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 who profess our faith in Jesus, we study the Old Testament to understand the historical, cultural, and contextual background of the history of our heritage in Jesus. This is commonly known as the Messianic teachings of Christianity and is a part of our Saturday Church in Norman, Oklahoma.

While customs are not commandments there is beauty for believers in Jesus (Yeshua) to understand their identity as grafted into the covenants with Israel. As descendants of Abraham, all Christians are heirs according to the promise given to Abraham even before Sinai. Christians should study and learn the Torah and show respect for their Jewish brothers and sisters. It is through the study of the law that we see another level of greatness in Jesus who is the lawgiver and the greatest Torah teacher of all time.

Pinchas is the Hebrew title for “Phinehas” and is the name for the weekly Torah portion reading for the Book of Numbers starting in chapter 25 and going through chapter 30 verse 1.

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 reading comes from the book of 1 Kings in chapter 18 verse 41 through chapter 19 verse 19.

The gospel readings that are incorporated with the weekly Torah portion readings come from the book of John in chapter 2 with verses 13 through 22.

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 Overview-

Pinchas is the Hebrew name for the Torah Portion of “Phinehas.” It is the forty-first Torah Portion reading in the annual cycle of weekly Torah Portion readings. The name comes from the second verse which says, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath" (Numbers 25:11). In this weekly Torah Portion the Lord enters into a covenant of peace and shall with Phinehas and his descendants, there is a second census, another question about inheritance is settled, Joshua is appointed to succeed Moses, and a list of sacrifices are given for the annual Feast Day’s.

Torah Portion Scriptural Highlights-

• Numbers 25:10 Balak Summons Balaam to Curse Israel

• Numbers 26:1 Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

• Numbers 27:1 Balaam’s First Oracle

• Numbers 27:12 Balaam’s Second Oracle

• Numbers 28:1 Balaam’s Third Oracle

• Numbers 28:9 Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

• Numbers 28:11 Worship of Baal of Peor

• Numbers 28:16 Offerings for Passover

• Numbers 28:26 Offerings for Pentecost/Shavuot

• Numbers 29:1 Offerings for Feast of Trumpets

• Numbers 29:7 Offerings for the Day of Atonement

• Numbers 29:12 Offerings for Tabernacles/Sukkot

Haftarah (Prophets) Scriptural Highlights-

• 1 Kings 18:41 The Drought Ends

• 1 Kings 19:11 Elijah meets God at Mt. Horeb

• 1 Kings 19:19 Elisha becomes Elijah’s Disciple

Brit (Gospel) Scriptural Highlights-

• John 2:13 Jesus goes to Jerusalem for Passover

• John 2:15 Jesus cleanses the Temple

The Book of Numbers “Bamidbar” which means “In the Wilderness.”

The Old Testament is commonly referred to as the Torah. It is the most sacred of all of Israel’s Scriptures. Most of our modern Bibles include the Old Testament “Torah” as the first five books in the Bible. The name in Hebrew of the fourth book of the Bible (Numbers) is Bamidbar. The name “Bamidbar” comes from one of the opening phrases in the book of Numbers which means “In the Wilderness,”

The Greek Septuagint is where we find the English name for “Bamidbar” called “Numbers.”

In the Book of Numbers, we see the recounting of the story of Israel’s quest through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. It is a journey that could have been negated if it weren’t for the bad report of the ten spies. It also outlines how the generation who came out of Egypt would die in the wilderness and give way to the triumph of the second generation in leading their way into taking the promised land as their inheritance.

As Messianic Christians, we find the book of Numbers and the stories therein, as a historical account of how we as believers are grafted into the covenants and promises of God with our forefathers and how we can learn to walk and learn from their actions.

To Watch an overview of this week’s Torah Portion CLICK HERE