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‫ֻח ַּקת‬
HUKKAT – REGULATION
HUKKAT (
‫ ) ֻח ַּקת‬IS A REGULATION THAT NEED NOT BE QUESTIONED
EVEN IF THE MEANING IS NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD.
TORAH PORTION
– B’MIDBAR (NUM) 19:1–22:1
Yochanan (John) 3:14-17
14 Just as Moshe lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
15 so that everyone who trusts in Him may have eternal life. 16 "For G-d so loved the world
that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts (nau,kjv believes) in Him may
have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. 17 For G-d did not send the Son into the
world to judge (kjv condemn) the world, but rather so that through Him, the world might be
saved.
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B’MIDBAR (NUM) 21
1 Then the king of 'Arad, a Kena'ani (Canaanite) who lived in the Negev, heard that Isra'el was
approaching by way of Atarim, so he attacked Isra'el and took some of them captive. 2 Isra'el
made a vow to ADONAI, "If you will hand this people over to me, I will completely destroy
their cities."
What does making a vow to ADONAI tell you about the mindset of the people at this moment?
3 ADONAI listened to what Isra'el said and handed over the Kena'anim, so they completely
destroyed them and their cities and named the place Hormah [complete destruction].
Note that there was no reasoning for attacking Israel in this case; Israel was not warring against
the people of King Arad. Although, from this point onward Israel has become an unsurpassed
military force! What was the power behind Israel’s strength?
4 Then they traveled from Mount Hor on the road toward the Sea of Suf in order to go around
the land of Edom; but the people's tempers grew short because of the detour.
“; but the people's tempers grew short because of the detour.”
What causes tempers to grow short when there are detours in life? What has been our
responses when we have detours in life?
5 The people spoke against G-d and against Moshe: "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt?
To die in the desert? There's no real food, there's no water (
‫) ֵ֥אין ֶ ֶ֙ל ֶח ֶ֙ם וְ ֵ֣אין ַ֔מיִ ם‬, and we're
sick of this miserable stuff we're eating!"
“There's no real food, there's no water (
‫) ֵ֥אין ֶ ֶ֙ל ֶח ֶ֙ם וְ ֵ֣אין ַ֔מיִ ם‬,”
Was this true?
Interesting, this is approximately the 8th time that Moshe is accused of trying to kill the people
yet they are still alive! What causes such false reasoning among people?
Why was Moshe attacked in that he was only G-d’s servant? Does this happen today with G-d’s
servants?
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6 In response, ADONAI sent poisonous snakes among the people; they bit the people, and
many of Isra'el's people died.
“ADONAI sent poisonous snakes” Why would ADONAI send poisonous snakes among His own
people? Does this remind you of a previous story in B’resheet (Genesis)?
bit – Strong’s #5391 ‫ נָ שְך‬nashak Meaning: to bite
kjv
Micah 3
5(a) Thus saith the L-RD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with
their teeth, ….
7 The people came to Moshe and said, "We sinned by speaking against ADONAI and against
you. Pray to ADONAI that He rid us of these snakes." Moshe prayed for the people,
Mattityahu (Matt) 12:34-37
34 You snakes (nau, kjv vipers)! How can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth
speaks what overflows from the heart. 35 The good person brings forth good things from
his store of good, and the evil person brings forth evil things from his store of evil.
36 Moreover, I tell you this: on the Day of Judgment people will have to give account for
every careless word they have spoken; 37 for by your own words you will be acquitted,
and by your own words you will be condemned."
The people knew and confessed what caused the devastation. Could you intercede in prayer for
someone after they attacked you?
Luke 23
34(a) Yeshua said, "Father, forgive them; they don't understand what they are doing." ….
8 and ADONAI answered Moshe: "Make a poisonous snake and put it on a pole. When anyone
who has been bitten sees it, he will live."
Notice that the response from ADONAI came after Moshe’s interceding!
A simple but important question. Who conceived this simple plan? Would this plan seem foolish
in the natural world?
1 Corinthians 1
23 we go on proclaiming a Messiah executed on a stake as a criminal! To Jews this is an
obstacle, and to Greeks it is nonsense;
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9 Moshe made a bronze snake and put it on the pole; if a snake had bitten someone, then,
when he looked toward the bronze snake, he stayed alive.
Why didn’t the solution involve the snakes not biting anymore? What would looking at the
bronze snake signify?
“when he looked”
kjv
Hebrews 12
2 Looking unto Jesus (Yeshua) the author and finisher of our faith;
1 Corinthians 10
9 And let us not put the Messiah to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by
snakes.
10 The people of Isra'el traveled on and camped at Ovot. 11 From Ovot they traveled and
camped at 'Iyei-Ha'avarim, in the desert fronting Mo'av on the east. 12 From there they
traveled and camped in Vadi Zered.
THUS BEGAN THE LONG AND DIFFICULT DETOUR TRIP AROUND EDOM
NEVERTHELESS PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE.
Acts 28
5 But he [Sha’ul / Paul] shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm.
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