Numbers 15:1

This chapter and the next four (through Numbers 19) provide a brief account of what happened in Israel during the next 38 years. How pitifully short is this grand summary of all that was worth writing of those long tragic years in which God simply waited for a faithless generation to die in order that another generation could seize and exploit the golden opportunity which their predecessors forfeited through cowardice and unbelief. And, what is recorded is, in major part, negative. How often in the progress of Christianity has God simply had to WAIT until someone died before any further progress could be registered! A thousand congregations today occupy the same status of having to wait until certain faithless and short-sighted leaders have passed over the river. It is futile to seek any exact dates for events and revelations in these chapters. "While the children of Israel were in the wilderness" (Numbers 15:32) is the only date given, the same being the period after the rebellion of Numbers 14 and until just prior to their entry into Canaan.

Gray's outline of the chapter is as good as any:[1]

I. Revelation of the proper quantities of meal, oil and wine to be offered in certain sacrifices (Numbers 15:1-16).

II. Concerning the cake of "the first of [~`aricoth] (Numbers 15:17-21).

III. Requirements for the offerings to be made for sins of ignorance: (a) by the community, or (b) by individuals (Numbers 15:23-31).

IV. The proper method of execution for the capital crime of breaking the Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36).

V. Commandments regarding the [~taliyth] and the tassels ([~tsitsith]) to be affixed to it (Numbers 15:37-41).

"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you, and will make an offering by fire unto Jehovah, a burnt-offering, or a sacrifice, to accomplish a vow, or as a freewill-offering, or in your set feasts, to make a sweet savor unto Jehovah, of the herd, or of the flock; then shall he that offereth his oblation offer unto Jehovah a meal-offering of a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mingled with the fourth part of a hin of oil: and wine for the drink-offering, the fourth part of a hin, shalt thou prepare with a burnt-offering, or for the sacrifice, for each lamb. Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meal-offering, two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with the third part of a hin of oil: and for the drink-offering thou shalt offer the third part of a hin of wine, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah. And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt-offering, or for a sacrifice, to accomplish a vow, or for peace-offerings unto Jehovah; then shall he offer with the bullock a meal-offering of three tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with half a hin of oil: and thou shalt offer for the drink-offering half a hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah."

For a full discussion of the several kinds of sacrifices mentioned here reference is made to our commentary on Leviticus. It is not the character of those sacrifices that is in view here, but certain regulations concerning the amount in each case of the satellite offerings that accompanied those sacrifices, namely, the meal-offerings, the oil-offerings, and the drink-offerings (wine). Note that these are graduated, corresponding to the size and value of the animals offered. In the three situations enumerated here, the meal-offering increases from the lesser to the greater as one fourth, one third, and one half of an ephah of fine flour. And the amount of oil increases in the same ratio from the lesser to the greater as one fourth, one third, and one half of a hin. Inherent in these gradations is the principle that men should give "as the Lord has prospered them," the same principle being carried over more specifically into the N.T.

If one wonders why these specifics concerning meal, oil and wine were here spelled out in such detail, it is because "no fixed amounts were prescribed" at the time the laws were given.[2]

"The laws here are addressed to the new generation,"[3] the condemned generation apparently being ignored altogether, as indicated by the words, "When ye are come into the land of your habitations" (Numbers 15:2). This is also an indication of a very probable time-lapse between this and the last chapter.

Another important indication of these verses is that the children of Israel did not scrupulously keep God's laws in the matter of all these ceremonial requirements during their wilderness sojourn. They did not circumcise their children (Joshua 5). They did not offer the required sacrifices (Amos 5:25). They continued in idolatry. "Ye have borne ... the shrine of your images, the star of your god which ye made yourselves" (Amos 5:26). They even worshipped "the host of heaven" (the sun, moon and stars) (Acts 7:42,43).

"When ye are come into the land ..." Yes, a whole nation had rebelled, but God's purpose remained unchanged and would be fulfilled in spite of their defection; and these words have the effect of adding assurance to that second generation that the unfaithfulness of their fathers would in no wise nullify God's promise as it pertained to themselves. Thus, it ever is. If an individual, or a community, or a state, or even the whole world shall rebel against God, God's WILL will still be done, and those who succeed them may indeed through fidelity possess the blessing that others rejected.