Matthew Henry Commentary Numbers 15
Matthew Henry Commentary
Numbers 15
Matthew Henry Commentary
Numbers 15
"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 the 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. Thus shall it be done for each bullock, or for each ram, or for each of the he-lambs, or of the kids. According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number. All that are home-born shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah. And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever may be among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah; as ye do, so he shall do. For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth [with you], a statute for ever throughout your generations: as ye are, so shall the sojourner be before Jehovah. One law and one ordinance shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you. And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you, then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up a heave-offering unto Jehovah. Of the first of your dough ye shall offer up a cake for a heave-offering: as the heave-offering of the threshing-floor, so shall ye heave it. Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto Jehovah a heave-offering throughout your generations." — Numbers 15:1-21 (ASV)
Full instructions are given about the meat-offerings and drink-offerings. The beginning of this law is very encouraging, When you come into the land of your habitation which I give to you. This was a plain intimation that God would secure the promised land to their seed.
It was requisite, since the sacrifices of acknowledgment were intended as the food of God's table, that there should be a constant supply of bread, oil, and wine, whatever the flesh-meat was. And the intent of this law is to direct the proportions of the meat-offering and drink-offering.
Natives and strangers are placed on a level in this as in other like matters. It was a fortunate forewarning of the calling of the Gentiles, and of their admission into the church. If the law made so little difference between Jew and Gentile, much less would the gospel, which broke down the partition-wall, and reconciled both to God.
"And when ye shall err, and not observe all these commandments, which Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses, even all that Jehovah hath commanded you by Moses, from the day that Jehovah gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations; then it shall be, if it be done unwittingly, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering, for a sweet savor unto Jehovah, with the meal-offering thereof, and the drink-offering thereof, according to the ordinance, and one he-goat for a sin-offering. And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their oblation, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah, and their sin-offering before Jehovah, for their error: and all the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; for in respect of all the people it was done unwittingly. And if one person sin unwittingly, then he shall offer a she-goat a year old for a sin-offering. And the priest shall make atonement for the soul that erreth, when he sinneth unwittingly, before Jehovah, to make atonement for him; and he shall be forgiven. Ye shall have one law for him that doeth aught unwittingly, for him that is home-born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them." — Numbers 15:22-29 (ASV)
Though ignorance will to a degree excuse, it will not justify those who might have known their Lord's will, yet did not do it. David prayed to be cleansed from his secret faults, those sins of which he himself was not aware.
Sins committed ignorantly will be forgiven through Christ the great Sacrifice, who, when he offered himself up once for all on the cross, seemed to explain one part of the intention of his offering in that prayer: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. It was a favorable sign for the Gentiles that this law of atoning for sins of ignorance was expressly made to extend to those who were strangers to Israel.
"But the soul that doeth aught with a high hand, whether he be home-born or a sojourner, the same blasphemeth Jehovah; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of Jehovah, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. And Jehovah said unto Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as Jehovah commanded Moses." — Numbers 15:30-36 (ASV)
Those are to be considered presumptuous sinners who sin intentionally against God's will and glory. Sins committed in this way are extremely sinful. The one who thus breaks the commandment reproaches the Lord. He also despises the word of the Lord. Presumptuous sinners despise it, thinking themselves too great, too good, and too wise to be ruled by it.
A particular instance of presumption in the sin of Sabbath-breaking is related. The offense was gathering sticks on the Sabbath day to make a fire, whereas the people were to bake and seethe what they needed the day before (Exodus 16:23). This was done as an affront both to the law and to the Lawgiver. God is jealous for the honor of His Sabbaths and will not hold guiltless anyone who profanes them, whatever people may do. God intended this punishment as a warning to all, to be conscientious about keeping the Sabbath holy.
And we may be assured that no command was ever given for the punishment of sin which, at the Judgment Day, will not prove to have come from perfect love and justice. The right of God to a day of devotion to Himself will be disputed and denied only by those who listen to the pride and unbelief of their hearts, rather than to the teaching of the Spirit of truth and life. What is the difference between the one who was detected gathering sticks in the wilderness on God's day, and the man who turns his back upon the blessings of Sabbath appointments and the promises of Sabbath mercies, to use his time, his concerns, and his soul in heaping up riches, and to waste his hours, his property, and his strength in sinful pleasure?
Wealth may come by the unhallowed effort, but it will not come alone; it will have its awful reward. Sinful pursuits lead to ruin.
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of each border a cord of blue: and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Jehovah, and do them; and that ye follow not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to play the harlot; that ye may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am Jehovah your God." — Numbers 15:37-41 (ASV)
The people are ordered by the Lord to make fringes on the borders of their garments. The Jews were distinguished from their neighbors in their dress, as well as in their diet, and thus taught not to be conformed to the way of the heathen in other things. They proclaimed themselves Jews wherever they were, as not ashamed of God and his law.
The fringes were not appointed for trimming and adorning their clothes, but to stir up their minds by way of remembrance (2 Peter 3:1). If they were tempted to sin, the fringe would warn them not to break God's commandments.
We should use every means of refreshing our memories with the truths and precepts of God's word, to strengthen and enliven our obedience, and arm our minds against temptation. Be holy to your God; cleansed from sin, and sincerely devoted to his service; and that great reason for all the commandments is again and again repeated, “I am the Lord your God.”
Jump to: