Read Numbers 25:10-29:40 at Bible Gateway.
pinchas chiastic structure 2013 jun 29
pinchas paragraph divisions 2012 jul 14
joshua a type of messiah 2011 mar 14
70 bulls for 70 nations 2011 mar 15
the teaching tools of scripture
Each year, as I work my way through Torah, I seek to outline it in various ways so that I might read its detailed message, without missing its big picture message (please see the teaching tools of scripture if you are unfamiliar with the unique ways that Torah communicates its message). The Torah can be divided into its Hebrew paragraph divisions, then its strong themes (all the greater paragraphs bounded by strong paragraph divisions); then its triennial cycle divisions (152 divisions), and finally its annual cycle divisions (54 divisions). Most of these have their own chiastic structures which help explain that section. Many of the divisions combine together to form greater chiastic structures as well.
So then, in my notes, each division has its single line theme, which summarizes the passage. For Numbers, I have completed these outlines:
outline of numbers by its hebrew paragraph divisions
outline of numbers by its strong themes
And I am in various stages of completion for the triennial and annual cycle divisions. This year, since the chiastic structure for Num 25:10-29:40 is already completed, I have been meditating on the overarching theme pinchas’ paragraph divisions, strong themes, and chiastic structure can be communicating. At this point, please see pinchas chiastic structure if you are unfamiliar with it, and why the structure is constructed as it is. Here is the structure:
1a) Num 25:10-26:1a {p+p} YHVH’s covenant of peace with Phinehas;
1b) Num 26:1b-27:11 {sx10+p+s+s+p+p} The believing generation who will inherit the land;
central axis) Num 27:12-14 {s} Moses will not go in, because he rebelled against YHVH’s command, to hallow Him;
2b) Num 27:15-23 {p} Joshua inaugurated to lead the people and cause them to inherit the land;
2a) Num 28:1-29:40 {p+p+s+s+p+sx9+p} The appointed times of YHVH’s offerings by fire as a sweet aroma.
Phinehas as a type of Messiah reveals that Messiah, operating in His priesthood, establishes a covenant of peace for Israel which extends to the 70 nations which rebelled at Babel. Messiah takes up His priesthood that no more wrath come upon Israel, or the nations. So the angels sang at Messiah’s birth:
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luk 2:14
Next we have that the believing generation enters its promise under Joshua, not Moses. Joshua, a type of Messiah (Joshua is the anglicized form of Yeshua), causes believers to inherit the promise. Moses (a type of salvation by works of obedience to the Law) does not cause the inheritance of the promise.
In other words, those who do works in unbelief or apart from faith, will not inherit salvation (enter the promise) on their merit, but those who believe will inherit salvation. Do we then nullify the Law through faith? By no means! Rather, we establish the Law (Rom 3:31) – obedience flows from the saved (the New Testament calls it sanctification), but is not the means of being saved (called justification).
So the theme of pinchas: The everlasting priesthood of Yeshua (Phinehas by type) establishes the covenant of peace between God and Israel, even to all 70 nations, so that Yeshua (Joshua by type) leads those who believe to inherit salvation (the promise by type) by grace through faith, but unbelief or works of the Law (Moses by type) will not inherit salvation.
Num 25:10-29:40, pinchas “phinehas”: Yeshua by type establishes the covenant of peace + leads believers into the promise, i.e., salvation by type.
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