Pinchas (in some versions, Phinehas)

Numbers 25:10 to 30:1                                                                                   

Haftarah: Jeremiah 1:1 to 2:3

Psalm 66                                                                                                                           

Apostolic Writings/Newer Testament/B’rit HaChadashah: Luke 10:1 to 12, 16 to 20

There is here is a list and description of offerings for Chagim and other dates such as New Moons.         

At Pesach (Passover), for example, not only is there a repeat of the command to eat Matzah (chapter 28 verse 17 - not, as some teach, merely unleavened bread; the Hebrew is clear, that it is Matzah); there are extra sacrifices to be brought.                                                                       The offerings and sacrifices described in this passage are “Mussaf” – extra or additional.   There are daily sacrifices, and then there are these in addition (29:39). With the sacrifices, of course, go the prayers. Thus, in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) as well as in the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) the acceptable day for corporate worship, service and sacrifice was – every day.

In the opening of Jeremiah we are given some of his family history. He was from a Priestly family; his father Hilkiah (which means, “his portion is Yah”) was not just a Priest; he was the High Priest mentioned at 2 Kings 22 verse 8 who found the Torah Scroll in the Temple when Josiah was King. You may remember the account, that Josiah – who became King at the age of 8 – read the Torah and had the people commemorate Pesach. As Hilkiah was a Priest, then so was his son, Yirmyahu. The Priestly family lived in the town of Anatot, which was / is near the modern city of Ma’ale Adumim. Ma’ale Adumim was founded in 1975, though there is a mention of the “red heights” in the book of Joshua. A good friend of mine lives there. The book of the Prophet Jeremiah (which means Yah will rise) has some of the most wonderful promises for Jewish people, as Jewish people. How any person can read this book and then not see how The Almighty has made clear promises to the Jewish people, is beyond me. Yet over the coming months we will see some major Denominations in the UK adopt anti-Israel positions. Please pray for Jewish Believers in Yeshua; many are linked to Churches where these policies will have a negative impact on their witness.

In this part of Jeremiah we have a very strong case against abortion-on-demand. In verse 4 we are told that The Almighty knew Jeremiah “before he left the womb”. Radak (Rabbi David Kimchi) and Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitshchaki) tell us that this indicates that his parents lived exemplary Jewish lives even before the conception. This is the kind of thinking that led some to have a “too high” view of the parents of Miryam, the Mother of Yeshua.

There is also a famous play-on-words in this chapter. In verse 12 The Almighty asks, “What do you see?” Jeremiah responds, “I see an almond tree”  The Almighty says, “You have seen well, for I will hasten to fulfil My Word.”  The Hebrew for almond is shaked    שָׁקֵד; the Hebrew for hasten is shoked   שֹׁקֵד.   This could be an illustration of the masculine side to The Almighty, the fact that there are so many puns in the Bible(!)

The Luke passage is familiar to many.

Here Yeshua sends out 70 of His best, to be His emissaries or ambassadors. Some versions of the account have Him sending 72, but Luke is correct. This was Yeshua’s 2nd “sending”; the 1st was in Luke chapter 9, where He sent 12.  In the Bible the number 12 (and its derivatives) is almost always a symbol of the Jewish people – 12 Tribes. The number 70 (and its derivatives) is almost always symbolic of the Nations – Abraham had 70 offspring. So the number 72 would have little meaning here.  But then. . . . .  Jacob and his party numbered 70 when they went down to Egypt. . . . This is because their corporate sin had caused them to behave like non-Jews, and had caused them to become beholden to non-Jews for their very sustenance.

So for Yeshua the Good News was for Jewish people 1st, and also for non-Jewish people. . . . just like the Apostle Saul / Paul.

And the same is true, of course, of CMJ.

Some dates to pray for:                                                                                                                                           This coming Saturday Michael Cohen is in Ashton-in-Makerfield                                                    Saturday July 10th do join us if you can at the Emmanuel Centre in Llandudno; I am speaking at an event titled, “Israel You Are Not Alone”                                                                             Tuesday July 20th is Tisha B’Av                                                                                                     There are still some places for the CMJ Conference July 23rd to 25th at High Leigh. The main speaker will be Richard Gibson!

As we have the same priorities as Yeshua and Saul, please pray for CMJ.

Have a Sweet Sabbath