Nasso (Numbers 4:21 – 7:89)
“May the Lord bless you and keep you! May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you! May the Lord lift up his face upon you and give peace!” (Numbers 6:24-26).
The opening of Torah portion Nasso reads, “Again the Lord spoke to Moses saying, ‘Take a census also of the sons of Gershon by their ancestral households and by their families’” (Num. 4:21-22). The phrase “take a census” can be read literally as, “lift up the head” (נָשֹׂא אֶת-רֹאשׁ). While it may not be obvious by these words, this portion is about encouragement – the lifting up of the people of God from their circumstance. Based upon the opening census of this portion, along with other censuses found in Scripture, the rabbinic sages concluded that the Lord counts that which he loves. We learn from Messiah Yeshua/Jesus that so great is the love and care of the Lord for his people that “the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matt. 10:30). This should be a source of great encouragement.
The theme of lifting up extends through this entire portion of the Torah; as we note major concepts related to נָשֹׂא, “raise up.” As examples:
נָשֹׂא אֶת-רֹאש, “lift of the head of the sons of Gershon,” the census of Gershon mentioned above.
The Priestly Blessing,בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים is also called נשיאת כפיים, the “lifting of the palms.”
The issue of marriage regarding the “spirit of jealous,” רוּחַ-קִנְאָה: marriage in Hebrew is נישואין.
יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ “Lift up His countenance ,” יִשָּׂא is from נָשֹׂא.
The gifts from the headsof the tribes: prince is נָשִׂיא.
Additionally, the teaching of the Nazarite also lifted the people of God up. How so? No matter how poor or ordinary or unlearned a Hebrew was, even he could reach a place of sanctity by first shaving, and then simply not cutting his hair and abstaining from the fruit of the vine. We note in the New Covenant that even the apostle Paul took upon himself the vow of the Nazarite, as we read in Acts 18:18, “At Cenchrea Paul had his hair cut off, for he was keeping a vow.” Then in Acts 21 Paul pays the Temple expenses of four other Jewish believers in Messiah at the direction of the apostle James; in order for them to begin or fulfill their Nazarite vow (Acts 21:23-24, 26).
The theme of lifting up by the Lord is found throughout the Bible. We read in Psalm 30:1, “I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,” or James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of God, and He will lift you up.” This theme of lifting up represents a change in circumstance, in position, and condition for both the poor and the wealthy among the covenant people of God; and in each case, we find the Lord meeting his people where they are in order raise them to where he desires them to be.
Experiencing the Spirit-filled covenant life in our daily lives is not conditioned upon complex practices or elaborate prayers, but on the people of God approaching him humbled, regardless of social position or condition. The Spirit-filled covenant life in Messiah, the Risen One (Matt. 28:6), was not designed by the Lord to be out of reach for the most esteemed personage, or the most simple; rather, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise” (Ps. 51:19). Again, as James reminds us, “Humble yourselves in the sight of God, and He will lift you up” (Jas. 4:10).
The Spirit-filled life is secured not by our action or performance being accepted by the Lord (Eph. 2:8-9); but rather, the work of Messiah Yeshua lifted up on the cross (Jn. 3:14-18). Dr. Tim Keller explains, “It is not the level but the object of our faith that saves us.” All of the shadows of lifting, as found in this portion of the Torah, are fulfilled in the person of Messiah – who lifts us, rescues us, blesses us, and provides gifts to utilize in vertical worship unto the Lord by horizontal lifting service to the human other (Lev. 19:18; Ro. 12:1-8).
In this day and age, as the complexities of life continue to distract, let our faith rest on the Gospel of Messiah. Let us not complicate the simple matters of faith – prayer, worship and loving action. May we continue to rest on the simple, albeit complex, truth that Messiah gave it all, paid it all, and overcame it all in order to lift us to heavenly heights in him regardless of our circumstance. Friends, may you have hope for today, tomorrow and every day the Lord blesses you with from these simple words.
Be well, shalom;
Dr. J.D. Elwell