Zeal, Atonement & the Trumpet Call

Pinchas | פנחס | "Phinehas"                                       07.19.2025

Torah: Numbers 25:10 - 29:40 (30:1)

Prophets: 1 Kings 18:46 - 19:21; Psalm 110:1-7

Brit Hadasha: Mark 11:27 - 12:37; Hebrews 12:1-17

"Zeal, Atonement, and the Trumpet Call"

📖This week we are picking up right where we left off last week. Balak & Balaam 🫏failed in their efforts to sway God into letting them curse Israel.  Because you cannot curse what God has blessed.   And, boy, what a lesson that was! 🙏🏻

But yet, God is a gentlemen, and He doesn’t force Himself on anyone.  So if the Israelites wanted to follow another path and follow a false god, then by all means, that was up to them.  They could make that choice and win the consolation curses that came along with that.  As the old saying goes, ‘Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.’ 🏆

And that’s just what the Israelite people did… they fell right into the trap 🪤that was set for them.  Balaam devised a plan to let the Israelites curse themselves.  He advised Balak to send in the Moabite women 💃🏻to seduce the Israelite men into sexual immorality and false god worship – plunging into sin and out of God’s divine protection.  Their prize – a plague that wiped out 24,000 of them. 😵

We aren’t too far into this Torah portion when God tells Moses that he is going to have to kill all of the offenders to stop this plague. 🛑 No sooner than Moses, can issue this judgement, something terrible happens.  A Simeonite leader, Zimri, takes a high ranking Midianite’s daughter INTO the door of the tent of meeting ⛺and publicly begins to have relations with her… literally in front of God and everyone.

There were people there weeping and mourning.  Obviously, the priests were there.  So many bystanders, just standing there in shock, doing nothing.  But when Phineas, grandson of Aaron, saw what was happening.  He couldn’t just stand back and let this unfold.  He rose up, grabbed a javelin🤺 and plunged it through them both, interrupting their lewd blasphemous act and ending their lives, all still there in the door, in the tabernacle.                  Shock and awe.

How does the Lord respond?  He speaks again to Moses and says that Phineas has caused Him to turn back His wrath.  In other words, the offenders have an opportunity to repent and live. 🏅He awarded Phineas, and all his descendants afterwards, with an everlasting priesthood and a covenant of peace. ☮️He even refers to this act of zealousness as “making atonement for the children of Israel.”

In all of the years that I have read this Torah portion, I never really noticed that it was an act of atonement.  So this made me take a step back to pause and reflect.

“10 Adonai said to Moshe, 11 “Pinchas the son of El‘azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, has deflected my anger from the people of Isra’el by being as zealous as I am, so that I didn’t destroy them in my own zeal. 12 Therefore say, ‘I am giving him my covenant of shalom, 13 making a covenant with him and his descendants after him that the office of cohen will be theirs forever.’ This is because he was zealous on behalf of his God and made atonement for the people of Isra’el.”— Numbers 25:10-13

Atonement….. Immediately our brains should think of the Day of Atonement, or you may know it as Yom Kippur.  This is one of God’s holy days that falls on the 10^th day of the 7^th month, and on this day the high priest enters the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the people’s sin through sacrifice and intercession.  While the act of Phineas is violent, 🩸it is priestly in function – he intercedes at the ⌛time of judgement, ⚖️at the tabernacle,⛺ and through death, ⚰️atonement is made to stop greater death and wrath. 😡

  כָּפַר kaphar, the same Hebrew root used for Yom Kippur

Phineas’ act was not the commanded Day of Atonement ceremony.  But his actions and functions of his act, absolutely do mirror 🪞 the function of that ceremony:  averting ⚖️judgement, restoring peace ☮️and reconciling the people to God. 🫱🏻‍🫲🏽

So, now, of course, this immediately makes us think of another priest.  The High Priest, Yeshua.  It wasn’t until this cycle that I slowed down to see Yeshua here in this moment.

1. Atonement Through Zeal and Sacrifice

Phineas shows ⚡zeal for God's holiness and stops the plague—just as Yeshua, through His zeal for the Father’s will, offers Himself to stop the plague of sin and death.

¹⁷ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house ^[c]has eaten Me up.” -John 2:17

“Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.” -Psalm 69:9

2. Spiritual Adultery 💔

Israel’s sin here is spiritual adultery—unfaithfulness to their covenant with God by joining themselves to foreign gods and their immoral practices. This parallels our own spiritual unfaithfulness, which Yeshua bore on the cross:

“But he was wounded because of our crimes, crushed because of our sins; the disciplining that makes us whole fell on him, and by his bruises we are healed.”— Isaiah 53:5

“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?” — James 4:4, and Jeremiah 2:23-37

“Have you seen what fickle Israel has done? Like a wife who commits adultery, Israel has worshiped other gods on every hill and under every green tree.” – Jeremiah 3:6

“13 Only acknowledge your guilt. Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God and committed adultery against him by worshiping idols under every green tree.”  - Jeremiah 3:13

So we see Yeshua two fold, on both sides.

We fell into the same trap set by the enemy.  We brought a curse and death upon ourselves.  We have committed spiritual adultery. Bearing our sin, Yeshua died.

But the zeal of Yeshua and His death, brought us an opportunity to repent and atonement for our sins.

3. Priestly⚡ Zeal Brings Peace ☮️

Phineas’ act brought a “covenant of peace” 📜and a lasting priesthood. Yeshua is our High Priest forever, bringing a new covenant of peace through His blood. 👑

“²⁴ But because he lives forever, his position as cohen does not pass on to someone else; ²⁵ and consequently, he is totally able to deliver those who approach God through him; since he is alive forever and thus forever able to intercede on their behalf. ²⁶ This is the kind of cohen gadol that meets our need — holy, without evil, without stain, set apart from sinners and raised higher than the heavens; ²⁷ one who does not have the daily necessity, like the other cohanim g’dolim, of offering up sacrifices first for their own sins and only then for those of the people; because he offered one sacrifice, once and for all, by offering up himself.” – Hebrews 7:24-27

^“20 and through his Son to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace through him, through having his Son shed his blood by being executed on a stake.”  - Colossians 1:20

 Where Phineas pierced the guilty, Yeshua was pierced in our place (Isaiah 53:5)

…

So back to the parsha, what happens next? Atonement was made.  The plague was over.  Now what?  God orders destruction of his enemies.  Now in this Torah portion, and will again when Yeshua returns.

^“16 Adonai said to Moshe, ¹⁷ “Treat the Midyanim as enemies and attack them; ¹⁸ because they are treating you as enemies by the trickery they used to deceive you” – Numbers 25:16

God also orders them to take census of the men.

📊 Census Comparison: Before vs. After Baal of Peor

Tribe	Numbers 1: Total (First Census)	Numbers 26: Total (Second Census)	Change
Reuben	46,500	43,730	-2,770
Simeon	59,300	22,200	-37,100 🔻
Gad	45,650	40,500	-5,150
Judah	74,600	76,500	+1,900
Issachar	54,400	64,300	+9,900
Zebulun	57,400	60,500	+3,100
Ephraim*	40,500	32,500	-8,000
Manasseh*	32,200	52,700	+20,500
Benjamin	35,400	45,600	+10,200
Dan	62,700	64,400	+1,700
Asher	41,500	53,400	+11,900
Naphtali	53,400	45,400	-8,000
Total	603,550	601,730	-1,820

*Note: Ephraim and Manasseh are counted separately as the two sons of Joseph, each forming a tribe.

📌 Notable Observations:

Sin leads to loss.  Simeon saw a dramatic drop—possibly due to the plague, since Zimri (a Simeonite leader) became half of the human shish kebab 🤺 when he was doing you know what.

Faithfulness leads to fruitfulness. Manasseh and Asher had significant growth, suggesting resilience or divine favor. 🍎

It also shows that though individuals perish, God preserves His promise to the nation, keeping their total number nearly unchanged as a sign of His covenant faithfulness. 🔢

🔒God is so good and so faithful to keep His promises.  But he expects things in return from us:  our Love.❤️‍🔥 And God’s love language is obedience. 

He tells us in this Torah portion some things expects from us - to Him- in daily, weekly, monthly and annual offerings. 🎁

Daily: Represents continual presence and relationship with God

 ³ “And you shall say to them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering.  “  - Numbers 28:3 ❤️‍🔥

Weekly: Extra on top of the typical daily

 ⁹ ‘And on the Sabbath day two lambs in their first year, without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering— ¹⁰ this is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.” – Numbers 28:9-10❤️‍🔥

Monthly: Notice here that this also includes a sin offering.

 ¹¹ ‘At the beginnings of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish; ¹² three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; ¹³ and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with oil, as a grain offering for each lamb, as a burnt offering of sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. ¹⁴ Their drink offering shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, one-third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering for each month throughout the months of the year. ¹⁵ Also one kid of the goats as a sin offering to the Lord shall be offered, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.” – Numbers 28:11-15 ❤️‍🔥

Annual offerings:  Passover, Shavuot, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles (each of the 8 days)  Numbers 28:16-29:38 ❤️‍🔥

³⁹ ‘These you shall present to the Lord at your appointed feasts (besides your vowed offerings and your freewill offerings) as your burnt offerings and your grain offerings, as your drink offerings and your peace offerings.’ ”-Numbers 28:39 ❤️‍🔥

Did you catch that?  God included the new moon 🌑 with His appointed Holy Days, and in a way, set it apart with a distinctly different offering (including a sin offering.)

So I want to take this opportunity to address something.   📢 When I made the announcement that God told me that we, as a congregation, should begin to observe the new moon.  It was said during service out loud that some of you will choose not to partake in that.

🎩God is still a gentleman, and He won’t force you.  But He made it clear to me that I responsible to at least make sure you are aware and informed to make that decision fully.

🗓️Some claim the New Moon is just a "cultural tradition" or a “calendar reset,” but God’s Word says otherwise. Let’s look at why it is an appointed time (mo’ed)—not optional.

In Numbers 28:11–15, the New Moon offering is commanded right in the middle of a list of mo’edim (appointed times). Verse 39 just affirmed : “These shall you present to the LORD at your appointed feasts (mo’adim).” 📃

So the Rosh Chodesh is embedded in the same category as the Feasts. To say it's “optional” would be like saying the Sabbath is optional, or Passover is optional.

🕊️  It is a Time of Sacrifice and Sin Offering.

Rosh Chodesh is the only regular offering time that includes a sin offering—a male goat. Why? Because it's not just a calendar reset—it’s a spiritual renewal and a recalibration of covenant alignment.

📜 Affirmed Elsewhere in the Scriptures

Isaiah 66:22–23 (Future Kingdom): “From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before Me,” says the LORD.

This is prophetic—indicating Rosh Chodesh will still be honored and kept in the Messianic Kingdom.

Ezekiel 46:1,3,6 (Millennial Temple): Gates of the inner court are opened on Sabbaths and New Moons. Worshippers bow before the LORD on those days. Specific offerings are required. Again, this is future-tense—not just a historical practice.

1 Samuel 20:5, 18, 24–27 (David and Jonathan): Rosh Chodesh was a sacred meal gathering with the king. David’s absence was noticed—it was an expected observance.

🌑✝️ New Moon and Yeshua - The New Moon is far more than a calendar marker—it is woven into the fabric of God’s redemptive plan, and Yeshua (Jesus) is at the very center of it. Let’s explore how.

The New Moon represents renewal—a chance to start afresh, realign with God, and recognize His sovereignty over time. Yeshua fulfilled firstfruits, Passover, and Shavuot—do we think He won’t fulfill the final mo’edim as well? The New Moon remains part of the Heavenly rhythm.

Do you think it is any coincidence that he will return at the shout of a trumpet?  🎺

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God…” — 1 Thessalonians 4:16🎺

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet…” — 1 Corinthians 15:52 🎺

This "trumpet" event aligns perfectly with one particular feast that always falls on a New Moon: 🎺

🌑 Yom Teruah: They Day of Trumpets: The Feast Hidden in the New Moon

• Also called Rosh Hashanah in Jewish tradition (but biblically called Yom Teruah). 🎺

• It falls on the first day of the 7th biblical month—which is a New Moon (Leviticus 23:24). 🌑

• It is the only feast that begins at the New Moon—which makes it a day that no man knows the day or hour (because the New Moon is based on the first visible sliver of the moon and could vary by a day). 🌑

Yeshua said: “No one knows the day or the hour...” — Matthew 24:36

While this phrase is often spiritualized, it also has a Hebraic idiom meaning—directly pointing to Yom Teruah, the feast that can’t be predicted precisely on a solar calendar.  When Jesus said this 2000 years ago, the people in His midst didn’t wonder.  They knew exactly when He was talking about. 🌑

🔄 The Role of the New Moon in His Return

The New Moon marks new beginnings, cycles, and renewal. In a spiritual sense:

• Yeshua will return to restore all things (Acts 3:21)

• His return marks the renewal of the earth, the defeat of sin, and the beginning of the Messianic age

• That this would happen on a New Moon day (Yom Teruah) is deeply prophetic and not coincidental

So when believers neglect the New Moon, they’re overlooking a divinely set marker in God’s calendar that foreshadows Messiah’s return!

🕊️ Sacrifice vs. Observance

Of course, we are not currently offering sin sacrifices, as the Temple no longer stands and Yeshua’s sacrifice for sin is once-for-all (Hebrews 10:10). But the commanded times (Leviticus 23, Numbers 28–29) are still in effect as holy appointments.

Observing the New Moon today can include:

·       Prayer and worship

·       Blowing the shofar (Psalm 81:3)

·       Reading relevant scriptures (Psalm 104, Isaiah 66, Revelation 12)

·       Gathering with others to mark the renewal of the month

·       Looking to the sky and remembering that our Redeemer is coming soon

·       Sacrifices to God in other ways: your time, finances, helping others, outreach & missions

✅ Summary: Why the New Moon Points to Yeshua

·       Yeshua fulfilled the spring feasts perfectly and will fulfill the fall feasts—beginning with Yom Teruah, a New Moon holy day.

·       The trumpet blast that announces His return connects directly to the Feast of Trumpets (Numbers 29:1).

·       The New Moon marks renewal, and Yeshua is coming to make all things new (Revelation 21:5).

·       The phrase “no man knows the day or the hour” has New Moon and Yom Teruah context.

·       To dismiss the New Moon is to ignore part of God's prophetic timeline.

✅ Conclusion: Why the New Moon Isn’t Optional

·       It's called an appointed time (mo’ed) in the Torah

·       It involves sin offerings—implying spiritual seriousness

·       It’s affirmed in future prophetic worship (Isaiah & Ezekiel)

·       It was practiced and expected by figures like David

·       It reflects God’s pattern of renewal and rhythmic worship

·       To ignore it is to ignore a piece of God’s sacred calendar—a time He declared holy, not man.

🌒 So now we see it clearly. The New Moon is not optional. It is not a relic of the past. It is an appointed time, a marker of renewal, a prophetic call to readiness.

It reminds us that judgment is real, that atonement is precious, and that peace is possible—but only through covenant obedience.

The trumpet will sound. Messiah will return. And it will be—very likely—on a day that no man knows the hour.

So let us not treat lightly what God has called holy.Let us rise like Phineas—full of zeal.Let us live as priests—proclaiming peace through Yeshua.And let us watch the sky, month after month, at each New Moon—because the signs are already there. 🌑📯

He is coming. Let us be ready.

⁴⁶ It will go well with that servant if he is found doing his job when his master comes.” – Matthew 24:46