Numbers 15:1-21 NKJV
15 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “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, 3 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, 4 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; 5 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. 6 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; 7 and as a drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine as a sweet aroma to the Lord. 8 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, 9 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; 10 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.
11 ‘Thus it shall be done for each young bull, for each ram, or for each lamb or young goat. 12 According to the number that you prepare, so you shall do with everyone according to their number. 13 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. 14 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. 15 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. 16 One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.’ ”
17 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land to which I bring you, 19 then it will be, when you eat of the bread of the land, that you shall offer up a heave offering to the Lord. 20 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. 21 Of the first of your ground meal you shall give to the Lord a heave offering throughout your generations.
In Numbers 15:1-21, we encounter God’s instructions to His people, reminding them of the significance of obedience, remembrance, and holiness. God speaks through Moses, commanding the Israelites to offer sacrifices as an act of worship and to remember the covenant He made with them. This passage is more than just a set of rules; it calls us to reflect on our relationship with God, our need for forgiveness, and the need for constant remembrance of His grace.
The people of Israel were to bring offerings to the Lord in recognition of His goodness, grace, and provision. Yet, we are also reminded that sin, whether intentional or unintentional, required atonement. The sacrificial system was in place to deal with the reality of sin – something we all still face today. For us, living in the light of Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the cross, this passage calls us to remember that our sins, whether committed in ignorance or willfully, still separate us from God. But thanks be to God, Christ’s atonement is sufficient. His death on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, fulfilling all the Old Testament offerings. As the Apostle John writes, “the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Today, we are reminded to offer our lives as living sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1), not in the way of the Old Testament offerings, but in gratitude for Christ’s finished work. We are also reminded to reflect on God’s holiness and the weight of sin, and to bring our failures to Him in repentance, knowing He is faithful and just to forgive. As we live as God’s people, we are called to continually repent and trust in His grace. Just as the Israelites offered sacrifices for their unintentional sins, we can rest in the assurance that Christ’s sacrifice has made full atonement for all our sins – intentional and unintentional. In this, we are called to live in gratitude and obedience, trusting that God’s grace covers us completely.
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Help us to live lives that honor Him, offering ourselves as living sacrifices. Strengthen our faith that our lives may reflect the holiness and grace that You have shown to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.