Rebellion Against Yahweh And His Priesthood
16:1Now
Korach, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehat, the son of Levi, with Datan and
Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, sons of Re'uven, took
men: 16:2and they rose up before
Moshe, with certain of the children of Yisra'el, two hundred fifty princes of
the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown; 16:3and they assembled themselves together
against Moshe and against Aharon, and said to them, You take too much on you,
seeing all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and Yahweh is among
them: why then lift you up yourselves above the assembly of Yahweh?
16:4When
Moshe heard it, he fell on his face: 16:5and
he spoke to Korach and to all his company, saying, In the morning Yahweh will
show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him: even
him whom he shall choose will he cause to come near to him. 16:6This do: take you censers, Korach, and all
his company; 16:7and put fire in
them, and put incense on them before Yahweh tomorrow: and it shall be that the
man whom Yahweh does choose, he shall be holy: you take too much on you, you
sons of Levi.
16:8Moshe
said to Korach, Hear now, you sons of Levi: 16:9seems
it but a small thing to you, that the Mighty One of Yisra'el has separated you
from the congregation of Yisra'el, to bring you near to himself, to do the
service of the tent of Yahweh, and to stand before the congregation to minister
to them; 16:10and that he has
brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? And seek you
the priesthood also? 16:11Therefore
you and all your company are gathered together against Yahweh: and Aharon, what
is he who you murmur against him?
16:12Moshe
sent to call Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av; and they said, We won't come
up: 16:13is it a small thing that
you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in
the wilderness, but you must needs make yourself also a prince over us? 16:14Moreover you haven't brought us into a
land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and
vineyards: will you put out the eyes of these men? We won't come up.
16:15Moshe
was very angry, and said to Yahweh, "Don't respect their offering: I have
not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them."
16:16Moshe
said to Korach, Be you and all your company before Yahweh, you, and they, and
Aharon, tomorrow: 16:17and take you
every man his censer, and put incense on them, and bring you before Yahweh
every man his censer, two hundred fifty censers; you also, and Aharon, each his
censer. 16:18They took every man his
censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood at the door
of the tent of meeting with Moshe and Aharon.
16:19Korach
assembled all the congregation against them to the door of the tent of meeting:
and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the congregation. 16:20Yahweh spoke to Moshe and to Aharon,
saying, 16:21Separate yourselves
from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 16:22They fell on their faces, and said, Mighty
One, the Mighty One of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will
you be angry with all the congregation? 16:23Yahweh
spoke to Moshe, saying, 16:24Speak
to the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tent of Korach, Datan,
and Aviram.
16:25Moshe
rose up and went to Datan and Aviram; and the Zakenim of Yisra'el followed him.
16:26He spoke to the congregation,
saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch
nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins. 16:27So they got them up from the tent of
Korach, Datan, and Aviram, on every side: and Datan and Aviram came out, and
stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their
little ones. 16:28Moshe said, Hereby
you shall know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works; for I have not
done them of my own mind. 16:29If
these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the
visitation of all men; then Yahweh hasn't sent me. 16:30But if Yahweh make a new thing, and the ground open its
mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertains to them, and they go down
alive into She'ol; then you shall understand that these men have despised
Yahweh.
16:31It
happened, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground split
apart that was under them; 16:32and
the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and
all the men who appertained to Korach, and all their goods. 16:33So they, and all that appertained to them,
went down alive into She'ol: and the earth closed on them, and they perished
from among the assembly.
16:34All
Yisra'el that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said,
Lest the earth swallow us up. 16:35Fire
came forth from Yahweh, and devoured the two hundred fifty men who offered the
incense.
16:36Yahweh
spoke to Moshe, saying, 16:37Speak
to El`azar the son of Aharon the Kohen, that he take up the censers out of the
burning, and scatter you the fire yonder; for they are holy, 16:38even the censers of these sinners against
their own lives; and let them be made beaten plates for a covering of the
altar: for they offered them before Yahweh; therefore they are holy; and
they shall be a sign to the children of Yisra'el.
16:39El`azar
the Kohen took the brazen censers, which those who were burnt had offered; and
they beat them out for a covering of the altar, 16:40to
be a memorial to the children of Yisra'el, to the end that no stranger, who
isn't of the seed of Aharon, comes near to burn incense before Yahweh; that
he not be as Korach, and as his company: as Yahweh spoke to him by Moshe.
16:41But
on the next day all the congregation of the children of Yisra'el murmured
against Moshe and against Aharon, saying, You have killed the people of Yahweh.
16:42It happened, when the
congregation was assembled against Moshe and against Aharon, that they looked
toward the tent of meeting: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of
Yahweh appeared. 16:43Moshe and
Aharon came to the front of the tent of meeting. 16:44Yahweh
spoke to Moshe, saying, 16:45Get you
up from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. They fell
on their faces. 16:46Moshe said to
Aharon, Take they censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay
incense thereon, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement
for them: for there is wrath gone out from Yahweh; the plague is begun. 16:47Aharon took as Moshe spoke, and ran into
the midst of the assembly; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people:
and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. 16:48He stood between the dead and the living;
and the plague was stayed. 16:49Now
those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides
those who died about the matter of Korach. 16:50Aharon
returned to Moshe to the door of the tent of meeting: and the plague was
stayed.
16:1-3 shows that Korach, Datan and Aviram, together with the princes of Yisrael accompanying them, REJECTED the authority of Moshe and Aharon. They accused both Moshe and Aharon of appointing themselves to the positions of authority that they had over the congregation of Yisrael. They DID NOT BELIEVE that Yahweh had indeed appointed Moshe and Aharon to their respective positions. They therefore REBELLED against the authority of both Moshe and Aharon, authority that Yahweh vested in both Moshe and Aharon. These men were FAITHLESS REBELS.
Contradiction In The Rebels' Position
There is an apparent paradox and contradiction in the rebellious position adopted by Korach and his accompanying rebels. On the one hand they accuse both Moshe and Aharon of appointing themselves to their positions of authority over the congregation of Yisrael. On the other hand they say that all the congregation of Yisrael is holy. On what basis were they saying that all the congregation of Yisrael was holy? Did they not come to this view as a result of taking note of all the various works that Moshe had done in the congregation of Yisrael? And if they accepted this portion of Moshe's works, a portion affirming that all the congregation of Yisrael was holy, why were they rejecting Moshe's authority in other works that Moshe undertook?
The point is if they really believed that Moshe and Aharon were phoney rulers, self-appointed rulers, then they should not have accepted any of the works of Moshe and Aharon. But by accepting some of Moshe and Aharon's works, and rejecting others, they effectively undermined the logical soundness of their position in confronting both Moshe and Aharon.
It appears that all that they were after was simply taking over the positions occupied by Moshe and Aharon. This was therefore an attempted coup d'etat or overthrow of both Moshe and Aharon from their positions of authority over the congregation! It is therefore evident that Korach and his company LUSTED AFTER or COVETED the positions occupied by both Moshe and Aharon.
In Human Controversies Let Yahweh Settle The Matter
16:4-5 shows that Moshe did not waste time with the covetous rebels in word battles, trying to prove to them the authenticity of his position. Seeing that they accepted that the congregation was holy, implying that they accepted Yahweh's authority over the congregation, Moshe simply suggested that Yahweh settle the matter once and for all, and end all this bickering between these two contending groups.
Seeing that the covetous rebels did not acknowledge Aharon's authority, Moshe suggested in 16:6-7 that they all, the rebels and Aharon, undertake the priestly duties that Aharon's household undertook. Yahweh would then make his choice among those undertaking these duties.
16:7-11 shows that Moshe began to inform the rebels of the adverse implications of their covetous rebellion. For not only did they not appreciate the special role that Yahweh had already given to them as Levites, serving the congregation from a vantage point that was near Yahweh, they also coveted that which they should not have coveted. And in so doing it was Yahweh's word that they were going against, and not really Moshe or Aharon's word.
Datan And Aviram's False Accusations Against Moshe
16:12-14 notes that Datan and Aviram not only openly rebelled against Moshe, but also accused him of murderous intent, falsely presiding over the children of Yisrael, and of failing to deliver on the inheritance promises given to Yisrael. They totally and conveniently ignored the reason for their wandering in the wilderness - their own previous rebellion against Yahweh. They therefore overlooked their sin, and blamed all on Moshe.
Rebels Against Yahweh Play With Death
It should be noted that Moshe knew all along that these covetous rebels were playing with death in their covetous rebellion. For Yahweh CLEARLY forbade STRANGERS from performing priesthood duties, forbidding this in Numbers 3:10. Yet these covetous rebels ignored this word of Yahweh, downgrading it to being Moshe's personal word, rather than Yahweh's word through Moshe. Moshe therefore knew that these covetous rebels were playing with death, for Yahweh said in Numbers 3:10 that anyone outside the Aharonic house who performs the priestly duties was to die!
16:19-22 notes that Yahweh intended to consume the whole congregation, as the whole congregation had joined itself with Korach in the latter's rebellion.
It should therefore be evident that rebels, and their accomplices, are consumed or destroyed by Yahweh.
Moshe's Works Were At Yahweh's Command
16:28 notes that the works that Moshe undertook in Yisrael were not the origins of his own mind, but were Yahweh's works. He acted as Yahweh commanded him to act.
This is the manner that Yahweh's servants ought to undertake Yahweh's works, doing what Yahweh has instructed them to do, rather than the origins of their own minds.
Rebellion Against Yahweh's Set Order Is Despising
Yahweh
16:30 notes that the rebels had DESPISED YAHWEH! In other words, when a person rebels from under the authority of another, he despises not only that person from whose authority he rebels, but also the one who ultimately gave that one that authority. Therefore, as the rebels had despised Moshe, despising the authority Moshe had, they not only despised Moshe, but also despised Yahweh, for it is Yahweh who gave Moshe the authority that he had.
[Where a wife rebels against her husband's authority, she is not only rebelling against and despising her husband, she is also rebelling against and despising Yahweh, for it is Yahweh who has made her husband head over her! And just as the consequence for those who rebelled against Yahweh was shown to be death, in the case of Datan and Aviram, so it is in the case of wives who rebel against their husbands and Yahweh!]
What Is Offered Before Yahweh Is Holy
16:38 notes that whatever is offered before Yahweh is holy, provided it does not breach Yahweh's word with respect to what may be offered to him.
No Stranger Should Undertake Priestly Duties
16:39-40 reiterates the lesson of Numbers 3:10, that NO STRANGER, anyone not of the house of Aharon, should come near to undertake duties that Yahweh has reserved exclusively for Aharonic priests.
The Congregation Was Courting Death
16:41 notes that the congregation of Yisrael had not really learned the lesson that resulted in the deaths of Korach, Datan and Aviram, together with their households, and the households of the men who accompanied them in their rebellion. That those who rebel against Yahweh's authority deserve to die, and are eventually killed by Yahweh, if they do not repent. For the congregation accused Moshe and Aharon of murdering those whom Yahweh had killed! The very same accusation that Datan and Aviram made against Moshe! In other words, just as the congregation had sided with the rebels prior to the death of the rebels, so also they continued to side with them even after their deaths! It is therefore evident that the congregation was courting death, even as Datan and Aviram were courting death!
Atoning Act Of The High Priest Covers All Under His
Domain
16:42-50 shows that just as the sin of the High Priest is imputed to all the congregation, as seen earlier on, so also is the atoning act of the High Priest good or valid for all the congregation. For Aharon's single atoning act was imputed to the entire congregation of Yisrael, such that when Aharon had performed his atoning act, the plague of death that had already began was stayed, and no more death was inflicted on the remaining sinners.
It should also be evident that when humans sin, sin deserving of death, they can indeed be spared of that death penalty by the atoning sacrifice of the Malki-Tzedek High Priest, Yah'shuah the Messiah, being imputed upon them. It is in this manner, through the atoning sacrifice of the Malki-Tzedek High Priest, that all human beings are potentially spared of the death penalty for their sins. For all humans, except the Malki-Tzedek High Priest, have sinned.
18:1Yahweh
said to Aharon, You and your sons and your fathers' house with you shall bear
the iniquity of the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you shall bear the
iniquity of your priesthood. 18:2Your
brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, bring you near with
you, that they may be joined to you, and minister to you: but you and your sons
with you shall be before the tent of the testimony. 18:3They shall keep your charge, and the charge
of all the Tent: only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary
and to the altar, that they not die, neither they, nor you. 18:4They shall be joined to you, and keep the
charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger
shall not come near to you. 18:5You
shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar; that there
be wrath no more on the children of Yisra'el. 18:6I,
behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the children of
Yisra'el: to you they are a gift, given to Yahweh, to do the service of the
tent of meeting. 18:7You and your
sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for
that within the veil; and you shall serve: I give you the priesthood as a
service of gift: and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.
18:8Yahweh
spoke to Aharon, I, behold, I have given you the charge of my heave-offerings,
even all the holy things of the children of Yisra'el; to you have I given them
by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, as a portion forever. 18:9This shall be yours of the most holy
things, reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, even every
meal-offering of theirs, and every sin-offering of theirs, and every
trespass-offering of theirs, which they shall render to me, shall be most holy
for you and for your sons. 18:10As
the most holy things shall you eat of it; every male shall eat of it: it shall
be holy to you. 18:11This is yours:
the heave-offering of their gift, even all the wave-offerings of the children
of Yisra'el; I have given them to you, and to your sons and to your daughters
with you, as a portion forever; everyone who is clean in your house shall eat
of it. 18:12All the best of the oil,
and all the best of the vintage, and of the grain, the first-fruits of them
which they give to Yahweh, to you have I given them. 18:13The first-ripe fruits of all that is in
their land, which they bring to Yahweh, shall be yours; everyone who is clean
in your house shall eat of it. 18:14Everything
devoted in Yisra'el shall be yours.
18:15Everything
that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Yahweh, both of man and
animal shall be yours: nevertheless the firstborn of man shall you surely
redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals shall you redeem. 18:16Those who are to be redeemed of them from
a month old shall you redeem, according to your estimation, for the money of
five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs). 18:17But the firstborn of a cow, or the
firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they
are holy: you shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat
for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor to Yahweh. 18:18The flesh of them shall be yours, as the
wave-breast and as the right thigh, it shall be yours.
18:19All
the heave-offerings of the holy things, which the children of Yisra'el offer to
Yahweh, have I given you, and your sons and your daughters with you, as a
portion forever: it is a covenant of salt forever before Yahweh to you and to
your seed with you. 18:20Yahweh said
to Aharon, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have
any portion among them: I am your portion and your inheritance among the
children of Yisra'el. 18:21To the
children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Yisra'el for an
inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of
the tent of meeting. 18:22Henceforth
the children of Yisra'el shall not come near the tent of meeting, lest they
bear sin, and die. 18:23But the
Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their
iniquity: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations; and among
the children of Yisra'el they shall have no inheritance. 18:24For the tithe of the children of Yisra'el,
which they offer as a heave-offering to Yahweh, I have given to the Levites for
an inheritance: therefore I have said to them, Among the children of Yisra'el
they shall have no inheritance.
18:25Yahweh
spoke to Moshe, saying, 18:26Moreover
you shall speak to the Levites, and tell them, When you take of the children of
Yisra'el the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then
you shall offer up a heave-offering of it for Yahweh, a tithe of the tithe. 18:27Your heave-offering shall be reckoned to
you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of
the winepress. 18:28Thus you also
shall offer a heave-offering to Yahweh of all your tithes, which you receive of
the children of Yisra'el; and of it you shall give Yahweh's heave-offering to
Aharon the Kohen. 18:29Out of all
your gifts you shall offer every heave-offering of Yahweh, of all the best of
it, even the holy part of it out of it. 18:30Therefore
you shall tell them, When you heave the best of it from it, then it shall be
reckoned to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the
increase of the wine-press. 18:31You
shall eat it in every place, you and your households: for it is your reward
in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 18:32You shall bear no sin by reason of it,
when you have heaved from it the best of it: and you shall not profane the holy
things of the children of Yisra'el, that you not die.
Aharonic Priesthood Typifies Malki-Tzedek
Priesthood
It should be remembered that the Aharonic priesthood typifies the Malki-Tzedek one. Such that the structure and functions of the Aharonic priesthood reflect the structure and functions of the Malki-Tzedek priesthood.
18:1 therefore implies that Malki-Tzedek priests, and others in the wider family comprising Malki-Tzedek priests, are charged with the duty of the sanctuary - the place or locality that has been set apart for a holy use, as Yahweh's dwelling place.
Who Makes Up The Malki-Tzedek Priesthood?
Who are these in the wider family comprising Malki-Tzedek priests?
Seeing that there currently exists a Malki-Tzedek High Priest, Yah'shuah the Messiah, who is it that belongs to Yah'shuah's wider family?
Mattityahu (Matthew) 12:48-50 notes that Yah'shuah's wider family members are those who do the will of his Father who is in heaven. It therefore appears that those who currently undertake the Father's will are indeed family members of the Malki-Tzedek priests. This implies that all of Yah'shuah true disciples are family members of Malki-Tzedek priests.
Levites Typify Yah'shuah's Disciples
18:2 notes that the brothers of the Aharonic priests, the Levites, were brought near TOGETHER with the Aharonic priests, in the service of the tent of testimony. And their role was to MINISTER to the Aharonic priests. But they were not to have the status that Aharonic priests had, for Aharonic priests stood before the tent of testimony, while other Levites did not.
It like manner Yah'shuah's disciples are to minister to Yah'shuah, doing whatever it is that Yah'shuah, the Malki-Tzedek High Priest, tells them. And only Yah'shuah, the Malki-Tzedek High Priest, stands before the true tent of testimony in heaven that houses Father Yahweh. For Yah'shuah's disciples are currently prevented from standing before this tent in heaven.
Only Yah'shuah's True Disciples Should Come Near
Yah'shuah
18:4 implies that only Yah'shuah's disciples should come near to Yah'shuah to undertake Yah'shuah's charge. Those who are truly not Yah'shuah's disciples - STRANGERS - should not come near to Yah'shuah in a purported attempt to undertake the works exclusively reserved for Yah'shuah's disciples.
Seeing that it those who are not the true assistants of priests have been barred from approaching the priests to serve under them, it should indeed be evident that it is indeed possible for such to misappropriate unto themselves what does not rightfully belong to them. Yah'shuah's true disciples should therefore note that there are those who are not Yah'shuah's true disciples, yet palm themselves off as such, in order to misappropriate unto themselves service that truly belongs to Yah'shuah's true disciples.
Priests Should Act To Ensure That Wrath Does Not
Befall Those Under Their Domain
18:5 shows that the purpose of the works of the priesthood, and those of their assistants or servants, is to avert wrath falling on the children of Yisrael. In other words, the works of the Malki-Tzedek priesthood, and those of its assistants or servants, is to avert wrath falling on those under their domain. And the wrath that would befall those under their domain is Yahweh's wrath, inflicted upon unrepentant sinners.
Only Malki-Tzedek Priests Can Perform Malki-Tzedek
Duties
18:7 implies that only Malki-Tzedek priests can undertake the appropriate duties of Malki-Tzedek priests, serving at the true altar and within the true veil of the true tent in heaven.
Yahweh Has Given His Tithes From His Congregation
To Yah'shuah's Servants
18:21 notes that Yahweh has given the tithes of the people to those who assist the priests in their work of service in the tent of meeting.
This would imply that Yahweh has given the tithes of his congregation to those of the congregation that he has brought near to him to serve Yah'shuah in the works that Yah'shuah undertakes as the Malki-Tzedek High Priest. It therefore appears that Yahweh has indeed given the tithes of his congregation to those servants of Yah'shuah that he has brought near to him to undertake the duties of assisting Yah'shuah in his priestly duties.
Those in Yahweh's congregation should therefore identify those whom Yahweh has brought near to himself to serve under Yah'shuah in Yah'shuah's priestly duties.
Only Those Called To Assist Yah'shuah Should
Undertake Relevant Assisting Duties
18:22-23 implies that only those whom Yahweh has called to serve in the duty of assisting Yah'shuah in his priestly responsibilities, serving over the domain of those who are under Yah'shuah, are to undertake those duties. The rest of the congregation are not to undertake the duties reserved only for those called to undertake them.
Who are these of Yahweh's congregation who have been called to serve Yah'shuah in assisting him with his Malki-Tzedek priestly duties?
Do Yah'shuah's Servants Need To Tithe Of What They
Receive From Yahweh's Congregation?
With respect to 18:26-32, how are Yah'shuah servants called to assist him in his performance of his Malki-Tzedek priestly duties to tithe of what they receive as tithe from Yahweh's congregation?
In the case of Levites they had the Aharonic household physically near to them. They could therefore physically fulfil the command to tithe of the tithe they received from the congregation. In the case of Aharon's household, the priestly household, there was no requirement upon them to tithe of what they received. For the only one they could tithe to of what they received was Yahweh. But it is Yahweh who gave them what belonged to him - his tithe, in exchange for their service. In like manner it appears to me that Yah'shuah's servants who receive tithes from Yahweh congregation are not to tithe to anyone else of what they receive as tithes from the congregation of Yahweh. For it is Yahweh's gift to them in exchange for their service in assisting Yah'shuah in the performance of his Malki-Tzedek priestly duties.
Yahweh's Priests Should Be Consulted In Determining
Difficult Legal Matters
27:1Then
drew near the daughters of Tzelohchad, the son of Chefer, the son of Gil`ad,
the son of Makhir, the son of Menashshe, of the families of Menashshe the son
of Yosef; and these are the names of his daughters: Machlah, Noach, and
Choglah, and Milkah, and Tirtzah. 27:2They
stood before Moshe, and before El`azar the Kohen, and before the princes and
all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying, 27:3Our father died in the wilderness, and he
was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against
Yahweh in the company of Korach: but he died in his own sin; and he had no
sons. 27:4Why should the name of our
father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give to us a
possession among the brothers of our father.
27:5Moshe
brought their cause before Yahweh. 27:6Yahweh
spoke to Moshe, saying, 27:7The
daughters of Tzelohchad speak right: you shall surely give them a possession of
an inheritance among their father's brothers; and you shall cause the
inheritance of their father to pass to them. 27:8You
shall speak to the children of Yisra'el, saying, If a man die, and have no son,
then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. 27:9If he has no daughter, then you shall give
his inheritance to his brothers. 27:10If
he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's
brothers. 27:11If his father have no
brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him
of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be to the children of
Yisra'el a statute and ordinance, as Yahweh commanded Moshe.
It is evident from 27:2 that in difficult legal matters those who were consulted were the Kohanim or priests. And in legal matters too difficult for the priests, the High Priest was consulted, that determination of the matter be made.
It is also evident that it is Yahweh's answer that was to be given to the people seeking legal direction or determination, and not the personal opinions of those so consulted.
Consult Yahweh, Through His Malki-Tzedek
Priesthood, In Determining Difficult Legal Matters
27:12Yahweh
said to Moshe, Get you up into this mountain of `Avarimen, and see the land
which I have given to the children of Yisra'el. 27:13When
you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aharon your
brother was gathered; 27:14because
you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Tzin, in the strife of the
congregation, to sanctify me at the waters before their eyes. (These are the
waters of Merivah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Tzin.)
27:15Moshe
spoke to Yahweh, saying, 27:16Let
Yahweh, the Mighty One of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the
congregation, 27:17who may go out
before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and
who may bring them in; that the congregation of Yahweh not be as sheep which
have no shepherd.
27:18Yahweh
said to Moshe, Take you Yah'shuah the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit,
and lay your hand on him; 27:19and
set him before El`azar the Kohen, and before all the congregation; and give him
a charge in their sight. 27:20You
shall put of your honor on him, that all the congregation of the children of
Yisra'el may obey. 27:21He shall
stand before El`azar the Kohen, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of
the Urim before Yahweh: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they
shall come in, both he, and all the children of Yisra'el with him, even all the
congregation.
27:22Moshe
did as Yahweh commanded him; and he took Yah'shuah, and set him before El`azar
the Kohen, and before all the congregation: 27:23and
he laid his hands on him, and gave him a charge, as Yahweh spoke by Moshe.
It is evident from 27:21 that both the leader of the congregation, and the congregation itself, are to consult Yahweh on difficult matters, making this consultation through the High Priest. It therefore appears that it is appropriate to seek Yahweh's word from his Malki-Tzedek priests, and from those authorised by Yahweh's Malki-Tzedek High Priest to so give such word.
Yahweh's Priests Are His Judicial Officers Over His
Congregation
17:8If
there arise a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood,
between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of
controversy within your gates; then shall you arise, and get you up to the
place which Yahweh your Mighty One shall choose; 17:9and
you shall come to the Kohanim the Levites, and to the judge who shall be in
those days: and you shall inquire; and they shall show you the sentence of
judgment. 17:10You shall do
according to the tenor of the sentence which they shall show you from that
place which Yahweh shall choose; and you shall observe to do according to all
that they shall teach you: 17:11according
to the tenor of the law which they shall teach you, and according to the
judgment which they shall tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside from
the sentence which they shall show you, to the right hand, nor to the left. 17:12The man who does presumptuously, in not
listening to the Kohen who stands to minister there before Yahweh your Mighty
One, or to the judge, even that man shall die: and you shall put away the evil
from Yisra'el. 17:13All the people
shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
Yahweh has given his priests the responsibility of being the judicial officers over his congregation, whose judgement in a matter must be respected by those in the congregation.
Therefore, when a difficult legal matter arises in Yahweh's congregation, the people should go to Yahweh's Malki-Tzedek High Priest, Yah'shuah the Messiah, for determination of the matter. Also, those who assist Yah'shuah in his Malki-Tzedek priestly duties must be very conversant in Yahweh's law. For it is they who will be called upon by their brethren in Yahweh's congregation to determine a matter according to Yahweh's word.
Priests To Accurately Preserve Yahweh's Law
17:14When
you are come to the land which Yahweh your Mighty One gives you, and shall
possess it, and shall dwell therein, and shall say, I will set a king over me,
like all the nations that are round about me; 17:15you
shall surely set him king over you, whom Yahweh your Mighty One shall choose:
one from among your brothers shall you set king over you; you may not put a
foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 17:16Only
he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to
Mitzrayim, to the end that he may multiply horses; because Yahweh has said to
you, You shall henceforth return no more that way. 17:17Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his
heart not turn away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and
gold. 17:18It shall be, when he sits
on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a
book, out of that which is before the Kohanim the Levites: 17:19and it shall be with him, and he shall
read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear Yahweh his
Mighty One, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; 17:20that his heart not be lifted up above his
brothers, and that he not turn aside from the commandment, to the right hand,
or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and
his children, in the midst of Yisra'el.
It is evident that Yahweh charged the Aharonic priesthood with the responsibility of accurately preserving the book of the law. For it is their copy that was to act as the base copy of a copy that a king of Yisrael was to use for the purpose of studying Yahweh's law, and walking faithfully in it.
It should therefore also be evident that those assisting the Malki-Tzedek High Priest in his priestly duties must not only be well versed in the law, but must accurately preserve Yahweh's law. For it is they who will be consulted by their brethren, Yah'shuah's disciples, for an accurate rendition of Yahweh's law.
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