05/30/2026
Nasso/Take Up
Num.4:21-7:89, Jdg.13:2-25, Mat 9:18-38
This week’s portion continues the enumeration of the Levites and their duties. The division of responsibilities ensures that every aspect of worship would be covered in the Tabernacle/Temple service. This exclusivism meant that not everyone would be administering the work in the house of God and some were even excluded from entering in to partake of the ministry within as they were unclean and needed to remain at a distance to maintain the holiness and purity of sacred space. That should not be understood to mean they were uncared for by God, though his representatives might have at times and individually failed to attend to them as God would have wanted. There is in this portion an answer to the problem of distance of the people from the Tabernacle/Temple services of the Levites and Priests in the office of the Nazirite. The individual who took a Nazirite vow took on the holiness position of the High Priest without the inclusion to service in the house of God. The purpose of doing this is not meant to be so someone could boast of how holy they were, but rather to take on the responsibility of being “Holy to YHVH” as his representative, the High Priest, to the people outside the Tabernacle/Temple complex. John the Baptist is a good example of this. This would also apply to the imparting of the Priestly blessing covered in this portion. Rather than just something you would receive if you were at the Tabernacle/Temple at the right time, God’s representative would come to you, engage with you in bringing God and his word to you and then declaring his blessing for you.
Mat 9:18-25 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
Mat 9:27-29 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be done to you.”
Mat 9:32-33 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.”
Mat 9:35-38 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
It seems the people were without help for their issues till Yeshua came to minister life to them, but they did have resources available to them. The Levites and Priests were commissioned to serve the people as were others who were serving the people as healers and deliverers. There were many synagogues staffed with leaders who represented and taught Torah. There were schools of the prophets, places of learning to function in the office of a prophet. There was a pool of healing for the first to enter after an Angel stirred the waters. There were also doctors, learned men who performed medical treatments and administering cures for the peoples ailments. So, why weren’t the people healed, freed and lead into righteousness? Likely, many were administering man’s knowledge, wisdom and understanding rather than having God’s spirit that brings life working through them. Teaching righteousness as determined by the Rabbis rather than God’s word, treating health issues with the limited understanding of the created rather than the creator, Using elaborate formulas to exercise spirits rather than bringing God’s spirit to replace the evil one. There were some successes by others when God honored their efforts or worked through them specifically. Scripture records some of the works of the prophets God sent to the people to minister to them the works and words of life through the moving of the Holy Spirit. The key was and is that though they were human, the Holy Spirit worked through them to minister to people. Yeshua saw there was many in need, not just for someone to administer their own words and works, but for many to be filled with the Holy Spirit to partner in ministering to people, restoring, delivering, instructing and strengthening. Everyone to their own place and position, functioning as assigned making complete the service of the Kingdom modeled in the Tabernacle/Temple.
Final comment for clarity: The function of service outside the Tabernacle/Temple complex was not and is not a doing away with the service of the house of God, rather an extension of sacred space. We, as the Temple of the Holy Spirit, take the ministry of the Levites and priests out to the people while the Levites and Priests receive those who come in to the sacred space. May those we encounter in the world then go and fellowship with the God we brought out to them. (in assemblies of God’s people as sacred space till the restoration of the Temple).
