RECOGNITION

2. RECOGNITION THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT http://www.messianicbible.com HEAR O ISRAEL www.hearoisrael.org SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER www.sheepfoldgleanings.com MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE http://www.messianicisrael.com AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM GREENBAUM http://www.azamra.org

3. KORACH -“Korah” TORAH: Numbers 16:1- 18:32 HAFTORAH READING: 1 Samuel 11:14-12:22 B’RIT CHADASHAH: Romans 13:1–7; Hebrews 13:17 , Jude 1–25 (with emphasis on verse 11), John 15:1–7,  1 Corinthians 9:7–14; Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17–18 All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

4. WARNING FROM JUDE In the same way, indeed, these dreamers defile the flesh, and reject authority, and speak evil of esteemed ones. But Miḵa’ĕl the chief messenger, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Mosheh, presumed not to bring against him a blasphemous accusation, but said, “יהוה rebuke you!” But these blaspheme that which they do not know. And that which they know naturally, like unreasoning beasts, in these they corrupt themselves. Woe to them! Because they have gone in the way of Qayin, and gave themselves to the delusion of Bilʽam for a reward, and perished in the rebellion of Qoraḥ. These are rocky reefs in your love feasts, feasting with you, feeding themselves without fear, waterless clouds borne about by the winds, late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots, wild waves of the sea foaming up their own shame, straying stars for whom blackness of darkness is kept forever. (Jude 1:8-13)

5. KORAH And Qoraḥ, son of Yitshar, son of Qehath, son of Lĕwi, took both Dathan and Aḇiram the sons of Eliyaḇ, and On, son of Peleth, sons of Re’uḇĕn, and they rose up before Mosheh with some of the children of Yisra’ĕl, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, called ones of the meeting, men of name. (Numbers 16:1-2) The Levitical family of Amram was chosen by יהוה to be the priests. Aaron, being Amram’s firstborn, held the high priest position upon his birth. Korach was firstborn of Izhar, Kohath’s second son. Korach was a priest but as his father was second born, Korach could never inherit the high priest position, so he planned a coup to take the government illegally and by force. Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn, the firstborn status was taken away from him after he fell into sin. (Genesis 49:3) As “firstborn” in their immediate families, they felt they had the right and now the power together to take the leadership.

6. GENEALOGY CHART JACOB  REUBEN ELIAB DATBAN ABIRAM PELETHON SIMEON LEVIGERSHON KOHATHAMRANAARON MOSES IZHAR KORACH HEBRON UZZIEL MERARI

7. SEPARATING ONESELF Stone TaNaK, verse 1 translates; Korach son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi separated himself with Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, the offspring of Re‟uben. Based on the original scriptures we note that Korach separated himself with these three leaders from Re’uben and Zebulun. They separated from the community of Yisra’el. The separatist seeks his own desire; He breaks out against all sound wisdom. (Proverbs 18:1) Torah was designed and written to be “walked-out” in community. There’s no room for isolationism in Torah. In fact it warns us against such selfishness. This comes from a distortion of vision that led to such dire consequences for Korach and those who listened to him. In Korach's case, the distortion lay in the way man views his fellow man: Korach could not bear to see another more prominent than himself. "Why is Moses the king, Aaron the high priest. and Korach just another Levite?"

8. KORAH AND ANTI-CHRIST Let no one deceive you in any way, because the falling away is to come first, and the man of lawlessness is to be revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called Elohim or that is worshipped, so that he sits as Elohim in the Dwelling Place of Elohim, showing himself that he is Elohim. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) “And then many shall stumble, and they shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. “And many false prophets shall rise up and lead many astray. “And because of the increase in lawlessness, the love of many shall become cold. “But he who shall have endured to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 24:10-13) The generations will fall away before the return of יהושע as a direct result of the inability of religious people to discern between the power and the authority of the RuachHaKodesh and the power and authority of man. Replacing the word of God with the doctrines of man.

9. WHOLE COMMUNITY IS HOLY? And they assembled against Mosheh and against Aharon, and said to them, “Enough of you! For all the congregation is set-apart, all of them, and יהוה is in their midst. Why then do you lift up yourselves above the assembly of יהוה?” (Numbers 16:3) Why the assumption that the whole community is holy? And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and you shall say to them to make tzitziyot on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue cord in the tzitzit of the corners. “And it shall be to you for a tzitzit, and you shall see it, and shall remember all the commands of יהוה and shall do them, and not search after your own heart and your own eyes after which you went whoring, so that you remember, and shall do all My commands, and be set-apart unto your Elohim. (Numbers 15:37-40)

10. ROSE-UP BEFORE The phrase in the Hebrew literally means to “arise in strength or power” in the “face of”. The DHV (Dyslexic Hebrew Version), “They rose up, in force, in Moshe‟s face”. The 250 leaders of the congregation, those summoned for meetings, where men of renown. These were of those that Moshe had called to be leaders of tens, fifties and hundreds. 250 is the numeric value of “mer’ay” which is “rebellious” and “mer’od” which is “wandering” or “lost”. Korach says “You take too much upon yourself. …” trying to cover up his own lust for power. “We all have our rights.” According to Rabbi YitzchokAlderstein, “He [Korach] attacked the entire structuring of the community, of which Moshe’s leadership was only a detail. We are weary of all of these restrictions and commands, ostensibly guiding us to relate to G-d properly. We don’t need them! We all stood at Sinai; we are all holy people. We don’t need to be instructed about G-d. We all heard His voice. It remains for each of us to find his own, private way of deepening the relationship. There is no reason why we cannot do so without taking orders from some despotic leader.

11. MOSES AND AARON And when Mosheh heard, he fell on his face, and spoke to Qoraḥ and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning יהוה shall make known who is His and who is set-apart, and bring him near to Him. And let Him bring near to Him the one whom He chooses. (Numbers 16:4-5) Moses and Aaron were not merely serving in an earthly Tabernacle, but in a shadow of the heavenly dwelling of יהוה, a spiritual house (Hebrews 8:5; Exodus 25:40). Moses knew he did not belong to himself but was a living sacrifice given totally – body, SOUL and spirit – over to יהוה. Wherever Moses went and whatever he did, he was always aware of lovingly serving יהוה and the Children of Israel in a holy, spiritual heavenly realm. Moses continually separated himself from unclean acts of his heart and mind, that which did not line up with יהוה and that which would have rendered him unclean and defiled. This was what the offerings were all about – to continually renew our hearts and minds before יהוה.

12. COVENANTS Moses and Aaron understood covenants and promises as they were living it: The Abrahamic covenant was a gift of salvation. This covenant gifted us a land, a people (identity) and a blessing. As the bride, we must enter in! Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway! Take out the stones, Lift up a banner (Torah) for the peoples! (Isaiah 62:10 ref. Matthew 22:8-15; Heb. 12:12-16). The Mosaic covenant teaches us sanctification, understanding of the priesthood. Davidic covenant for kings and priests (the Bride), Revelation 1:6. The bride is to make herself ready. In order to walk as a king and priest we must appropriate the Mosaic covenant. This covenant teaches us יהוה’s principles and how to inherit kingdom life (a land, a people and blessings) in our lives. We cannot skip a covenant

13. KING AND PRIEST The early church father’s discredited the Mosaic covenant even upon threat of death, thus many never entered in. The Davidic Covenant holds the order of Melchizedek: King and Priest. It is the Davidic covenant that ushers in the Bride to יהושע. To walk in the office of a king and a priest we must walk in the Davidic Covenant which is built on the two previous covenants before it: the Abrahamic and Mosiaic. Without these two covenants in operation in our walk we cannot enter into the Holy of Holies as it is the Davidic covenant that ushers us into the eighth day – called “today”, in spirit and truth. (Hebrews 3-4). “In that day I shall raise up the booth of Dawiḏ which has fallen down. And I shall repair its breaches and raise up its ruins. And I shall build it as in the days of old, (Amos 9:11) “See, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I shall come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20)

14. IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also does seek such to worship Him. “Elohim is Spirit, and those who worship Him need to worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24) Once we have been saved and had status change, if we dip into the unclean realm again, we need to repent and have status change if we want to proceed in God’s holy presence. God is holy and true worshippers must worship in spirit and truth. Spirit and truth is a reference to those who were once saved, had gone astray and were now returning to holiness, through repentance. These returnees were to be sprinkled by His purifying blood and cleansed by water/oil to receive change of status and experience a heart change from having been tempted and touched the unclean realm. We must move from the Abrahamic (salvation) covenant into the Davidic (kingly/priestly) covenant by way of the Mosaic covenant – through sanctification and the highway of holiness.

15. BLASPHEMY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT “Is it little to you that the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl has separated you from the congregation of Yisra’ĕl, to bring you near to Himself, to perform the service of the Dwelling Place of יהוה, and to stand before the congregation to serve them, and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brothers, the sons of Lĕwi, with you? Yet you seek the priesthood as well? (Numbers 16:9-10) When we reject that which God has given us we reject the leading of the Holy Spirit over our lives and thus the power and authority of the Holy Spirit And Mosheh said, “By this you know that יהוה has sent me to do all these works, that they are not from my own heart. “If these die as all men do, or if they are visited as all men are visited, then יהוה has not sent me. “But if יהוה creates what is unheard of, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you shall know that these men have scorned יהוה.” (Numbers 16:28-30)

16. DATAM AND AVIRAM And Mosheh sent to call Dathan and Aḇiram the sons of Eliyaḇ, but they said, “We are not coming up! “Is it little that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you would also seize total rule over us? “Also, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you bore out the eyes of these men? We are not coming up!” And Mosheh became very displeased, and said to יהוה, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.” (Numbers 16:12-15) POINTS TO PONDER: Rebelling against God’s appointed authority will have consequences, especially if the authority was in the right. Refusing to come-up is refusal to draw near, even to God. Egypt or the passed is now seen as the land of Milk and Honey.

17. 1st TEST Then Mosheh said to Qoraḥ, “Tomorrow, you and all your company shall be there before יהוה, you and they and Aharon. “And take each one his fire holder, and you shall put incense in it. And let each one bring his fire holder before יהוה, two hundred and fifty fire holders, and you and Aharon, each one with his fire holder.” So each one took his fire holder, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the Tent of Meeting with Mosheh and Aharon. And Qoraḥ assembled all the congregation against them at the door of the Tent of Meeting. Then the esteem of יהוה appeared to all the congregation. (Numbers 16:16-19) So, why fire pans? Why the incense? Only a priest, chosen as יהוה chose the sons of Aaron, can offer incense laid upon fire to Elohim. Second, these offerings can only be made as HaShem prescribes. Remember Nadab and Abihu. Korach, in his pride, lusted to be “in charge”, to be the “KohenHaGadol”, the “High Priest”. Moses called him and the others to the test, to show all Israel whom the Holy One, blessed be He, had chosen.

18. MOSES And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, and to Aharon, saying, “Separate yourselves from the midst of this congregation, and let Me consume them in a moment.” But they fell on their faces, and said, “O Ěl, Elohim of the spirits of all flesh! When one man sins, are You wroth with all the congregation?” (Numbers 16:20-22) And the man Mosheh was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth. (Numbers 12:3) Moses does two things for the nation even though they are attacking His authority. First he puts the trial off by one day, hoping some of the men, after a night of reflection and remembering what had happened to Nadab and Abihu when they had approached יהוה with fire in their censors, would repent. Secondly he asks God not to punish the entire nation for the transgression of a few. NOTE: ON, the son of Pelet was not part of the assembly the next morning. He too head of Moses’s warning, however Rabbinic legend has it, that it was On’s wife who rebuked him for taking part in a rebellion, and thus saved him from destruction.  

19. 2nd TEST And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Move away from around the tents of Qoraḥ, Dathan, and Aḇiram.’ ” So Mosheh rose up and went to Dathan and Aḇiram, and the elders of Yisra’ĕl followed him. And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Please turn away from the tents of these wrong men! Do not touch whatever belongs to them, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” Then they moved away from around the tents of Qoraḥ, Dathan, and Aḇiram. And Dathan and Aḇiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, and their sons, and their little children. And Mosheh said, “By this you know that יהוה has sent me to do all these works, that they are not from my own heart. “If these die as all men do, or if they are visited as all men are visited, then יהוה has not sent me. “But if יהוה creates what is unheard of, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you shall know that these men have scorned יהוה.” (Numbers 16:23-30)

20. PUBLIC REBELLION & JUDGEMENT And it came to be, as he ended speaking all these words, that the ground under them split apart, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Qoraḥ, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down alive into the grave, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. (Numbers 16:31-33) Korach falling away led to public rebellion, as a result, HaShem judged him publicly And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he led astray those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulphur. (Revelation 19:20) The beast and the false prophet will also lead a public rebellion that denies the power and the authority of the RuachHaKodesh. As a result, the individual falls away with no hope of return.

21. THE NEXT CYCLE As to the coming of our Master יהושע Messiah and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as if the day of יהוה has come. Let no one deceive you in any way, because the falling away is to come first, (a major rebellion like in Numbers 16) and the man of lawlessness is to be revealed (like Korah), the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called Elohim (like Korah) or that is worshipped (attempts his own worship), so that he sits as Elohim in the Dwelling Place of Elohim, showing himself that he is Elohim. Do you not remember that I told you this while I was still with you? And now you know what restrains (Moses and Aaron, their intercession), for him to be revealed in his time (all witnessed the anger and the wrath of יהוה). For the secret of lawlessness is already at work – only until he who now restrains comes out of the midst (a time when intercession will stop). And then the lawless one shall be revealed, whom the Master shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth and bring to naught with the manifestation of His coming (like the judgment of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and others who identified with them). (2 Thessalonians 2:1-17)

22. GEHENNOM So they.. went down alive into the grave, ..(Numbers 16:33) Throughout the Talmud, the standard term referring to hell is Gehennom, but this does not appear in the Bible at all except as the name of a location just outside ancient Jerusalem -- GeyHennom, the "Valley of Sighs". This valley is situated to the north-east of the Temple Mount, where a specially designed (not to trap elevating souls) bridge once spanned as a causeway for the Cohenim (Priests) from the Temple to HarHa’Zeitim (Mount of Olives). The bridge is now gone. This was where there was an idolatrous temple to Molech, to whom children were dedicated by being passed over fire (making the children scream or "sigh"). What’s more, throughout the ages the valley is said to have served as a large dump for trash and corpses from when conquering hoards from Egypt, tribes within Canaan, the Philistines, Babylonians, Assyrians, Ancient Greece, and eventually Rome who all pitched the fallen like refuse into the Valley of the Son of Hennom. Fires were said to have been burning at all times in order to consume them with the smell and the garbage.

23. LEADERSHIP EXAMPLE “he fell on his face.” This is a posture of submission, humility and vulnerability before God. The Tachanun section of our daily prayers is called “nefilatapayim” (falling on the face), and reflects this ancient practice at least in part. Knows himself to be chosen by God for the office he holds. The leader God chooses is appalled at the right things. Moses is also a leader who prays, as a relational habit. The leaders God chooses can sense what is really going on. Cannot be rightly accused of financial monkey-business. Good leaders are decisive, knowing when to act or wait. Is confident that God will back him up with decisive action. Not vengeful, instead wants only the guilty punished.

24. SENSORS “Say to Elʽazar, son of Aharon the priest, to pick up the fire holders out of the blaze, for they are set-apart, and scatter the fire some distance away. “The fire holders of these men who sinned against their own lives, let them be made into beaten plates as a covering for the altar. Because they brought them before יהוה, therefore they are set-apart. And let them become a sign to the children of Yisra’ĕl.” And Elʽazar the priest took the bronze fire holders, which those who were burned up had brought, and they were beaten out as a covering on the altar – a remembrance to the children of Yisra’ĕl that no stranger who is not of the seed of Aharon, should come near to offer incense before יהוה, and not be like Qoraḥ and his company – as יהוה had said to him through Mosheh. (Numbers 16:37-40) NOTICEABLE POINTS: The high priest could not defile himself by touching the dead. The censors had been made holy even by their sacrilegious use, and could never be allowed to revert to secular, common use. For the same reason, the sacred coals that had been in them but were emptied out, had to be carried and deposited in a set-apart place. God will always leave a sign to remember.

25. VERY NEXT DAY But all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl grumbled against Mosheh and against Aharon on the next day, saying, “You, you have killed the people of יהוה.” And it came to be, when the congregation assembled against Mosheh and against Aharon, that they turned toward the Tent of Meeting. And see, the cloud covered it, and the esteem of יהוה appeared. And Mosheh and Aharon came before the Tent of Meeting. And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Arise from amidst this congregation, and let Me consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. So Mosheh said to Aharon, “Take the fire holder and put fire in it from the altar, and lay incense on, and go, hurry to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from יהוה, the plague has begun.” And Aharon took it as Mosheh commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly, and saw that the plague had begun among the people. .. and stood between the dead and the living. And the plague was stopped. And those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, ...Then Aharon returned to Mosheh at the door of the Tent of Meeting, for the plague had stopped. (Numbers 16:41-50)

26. 14700 Those who died in that plague numbered 14,700. Fourteen is the numeric value of “dabach” (dalet-bet-chet) or “slaughter offering” and 700 is the numeric value of “Kapporet”, the “Lid of Atonement” on the Ark. 14,700 represents “sacrifice of atonement”.

27. AARON STAFF And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and take from them a rod from each father’s house, all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each one’s name on his rod, and write Aharon’s name on the rod of Lĕwi, for there is one rod for the head of each father’s house. “You shall then place them in the Tent of Meeting before the Witness, where I meet with you. “And it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose buds, and I shall rid Myself of the grumblings of the children of Yisra’ĕl, which they grumble against you.” .. So Mosheh placed the rods before יהוה in the Tent of the Witness. And it came to be on the next day that Mosheh went into the Tent of the Witness and saw that the rod of Aharon, of the house of Lĕwi, had budded, and brought forth buds, and blossomed and bore ripe almonds. And Mosheh brought out all the rods from before יהוה to all the children of Yisra’ĕl. And they looked, and each man took his rod. And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Bring Aharon’s rod back before the Witness, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, so that you put an end to their grumblings against Me, lest they die.” (Numbers 17:1-10)

28. STAFF ALMOND TREE: The almond tree is the first tree to awaken from the winter sleep, and is conspicuous with its early display of snow-white blossoms. AARON’S STAFF:  The staff germinated and matured its blossoms and almonds overnight by the miraculous power of God supernaturally initiating and accelerating [quickening] the process of nature. These were not signs only, but the promise of divine energy, power, and gifts of the Spirit which would come forth from his "...chosen generation.." (1 Pet. 2:9). Hence, the budding of Aaron's rod was: a miracle of יהוה 's intervention, a symbol of the vitality "an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations" (Ex. 40:15), and a type of the unchangeable priesthood of Messiah attested to by His resurrection from the dead (Acts13:33; Heb. 5:9-10).

29. AARON & TODAY A lesson from Aaron, we should be effective witnesses, preaching, making disciples of all nations, teaching, and thereby snatching firebrands from the flame [coming between people and the fatal consequences of sin]. Amos 4:11; Luke 9:55-56; John 12:47; 2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10; Gal. 1:23; 1 Tim. 2:4. We do not need blossoming physical branches to prove our callings and offices today, our proof is spiritual. "You shall know them by their fruits" (Matthew. 7:16) and the nine supernatural gifts "And my speech and my preaching was not in enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Corinthians. 2:4)namely: The revelation gifts [knowing gifts] are: The word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits. The power gifts [doing gifts] are: The gift of faith, the gifts of healing, and the gift of the working of miracles. The vocal gifts [speaking gifts] are: The gift of prophecy, gift of spiritual tongues, and the gift of interpretation.

30. PRIEST PRIVILEGES And יהוה said to Aharon, “You and your sons and your father’s house with you are to bear the crookedness against the set-apart place .. (Numbers 18:1) THEIR PRIVILEGES: The priest's office was a "service gift" conferred by יהוה Himself (Heb. 5:4).  It was restricted to the house of Aaron (verse 2).  It had special duties into which not even the Levite's, cousins of Aaron, could intrude (Nu. 4:4-15; 18:4).  The priests had authority over the Levites and the people (Deut. 21:5) as teachers (Lev. 10:11), judges (Deut. 17:8-13), mediators of blessing (Nu. 6:22-23), sanitary officers (Lev. 13 and 14), and examples of righteousness. They were the mediators [those interposing between parties for reconciliation], the consecrated means for avoiding wrath and perpetuating blessing in the nation.

31. PRIEST RESPONSIBILITIES THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES: The priests and their father's house were required to "bear the iniquity" of the sanctuary (Ex. 28:38). Little mistakes could be atoned for, but they were fully responsible for any profanation of the Tabernacle, and answerable to the Most High.  The priest had to bear the iniquity of their priesthood. A yearly atonement (Lev. 16:6; the Law of Atonement) provided coverage, but there was no offering for wilful transgressions and gross negligence [Nadab and Abihu].  They had the responsibility of protecting the Levites, not interfere with the priestly office, or to see the most holy things, "that they, nor ye, also die (Nu. 18:3). "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God own possession [our privileges], so that you may proclaim the excellencies [our responsibilities] of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9). 

32. LEVITICAL OFFERINGS And יהוה spoke to Aharon, “And see, I Myself have also given you the charge of My contributions,... “All that is dedicated in Yisra’ĕl is yours. ...It is a covenant of salt forever before יהוה with you and your seed with you.” (Numbers 18:8-20) POINTS WORTH CONTEMPLATION:  Support and faithfulness are connected. The Torah mode/model of Levitical provision was designed to bind the priests and the people more closely together.  It also required faith in יהוה's faithfulness. Looking to man is an unsteady hope, looking through man (יהוה's channels) to יהוה Himself, is seeing the things for which are hoped. "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man" (Ps. 118:8).  The offerings guarded against bribery and extortion. The priests' wages and accumulations were open to the public's scrutiny.  The statute constituted a covenant of salt, namely permanent.

33. TITHE & TERUMAH but the tithes of the children of Yisra’ĕl, which they present as a contribution to יהוה, I have given to the Lĕwites as an inheritance. ... And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to the Lĕwites and say to them, ‘When you take from the children of Yisra’ĕl the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution of it to יהוה, a tenth of the tithe. ..‘Thus you also present a contribution unto יהוה from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Yisra’ĕl. And you shall give from it the contribution to יהוה to Aharon the priest. (Numbers 18:24-28) The tithe to the Levite was referred to as terumah. It is the same name used to refer to the tithe (gift) to the Kohanim. "The Torah teaches that the tithe bears a similarity to terumah in that the Levite may not use it until he separates from it the Kohen's portion, as set forth in verse 26. Until then, the Levite tithe is treated as if terumah is intermixed with it." [Rashi]

34. COVENANT OF SALT The salt covenant relates to the offerings and is to be presented with all grain offerings. Salt has historically symbolized hospitality. יהוה’s people should be the world’s most hospitable people. Let your word always be with favour, seasoned with salt, so that you know how you ought to answer each one. (Colossians 4:6) HEALING RELATIONSHIPS: In the past, when you settled a dispute with your neighbour you would then invite the person into your home to share a dish of salt. Each of you would lick your finger, dip it in the salt and then eat the salt together. This was the symbol of friendship that healed the rift. This is why the offerings we make to יהושע are salted, to heal any innocent violation or offence we have made to יהוה or our fellow man. Salt is pure, germs cannot live in it; in the same way, believers also are to be pure. Salt purifies; as such, believers are called to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). They purify the world by not tolerating false philosophies, dishonest ways of doing business, selfish desires, etc.

35. WHAT IS SALT? The Hebrew word for salt is melach (Strong’s #H4417), which is very close to the Hebrew word for king. Salt and oil were always to be part of the grain offering. Salt also accompanied the elevation and fellowship offerings. Ezekiel 43:24 notes that the priests will cast salt on the elevation/burnt offerings in the millennial age. The incense offering, the symbol of worship to יהוה, must also be seasoned with salt as true worshippers worship the Father in spirit and truth (Exodus 30:35; Leviticus 2:13; John 4:23-24). Salt, tithe and priesthood are all linked together in scripture by covenant. Together they represent who we are in covenant with יהושע: a covenant of preservation and protection, a pledge of loyalty, a preserving substance, the prevention of disease/disorder and a cleansing/consecration agent.

36. DAVID AND SALT The covenant established with David (king and priest), whereby he was accorded an everlasting reign over Israel, was also a covenant of salt. “Do you not know that יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl has given the reign over Yisra’ĕl to Dawiḏ forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt? (2 Chronicles 13:5) “Thus said יהוה, ‘If you could break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there be not day and night in their season, then My covenant could also be broken with Dawiḏ My servant – so that he shall not have a son to reign upon his throne – and with the Lĕwites, the priests, My attendants. (Jeremiah 33:20-21)

37. SALT AND BLESSING The salt covenant is about holiness and sanctification. We are living sacrifices and holy offerings. The salt covenant is to remind us that we are kings and priests before יהוה. Our speech reveals our heart. How we approach our brother will determine the saltiness (incense) of the offering, and true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. “For everyone shall be seasoned with fire, and every offering shall be seasoned with salt. (Mark 9:49) ‘And season with salt every offering of your grain offering, and do not allow the salt of the covenant of your Elohim to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you bring salt. (Leviticus 2:13) What comes out of the mouth either salts the offering with blessing or removes the saltiness by harbouring wrong attitudes and cursing. The salt covenant is not only to preserve physically but spiritually as well. Our speech, as יהושע’s priesthood to the Nations, is to preserve and glorify the Word of יהוה. (Colossians 3:16-17; Colossians 4:6)

38. PERMISSIVE AND PERFECT WILL “Look, here I am. Witness against me before יהוה and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I oppressed? Whom have I abused, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? – then I restore it to you.” And they said, “You have not oppressed us or abused us, nor have you taken any bribe from anyone’s hand.” ... “And when you saw that Naḥash sovereign of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but let a sovereign reign over us,’ when יהוה your Elohim was your sovereign. “And now, here is the sovereign whom you have chosen and whom you have asked. And see, יהוה has set a sovereign over you. ....“Is today not the wheat harvest? Let me call to יהוה, so that He sends thunder and rain – know then and see that your evil is great, which you have done in the eyes of יהוה, in asking for yourselves a sovereign.” And Shemu’ĕl called to יהוה, and יהוה sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people greatly feared יהוה and Shemu’ĕl. And all the people said to Shemu’ĕl, “Pray for your servants to יהוה your Elohim, that we do not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil of asking for ourselves a sovereign.” (1 Samuel 12:12-19)

39. KORAH & SAMUEL The sons of Korach later became singers in the Temple of Solomon and wrote some of the Psalms. In fact, they are credited with writing at least 11 of them. Samuel is perhaps the most famous descendant of Korach. And they were rendering service in song before the dwelling place of the Tent of Meeting, until Shelomoh had built the House of יהוה in Yerushalayim, and they performed their duties according to their ruling. And these are the ones who stood with their sons: Of the sons of the Qehathites were Hĕman the singer, son of Yo’ĕl, son of Shemu’ĕl, son of Elqanah, son of Yeroḥam, son of Eli’ĕl, son of Towaḥ, son of Tsuph, son of Elqanah, son of Maḥath, son of Amasai, son of Elqanah, son of Yo’ĕl, son of Azaryah, son of Tsephanyah, son of Taḥath, son of Assir, son of Eḇyasaph, son of Qoraḥ, son of Yitshar, son of Qehath, son of Lĕwi, son of Yisra’ĕl. (1 Chronicles 6:32-38) That’s how it is with Elohim; even if it takes 20 generations, there is always hope and a reward for those who love and seek to obey Him.