, with the movement of the Tribes engulfing the Tabernacle in marshaled array, the orderly process is detailed, followed by an appeal to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, to accompany the Israelites as a scout, because of his familiarity with the desert terrain.[6] Finally, before an avalanche of complaints arose,[7] an inspirational declaration was issued from Moses, as the Ark of the Covenant was taken up in leading the assembly of Israel:
“When the ark went forward, Moses said, ‘Rise up, LORD, and let your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!’ When it rested, he said, ‘Return, LORD, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel’” (Numbers 10:35-36).[8]
The balance of our Torah portion this week, summarizes the complaints of the Israelites about the forced marches,[9] the people desired some meat rather than just manna,[10] and some direct attacks made against Moses by Aaron and Miriam whining to God about Moses’ position as the anointed leader of Israel.[11] It is with this complaint against Moses in mind, that we might wish to consider how the author of Hebrews compared and contrasted the service of Moses with Yeshua. Moses was lauded and highly respected to be certain, but it was Yeshua’s House which Moses was designated as having served:
“Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Emissary and High Priest of our confession: Yeshua, who was faithful to him who appointed him, as also Moses was in all his house. For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, because he who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone; but he who built all things is God. Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken, but Messiah is faithful as a Son over his house. We are his house, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end” (Hebrews 3:1-6, WMB).
Within this selection from Hebrews, we see a direct reference made to something we have read about in B’ha’alotkha this week. The faithfulness of Moses within the House of God is referenced, in the context of when the Lord defended Moses to his siblings Aaron and Miriam:
“Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. They said, ‘Has the LORD indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t he spoken also with us?’ And the LORD heard it. Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the surface of the earth. The LORD spoke suddenly to Moses, to Aaron, and to Miriam, ‘You three come out to the Tent of Meeting!’ The three of them came out. The LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward. He said, ‘Now hear my words. If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so. He is faithful in all my house. With him, I will speak mouth to mouth, even plainly, and not in riddles; and he shall see the LORD’s form. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?’ The LORD’s anger burned against them; and he departed” (Numbers 12:1-9, WMB).
In this dramatic episode, Aaron and Miriam challenged the leadership of Moses, with the pretense of complaining about Moses’ wife. The text referred to her not as Zipporah, but instead as ha’ishah ha’Kushit. They seem to be offended that Moses would not have married a native Israelite, but the real issue present here was how Aaron and Miriam were not being used more. They had already displayed some spiritual prowess with Aaron being designated and anointed as the High Priest (Leviticus 8:12), and Miriam acclaimed as a prophetess (Exodus 15:20). What we see is a classic case of sibling envy and jealousy, as a younger brother had more responsibility than they did in the community of Israel. Problematically, their complaints were spread among the people of Israel, until the Lord heard them and responded accordingly.
In Numbers 12:3, the parenthetical statement is made that “the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the surface of the earth” (WMB). Conservative Bible scholars are widely agreed that given the content, this was a remark made by a post-Mosaic editor of the Pentateuch, and not by Moses himself—as the most humble man could never make such a claim.[12] For our reading of the Book of Numbers in its final form, the reality is that it was Moses’ innate humility, which prepared him for the role and responsibility of leading the Ancient Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.
When the challenge to Moses’ authority manifested, the Lord spoke to all three siblings, and instructed them to come to the Tent of Meeting. The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud, and presented Himself in the doorway to the three siblings. Calling out Aaron and Miriam, the Almighty reminded them that while He might communicate with prophets through visions and dreams, with His servant Moses, He spoke mouth to mouth. God had chosen to speak directly to Moses, so that His words were not subject to interpretation. The natural rhetorical question stated to Aaron and Miriam was simply, “How then did you not shrink from speaking against My servant Moses!” (Numbers 12:8, NJPS). Clearly, God was angered. These transgressions resulted in a physical punishment and temporary banishment for Miriam, because she was apparently the person most responsible for challenging Moses (Numbers 12:5-10).
In Hebrews 3:1-6, the author of Hebrews incorporated, in a comparative way, a distinction between Moses as one of the foundational building blocks of the House of God, with Yeshua. The Messiah was not simply a part of the House of God, but He is the Son of God, who happens to be the Master of the House. If Moses was to be given acclaim and respect throughout the ages, then how much more honor and praise is due to the Son of God, who offered Himself up as a sacrifice for human sin? The kind of humility and service demonstrated by Moses, is surely something which we should emulate—but we should even more consider the humility of the Messiah, who gave up His exalted glory and honor to be slain for us (cf. Philippians 2:5-11; Isaiah 45:23)!
When one considers how the Almighty was willing to come to the defense of His servant Moses—just compare this to the exaltation of Yeshua at His Father’s right hand, reigning over the Heavens!
As far as foundations go, is it not said of Yeshua that He is the chief cornerstone and ultimate foundation of the ekklēsia? The Apostle Paul wrote this to a mixed community of Jewish and non-Jewish Believers in Asia Minor:
“So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the emissaries and prophets, Messiah Yeshua himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit…to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 2:19-22; 3:10, WMB).
Today, in the post-resurrection era as salvation history has moved forward, what is most important is that all holy ones or saints are “subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Messiah” (Ephesians 5:21, WMB). We are to all work together, and not be envious or suspicious of the different gifts, talents, and skills God has given each individual. I consider it a great blessing to know that the Father has used great building blocks like Moses—but most importantly the Messiah Himself—as the very cornerstone of His House. Praise Him for His faithfulness and humility which have brought us salvation, and the many more things to come in eternity!
May each strive to emulate the great examples of humility and service we see in Moses and the Messiah Yeshua!
NOTES
[1] Numbers 8:1-4.
[2] Numbers 8:5-26.
[3] Numbers 9:1-14.
[4] Numbers 9:15-23.
[5] Numbers 10:1-10.
[6] Numbers 10:11-36.
[7] Numbers 11:1-15.
[8] This verse, along with Micah 4:2/Isaiah 2:3, is recited in the traditional liturgy of the Jewish Synagogue, as the Torah scroll is taken from the ark during the Shabbat service.
J.H. Hertz, ed., The Authorised Daily Prayer Book (New York: Bloch Publishing Company, 1960), pp 473-475; Nosson Scherman and Meir Zlotowitz, eds., Complete ArtScroll Siddur, Nusach Sefard (Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1985), pp 471-473; Jules Harlow, ed., Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat and Festivals (New York: Rabbinical Assembly, 2007), 139.
[9] Numbers 11:16-30.
[10] Numbers 11:31-35.
[11] Numbers 12:1-16.
[12] Consult R.K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969), pp 614-634.
