Daily Thoughts from Numbers: Promise and Expectation (15:1-21)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, and you offer to the LORD from the herd or from the flock a food offering or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a pleasing aroma to the LORD, then he who brings his offering shall offer to the LORD a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil; and you shall offer with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, a quarter of a hin of wine for the drink offering for each lamb. Or for a ram, you shall offer for a grain offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil. And for the drink offering you shall offer a third of a hin of wine, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. And when you offer a bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or for peace offerings to the LORD, then one shall offer with the bull a grain offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with half a hin of oil. And you shall offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

   “Thus it shall be done for each bull or ram, or for each lamb or young goat.  As many as you offer, so shall you do with each one, as many as there are. Every native Israelite shall do these things in this way, in offering a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. And if a stranger is sojourning with you, or anyone is living permanently among you, and he wishes to offer a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD, he shall do as you do. For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the LORD. One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

   The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land to which I bring you and when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall present a contribution to the LORD. Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution; like a contribution from the threshing floor, so shall you present it. Some of the first of your dough you shall give to the LORD as a contribution throughout your generations.  (Numbers 15:1-21 ESV)

It is hard to beat the ESV Study Bible note on this passage:

Meal, Oil, and Wine to Accompany Sacrifice. Leviticus 1–7, which explains how each type of sacrifice is to be conducted, does not explain that burnt offerings (Leviticus 1) and peace offerings (Leviticus 3) must be accompanied by appropriate quantities of meal, oil, and wine. This may be because such materials were not available in the wilderness. But when you come into the land (Num. 15:2), the situation will be different. Then these other products will be available and (along with animal sacrifices) must be offered to God. The imagery of sacrifice is drawn from that of a meal: the worshiper must act as the generous host and give to God all that he would give an important guest (Gen. 18:1–8). It was not that God needed food, but these gifts showed the worshiper’s devotion (Ps. 50:12–15).

The giving of these laws at this point is very telling. The entry into Canaan has just been delayed 40 years, and an attempt to enter has failed (Num. 14:20–45), so the question could be asked: would Israel ever enter the Promised Land? These laws emphatically answer yes. It is not a question of if they will enter the land, but rather when they will come in. In this way the laws reaffirm the land promise. Further, the continuing instructions show that God has indeed retained Israel as his people (see note on 14:36–38). But more than that, the laws are an assurance that their harvests in the land would be abundant, as they stipulate that large quantities must be offered with each animal. The sacrifice of a lamb must be accompanied by about half a gallon (1.9 liters) of flour, a quart (0.95 liters) of oil, and a quart (0.95 liters) of wine (15:4–5). At least double quantities are needed for a bull (vv. 8–10). Verses 14–16 allow Gentile immigrants to offer sacrifices, as long as they follow the same rules as the Israelites.

The Dough Offering. The book of Leviticus (19:24–25; 23:10–11) insists that the firstfruits of the crops must be given to God. This principle is now extended to baking. The first dough is given to the priests. Observant Jews today still remember this rule when they bake, by throwing a small lump of dough into the fire.