Sacrifices & Reminders (Numbers 15)

Do we offer food and drink in sacrificial service to God and others? Do we rest in Jesus, knowing that He forgives sin? Do we use any reminders of God’s word? Let’s look at Numbers 15.

What grain and drink offerings were to accompany a burnt offering?

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. (Numbers 15:1-5 NKJV)

What grain and drink offerings were to accompany a ram or bull?

If the sacrifice is a ram, give a grain offering of four quarts of choice flour mixed with a third of a gallon of olive oil, and give a third of a gallon of wine as a liquid offering. This will be a pleasing aroma to the Lord. When you present a young bull as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow or as a peace offering to the Lord, you must also give a grain offering of six quarts of choice flour mixed with two quarts of olive oil, and give two quarts of wine as a liquid offering. This will be a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. (Numbers 15 6-10 NLT)

What was the law if a foreigner wanted to offer a sacrifice to the Lord?

Thus it shall be done for each bull, for each ram, for each of the male lambs, or of the young goats. According to the number that you shall prepare, so you shall do to everyone according to their number. All who are native-born shall do these things in this way, in offering an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you, or whoever may be among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh, as you do, so he shall do. For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner, a statute forever throughout your generations. As you are, so the foreigner shall be before Yahweh. One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you.’” (Numbers 15:11-16 WEB)

Did offering the first loaf of bread reveal where their hearts were?

The Lord spoke to Moses: Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land to which I’m bringing you, whenever you eat the land’s food you will present a gift offering to the Lord. You will present a gift offering from the first bread you bake just like you present a gift offering from the threshing floor. You will give a gift offering from the first bread you bake for all time. (Numbers 15:17-21 CEB)

What was the law regarding a sacrifice for unintentional sin?

The Lord also told Moses to tell the people what must be done if they ever disobey his laws: If all of you disobey one of my laws without knowing it, you must offer a bull as a sacrifice to please me, together with a grain sacrifice, a wine offering, and a goat as a sacrifice for sin. Then the priest will pray and ask me to forgive you. And since you did not mean to do wrong, and you offered sacrifices, the sin of everyone—both Israelites and foreigners among you—will be forgiven. But if one of you does wrong without knowing it, you must sacrifice a year-old female goat as a sacrifice for sin. The priest will then ask me to forgive you, and your sin will be forgiven. The law will be the same for anyone who does wrong without meaning to, whether an Israelite or a foreigner living among you. (Numbers 15:22-29 CEV)

What about anyone who deliberately disobeys God?

But the person who does anything with a high hand [intentionally, defiantly], whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person 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 utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.” (Numbers 15:30-31 ESV)