numbers 15 and 16

Read Numbers 15 and 16 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions for today’s chapters are:

15:1-16 {p} Burnt offering: one law for Israel and the stranger who dwells with Israel
15:17-21 {s} Firstfruits heave offering when Israel comes into the land
15:22-26 {s} Unintentional sin: one law for the native + stranger
15:27-31 {p} Sin offering: one law the native + stranger + presumptuous sin
15:32-34 {s} Man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath
15:35-36 {p} Man who sinned presumptuously stoned with stones
15:37-41 {p} Law concerning tassels on the four corners of the garments
16:1-19 {s} Rebellion of Korah + Dathan + Abirim + 250 leaders
16:20-22 {s} Intercession of Moses and Aaron
16:23-35 {s} Ground swallows the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
16:36-40 {p} Burned censors a covering for the incense altar as a warning
16:41-43 {s} Rebellion of all the congregation of Israel
16:44-50 {p} Aaron between the dead + living with his censor; plague stopped

Strong themes so far in Numbers:

9:1-8 {p} Passover keeping prevented by defilement
9:9-23 {s+p} Second month Passover + one Torah + Israel encamped and journeyed at the command of YHVH
10:1-10 {p} The law of the two silver trumpets
10:11-28 {s+s+p} 2nd year, 2nd month, 20th day, Israel broke camp + Moses and Jethro + Moses’ blessing for the ark
11:1-35 {px3} Complaint against the LORD because of manna leads to graves of craving
12:1-13 {s+p} Complaint of Miriam + Aaron against Moses; Miriam becomes leprous
12:14-16 {p} Miriam shut out of the camp 7 days, then received again
13:1-14:45 {px3} Ten spies evil report reveals heart of unbelief, they will not enter the Land
15:1-16 {p} One Torah: bread + wine w/ burnt offerings
15:17-31 {s+s+p} Firstfruits offering in the land + one Torah for unintentional + intentional sins
15:32-36 {s+p} Man gathering sticks on the Sabbath did so presumptuously, and was stoned with stones
15:37-41 {p} Law of tassels on the four corners of the garments
16:1-40 {sx3+p} Rebellion of leaders + intercession + wrath + reminder
16:41-50 {s+p} Rebellion of congregation + wrath + intercession

What stood out to me today, looking at the strong themes, is the sheer volume of complaints against the Lord and against Moses that were a common characteristic of Israel’s journey through the wilderness. Now, there was a man who was stoned for gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. This incident is bracketed by two interesting paragraphs in the Hebrew paragraph divisions:

‘But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the Lord, and he 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 completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.’ {p} Num 15:30-31

Then, Num 15:32-36 {p} Man gathering sticks on the Sabbath stoned with stones

Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.” {p} Num 15:37-41

This is Scripture’s way of telling us, that the man did not go out and break the Sabbath as an accident or a mistake; but he set his heart intentionally and deliberately to break the Sabbath by gathering sticks on it. I think he might have decided that since he wasn’t going to enter the Promised Land, but die in the wilderness, then what good was it serving God? But, most of us would say, isn’t death a little extreme for such a minor violation? Consider that the first section of commandments in the Ten Commandments were given to teach us what it means to LOVE GOD, and the last section of commandments in the Ten Commandments were given to teach us what it means to LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR. This man, having seen and heard God speak the commandments with His own voice that thundered while Sinai was wreathed in flame from the Lord’s presence upon it, knew this very well. To deliberately and maliciously break the Sabbath commandment was his easiest way to speak back audibly: I HATE YOU GOD.

Now, since these things happened as an example to instruct US, what is the instruction? If you love Me, keep My commandments (Joh 14:15, even if you don’t understand why I have given them to you). If you hate Me, maliciously flaunt My commandments. There are a lot of folks with minimal Bible knowledge who have already gotten that message, and do so. The gospel of grace is being preached from Torah. For Sabbath rest is a prophetic type of salvation by grace through faith and not of works. That is the only way to life everlasting. Our own WORK leads to everlasting death.

The next thing that happened, was full out rebellion. I think the leaders thought that Moses and Aaron must be making a terrible mistake in hearing from the Lord, that the people were not supposed to enter the Promised Land. Notice that the leaders of the rebellion were Korah, of the tribe of Levi, who I think thought himself a better candidate for the PRIESTHOOD than Aaron, and two sons of the firstborn of Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, who I think thought themselves a better candidate to LEAD the congregation than Moses. Even the miraculous and terrible death of these men at the hand of the Lord, did not restrain the people, who next rebelled. Rebellion against godly God-appointed leadership is not a fruit of the Spirit. And we know that Moses and Aaron were godly, for in the midst of all these complaints and rebellions, they did not cease from interceding before the Lord for His mercy, even for those who were striking out against them! In this, they are acting as prophetic types and shadows of Messiah, who Moses wrote about in this way.

For further reading:
who are the children of Israel?
sabbath and the law of love
on tzitzit
the law of love