Saturday 2nd September
Read Numbers 15:1-5
“The Lord said to Moses, 2 ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: “After you enter the land I am giving you as a home 3 and you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock, as an aroma pleasing to the Lord – whether burnt offerings or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings or festival offerings – 4 then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of olive oil. 5 With each lamb for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.” (NIVUK)
It may seem rather odd that immediately after one of the most disastrous episodes in Israel’s history we interrupt the story with a series of laws. A close reading of them though reveals immense measures of grace to a people with little hope after their rebellion.
The first laws concern sacrifices (v1-21). They reflect instruction on how God’s people should respond to His gracious gifts, having just rejected the immense gift of the promised land itself. The second speak of how to mend breached relationships with God, after the horrific rejection of Him by the spies and the people (v22-36) and finally there is a strange law we will consider tomorrow concerning how to remember God and His goodness (v37-41). All of them linked to the fallout from the catastrophe of refusing to enter.
Two notes of grace to consider. First note the instruction’s context, ‘After you enter the land I am giving you as a home…’ (v2). God remains true to His covenant word. There remains hope. The second requires a little homework to see how these sacrificial laws vary from those in Leviticus. In essence they have been expanded. Once they are ‘at home’, their sacrifices are to fill out to a full meal – drinks included! This is not a command that increases the onerous-ness of the task – but a message to the people that the covenant will be fully ratified. That is how covenants were concluded in ancient times. Sealed when the feast was completed!
Reflect on just how gracious God is amidst their horrific rebellion. Yes, Moses interceded. But the response was overflowing grace.
