Nasso “take”
It is customary for religiously practicing Jews to read from an annual cycle of weekly Old Testament readings called Torah Portions. This is said to be the same reading schedule that was taught every Sabbath in the Synagogues during the times of Jesus in the first century.
As Christians exploring the Torah portion cycle we must maintain a balance of including the Old Testament, the prophets, and the gospels in our weekly bible study.
Torah Portion Name and Readings-
Nasso is the Hebrew word for “take”, this is the name for the weekly Torah Portion reading for the Numbers starting in chapter 4 verse 21 and going through chapter 7 and verse 89.
Prophets and New Testament-
It is also important to point out that along with the Torah portion readings and teachings, there are what are called Haftarah portions which are readings from the Bible in the books of the prophets. This week’s haftarah readings come from the book of Judges in chapter 13 verse 2 through verse 25.
The gospel readings incorporated with the weekly Torah portion readings come from the book of Luke in chapter 1 with verses 11 through verse 20.
Torah Portion Overview-
In this torah portion Moses is instructed to take a census of the other two families of the Levites, the Gershonites and the Merarites, from the age of their service, 30 to 50. Their service is described. Next we get an overview of the census of the Levites for the age of the service. Israel is commanded to put out the unclean from their camp. Next instructions are given when an Israelite sins against another, their confession and the restitution and the portion that belongs to the Lord. Next is given the ritual that the priest is to perform when a woman is accused of adultery (to protect her if she is innocent). The law of the Nazarite is prescribed with all the elements that they are to not partake of. Then comes the blessing that the priests are to pronounce on the people. Finally comes offerings. The leaders of Israel first make an offering, then they offer a larger offering for the dedication of the altar. Lastly the book of Numbers specifically points out that Yahweh spoke to Moses from above the Ark of the Covenant, between the cherubim.
Last week we focused on the census that they took in the Torah and how we are children of Abraham. We covered how there are neither Jews nor Gentiles, our status does not matter. Instead, it is by faith that we become sons of Abraham. To put it another way, our physical heritage doesn’t matter as much as our heritage of faith. Today I want to finish this focus on the census but I want to focus on how we are children of God, adopted because of the great mercy and work of the Messiah!
“But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.”
John 1:12-13 (NRSVue)
We are His children! No longer destined for destruction and an outsider, we are now on the inside, not as a slave but as a son/daughter! Before Christ we were children of God by heritage from Adam and Abraham, but we were also outsiders. Instead of being guided and ruled directly by God, He had placed a guardian over us (the law). The law was designed to keep us in order and teach us how to act as members of His household. Even though we were sons we lived like slaves, being subject to the guardian.
“Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be reckoned as righteous by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.”
Galatians 3:24-29 (NRSVue)
However, after Christ came we were no longer ruled over by the guardian (the law). Instead, we were adopted directly into the family of God. We are no longer slaves, but instead sons and heirs of the promise.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir through God.”
Galatians 4:4-7 (NRSVue)
What then? We are not slaves to the law, does that mean that all restraint is cast off? Are we able to do what we want? No, for we are ruled not by the law, but by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He is in our heart and speaks to us keeping us in line with the way of God.
“So then, brothers and sisters, we are obligated, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we in fact suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.”
Romans 8:12-17 (NRSVue)
As part of this promised adoption we received the Holy Spirit. Yet the Holy Spirit is not the only gift, for we will also be adopted! Our bodies will be redeemed, that is, we will be saved from death when we are resurrected! No longer will death reign over us, but instead we will have eternal life.
“and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.”
Romans 8:23 (NRSVue)
What is this adoption? Paul speaks of our adoption as the final result of us being sons, that is, we will become like Him! We don’t have to fully understand what this means, indeed, it is a mystery.
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.”
1 John 3:1-2 (NRSVue)
This gift of adoption was not a byproduct, but the outcome of a plan. We were chosen for adoption before the foundation of the world! This is amazing, for the plan of Christ, the plan was to bring us into His family as His children!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”
Ephesians 1:3-6 (NRSVue)
We have a destiny, that destiny is Jesus! We are chosen, chosen to be a part of His family. We are no longer outsiders, we are in the family. We do not rely on a physical heritage, we rely and trust in the heritage of our faith, our adoption as children of God.
Torah Portion Scriptural Highlights-
Numbers 4:21 Moses instructed to take a census of the Gershonites and Merarites from age 30 to 50 and describes their service.
Numbers 4:34 An overview of the census of the Levites from age 30 to 50.
Numbers 5:1 The unclean are to be put outside of the camp.
Numbers 5:5 Confession of sin and the restitution portion.
Numbers 5:11 The ritual of jealousy when a woman is accused of adultery.
Numbers 6:1 The law of a Nazarite vow.
Numbers 6:22 The blessing of the priests on the people.
Numbers 7:1 The leaders of Israel make an offering.
Numbers 7:10 The leaders of Israel present offerings for the dedication of the altar.
Numbers 7:89 Moses hears the voice of the Lord from above the Ark of the Covenant.
Haftarah (Prophets) Scriptural Highlights-
Judges 13:2 The Angel of the Lord appears to Manoah and his wife and tells them of Samson’s destiny and that he is to be a Nazarite.
Brit (Gospel) Scriptural Highlights-
Luke 1:11 The angel Gabriel appears to Zachariah and tells him of John’s conception and destiny and that he is to be a Nazarite.
Luke 1:18 Zechariah does not believe Gabriel and so is told he will not speak until the baby is born.
To Watch an overview of this week’s Torah Portion CLICK HERE