We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; While it is said, Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
The above, from Hebrews 3:14 & 15, is referring to entering heaven, the promised rest, after the LORD has, by His word, built us into His house (family). The only prerequisite is to believe (have faith in) what is heard, which is the confidence these verses speak of. It is telling of now, hearing of the culmination (end – telos) here in heaven, and the call to enter, keep the faith and do so. The pattern spoke of, by which we are admonished, is when Israel was unable to enter the Promised Land, because of their unbelief.
The provocation is referring to what is written in Number 14 and the chapter before where we are told one man of every tribe sent to search out the land. (Before going on, I must again tell you, this is the Promised Land: New {heavenly} Jerusalem the LORD has chosen.)
In Numbers 13 we are told of the twelve who are sent, a ruler from each tribe, of which Levi is replaced with Ephraim who is represented by Oshea the son of Nun. As we have seen, in Numbers 13:16, Moses’ renames Oshea (Hosea – deliverance, and salvation) Jehoshua (Joshua {Jesus} making his name Jehovah’s Salvation {or Deliverer}). We have seen this from the perspective of Genesis 49 and Joshua {Jesus} being the one there describe as the coming Shepherd and Stone out of Joseph (the father of Ephraim and the progenitor of Joshua). Joshua, replacing Levi, from where comes the priesthood, is showing the pattern discussed in the prior post of the change in the priesthood. Here, from these different viewpoints, we see the coming king and the chief priest in Joshua (Jesus), who is the one who will lead God’s people into possessing the Promised Land.
Other notable aspects needing mention are, the only other person, besides Joshua, who brought back a good report was Caleb, who is from the tribe of Judah. These are also early patterns of the Joshua (the high priest) and Zerubbabel (from Judah and the Davidic king line, and named as an ancestor of the LORD Jesus – Matthew 1:12 & 13) written of in Zechariah 3 & 4.
Numbers 13
25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh [where they have been separated to clothe them in holiness – to be sanctified]; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither you sent us, and surely it flows with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak [neck {pencil neck?} these are the giants, who apparently are tall only by a long neck] there.
29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33 And there we saw the giants [bullies and tyrants], the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Numbers 14
1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3 And wherefore has the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword [in the hand of these long-necked bullies and tyrant], that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
6 And Joshua the son of Nun [Jehovah’s salvation in perpetuity], and Caleb the son of Jephunneh [the attack dogs {the LORD} has prepared], which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
7 And they spoke unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which flows with milk and honey.
9 Only rebel not you against the LORD, neither fear you the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
11 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a greater nation and mightier than they.
13 And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for you brought up this people in your might from among them;)
14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that you LORD are among this people, that you LORD are seen face to face, and that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15 Now if you shall kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of you will speak, saying,
16 Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore unto them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.
17 And now, I beseech you, let the power of my LORD be great, according as you have spoken, saying,
18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
19 Pardon, I beseech you, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of your mercy, and as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
20 And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to your word:
21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
23 Surely they shall not see the land which I swore unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed me fully, him will I bring into the land where into he went; and his seed shall possess it.
25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
26 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, says the LORD, as you have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
29 Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.
30 Doubtless you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
31 But your little ones, which you said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.
32 But as for you, your carcasses, they shall fall in this wilderness.
33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness.
34 After the number of the days in which you searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall you bear your iniquities, even forty years, and you shall know my breach of promise.
35 I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,
37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.
The provocation is not only not believing what the LORD is saying but also against it scornfully speaking. The word “provoke,” in Number 14:11 & 23, is the Hebrew word na’ats, said to mean scorn, as an attitude that grows from disdain or contempt for a person thought to be unworthy or despicable (Trump and the deplorables). It is only used one other time in Numbers, in Number 16:30, where it is also rendered “provoked.” The chapter is telling of when men or renown rose up against Moses and Aaron because they didn’t want to be ruled by them. Verse 30 is telling of the end of these men, when the earth opens its mouth and swallowed them up, so we know it is the LORD they have provoked (scorned) by scorning the one He has chosen to lead. It’s a pattern (these are patterns) repeating before our eyes.
Numbers 16
1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: [Remember, the what is said of Rueben and Levi in our studies of Genesis 49]
2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, You take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift you up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
5 And he spoke unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will show who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he has chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD does choose, he shall be holy: you take too much upon you, you sons of Levi.
8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, you sons of Levi:
9 Seems it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
10 And he has brought you near to him, and all your brethren the sons of Levi with you: and seek you the priesthood also?
11 For which cause both you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that you murmur against him?
12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:
13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land that flows with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except you make yourself altogether a prince over us?
14 Moreover you have not brought us into a land that flows with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: will you put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not you their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be you and all your company before the LORD, you, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:
17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring you before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
20 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be wroth with all the congregation?
23 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
26 And he spoke unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.
27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
28 And Moses said, Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD has not sent me.
30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then you shall understand that these men have provoked [na’ats] the LORD.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
These men are the murmurers and complainers we’ve been discussing, which are spoken of in 1 Corinthians 10. Solomon, in Ecclesiastes 12:5, tells of this time, when the almond tree flourishes (na’ats – is provoked to life), and the (long-necked) grasshoppers are a burden. The Hebrew word shaqed, rendered “almond tree,” only appears three other times. In the context of this discussion, in Numbers 17:8, it is the fruit that comes as Aaron’s rod springs to life.
Said I not unto you, that, if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?
Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when you shall say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree [shaqed] shall flourish [na’ats], and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goes to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity.
9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Numbers 17
1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write you every man’s name upon his rod.
3 And you shall write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
4 And you shall lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
5 And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
6 And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds [shaqed].
9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and you shall quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
12 And the children of Israel spoke unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
13 Whosoever comes any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
This shaqed, almond tree, the rod of the LORD that flourishes (na’ats – is provoked) to life, is explained in Jeremiah 1, when in verse 11 Jeremiah sees an “almond tree.” In the following verse, the LORD says what he is seeing is that He is hastening His word to perform it.
Jeremiah 1
4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you, and I ordained you a prophet unto the nations.
6 Then said I, Ah, LORD God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for you shall go to all that I shall send you, and whatsoever I command you you shall speak.
8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.
9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what see you? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree [shaqed].
12 Then said the LORD unto me, You have well seen: for I will hasten [shaqad] my word to perform it.
Job 21
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which you wrongfully imagine against me.
28 For you say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
29 Have you not asked them that go by the way? and do you not know their tokens,
30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he has done?
32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in [shaqad – shall hasten to] the tomb.
Shaqad means to be alert, awake, not sleeping. In Job 21 it is telling of the wicked finding themselves alive in hell. In Jeremiah 1 it’s speaking of the Word of God coming to life, the almond rod, as if a rod of iron, by which He rules.
Psalms 127
1 Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman wakes [shaqad] but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he gives his beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Job 14
3 And do you open your eyes upon such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with you, you have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10 But man dies, and wastes away: yea, man gives up the ghost, and where is he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decays and dries up:
12 So man lies down, and rises not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13 O that you would hide me in the grave, that you would keep me secret [in a chamber], until your wrath [indignation] be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! [see Isaiah 26 below]
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Isaiah 26
19 Your dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in dust: for your dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
20 Come, my people, enter you into your chambers, and shut your doors about you: hide yourself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over-past.
21 For, behold, the LORD comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Psalms 10
12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand: forget not the humble.
13 Wherefore does the wicked contemn [na’ats – scorns] God? he has said in his heart, You will not require it.
14 You have seen it; for you behold mischief and spite, to requite it with your hand: the poor committed himself unto you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break you the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till you find none.
16 The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.
17 LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble: you will prepare their heart, you will cause your ear to hear:
18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.
Psalms 74
7 They have cast fire into your sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of your name to the ground.
8 They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues [churches] of God in the land.
9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.
10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme [na’ats – scorn] your name forever?
11 Why withdraw you your hand, even your right hand? pluck it out of your bosom.
12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You did divide the sea by your strength: you brake the heads of the dragons [death lurking below the surface] in the waters.
14 You brake the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gave him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 You did cleave the fountain and the flood: you dried up mighty rivers.
16 The day is yours, the night also is yours: you have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You have set all the borders of the earth: you have made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached [na’ats – scorned], O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed your name.
Psalms 107
8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned [na’ats – scorned] the counsel of the Most High:
12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
16 For he has broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
18 Their soul abhors all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saves them out of their distresses.
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
