Thursday Night Bible Study

Numbers 15 (Click scripture reference for audio access)

"A Grace Portrait!"  •  5.10.12  •  Thursday Night Bible Study, Calvary Christian Fellowship

Intro.

- When we were last in Numbers, the people of God ventured into Canaan, the Promised Land, and made a decision not to believe in God's ability to bring them in.

- As a result, those 20 years old and above were judged, God sending them back into the Wilderness to live out a natural life sustained by Him, and die in the desert.

- For every day that they disbelieved, there would be a year of judgment! The people tried to overrule God's verdict by storming the castle, but were rebuffed and set back by their enemies.

- That background makes this next chapter a surprising one. The people have failed miserably, but God's response is certainly not what we would expect.

Text

• Numbers 15:1-10 : "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you have come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving to you, and you make an offering by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or in your appointed feasts, to make a sweet aroma to the Lord, from the herd or the flock, then he who presents his offering to the Lord shall bring a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil; and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering you shall prepare with the burnt offering or the sacrifice, for each lamb. Or for a ram you shall prepare as a grain offering two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil; and as a drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine as a sweet aroma to the Lord. And when you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering, or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow, or as a peace offering to the Lord, then shall be offered with the young bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil; and you shall bring as the drink offering half a hin of wine as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord." : Listen to the Lord's words: When you have come into the land! He had just told the people that they would not go into the land, but would die in the wilderness.

- Who is He talking to? He is talking to the people of Israel, just the very young people of Israel! He is speaking to the children who will inherit the land that God promised.

- Why? Because God promised! It's always about His faithfulness and His goodness!

- Notice something wonderful here: The children are not punished on account of their parents. They had their own destiny. They could believe God and God would fulfill His promises to them!

- To the children of Israel, God prescribes the same life of sacrifice. It would not change because of what had happened. They could still approach God based on sacrifice.

- He prescribes a burnt offering, a grain offering, a peace offering and a drink offering for them. These offerings speak of consecration, fellowship and thanksgiving.

- The people were to be wholly God's, their hearts and lives fully devoted to Him.

- They were to be in fellowship with God, His resource at their disposal and their lives at His.

- They were to be thankful, filled with gratitude for His presence in their lives, past and future.

- These are tenets that should define our walk with the Lord as well, even though we do not have these physical offerings to bring.

- Do you wholly belong to the Lord, heart and life? Are you in fellowship with Him? Are you thankful to Him for what He has done, is doing and will do for you?

- When these are the offerings of our hearts, there is a sweet aroma, a pleasing fragrance for Him to smell coming from your life!

•  Numbers 15:11-16 :  "Thus it shall be done for each young bull, for each ram, or for each lamb or young goat. According to the number that you prepare, so you shall do with everyone according to their number. All who are native-born shall do these things in this manner, in presenting an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord. And if a stranger dwells with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and would present an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord, just as you do, so shall he do. One ordinance shall be for you of the assembly and for the stranger who dwells with you, an ordinance forever throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.’" :  Whoever would find themselves in the promised land, under the covenant with God, were compelled to live under the sacrificial system. There was just one law for both.

- This law, this sacrifice was for everyone who desired to be in covenant with Israel's God, including the stranger or the foreigner.

- We have mentioned the "mixed multitude" before, as members of non-Israeli nations, who came out of Egypt and fell into company with Israel.

- In large part, many were only along for the ride, and caused some trouble for God's people. However, for those who were cooperative, God provided that there be one law and custom.

- These people could just as easily be related to God in covenant as a native! This is important for a few reasons. First, God is the same God in the New as He is in the Old.

- We tend to believe that God simply wanted to destroy these nations in Canaan to make room for His people that loved Him and that the Canaanites had no choice in the matter. Wrong!

- God had offered Himself to them and they had thoroughly rejected Him, turning instead to the most vile forms of idolatry and wickedness. Their punishment was well deserved.

- Second, it's important to understand that God does not enforce a covenant life with people who do not wish to be His people!

- It seems obvious, but Moab, Amalek, Edom, all lived lives that had nothing to do with God nationally. They did not follow His laws. They did not care for His ways.

- We are often guilty of trying to enforce God's laws on people who have not made a decision to make God, their God! That is not only detrimental to them, but it's a sad misrepresentation of God!

- There is a fine balance to maintain that says, "God is my God and that is why I act this way. If God is your God, then we have something to talk about with regard to your morality."

- Otherwise, those who refuse to truly acknowledge God, are left to their own devices, their godless life eventually will be judged by the Lord Himself.

- This does not mean that we stand idly by without making God's opinion, our opinion and His vote our vote. We simply must not put the cart before the horse in a person's life!

- One ordinance and law will be for the native born and the stranger. Today that one law for a right standing with God is centered on whether a person trusts in Jesus Christ or not!

- Those who do enter into life with Christ and those who do not remain alienated and outside the covenant that God has established through His grace!

•  Numbers 15:17-21 :  "Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land to which I bring you, then it will be, when you eat of the bread of the land, that you shall offer up a heave offering to the Lord. You shall offer up a cake of the first of your ground meal as a heave offering; as a heave offering of the threshing floor, so shall you offer it up. Of the first of your ground meal you shall give to the Lord a heave offering throughout your generations." : When they ate the bread of the land. What an assurance from the Lord. "You will eat bread and of that first bread, heave some toward me."

- The "heave offering" literally means to "lift it up." Offer it to the Lord as a gesture of thanksgiving unto Him. The temptation might be to think of themselves first, but God says, "Me first!"

•  Numbers 15:22-29 : "If you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments which the Lord has spoken to Moses— all that the Lord has commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day the Lord gave commandment and onward throughout your generations—then it will be, if it is unintentionally committed, without the knowledge of the congregation, that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one kid of the goats as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for the whole congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was unintentional; they shall bring their offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their unintended sin.  It shall be forgiven the whole congregation of the children of Israel and the stranger who dwells among them, because all the people did it unintentionally. And if a person sins unintentionally, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the Lord, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. You shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwells among them." : One might read it this way: If you fail to walk straight as a nation collectively or a person individually, there is a sacrifice for that, and forgiveness.

- Don't misunderstand here. God is not appeased because someone gave Him an animal. God responds when His people faithfully admit their error and come to God in line with His Word, in faith!

- In the same way, today, God does not forgive you for the right combination of words that you have uttered to Him. He forgives you in response to your agreement with Him that you have sinned!

- Even our mistakes, our sins, that were not commited intentionally, require sacrifice! Jesus died for your failures to live up to what you know you ought to do that is not done and vice versa!

•  Numbers 15:30,31 : "But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the Lord, and he shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the Lord, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.’" :  Unintentional sin is one thing. Failing to live up to what has been revealed is one thing. A person who acts presumptuously is treated in quite another way.

- The word "presumptuously" comes from the idea of being lifted up or exalted above the law and others. Literally, this person is one who does things with a "high hand."

- The dictionary definition is effrontery or taking for oneself more than is warranted.

- Presumption is a wicked, arrogant action. Presumption says, "I'll do whatever I want to do and God has to bless me for it!"

- You might ask, "What is the difference between sinning presumptously and a transgression?" It's all in the attitude. A transgression and presumption are both knowingly overstepping God's law.

- There is an offering for trespass, transgression, but not for presumption. One who transgresses and has a repentant heart is forgiven when they bring their offering.

- A presumptive person has no concern for what God thinks about with regard to their action, and therefore, has no offer of forgiveness! Why is that the case?

- First of all, it is something that brings reproach on the Lord. It is a mockery or a blasphemy of God. It tells people that you view God as your personal genie!

- He is only valuable to you, so long as He rubberstamps your desires! What an insult! Such a person was to be cut off. Why? Because they despised the word of the Lord.

- They have listened to God's Word and have taken it lightly, with little regard! They treat it with contempt, thinking little of what God has spoken.

- Those that are blessed in this life, who are living lives of satisfied joy, delight in the Word of God. Those who are wicked, living for a satisfaction they will never receive, despise the Word!

- Nothing shows a true heart toward the Lord in His Word like actions. Attitude determines action and when one acts this way, they have broken the Lord's commandment.

- Their guilt resides upon them! How utterly sad! God's people are freed from their guilt. There is no condemnation. For those who are not His people, their guilt just keeps pouring on!

• Numbers 15:32-36 : "Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. They put him under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, 'The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.' So, as the Lord commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died.'" : God had strictly prohibited any work on the Sabbath day as a statute for Israel. God, unlike Israel's oppressors, was a God of rest!

- Ultimately, the Sabbath speaks of Jesus, who is our final rest. Insterestingly, of all the commandments, the only one not restated in the New Testament, is the Sabbath command.

- This was a type or shadow and this man was ruining the picture and providing an illustration of a presumptuous sin. He was found gathering sticks or wood, presumably for fire.

- As with most activities, the people were to make preparations for their daily needs on the day preceding the Sabbath. Food was to be prepared and the necessary supplies collected.

- This man presumed to break God's command and perhaps, even likely, for a very good reason in his own mind. Perhaps he and his family were cold.

- Instead of obeying God's explicit command, we obey our own logic and sensibilities.

- Whatever "need" we feel that we have, our first need as Christians is to obey the Lord!

- When the people discovered the man, they brought him to Moses and Aaron on the next day in front of the congregation and the man was held until his fate was decided.

- When the people of God were unsure of what to do, they waited to hear from the Lord. We have seen this two other times, one negative and one positive.

- In Leviticus 24:10-14, a young man was executed for cursing God's name during a fight. 

- Earlier in the book of Numbers, some men had been defiled with a corpse and sought wisdom regarding their participation in the commemoration of the Passover. (Numbers 9:6ff)

- Both times, there was a waiting period to discover the Lord's will for the situation. In this instance, the man was sentenced to death, the whole congregation stoning him outside the camp.

- Why did God involve the congregation? Why allow them to act as the executioners? So that they would see the seriousness of the crime.

- You and I might see this as overkill. And this is the problem. We allow our minds and hearts to be the judge of that which is right and wrong, versus what God says about something!

- We argue that this isn't fair, but that reveals our blasphemous hearts. If God said, "Don't ever wear orange again." I'd remove anything that resembled orange!

- They were to see the seriousness and act in agreement with God by physically taking the stones themselves and acting out God's decree! It's painful but necessary for their community!

•  Numbers 15:37,38 : "Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners." : God orders the making of tassels or fringes for the childen of Israel, that were to be on the corners of their garments, with a blue thread running through them for people to see.

- When we looked at the Tabernacle, we noted there that blue was the color of the sky and therefore, symbolic of heaven or the heavens, where God dwelt.

•  Numbers 15:39-41 : "And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.'" : Here is the reason for the tassel: That you may remember all the commandments to do them!

- It's not enough to know what you should do. It's only viable when we do them! God's commandments cause us to be reminded of who He is in our lives and where we are going!

- The best people who have ever lived on earth were minded very seriously for heaven!

- The opposite is to follow the harlotry that our hearts and eyes are inclined to follow!

- Listen to the NIV rendering, " that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes."

Obeying God's commandments are a natural deterrent to our own desires! The people needed a physical reminder of God's commandments.

- They needed something to look at that would keep their heart and eyes from going astray.

- God is calling His people to be Holy for their God. They are to be separate for God. You are to be separate for God, set aside fully for His use.

- Today, we do not need a physical reminder on our body. We have the Holy Spirit and yielding to Him is better than something we can put on or take off if we wish!

Conclusion

- God is going to finish what He started. He is going to keep His promise. We must be His faithful people to experience it!

- May we pray, "Lord, keep our hearts soft before you, our actions pleasing to you and our motives fixed firmly on who you are and where we are going."