Shabbat, Sivan 11th, 5785
Verbal Commitment: Nasso, Accounts
"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." - Romans 14:12 (KJV)
The Greek word for "account" in this verse is "λόγος" (logos), which carries meanings of word, statement, speech, account, or reckoning.
The Voice of the Lord
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.
Psalm 29:3-9
The Divine Voice Between the Cherubim
In Parashat Nasso, the Divine voice speaks from a most sacred space—between the cherubim atop the Ark of the Covenant.
Numbers 7:89
When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the Voice addressing him from above the cover on the Ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim.
The Sacred Encounter
This marks the first direct communication between God and Moses from this holy location, establishing the ongoing dialogue between Heaven and Earth.
Divine Intimacy
Not thundering from Sinai, but speaking in close proximity—God's voice bridges the infinite and finite through this sacred meeting point.
Elijah the Prophet: Origins and Lineage
Scripture maintains a sacred silence about Elijah's parentage and tribal affiliation. Unlike other prophets whose lineages are carefully recorded, Elijah appears suddenly in 1 Kings 17:1.
Mysterious Origins
Elijah is introduced only as "Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead," with no genealogical record provided.
Traditional Beliefs
Some rabbinic traditions suggest he descended from the tribe of Gad or Benjamin, though these remain speculative.
Divine Purpose
His abrupt entrance emphasizes his role as a divine messenger rather than his earthly connections.
Like the voice between the cherubim, Elijah's significance transcends his human origins. He becomes defined by his prophetic calling and relationship with the Divine Voice.
This Divine-prophet relationship reached its most intimate expression when Elijah fled from Jezebel's wrath to Mount Horeb. As recorded in 1 Kings 19:11-12: "And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." In this whisper, rather than in displays of power, Elijah encountered the true nature of God's presence.
The Holy Spirit as a Nazarite
The Divine Voice continues its work through the Holy Spirit, guided by Yeshua's direction.
Divine Direction
"He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears."
Revelation
"He will show you things to come."
Set Apart
Like the Nazarite vow of separation, the Spirit remains devoted to divine purpose.
Just as Elijah heard God in the "still small voice," the Holy Spirit continues this pattern of intimate divine communication, set apart for sacred purpose.
Generational Vows
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
The ultimate example of a divine oath is seen when God made a covenant with Abraham:
"For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, 'Surely I will bless you and multiply you.'"
Hebrews 6:13-14
"Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint."
Proverbs 25:19
The Sacred Parallels of Abstinence:
"Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When either a man or woman consecrates an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the LORD, he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink; he shall drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from similar drink...'"
Numbers 6:1-3 (Torah portion Nasso)
Yeshua himself made a generational vow concerning wine: "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
Matthew 26:29
Just as the Nazirite separated himself through abstinence as an act of consecration, Yeshua's vow of abstinence points toward the future fulfillment in the Kingdom—both vows connecting temporal discipline with eternal purpose.
Part 3: Words as Binding
Every word carries eternal weight in the divine economy of speech.
Accountability
"But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every idle word they have spoken." Matthew 12:36
Justification
"For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:37
Heart Connection
"For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." Matthew 12:34
Summary: Camp Impurity
Scripture warns us to discern true from false voices in our spiritual journey.
Yeshua's Warning
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." Matthew 7:15-16
Test Every Spirit
"Many false prophets are gone out into the world. Try the spirits whether they are of God." 1 John 4:1
Paul's Discernment
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
Against Soothsaying
"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind." Colossians 2:18
Remember the Work
From Torah Portion Nasso, the Lord assigns specific sacred duties to the priestly families:
The Kohathites
"Their duty in the tabernacle of meeting is to carry the most holy things." Numbers 4:4
The Merarites
"They shall carry the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, and all their equipment." Numbers 4:31-32
Each tribe carried unique responsibilities, reflecting how God assigns specific works to each of us.
"For we are His workmanship, created in Yeshua for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10
Conclusion: Samson Breaks His Vow
Vow Broken
"And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head." Judges 16:19
Consequence
"But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass." Judges 16:21
Final Prayer
"O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once..." Judges 16:28
Redemptive End
"So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life." Judges 16:30
Samson's story reveals how breaking sacred vows brings consequences, yet God's redemptive purposes remain. His final act—sacrificing himself—foreshadows Messiah's ultimate sacrifice.
"And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19
In rabbinic understanding, "binding" (asar) and "loosing" (hitir) refer to the authority to interpret Torah. Peshat: Literally establishing halachic rulings—declaring what is forbidden (bound) or permitted (loosed). Remez: Hints at priestly authority to pronounce impurity or purity. Drash: The power to include or exclude people from covenant community. Sod: Mystically, connects to the divine court's affirmation of earthly judicial decisions. This authority given to Peter extends the ancient Sanhedrin practice of rendering binding interpretations of Torah. End in Prayer