Life & Death vs Faith & Fear in the Wilderness

Chukat | חוקת | "Statute"                                             07.05.2025

Torah: Numbers 19:1 - 21:35

Prophets Judges 11:1-40; Isaiah 66:1-24

Brit Hadasha: Matthew 21:1-17; John 3:9-21, 4:3-30, 12:27-50

This was another Torah portion with the thought of where do I begin?  There is so much to over.   This week is full of mystery, paradox, and prophetic imagery. It begins with the Red Heifer, one of the most inexplicable rituals in all of Torah. It is followed by the deaths of Miriam and Aaron, the failure of Moses at the waters of Meribah, and culminates in miraculous victories and a strange instruction involving a bronze serpent. But these stories are more than historical records; they are blueprints for spiritual truth.

Each story stands on its own—but together, they form a powerful message: God brings life through death and blessing through surrender.

As we explore this Torah portion, we'll see how the pieces of Israel's wilderness journey reveal key insights into the Gospel, God's holy standards, the cost of leadership, and the beauty of redemption. We’ll look at not only what happened, but what it points to—particularly through the lens of Yeshua the Messiah.

The Red Heifer: Purity Through Death

Numbers 19:1–22

This chapter introduces the laws surrounding the Parah Adumah—the Red Heifer.

• A flawless red cow is to be sacrificed outside the camp.

• Its ashes are used in water to cleanse those who were defiled by death.

• The priest who prepares it becomes unclean, even as the one being cleansed is made clean.

Spiritual Significance: This is the only sacrifice in all of Torah where the person conducting the ritual becomes defiled while the defiled are purified. It seems backward, almost unfair. But this mystery points us directly to the One who became sin for us.

Foreshadowing Yeshua:

• Hebrews 13:11–12 — ¹¹ For the High Priest (cohen hagadol) brings the blood of animals into the Holiest Place as a sin offering, but their bodies are burned outside the camp. ¹² So too Yeshua suffered death outside the gate, in order to make the people holy through his own blood.

• John 19:34 — ³⁴ However, one of the soldiers stabbed his side with a spear, and at once blood and water flowed out.

• 2 Corinthians 5:21 — ²¹ God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God’s righteousness.”

The red heifer offering was so rare that Jewish tradition teaches only nine red heifers were ever sacrificed from Moses to the destruction of the Second Temple. A tenth, it is believed by some, will be offered ushering in in the time of Messiah.

The ashes were so sacred that they were stored in a clean place and used sparingly over generations.

There is more about this ritual that we do not know than we know, or maybe we just don’t realize yet.  It could just be more than we can understand, and in our childlike faith, we should just trust our Father.  And on the other hand, Father could be shielding us until the time is right to bring us into full understanding of this ritual. Perhaps because we are now at the time of the sacrifice of the 10^th red heifer?

Who knows the reason for sure?  Only God.  But the truth is that there were 5 red heifers exported to Israel from the United States in September of 2022, now being housed in Shiloh. They have been carefully protected to ensure they remain unyoked and under strict observation and inspection.

It is rumored that some may have already presented a blemish, as even one white hair may disqualify them as a candidate.  It is widely believed that there remains at least one proper candidate, but due to the sensitivity of the prophetic implications and the war already in progress over these cattle, that the public announcement of purity may have been withheld.

To our knowledge, there has not yet been a sacrifice of any of these red heifers.

Rather than try to recreate the wheel, there is already an excellent teaching out there on the Red Heifer sacrifices by Jim Staley of Passion for Truth Ministries.  I highly recommend taking time to watch that video on YouTube or DVD.

But we can read that God brings purity through death. His ways are not always logical to us; His ways are greater than our ways.  But His ways are perfect.

He asks for faith and obedience, not full comprehension. The ashes of the red heifer point to a greater sacrifice whose effect is eternal. Yeshua’s death not only atones for sin, but cleanses us from the defilement of death itself, restoring us to fellowship with God.

The Death of Miriam:

Numbers 20:1 "And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there."

The text transitions abruptly from the laws of purification to the death of Miriam, without commentary or mourning. However, what follows is significant: there is no water for the congregation.

Jewish Tradition: According to Midrash and other rabbinical writings, Miriam’s presence was connected to the miraculous provision of water. A well, often called Miriam’s Well, was believed to have followed the Israelites through the wilderness in her merit. When she died, the well ceased.

1 Corinthians 10:⁴ and they all drank the same drink from the Spirit — for they drank from a Spirit-sent Rock which followed them, and that Rock was the Messiah.

Miriam’s death reveals the invisible power of intercession. She was a prophetess, a leader, and a worshipper. Her quiet influence and prayers may have sustained the nation more than anyone realized.

There are people in our lives whose faithfulness keeps the living water flowing—intercessors, elders, mentors. We must honor their role and recognize the spiritual loss when they are gone. Moreover, we should aspire to be such vessels, drawing water for others even if our names are never celebrated.

This week is a good time to think about who in your life has been a source of spiritual refreshing, and the implications of what happens to a community when their intercessors are removed.  And this leads us into the next topic…….

Moses Strikes the Rock: Misrepresenting God's Holiness

Numbers 20:2–13

Immediately after Miriam's death, the people quarrel again due to lack of water. They complain and wish they had died earlier. (I mean come on… In hindsight, we are reading this screaming at them like we are watching a horror movie… “NO!!!!!  Haven’t you learned anything?!?!?!)  But Moses and Aaron fall on their faces again before the Lord, and the Lord gives a specific instruction:

⁸ “Take the staff, assemble the community, you and Aharon your brother; and before their eyes, tell the rock to produce its water. You will bring them water out of the rock and thus enable the community and their livestock to drink.” (Numbers 20:8)

But instead of speaking to the rock, Moses strikes the rock twice with his rod. Water does come out, but God is not pleased.  I can only imagine what I would have done.. He did tell Moses to take the staff with him.  Moses was, I’m sure, frustrated and mourning and being completely fed up while grieving isn’t exactly the atmosphere to make a clear decision. 

But what if it is more than that?

Let’s go back, but this time let’s look at the Blue Letter Bible that translates directly from the Hebrew.  You’ll notice this version compared to yours may have the word “and” many more times.  Even my CJB failed to include the “and.” 

So why did the BLB have the and?  Because the text has a vav.  It is literally telling us that this is ALL connected together. 

So how is Miriam’s death connected to the lack of water?  We just read that according to Midrash and other rabbinical writings; Miriam’s presence was connected to the miraculous provision of water. A well, often called Miriam’s Well, was believed to have followed the Israelites through the wilderness in her merit. When she died, the well ceased.

There have been 3 water instances so far in the wilderness: 

1.)     Just after they cross the Sea of Reeds.  They go for 3 days and cannot find water.

This is when God points out to Moses a stick and tells him to throw it in a bitter oasis and miraculously the water is made sweet. Exodus 15:22–25

2.)    Moses is a little more desperate with his plea, afraid the people will stone him for lack of water.  This time God tells Moses to hit the rock with his stick.

“Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink. ”And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.  Exodus 17:6

So according to a quick web search you can only go about 3 days without water. Then you begin to experience dry mouth, dizziness, fatigue, rapid heart rate, organ stress, confusion, low blood pressure….. So it makes perfect sense.  This is crisis time in the first scenario. Two chapters later, we can safely assume that the water in their canteens would have run out by now.  So even crisis two makes sense in timing.  But where is number 3?

40 years later! Numbers 20.  How did they have water in the desert all this time?

The midrash says that that rock, Rock of Horeb, in crisis number 2 continually gave water the entire 40 years.  And we also see in Numbers 20 that God told Moses to speak to the rock, as if there is a very specific rock that Moses knows He is referring to – the one that had been providing water this whole time.  But the difference is now God says speak to it.  Not hit it.

Let’s have a quick side bar:  how is Miriam connected to these water crisis?

1.)    Just before water crisis #1 Miriam sings her song. 

2.)     The rock that Moses hit becomes Miriam’s Well.

3.)    She dies just before this crisis.

Also… looking at Miriam’s name mem, resh, yod, mem.   With the proper vowel markings it spells Miriam’s name.  But what else does it spell?  Only 3 other Hebrew words.

Marorim (מְרֹרִים) is the plural form of the Hebrew word maror (מָרוֹר), meaning bitterness or bitter herbs

Merom (מְרוֹם) – meaning exaltation is from the Hebrew root רוּם (rum) – “to lift up, raise”

Morim (מוֹרִים ) – meaning rebels

Let’s look at the water crisis again….

·        Water was bitter - “When they came to מ־ר־ר (marar) Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah, because it was bitter… מְרֹרִים”

·       Lifts up his hands at Crisis #3 right before he hits the rock, he lifts up his hands

“וַיָּרֶם מֹשֶׁה אֶת-יָדוֹ” “And Moses lifted up his hand…” Numbers 20:11(Root: רוּם – rum, meaning “to lift up,” “raise,” “exalt”)

·       He speaks to the people and calls them rebels - “Listen now, you rebels (מוֹרִים)!” Numbers 20:10

Every single variation of Miriam’s name is everywhere in these water crisis stories.  As you know, coincidence is not a kosher word.  And we also can’t forget the beginning of her story.  Where were we first introduced to Miriam?  At the water of the Nile… as she placed baby Moses in his ark, in some reeds. It was Miriam that followed him and intervened with Pharaoh’s daughter.   In a way, playing a large part in saving Moses.

But we saw at the Nile, one body of water, one Israelite child, one Egyptian, and a few reeds. Later on, we see a much larger canvas – not just a small body of water, but an entire sea, and not just a few reeds but an entire Sea of Reeds, an entire Israelite nation threatened by an entire Egyptian army. 

Just as Miriam watched with faith at first water encounter, knowing just somehow it was going to work out. (Exodus 2:4)  We find her watching again, standing there at the Sea, watching in faith. (Exodus 14:13–14) Stand and watch.  Have faith!

It’s like we can almost read her mind.  If someone was to have asked her what she was watching for when baby Moses was in the river, I’m sure she didn’t know exactly what she was watching for.  But she knew something was going to happen.  Then likewise at the Red Sea… absolutely no logical explanation of how God was going to remedy that.  All human eyes said “No way out of this one.”  But Miriam taught Moses… to stand and watch. 

We see it again in the other water crisis.. we stand and watch with the stick thrown in the water to see it turn sweet.  Illogical but the Lord makes a way.  We see it when Moses is at the Rock of Horeb.  Again, totally illogical. They are literally dying of thirst.  But stand and watch.  The Lord makes a way. 

So it’s quite funny really, how week after week, the Lord is teaching me the Torah Portion before I even read it.  As you gathered from the prayer requests updates, I’ve been standing at the Red Sea this week.  And perhaps, some of you have too.

Man’s eyes can only see no way out….  Man says the divorce is final.  Man says I have potentially have breast cancer.  Man says I have a major abdominal surgery on the very close horizon (Egyptian army)… but I say stand and watch. I laugh now, because I literally texted Diane on Wednesday and said, “ I don’t know how God is going to fix this.  But He has a problem.” While it may seem totally illogical, we are going to stand and watch. 

But back to Moses… Miriam has died. Her well, the rock of Horeb, has died too.  He is standing there, needing another miracle.  He should stand and watch, but as he stands there, in his grief, in his frustration, I’m sure completely overwhelmed, I bet he remembers Miriam.  He looks back to the time when she was with him, when he struck the rock before.

But this is a new time, a time to speak, and we’ll learn later from Lot’s wife, you never ever look back.  But Moses in his mind, looked back, and he struck the rock twice.  I mean, I can’t blame him.  I may have done the same thing. But Moses tried to be logical… when God was asking for faith.  God was asking for trust.  And suddenly, Moses found himself being a rebel.  Just like the bad spies and the Israelites that died in the wilderness, Moses found himself in that number.

“Because you did not believe in Me” Numbers 20:12

The harsh reality is that we must move forward.  Even if our water source, our person who fill us up, dies.  We can’t look back.  As illogical as it seems, Yahweh will still be with us, and He will take whatever seems bad and make it for good.

It all depends on what we focus on.  The spies didn’t lie.  Technically speaking, their report was true.  But they failed to focus on God’s promises.  They should have focused on God, not the giant.

And the same with me.  While technically, the divorce is final, and my medical reports could be true.  I will focus on God, not the giants.  But even if I die, life goes on. And something very good will come out of both of these situations.

The good from this situation:  Fast forward to Yeshua.  The Rock.. the rock of our firm foundation.  The cornerstone of our faith. He was that Rock in Horeb, Miriam’s well.  (Mary in Hebrew is Miriam).  That rock that was struck once…. Well let’s come back to that.

The Bronze Serpent - Numbers 21:4–9

"And the people spoke against God and against Moses: 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water, and we loathe this worthless food.' Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died."

This passage begins with yet another complaint. Despite God’s miraculous provisions—the manna, the guidance, the victories—Israel still murmurs. They call the manna “worthless,” despite it being bread from heaven. And once again… their contempt for God’s provision triggers swift judgment.

• God sends fiery serpents (Hebrew: nachashim seraphim), venomous and deadly.

• The people repent and ask Moses to intercede.

• God instructs Moses to make a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. Whoever looks upon it lives.

This is a story seemingly of paradox. God uses the image of the thing that caused death—the serpent—as the instrument of healing. It seems contradictory to look up at a serpent.  How does this work with the law against graven images?  Is this worshiping an idol?

We have to remember — it was God Himself who told Moses to build that bronze serpent. It was never meant to be a god, or to replace God in any way. That snake carried far deeper meaning than we might realize at first glance.

From the beginning — all the way back in the garden — the serpent has symbolized spiritual immaturity. It’s a picture of our evil inclination, that voice in our head that whispers fear and doubt. It’s that nagging little lie that says, “You're on the wrong path,” or “This isn’t working,” or “You should quit while you still can.”

Sometimes, we're walking the right road — doing exactly what God called us to do. But when we don’t see the results we expected — at least not right away — that fear creeps in. And before long, we start second-guessing everything. That voice grows louder and says, “Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe we should give up. Find an easier path. Or maybe we should do less.”

But the serpent on the pole wasn’t about worship. It was about confrontation — God was confronting their fear, their doubt, their grumbling. That fiery serpent represented what was poisoning them both inside and out. It was a visual reminder of their own internal struggle — the thing stealing their faith and draining their strength.

Even today, therapists will tell you: the best way to overcome fear is to face it head-on. To look at it clearly and ask, ‘Why am I so afraid of this? What power does this really have over me?’ That’s what God was doing in the desert. He was showing them — and us — how to break free from fear.

So when that voice inside tells you to panic, to run, to give up… don’t. Look up. Fix your eyes on what God has raised up. Face your fear and say, “Not this time.”

The people of Israel had to look at the very thing that was killing them — and by doing so, they were healed. That same lesson still stands today: look up, believe, and live.

Maybe that’s why, to this very day, the symbol of healing is still a coiled serpent on a pole. Because true healing begins when we stop running from fear — and start facing it in faith.

So let’s circle back now… The good things that come out of this whole crazy Torah portion….. Yeshua.

John 3:14–15: "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life."

Just as the Israelites had to look at the cursed image of their judgment to be healed, we too must look to the cross—where Yeshua became sin, bore our curse, and took our judgment—to receive eternal life.

2 Corinthians 5:21: "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

Isaiah 45:22: "Look unto Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

And from the water crisis… Yeshua still.

John 7:38 “Whoever believes in me... rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

So what do we do? I know we had discussed gathering this weekend for prayer.  But to be honest, I feel like we need to do something different.  We need to make a declaration.

We ourselves have no power in our hands.  Only He does.  There was no power in the sticks or the staffs.  The miracles came from God.

We can’t look back to what worked before.  We have to listen to God.  We have to do what He says.  Even if it’s illogical.  That is where our faith comes in. 

So I don’t know what your situation is today, but here is my declaration, and here is my song:

No matter what I see, I know the Lord is with me. No matter what I hear, I know the Lord is near. Broken hearted or let down, its only temporary.  For the Lord will come with gifts far greater than I can comprehend.  It’s not for me to watch and wonder, but for me to stand and see, that Lord of Hosts is faithful and victory will be.

Romans 6:4: “Just as Messiah was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”