SERIES E --- YHVH’S LAWS --- LESSON 16

OFFERINGS COMMANDED

OFFERINGS FOR A NEW LAND

From Numbers 15

Here are some Instructions which Adonai told Moses to give to the people of Israel: When your children arrive in the Promised Land, they will want to present burnt offerings or offerings by fire to Adonai, sometimes to fulfil a vow or to make a freewill offering or at a festival, presenting a pleasant fragrance to Adonai from their herds and flocks. These offerings must be accompanied by a grain offering. When a lamb is offered, the grain or meal offering will be two quarts of fine flour mixed with three pints of oil, as well as a drink offering of three pints of wine. When a ram is offered, the grain offering will be six quarts of fine flour mixed with two quarts of oil, along with a drink offering of two quarts of wine. When a young bull is offered, the grain offering will be nine quarts of fine flour with three quarts of oil, as well as a drink offering of three quarts of wine. The young bull may be presented as a burnt offering, an offering to fulfil a special vow or as a peace offering to Adonai. Whatever the reason, the offering shall be by fire, as a pleasing fragrance to Adonai. Every bull, ram, lamb or goat must be presented in this way, no matter how many you offer, whether one or many. This rule must be followed by all persons who make an offering, whether he is an Israelite or a foreigner living among you. Everyone who wants to please Adonai, now or in future generations must do it this way, thus offering a pleasing fragrance to Adonai by fire. There is one Law for all, whether Israelite or foreigner and this will remain true throughout all generations. Adonai also told Moses to give these Instructions to the people: When you arrive in the Promised Land and begin to eat the food of that land, present the first part of each harvest to Adonai. From the first of the grain that is harvested, make a cake with the coarse flour. This will be a heave offering, waved to and fro before Adonai as a sign of offering. This must be done each year, from one generation to the next. If the people make a mistake and fail to do this, then when they realize their mistake, they shall offer a young bull as a burnt offering. The young bull shall be presented to Adonai for a pleasing fragrance, along with the grain and drink offering and a male goat for a sin offering. The priest will make atonement for the people and they will be forgiven, because it was a mistake and because they have tried to correct their mistake with the offering they have made by fire to Adonai and by their sin offering in Adonai’s presence. All the people, Israelite or foreigner living among you, shall be forgiven, for all the people were involved in the mistake. If only one person sins unknowingly, he shall present a year-old female goat for a sin offering. Then the priest shall make atonement for this person before Adonai, for he has sinned unknowingly and he will be forgiven. The same Law will apply to an Israelite or to a foreigner living among you. But the person, whether Israelite or foreigner, who deliberately sins, being rebellious and defiant against Adonai, that person shall be cut off from the rest of the people. Such a person has rejected Adonai’s Word with contempt, deliberately breaking Adonai’s Commandments. He must be cut off from the people and his sin will be upon him. One day while the people of Israel were camping in the wilderness, a man was caught gathering wood on the Shabbat. The men who caught him brought him to Moses, Aaron and the whole congregation. But since there was no specific rule about this, they put him in confinement and asked Adonai what to do. Adonai told Moses that the man must be executed, so he was taken outside the camp and there the people of Israel stoned him. Once more Adonai gave Moses Instructions for the people of Israel: Throughout all generations, make tassels for the hems of your garments. Attach them to the clothing with a blue cord. Whenever you see the tassels, they will remind you of Adonai’s Commandments, that you must obey His ways instead of your own heart and eyes, as you have often done. They will remind you to be holy to Me, for I am Adonai your Elohiym Who has brought you from the land of Egypt to be your YHVH. I am Adonai!

COMMENTS

KADESH-BARNEA

For the Israelites trekking across miles of endless desert, the oasis of Kadesh-barnea at the very edge of Edom was more than a pleasant surprise; it was where they would remain for a while. From here Moses sent spies into Canaan. When the Israelites’ attempt to invade the land failed miserably, they returned to camp in Kadesh-barnea. Both Miriam and Aaron died and were buried near the site. When the four springs in the oasis dried up, Moses produced water by striking a rock with his staff. Not until they conquered Edom many years later did the Israelites, led by Joshua leave Kadesh-barnea.