Moses Wrote of Yeshua
In Luke 24:44, after His resurrection, Yeshua declared to His disciples, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” With these words, Yeshua taught that the Torah is far more than a record of Israel’s history or a collection of laws. Throughout the writings of Moses are prophetic types, symbols, historical events, and institutions that ultimately find their fulfillment in the Messiah. This is certainly true of the closing chapters of Numbers (30:2–36:13). Although these chapters deal with vows, holy war, inheritance, tribal boundaries, cities of refuge, and the daughters of Zelophehad, they contain remarkable pictures of Yeshua. Read alongside Acts 3:21, where Peter speaks of “the restoration of all things, about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time,” they also reveal themes that many Christian universalists understand as anticipating Yahweh’s ultimate purpose of restoring His creation.
Yeshua the Faithful Covenant Keeper (Numbers 30)
Numbers 30 focuses on the importance of vows and the keeping of one’s word. Yahweh’ teaches Israel that promises are sacred because He Himself is perfectly faithful. Humanity repeatedly breaks its covenants and fails to fulfill its commitments, but Yeshua never failed in any obligation to His Father. He becomes the perfectly faithful Israelite who fulfills every commandment, every covenant responsibility, and every divine promise. Paul later writes that all the promises of God find their “Yes” in Messiah. What Israel could not accomplish through repeated failure, Yeshua fulfilled through perfect obedience.
Universalist Theme: God’s Faithfulness Overcomes Human Failure
Universalists often see Numbers 30 directing our attention away from the inconsistency of humanity and toward the unwavering faithfulness of Yah1. Human beings fail repeatedly to keep their promises, yet God’s promises remain certain. If redemption ultimately depended upon human faithfulness, there would be no hope for anyone. Instead, salvation rests upon the unchanging faithfulness of Yah Himself. This harmonizes beautifully with Acts 3:21, where His ancient promises continue moving history toward the restoration of all things despite humanity’s repeated failures.
Yeshua the Conqueror of Evil (Numbers 31)
Numbers 31 records Israel’s war against Midian, one of the more difficult passages in the Torah because it describes divine judgment upon a nation that deliberately sought Israel’s destruction through idolatry and immorality. Christians generally understand this event as a unique historical judgment within Israel’s covenant history rather than a pattern for the Church. Yeshua fulfills this chapter not by leading military campaigns against earthly nations but by defeating humanity’s far greater enemies: sin, death, Satan, and evil itself. The New Testament transforms holy war into spiritual victory, with Messiah conquering through His death and resurrection rather than through physical violence. And keep in mind Yeshua will restore and save the Midianites “on the other side” of this earthly life2.
Universalist Theme: Judgment Removes Evil in Order to Restore
Universalists fully acknowledge that divine judgment is real, yet we emphasize that throughout Scripture judgment consistently opposes evil rather than delighting in destruction. Our Creator’s purpose is to remove what corrupts His creation so that righteousness may flourish. Peter’s statement in Acts 3:21 speaks not of preserving evil forever but of the restoration of all things. From this perspective, divine judgment serves Yah’s restorative purposes rather than permanently frustrating them.
Yeshua, the Giver of the Inheritance (Numbers 32)
When the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh request land east of the Jordan, Moses requires them first to fight alongside their brothers before receiving their inheritance. This points beautifully to Yeshua, who secures the eternal inheritance for all of Creation’s people. The New Testament repeatedly describes believers as fellow heirs with Messiah. Yeshua enters the battle first, wins the victory over sin and death, and then graciously shares the inheritance He has secured with all who belong to Him. As Israel’s inheritance depended upon covenant faithfulness, our eternal inheritance rests entirely upon His finished work.
Universalist Theme: The Inheritance Expands to Yahweh’s Entire Family
Universalists frequently observe that the Biblical language of inheritance grows progressively broader throughout Scripture. The prophets foresee the nations sharing in Yah’s blessings, and the New Testament speaks of believers becoming fellow heirs in Christ. Acts 3:21 envisions a restored creation in which
‘s purposes embrace the whole world. The inheritance ultimately extends beyond the borders of ancient Canaan to encompass the renewed heavens and earth under Messiah’s reign.
Yeshua the Shepherd of the Journey (Numbers 33)
Numbers 33 records every stage of Israel’s wilderness journey. What appears to modern readers as little more than a travel itinerary actually reveals our Father’s patient guidance over forty years. Every campsite mattered, every stop was remembered, and every step was directed by Him. Christians have long seen this journey as a picture of the believer’s pilgrimage under the leadership of Yeshua. He is the greater Shepherd who faithfully guides His people through the wilderness of this world toward the true Promised Land. Just as never abandoned Israel despite repeated rebellion, Yeshua remains faithful throughout every stage of our spiritual journey.
Universalist Theme: God Never Abandons His Redemptive Journey
Universalists find great encouragement in the fact that although Israel repeatedly sinned during the wilderness years, Yahweh never abandoned His covenant purposes. He continued to lead, provide, discipline, and fulfill His promises. This reveals a Redeemer whose purposes endure despite human weakness. Acts 3:21 likewise portrays history moving steadily toward restoration because Yahweh’s faithfulness is stronger than humanity’s failures.
Yeshua the True Promised Land (Numbers 34)
Chapter 34 establishes the boundaries of Israel’s inheritance in Canaan. Spiritually, Christians have long understood the Promised Land as pointing beyond itself to the Kingdom of God. Yeshua is both the One who prepares the inheritance and the inheritance itself. The earthly land served as a shadow of the greater reality that would come through Messiah. The New Testament expands the promise beyond one geographical territory to include the renewal of all creation under Christ’s reign.
Universalist Theme: The Kingdom Embraces All Creation
Universalists often note that God’s kingdom steadily expands throughout the biblical narrative. What begins with the land promised to Abraham ultimately grows into the vision of all nations worshiping the God of Israel, Revelation 21:24 and 22:2. Paul later speaks of Christ reconciling all things in heaven and on earth, Colossians 1:20 while Peter speaks of the restoration of all things, Acts 3:21. The inheritance finally extends as far as Yahweh’s renewed creation itself.
Yeshua the City of Refuge (Numbers 35)
Perhaps nowhere in this Torah portion is Yeshua more beautifully portrayed than in the cities of refuge. Those guilty of accidental manslaughter could flee to these cities and receive protection from the avenger of blood. Their safety depended upon remaining within the city until the death of the high priest. Christians have long recognized this as one of the clearest Old Testament pictures of salvation. Yeshua Himself becomes our refuge. Those who flee to Him find mercy rather than condemnation. Most remarkably, freedom ultimately comes through the death of the High Priest. Under the old covenant this was Aaron’s successor; under the new covenant, the High Priest is Yeshua Himself, whose own death secures the freedom of all who seek refuge in Him, Luke 4:18.
Universalist Theme: The Refuge Remains Open
Universalists often emphasize that the cities of refuge existed to preserve life rather than to maximize punishment. God provided a place where justice and mercy met together. The purpose was protection, reconciliation, and eventual restoration. In the same way, Yeshua continually invites all who labor and are heavy laden to come to Him, Matthew 11:28. The refuge remains open because Yeshua’s desire is always to bring sinners into safety rather than to abandon them.
Yeshua and the Daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 36)
The daughters of Zelophehad appear once again as questions concerning inheritance are resolved. Earlier they had appealed successfully for justice when no provision existed for daughters to inherit family property. Their account demonstrates Yahweh’s willingness both to preserve righteousness and to extend covenant blessings where they had previously been withheld. Christians have often seen this as foreshadowing the Victorious Gospel itself, in which those once excluded are welcomed fully into our Father’s family. In Messiah there is neither male nor female regarding covenant standing, for all who belong to Him receive the inheritance He provides.
Universalist Theme: Restoration Includes the Previously Excluded
Believers in 1 Timothy 4:10-11 frequently observe that throughout Scripture Yahweh continually widens participation in His blessings. The daughters receive an inheritance, foreigners are welcomed into covenant life, the poor are remembered, and the outcast is restored. The prophets repeatedly envision the nations coming to worship our Savior. Peter’s declaration in Acts 3:21 culminates this expanding trajectory by speaking of the restoration of all things. The movement of Scripture consistently points toward inclusion rather than permanent exclusion.
Conclusion: Moses Ends by Pointing to Yeshua
Although the closing chapters of Numbers may initially appear to contain only administrative laws and historical details, they quietly proclaim Yeshua throughout. He is the perfectly faithful Covenant Keeper, the victorious Conqueror over evil, the Giver of the eternal inheritance, the Shepherd of the wilderness journey, the true Promised Land, the City of Refuge, the eternal High Priest whose death brings freedom, and the One who welcomes the previously excluded into Yahweh’s inheritance. Running alongside these portraits of Messiah is a consistent theme that many Christian universalists find deeply significant. Yahweh’s purposes continually move toward restoration. His judgments remove evil rather than frustrate His ultimate plan. His covenant faithfulness overcomes human failure. His refuge remains open. His inheritance expands. His Shepherd never abandons His flock. For this reason, many 1 Timothy 4:10 believers contend these final chapters of Numbers harmonize beautifully with Peter’s proclamation in Acts 3:21 that heaven must receive Yeshua “until the period of restoration of all things,” revealing that even here, Moses was writing about Yeshua, and Father Yahweh’s enduring purpose to restore His creation through Savior and King Yeshua.
Brother Roger
Endnotes:
- Yah is the short form of Yahweh, much as we say Rog, the short form of Roger, or Norm, the short form of Norman. Our Creator/Redeemer uses the contracted form of His name 49 times in Scripture. See Strong’s Concordance #H3050. ↩︎
- If He refines, transforms and saves the evil people of Noah’s day who were destroyed in the flood, 1 Peter 3:18 through chapter 4:6, then certainly He can and will transform and save others including the evil Midianites. ↩︎
Hopefully you will find this song summarizes this Torah Portion:
Leave a Reply