Good Morning Yamon Ki Yesepar;

Numbers 10:35: “And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let your enemies be scattered; and let them that hate you flee before you.”

Do you ever stop to think what enemies Moses is talking about?   It really does not appear that there were any enemies really threatening Israel at this time.  Here’s the remez, what is the difference between an enemy being scattered and those who hate God fleeing from Him.  Secondly, why does Moses ask that his enemy be scattered?  Why not defeated, or destroyed.  If they scatter they can just regroup and come charging back?

There are basically two words in the Hebrew for enemies.  One is sonei and is almost onomatopoeic, it sounds like what it is, sort of like a hissing sound of a snake announcing it’s poisonous presence.  That is not the word used here.

This is the least common word for enemy, “oeyev”  It both sounds and appears like the word “ohev”  which is the word for love.  Oeyve is the word used for the enemy who masquerades as a friend.  Enemy is a pretty harsh word here.  “Oeyev”  carries more of  the idea of a political type friend.  Abraham Lincoln once said: “Lord, protect me from my friends. I can take care of my enemies myself.”  These are not the Yadiyad friends these are the oeyev friends, fair weather friends, those who seek your friendship because you have something to offer them. Generally, these type of friends, are always doing you a favor or being helpful for the old “You scratch my back I scratch yours.”   In a relationship with God, they are the ones who are desparately seeking His presence because they are troubled, they need help, they want peace because they have no peace.  These are the ones that Moses is saying: “Let them be “scattered.”

Now we need to see the picture here.  Moses is standing before the ark of the covenant and before the ark he is experiencing  the very presence of God.  Can you relate to this?  Here you are surrounded by the presence of God, just enjoying his presence and around you are the these people who are trying to work up the presence of God though shouting, singing or whatever human methods.

Now “scattered” is a good thing. This was a prayer for a blessing.  The word scattered is “pavas.”   This has the idea of confusion.  The “pe” represents freedom the “vav” represents something other than God and the “sade” represents humility.  Among the people of Israel were those who did not reject God, but they felt they had to approach God “religiously.”   You know, sing a certain praise song, shout, pray a certain prayer, sort of work or pump up the presence of God. Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way which seems right unto man but the end thereof is destruction.  Moses standing before the ark of the covenant did not do any of these things to experience the presence of God, God just shines His presence because He wants to.  He is not a computer where you have to type in the command perfectly.  You forget the dot before the com and that e-mail bounces right back to you.  Moses is praying, “God, give them freedom from the dependence upon that which is not you, freedom from trying to make sure they have the dot before the com to get your presence. Confuse their thinking on what they feel is the right way to You  and just let them humble themselves before you.

But soft, there is more.  Next Moses says: “Let them that hate you, flee before you.”  The word hate is that word we talked about in class, “shana.”  It has the idea of making a choice.  You know, “Esau I hated, Jacob I loved.”   It is more of the idea of  “I have not chosen Esau.”   Here is the same word where Moses is saying, “But, for those who do not choose you, who really do not want you, let them “navas” or flee.  This flee is to flee from a covering, or protection.  Let them flee from the covering of your “pani” the presence of God.

Maybe the next time you enter into the presence of God and you find someone who is trying to enter His presence through his shouting, singing, or whatever way to pump it up.  Rather than pray: “God, make that person shut up so I am not so distracted,”  you could pray like Moses: “Arise O’God and let this one who is seeking you be freed from his earthly human attempts to enter you presence and just allow him to humble himself before you.”

Too often when we really enter the presence of God all we want to do is praise and worship and hog it all for ourselves.  Do a little Moses and use this opportunity to pray your brothers and sisters into His presence as well.

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