Christ in all the scriptures
Numbers 15
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I will give unto you..."!
This notable opening, considering the content of chapter 14, is remarkable. The Lord has forbidden an entire generation to enter the land ever, yet here He is speaking of the next generation doing exactly that. He says, not IF but WHEN you settle in the land! Amid the confusion of the present day, it is high time the modern world awakes to the reality of what is here. God gave them this land! and nothing, and no one, will take it from them. Israel are far from a perfect people, but they are God's people, and He gave them the land they occupy now. I remember the comment of the late politician Tony Benn, who said of this, "I did not realise God was an estate agent"! The whole world needs to understand that the Lord OWNS every square inch of this earth, and He has given this particular land, "the glory of all lands", to Israel. To oppose that is to oppose Almighty God, who has given them this land, a fact repeated many times in holy writ. Psalm 24v1 declares "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein".
The chapter presents the instructions for true worship on entering the land. The principles are outlined as follows:
15v1-21 Pleasing the Lord; v22-29 Obeying the Lord; v30-36 Fearing the Lord; v37-41 Displaying the Lord.
Pleasing the Lord (1-21). Five times in this section we read "of a sweet savour unto the Lord"-v3, v7, v10, v13, v14. This is the first principle of worship when they settle in the land. It would not be practical in the desert, but when they occupy the land these ingredients would be readily available and they were expected to "Honour the Lord with their substance, and with the first fruits of all their increase"-Proverbs 3v9. God invites them to bring of His bounty to Him. We do not possess anything that He has not given us first. In the present day the sacrifices are spiritual rather than material, but it may involve giving of our material possessions. God wants to be worshipped in His prescribed way, not any old way of our choosing. So He gives specifics on offerings: in any offering made by fire unto the Lord, whether of a burnt offering, or sacrifice in making a vow, or in a free will (spontaneous) offering, there were measures given for each approach involving fine grain, and oil, and wine. For us today these rituals point to the sacrifice of Christ in all aspects; to the perfection of His offering, to the Holy Spirit who inspired Him, and to the outpouring of joy in doing the Father's will. These are what bring a sweet odour to the Lord in contrast to the stench of sin from humankind. He said, "I do always those things which please Him"-John 8v29. Likewise, we are also encouraged to please Him-Colossians 1v10, "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God". The New Testament reveals what is pleasing to God, and it is a study worth pursuing. Some examples are; Hebrews 1v6, to please Him we must have faith; preaching a sound gospel-1st Thessalonians 2v4; keeping His commandments-1st John 3v22; doing good and sharing what we have-Hebrews 13v16; living sanctified lives-1st Thessalonians 4v1; walking in fellowship with God-Hebrews 11v5; prioritising the things of God-2nd Timothy 2v4; obedience to parents-Colossians 3v20; supporting God's servants-Philippians 4v18; Praying for the unbelieving world at all levels-1st Timothy 2v1-4. He is a giving God and He deserves something from us. We note that the pardon pronounced in chapter 14 is based on the blood sacrifice of Christ, and God delights to receive our thanksgiving and devotion. Whatever we give to the Lord, He gave us more. He gave His all. He seeks heart worship from a reverent Spirit, while He enriches us with many blessings. He seeks full devotion with a joyous spirit from all His people and all associated with them. In their giving, the first portion was for the Lord, "Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave offering in your generations"-v21. The heave offering was of the shoulder, symbolising strength. Remember the first commandment-"...love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might"-Deut. 6v5
Obeying the Lord v22-29 This section deals with the incidence of sin in the camp or in the individual. Sins of ignorance (v24-29) are still sins. The principal is established, "Though he wist it not, yet is he guilty"-Leviticus 5v17. No one can know all sins, which are offensive to God, it is a learning process. The instructions given to Moses were not suggestions, they were commandments:
"And if ye have erred and not observed all these commandments, which the Lord hath spoken unto Moses, even all that the Lord hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the Lord commanded Moses, and henceforth among your generations...".
The meticulous ritualistic detail, given for their worship, reflected the perfection of divine ingredients that would produce the desired sweet odour. None of us would consider challenging a renowned chef as to how to make a savoury meal. Deviation from these instructions was a sin, as it countermanded the will of God. Reverence to the God of perfection demanded conformity in the finest detail. As much as Israel were given many hundreds of laws (some reckon well over 2000), the Church has less commandments by comparison. Christ, in His life and death, fulfilled the law in total (Matthew 5v17-18. He fulfilled the moral law, the civil law, and the ceremonial law in minute detail. His life and death were a total devotion to the will of God. Nevertheless there are some notable commandments in Christianity which we do well to honour. At conversion the ordinance of baptism (Matthew 28v19; Mark 16v16; Acts 2v41; Romans 6v3-4; Colossians 2v12. On the first of every week, remembrance of Him in the emblems bread and wine (Matthew 26v26-27; Mark 114v22-24; Luke 22v19-20; Acts 20v7; 1st Corinthians 11v23-26. We are commanded to love one another (John 13v34-35; 15v12; Romans 13v8; Ephesians 5v2; Hebrews 13v1; James 2v8-"the Royal Law"; 1st Peter 1v22; 1st John 3v11v14; 5v2. The instructions concerning church order are said to be the commandments of the Lord (1st Corinthians 14v37); acknowledgement of headship in head coverings (1st Corinthians 11v4-5); charismatic gifts must be interpreted for the edification of the church (1st Corinthians 14v4-17); public teachers (prophets) to demonstrate courtesy in their participation (14v29-33); female members to accept a silent role in the matter of public participation (1st Corinthians 14v34-38, with 1st Timothy 2v8-15).
These are some of the external commandments which are relatively easy to obey. There are hundreds more to do with our moral lives-scholars have listed over 1000 commands under the headings of "beware", "give", "give not", "let", "love", "love not", "withdraw", "avoid", "be", "seek", "eschew", "mortify", "occupy", and many many more. The gospel teaches that we are no longer under law, but it is expected that "the righteousness of the law will be fulfilled in us"-Romans 8v4; we are not saved by works...but "unto good works"-Ephesians 2v9-10. The commission of the apostles involved "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you"-Matthew 28v20. It is a serious error to propagate that in this day of grace there are no laws we are expected to obey. This has led to moral relativism, a concept which is far from bible truth.
Sins of ignorance are still sins and need to be atoned for by sacrifice. Whether the sin is known only to the individual, it still needs to be dealt with as individual sin affected the whole camp, and required the action of the priest. Sins confessed are sins forgiven, which is the bounty of the grace of God in Christ. This was true prospectively for the Israelite, it is true practically and wonderfully for the Christian believer.
Fearing the Lord v30-36 Presumptuous sins are to be dealt with in the severest way. Those who commit blatant public evil within the congregation must be punished, and that publicly, either of excommunication or loss of life. "Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken His commandment; that soul shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him"-15v31. The purpose of such extreme punishment is to ensure the fear of the Lord in their midst. Deuteronomy 13v10-11, "And all Israel shall hear and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this among you"; 17v12-13, "And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously". There was the incidence in the wilderness of a man breaking the law of the Sabbath. Not knowing what to do, they sought the Lord, who declared the death penalty of stoning from among them. This was the ultimate penalty, and would be viewed with horror and condemnation in the present day. Blatant sin is described as "a reproach against the Lord"-(v30); the punishment reflects the Divine attitude to sin, He must put it away from the redeemed congregation. The people must learn the reality of sin against the Lord. There are incidents in the New Testament where people have died because of blatant sin. Others, where some are excommunicated from the community; leaders, who are publicly rebuked within the community. All this is to create a sense of the fear of the Lord amongst His people. Concerning unregenerate man, "there is no fear of God before their eyes"-Psalm 36v1 and Romans 3v18. Believers are expected to fear the Lord, by living holy lives. The apostle Peter refers to this many times in his first epistle, "...pass the time of your sojourning here in fear"-1v17; "Honour all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the king"-2v17; "Servants be subject unto your masters with all fear..."-2v18; "...your chaste conversation coupled with fear"-3v2; "...give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear"-3v15. The reverential fear of the Lord should be a mark of every Christian and every community of Christians.
Displaying the Lord v37-41 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes (tassels) in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribbon of blue: and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a-whoring"-v38-39.
There was always a tendency for them to stray in heart, and the fringe with the tassels served as a reminder of who they were. To coin a phrase we need to "remember whose we are, and who He is". Many of the commentators say, "Be what you are!". As we pass through a world in opposition to God we must display the beauties that God has bestowed upon us. It reminds us who we have become in conversion, and testifies to others in contact with us. These beautiful tassels with the ribbon of blue reminded them, and all who saw them, they were a heavenly people, they were different, and actions and attitude reflects this.
