The Interconnections between
Numbers 15 and Numbers 16

The mitzvot in Numbers 15 also has a role to play in the interpretation of the story that follows; namely, the revolts by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in Chapter 16. The incident that caused the rebellion by Korah and his company is not immediately evident with the story itself. The rebel’s charge against Moshe involves his right to be the sole mediator of God’s words and mitzvot to the people (16:3, 13, 28-29). Throughout Chapter 15, the text notes repeatedly that YHVH speaks only through Moses (15:1, 17, 22-23, 35-37). This exclusive use of Moshe as the mouthpiece of Ha’Shem seems to be an unprovoked and unexplained revolt by Korah. In other words, while the interconnections with the rebellion stories in Numbers 11-14 suggested that the mitzvot in Chapter 15 functioned largely as words of promise and reassurance to the new generation, the following story of Korah and his cohorts suggests that these same words of Chapter 15 were heard as a burden and a threat to other hearers. One kind of hearing brought life to the wilderness generation. Another kind of hearing, however, brought threat and death to the Exodus generation eager to exalt themselves and not accept ADONAI’s chosen mediator and guide in Moses.

The mitzvot in Numbers 15 also include discussions of sins done intentionally (to see link click Cj – Unintentional Sin: When an individual commits an intentional sin). Unintentional sins could be atoned for by the priest through a female goat in its first year as a purification offering. But intentional and flagrant sins required that the person be cut off from his people, meaning that the entire community was to be stoned to death outside the camp. The mitzvah about the tzit-tzit and blue thread (see Cl – Tzit-tzit and Blue Thread) emphasize Isra’el’s need to remember and obey God’s word. The story of the rebellions of Korah and his followers clearly presents them as examples of the flagrant and intentional despising of God and His mediator, Moshe. The guilt of the rebels was obvious, and their actions required the severest penalty (see Cr – The Response of God). The thankful burnt offering by fire given to ADONAI in a spirit of gratitude in 15:3, 13-14 and 25 contrasts sharply with the rebels’ presumptuous desire to take over Aaron’s priestly role and to offer fire and incense before YHVH in a spirit promoting themselves in 16:18 and 35.

One of the final reminders in the series of mitzvot in Numbers 15 is directed to all the people, “Remember all of ADONAI’s mitzvot and be holy to your God” (15:40). Those who rebelled in Chapter 16 repeated this claim about the holiness of the whole community in their attack on Moses and Aaron, “The whole community is holy, every one of them, and ADONAI is with them” (16:3b). The rebels used the holiness of the whole community as the basis for arguing that anyone, layman or Levite, could offer incense and sacrifices on the bronze altar; it was not an exclusive right of Aaron and his sons. Their claim, however, was repudiated by Ha’Shem . Chapter 15 revealed the important function of the true priest, “The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community” (15:25 and 28). In Chapter 16, Aaron confirms his proper status as the high priest when he stood between the living and the dead, stopped the plague and made atonement for the people (16:47-48).

Thus, the collection of mitzvot in Numbers 15 is intimately and artfully interwoven in the words and themes with the rebellion stories that precede and follow it. The mitzvot were words of promise and hope for the Wilderness generation, but they became words of rejection and hopelessness for the defiant Exodus generation. Numbers 15 also shows its own internal cohesion and logic of development through its several interlocking themes. It is an artfully designed progression. The question at the end of Chapter 15 is whether the break in the narrative represented by the new mitzvot in this chapter will put an end to the series of rebellions that had begun in Chapters 11-14. The answer follows in Chapter 16.²⁹⁹

Tzit-tzit and Blue Thread
15: 37-41

Tzit-tzit and blue thread DIG: Is there any connection between these mitzvot in this chapter and the rebellion stories in Numbers 11-14? What was the purpose of wearing tassels? What does the color blue signify? How can the tassels be worn today? Should they, or shouldn’t they? Explain.

REFLECT: What creative reminder can help you remember God’s grace to you? How would such tassels fulfill their stated purpose (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)? What “tassels” do you put before you to remember what God wants in your fellowship with Him? Did Yeshua wear tassels? What is your proof?

The tzitzit represents a standard of behavior and a code of morality.

Following right on the heels of the Shabbat incident (to see link click Ck – The Sabbath-Breaker), is a teaching about wearing tassels, or the tzit-tzit. There is an obvious connection and reason for this placement. When we see this connection, we will catch a refreshing glimpse into the grace and mercy of our Loving Father. To understand the context Moshe created here, we need to ask ourselves, “Would the Sabbath breaker have violated God’s mitzvah if he were wearing tzit-tzit?” Of course, that is an impossible question to answer. But it helps to bring out the point of the text. ADONAI taught the children of Isra’el that they should put tzit-tzit on the four corners of their garments.²⁹² Which, like the Challah (see Ci – The Challah), were designed to help prevent the Israelites from straying from Ha’Shem. This is one of the more popular signs of Orthodox Judaism, Messianic Judaism, and the fake Gentile Hebrew Roots movement (see the commentary on Galatians Ak – The Hebrew Roots Movement: A Different Gospel).²⁹³

Tassels on garments (15:37-38): ADONAI spoke to Moshe saying: Speak to the people of Isra’el, instructing them to make, through all their generations, tzit-tzit (tassels) on the four corners of their garments, and to put a blue thread on each corner of the tzit-tzit (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Dz – Twisted Threads). In today’s world where four-cornered garments are not usually worn, the sages developed small four-cornered garments usually worn under the clothes so that only the tassels show. They function like a string tied to a finger – they are visible . . . touchable reminders to obey the mitzvot, to keep hearts and minds on the Holy One, and to walk as redeemed people.

In the ancient world, it was common for the hem of the garment to be lavishly embroidered. The tassels were actually just natural extensions of the hem. Ancient Near Eastern hems were the most ornate and extravagant part of the clothing. The most expensive threads and colors were woven and embroidered into the hem. As such, the hem of one’s garment made an important fashion statement about social rank, wealth, status, and prestige. The fancier the hem, the more important the person must have been. It served as a unique ID badge of sorts. Cuneiform tablets (logo-style writing used in several languages of the Ancient Near East) sometimes used the phrase “to cut off the hem” to refer to cutting someone off. A husband signified the divorce of his wife by cutting off the hem of her robe. The great significance of the hem of the garment certainly sheds light on the story in First Samuel where David cut off the hem from Sha’ul’s robe (see the commentary on The Life of David Bj – David Spares Sha’ul’s Life).

The tzit-tzit were decorative extensions of the threads of the hem. Their significance is that they were a sign of nobility. Dyes were very expensive, especially those derived from the gland of the murex snail. Each snail produced only the smallest quantity of dye. An entire garment made from the very expensive blue dye was far beyond the means of the ordinary Israelite, but probably anyone could afford a few threads worth of it. After the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Mt – The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple Remembered on Tisha B’Av in 70 AD), the blue dye production was lost to the majority of Judaism. By the Middle-Ages, the blue thread had disappeared altogether. Thus, tzit-tzit were worn white for some fifteen hundred years. In the last century, Hasidic Jews (a special movement within Orthodox Judaism) began to produce the blue thread again by producing dye from the murex snail. The blue thread is commonly used by Messianic Jews today.

Modern clothing is no longer conveniently rectangular-shaped with four corners. Therefore, observant Jews and Messianic Gentiles remember this mitzvah by affixing several threads tied in a sequence of knots onto the four corners of a ritual garment called a tallit. The tallit is the traditional prayer shawl that Jewish men wear during morning prayer. The tallit katan is a sort of four cornered, square undershirt. Either one of these (or both) constitute an acceptable, biblically-based expression of the mitzvot. There are some other considerations tough.²⁹⁴

The blue color was the same as the high priest’s robe (see the commentary on Exodus Fy – Make the Robe of the Ephod). Today, Orthodox Jews eliminate the color blue on their tzitzit because they say that the exact fish cannot be identified. They contend that when Elijah the prophet comes he will clear up this problem. In addition, Rabbi Rashi said that the word tzitzit has the numerical value of 600, but there are eight threads and five knots which gives us a total of 613, and there are 613 commandments in the Torah.

To look at (15:39-41): Is wearing the tallit once a day adequate to fulfill the mitzvot? The Torah does not specify how often the tzit-tzit must be worn, but it does days that the tassels are there for you to look at and thereby remember all of ADONAI’s mitzvot and be holy to your God, so that you won’t go around wherever your own heart and eyes (the windows of the soul) lead you to prostitute yourselves. Thus, less than once a day might be considered remiss. For the same reason, many choose to wear them continually because it will help you remember and obey all of God’s mitzvot and be holy for Him.

Seeing/feeling the tzit-tzit is supposed to safeguard you against going around doing whatever your own heart and eyes lead you. The tassels are reminders of the commandments. They are to remind one of their holy position among the people of God. They are to remind you not to look at things you shouldn’t be looking at. But sometimes you are innocent, you can’t unsee what you’ve seen. But then the tzit-tzit is there to remind you not to take the second look. David found that out the hard way. The sages defined going around wherever your eyes lead you to primarily mean a lustful urge.

How can the tzit-tzit deter against lust and immorality? They are supposed to be a visible reminder of one’s identity. To forget one’s identity makes it easier to sin. When a person forgets who they are, they feel free to indulge themselves. Every army knows the psychological power of uniforms. A standard uniform dress code serves to enforce group identity. The soldier dressed in a uniform, acts like a soldier. When off-duty in civilian clothes, he takes on the persona of a civilian. His military discipline vanishes. This concept is easily illustrated at school or in the workplace. People behave according to the way they are dressed. When dressed formally, people are more polite, professional, and formal. When dressed casually, they are more relaxed. In the same way, tzit-tzit enforces the group identity within Orthodox Judaism, or for some, Messianic Judaism. They represent a standard of behavior and a code of morality. In that sense, they are also like the uniform of the Torah. They also keep the Jews a distinct people.²⁹⁵

The section ends with an emphatic restatement of God’s self-description that appears first at the head of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:2. I am ADONAI your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, in order to be your God. I am ADONAI your God. This concludes the whole series of mitzvot – not with a mitzvah, but with an important affirmation of the continuing relationship between God and His people.²⁹⁶

Yeshua’s tassels: Most people don’t realize that Yeshua wore the blue tassels just as Moshe taught. In Matthew 9:20 and 14:36 we are told that certain people were healed by merely touching the tassels (Greek: kraspedou) of his garment. Why did Messiah wear tzit-tzit? Was it because He needed reminders to follow the Torah? Hardly! Was it because He needed help to keep His heart and eyes from going after things they should not pursue? Heaven forbid!

I can suggest three reasons why He wore them. First, because the Torah teaches it. Since Yeshua never violated the Torah, then it was only natural for Him to obey the written Word, so as not to contradict Himself and to wear them. Secondly, He was always perfectly sanctified. He was always set apart from sin. Moreover, He represents a whole community of innumerable people whom He has sanctified. Since the Torah teaches that the tassels are a symbol of the sanctified people, the Holy Community, how appropriate, then, would it have been for the Head of that Community to wear the tzit-tzit. Thirdly, the reason why Yeshua wore the tassels was because the Torah taught put a blue thread on each corner of the tzit-tzit. The word blue in this passage is the same blue which was worn by the high priest. So, Messiah was making a visible statement that He was (in His earthly ministry), and continues to be, our High Priest (see the commentary on Hebrews Ay – Messiah’s Qualifications as our Great High Priest). Furthermore, it is interesting to note that there were at least some very needy people who saw something more than just tzit-tzit when they attempted to grasp those tassels worn by the King of kings! Perhaps the more people begin to realize their dire spiritual void, the more they can see the majesty of the Messiah, as those in the Gospels did.²⁹⁷

Haftarah Shlach L’kha: Joshua 2:1–24
(see the commentary on Deuteronomy Af – Parashah)

Joshua redeemed the sins of the Exodus generation, who slandered the Land with an evil report, by quietly sending in two spies (Joshua 2:1). Those two spies walked the same ground and issued the same kind of report that Caleb and Joshua gave nearly forty years before. They said: ADONAI has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting with fear because of us (Joshua 2:24). As they scouted out the Land, the spies encountered a prostitute named Rahab, who essentially had a Passover experience. She hid the spies from the Gentile king who was searching for them (Joshua 2:1-7). As the spies hid for three days, Rahab also followed their command to put a scarlet cord in her window (Joshua 2:18). The walls of Jericho would fall, but Rahab and those of her household would survive. In fact, Rahab ascended to marry into Isra’el; she became yet another matriarch to enter the line of the King of kings (Matthew 1:5). Only the obedient can rest in the promises of ADONAI.

B’rit Cadashah Shlach L’kha: Hebrews 3:7–19

Believers have failed to enter God’s spiritual rest since the beginning of time. Adam failed; the Exodus generation failed; Joshua failed; even David fell short (see the commentary on the Life of David Dc – David and Bathsheba). The writer to the Hebrews declares in Chapter 3, “Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there will not be in any one of you an evil heart lacking trust, which could lead you to turn away from the living God” (see the commentary on Hebrews As – Today, If You Hear His Voice, Do Not Harden Your Hearts). That thought continues in Chapter 4, “Therefore, let us be terrified of the possibility that, even though the promise of entering his rest still remains, any one of you might be judged to have fallen short of it” (4:1 CJB). Entering spiritual rest is foundational to being imitators of God. By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work (Genesis 2:2). The grand finale admonished believers to enter God’s rest (see Hebrews At – A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God). On the sixth day, God created the animals and man; fathers in the wilderness collected twice as much manna, and Yeshua died, entering God’s rest, saying: It is finished (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Lv – Jesus’ Second Three Hours on the Cross: The Wrath of God).²⁹⁸

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for seeking out ways to remind me to love, listen to and obey You so that You can bless and prosper me. For ADONAI will again rejoice over you for good, as He rejoiced over your fathers – when you listen to the voice of ADONAI your God . . . when you turn to ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 30:9c-10 a and c). The tallit and the blue thread were ways You designed to help the Israelites remember to obey You.

Meditation is an excellent way to keep one’s focus on loving and obeying you. This book of the Torah should not depart from your mouth – you are to meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will make your ways prosperous and then you will be successful (Joshua 1:8). Meditating on Your Word is wise to do often and is so encouraging! It is helpful when problems arise, to meditate on stories of your Almighty power (Revelation 19), your wisdom in knowing and guiding the future (Genesis 41, Daniel 2, 7). Meditating before evening sleep and when waking during sleep, brings peace and comfort. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You through the night watches (Psalms 63:7). How comforting it is to remember that You are always right there by my side to help and to guide me. For God Himself has said: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5c). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Sabbath-Breaker
15: 32-36

The Sabbath-breaker DIG: What was the man’s sin? Do you think his punishment was justified? Why? Why not? Why did Moshe have to wait for ADONAI’s direction? What does it mean for a person to be “cut off from his people?” What does that mean?

REFLECT: Ask the Lord to help you to follow the requirements of His Word. Ask Him to forgive you for the times you have chosen to ignore His Word in favor of your own way. Ask ADONAI for the wisdom not to commit intentional sin and willful disobedience.

Divine punishment has to be more severe at the beginning of a new Dispensation.

We must leave Caleb and Joshua now to discuss another important individual in this parashah. Here we have the first instance where a person was put to death for breaking the Shabbat. It seems that the Holy One was making a critically important point here. YHVH wanted to demonstrate to all Isra’el that His commandments were to be followed just as He gave them. Moreover, in taking the man’s life, God was teaching us all the utter importance of Shabbat to the LORD. If someone ate non-kosher food, they were ritually unclean in the evening and after an immersion. But if Shabbat was clearly violated, it meant death.²⁸³

While the people of Isra’el were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on Shabbat (15:32), which was an intentional violation of the Sabbath (Exodus 20:10-11, 31:12-17, 35:1-3). By his action, this man was mocking God. The book of Numbers is not in strict chronological sequence, and this event is put here to give an example of a person who sinned intentionally (to see link click Cj – Unintentional Sin: When an individual commits an intentional sin). The story of the man caught gathering wood on the Sabbath is especially troubling because the exact nature of his offense is unclear. Obviously he broke the Sabbath, performing some forbidding act of work, but what exactly was it that he did? It is often proposed that he was gathering wood to make a fire. Therefore, his violation was the intention of making a fire on the Sabbath. But this explanation is problematic. Can a man be punished for an offense he only intended to commit but actually did not commit? The man never did build a fire. How could he be stoned for that?

It seems most likely to me that the man’s offense was that of gathering. It was not that he was carrying a load of wood. He was gathering wood. Gathering is a means of acquiring and producing livelihood. Recall that the Israelites were not to even attempt to gather manna on the Sabbath (Exodus 16:16-24). It would seem that gathering, procuring and acquiring are violations of the Sabbath.²⁸⁴

When the man was caught gathering his wood, Moses had him incarcerated until they could find out what ADONAI wanted done with him. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moshe, Aaron and the whole congregation. They kept him in custody, because it had not yet been decided what to do to him (15:33-34). This is the only time incarceration is applied to the Torah. Moses could not decide the case of the wood gatherer. Was the act in violation of the Sabbath? Assuming that it was, how should the offender be punished? Gathering wood on the Sabbath is clearly not mentioned anywhere in the Torah as a violation of the Sabbath. The only explicit Sabbath prohibitions in the Torah regard work and burning a fire (Exodus 35:2-3). Thus, the question before Moshe may well have been: Did gathering wood on the Sabbath constitute work? The decree of the holiness of the Sabbath was known to them, but not the punishment for its violation.²⁸⁵

Then ADONAI said to Moshe, “This man must be cut off from his people” (15:35). Being cut off from the people meant no longer being a member of the covenant community of Isra’el or receiving any of the blessings associated with its membership. The person was simply denied fellowship or access to the Tabernacle or Temple in later times. This was a deadly consequence. In rabbinic literature the penalty is called karet, or “cutting off.” In priestly literature, the penalty of karet was understood to include a series of related punishments at the hand of God, ranging from the immediate death of an offender, as in 20:17, to his premature death at a later time, and even to the death of his descendants. In Mishnah Sanhedrin 9:6 and Mishnah Keritot 1:2, this penalty was characterized as mitah biydei shamayim, or “death at the hands of heaven.” Since in 7:20-21 karet is mentioned in the context as childlessness, there is the implication that it took that course as well.²⁸⁶

Such a one was to be put to death; the entire community was to stone him to death outside the camp in order to indicate that they shared the responsibility (15:36a). This was the most commonly prescribed Israelite capital punishment (Mishnah Sanhedrin 6:1-4) because it either avoided ritual contamination, which would be transmitted by direct contact or by being under the same roof as the dead body (Exodus 19:13; Numbers 19:11 and 14), or to avoid the shedding of blood and subsequent blood guilt (Genesis 9:5-6; Numbers 35:33).²⁸⁷ So the whole community brought him outside the camp and threw stones at him until he died, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe (15:36b).

But some have wondered why the punishment had to be so harsh. Believers would commit worse sins later and didn’t die. If you trace the Scriptures through the various Dispensations, divine punishment has to be more severe at the beginning of a new Dispensation. Therefore, the sin of the man gathering wood was punished severely at the beginning of the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah). Another example of this is Nadab and Abihu (see the commentary on Leviticus Bh – The Death of Nadab and Abihu). They burned the incense in an improper manner and God killed them right in the holy place. Later, worse sins were done in the Temple, but the punishment was not as severe because Ha’Shem is always harsher at the beginning of a new Dispensation.²⁸⁸ It is certainly true that the severe punishment of Ananias and Sapphira was carried out at the beginning of the Dispensation of Grace (see the commentary on Acts At – Ananias and Sapphira Lie to the Ruach). It was a crucial time for the early Messianic Community, just as it was for the Wilderness generation, and such impurity, sin, scandal and satanic infiltration could have corrupted the entire community at its root.²⁸⁹

Shabbat has to do with cessation from normal work. Moreover, as we have stated elsewhere, the LORD used the Shabbat concept to describe what it means to believe in Yeshua. When we trust Him for our salvation, according to Hebrews, we enter into an eternal Sabbath-rest (see the commentary on Hebrews At – A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God). This involves ceasing from our “labors,” that is, attempting to create our own eternity and instead resting in the work Messiah did for us.

Since the Shabbat, then, is a fundamental picture in Scripture for what it is like to rest in Messiah, ADONAI was striving to impress upon His people the importance of not destroying that Torah picture by failing to carry it out. Breaking the Shabbat as this man clearly did, was like smudging up the “salvation portrait” God was painting when He instituted the physical Shabbat.²⁹⁰

Certainly this man knew ADONAI’s mitzvot, and yet he intentionally disobeyed them. Apparently he was gathering wood to start a fire, but it was against the mitzvah of the Torah to do so (Exodus 35:1-3). For believers today, it is a dangerous thing to say, “I’ll go ahead and sin, because I know I can ask YHVH to forgive me.” Paul answered that line of thinking in his letter to the believers in Rome when he said: Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer (Romans 6:1b-2 NIV). Believers who think like this use God’s promise in First John 1:9 as a “good-luck charm” to get them out of trouble after they have deliberately disobeyed Him. Professing believers whose lifestyle repeatedly and intentionally sin probably aren’t believers at all (First John 2:19, 3:7-10, 5:1-5 and 18). And the B’rit Chadashah contains similar dire warnings about the impossibility of forgiveness in cases of deliberate apostasy (see the commentary on Hebrews Ci – If We Deliberately Keep on Sinning, No Sacrifice for Sin is Left). True believers who adopt this careless attitude will be disciplined by the Father until they submit to His will (see Hebrews Cz – God Disciplines His Children). They use this “good-luck charm” understand neither the awfulness of their sin nor the high cost of God’s grace.²⁹¹

Dear Holy Heavenly Father, Praise you for your perfect holiness and great love! How awesome that You are my Defender (Psalms 68:5, Isaiah 19:20) and Deliverer (Second Samuel 22:2, Nehemiah 9:27, Psalms 18:2, 40:17, 70:5, 140:7,144:2). Your love and care are such great comforts! It is wonderful that You so desired to have a loving relationship with me that you planned the path of salvation so that I could be united to You forever. He [God] made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Messiah, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Messiah (Ephesians 1:9-10).

Your perfect holiness (Isaiah 6:3) goes hand in hand with Your great love, and Your wisdom graciously fits the two together (Ephesians 2:8-9). You look for humble contrite hearts that seek You so You can fill them with Your love and righteousness. Proud hearts that are full of themselves, have no room for You and will not be able to receive Your righteousness (Isaiah 57:15, 19-21). They do not give You Your rightful place in their lives as their Lord and King (Romans 10:9-10, Revelation 19:16). How terrible it will be for those who know You only by name and have not turned from their sin to love and follow You (Matthew 7:21-23). It is important to remember that there is a requirement for a relationship with You. The requirement is purity of hearts, which can only come by loving and receiving Messiah’s righteousness. He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). Give me the wisdom to live a life of love for You, turning from all pride and sin and cleaving tightly onto You. In Your holy Name and power of Messiah’s resurrection. Amen

Unintentional Sin
15: 22-31

Unintentional sin DIG: Why is this topic brought up now? What did the Israelites fail to do? What is the difference between unintentional sin and intentional sin? Give some examples of each. Is a person guilty of sin even if what he or she did was not intentional? Why is there no mercy for the defiant sinner?

REFLECT: What do you see as the difference between intentional and unintentional sin in your life? Although sacrifice is not required of believers, how do you deal with each kind of sin? How does this help to mend your relationship with ADONAI? How do you know that your salvation in the Lord is secure (John 10:27-30)?

It is not only in our actions that sin is committed, but also in the absence of action,
it is unintentional, doing nothing, when we should have done something.

Why is this topic brought up now? The purification offering in Leviticus (see the commentary on Leviticus, to see link click Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood) covers much the same material; it describes the necessary offerings for the anointed priest who sinned unintentionally, the leaders of Isra’el who sinned unintentionally, the common person who sinned unintentionally, a poor person who sinned unintentionally, and the poorest of the poor who sinned unintentionally, but Leviticus does not mention the whole community sinning unintentionally. What has happened since Leviticus? The whole community sinned unintentionally: they did nothing when they should have done something. What should they have done? They should have conquered the Land that ADONAI had given them (see Bz – Faith and Obedience).

When the whole community committed an unintentional sin (15:22-26): And when you unintentionally (Hebrew: shagah, meaning to go astray, to err) fail to observe the mitzvah of the grain and drink offering (see Ch – Grain and Drink Offerings), and the Torah of the challah (see Ci – Challah) that ADONAI has spoken to Moshe, yes, everything that ADONAI has ordered you to do through Moshe, from the day ADONAI gave the order and onward through the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah), then, if it was done unintentionally by the community and was not known to them, the whole community (through the priesthood) is to offer one young bull for a burnt offering as a fragrant aroma to ADONAI, with its grain and drink offerings, in keeping with the mitzvah, and one male goat as a purification offering.

The priest is to make atonement for the whole community of the people of Isra’el; and they may be forgiven, if sincere, because it was done unintentionally. Forgiveness, however, was not automatic. Just like individual atonement for sin, going through the motions without faith would make a mockery of the sacrifice. The priest was to bring their burnt offering, an offering made by fire (see Leviticus Ai – The Burnt Offering: Accepted by God), to ADONAI, and their purification offering before ADONAI for their mistake. The whole community of the people of Isra’el may be forgiven, likewise the foreigner staying with them; because for all the people it was done unintentionally (15:25-26).

When an individual committed an unintentional sin (15:27-29): If an individual sins by mistake, he is to offer a female goat in its first year as a purification offering. The priest will make atonement before God for the person who makes a mistake by sinning unintentionally; he will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven – no matter whether he is a citizen of Isra’el or a foreigner living with them. You are to have one mitzvah for whoever it is that does something wrong by mistake. This is a summary of the Purification Offering in Leviticus, but adds that the foreigner can be forgiven as well as the citizen of Isra’el.

When an individual commits an intentional sin (30-31): These brief verses form the climax of the passage and, indeed, point back to the sin of the ten spies in Chapter 14 and forward to the sin of Korah in Chapter 16.²⁷⁸ But anyone who sins defiantly, (Hebrew: rum, meaning with an upraised hand) whether a citizen or a foreigner, is blaspheming ADONAI. Unlike the unintentional sinner, for whom the Torah makes provisions for God’s mercy, one who sets sins defiantly to despise the word of God and to blaspheme His Name must be punished.²⁷⁹ That person will be cut off from his people. Being cut off from the people meant no longer being a member of the covenant community of Isra’el or receiving any of the blessings associated with its membership. The person was simply denied fellowship or access to the Tabernacle or Temple in later times. Such a person must suffer the ultimate judgment.

In rabbinic literature the penalty is called karet, or “cutting off.” In priestly literature, the penalty of karet was understood to include a series of related punishments at the hand of God, ranging from the immediate death of an offender, as in 20:17, to his premature death at a later time, and even to the death of his descendants. In Mishnah Sanhedrin 9:6 and Mishnah Keritot 1:2, this penalty was characterized as mitah biydei shamayim, or “death at the hands of heaven.” Since in 7:20-21 karet is mentioned in the context as childlessness, there is the implication that it took that course as well.²⁸⁰ Because he has had contempt for the word of ADONAI and has disobeyed His mitzvah, that person will be cut off completely and will bear the consequences of his own guilt. The B’rit Chadashah contains similar dire warnings about the impossibility of forgiveness in cases of deliberate apostasy (see Hebrews Ci – If We Deliberately Keep On Sinning, No Sacrifice for Sins is Left).²⁸¹ By way of illustration, we are immediately given an example of intentional sin in the story of the man caught gathering sticks on the Sabbath (see Ck – The Sabbath-Breaker).

This section reminds us that God’s attitude toward His Torah is complex. Yes, He is serious about His mitzvot; they are not trivial, nor are they subject to the fickle attitudes of casual people. However, He is also gracious. Just as mankind was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath made for mankind (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Cv – The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath), so we may also believe that mankind was not made for the Torah, but the Torah for mankind.²⁸²

Dear Heavenly Father, You are such a Wonderful, Holy, and Almighty Heavenly Father! Even when Your people tested You in the wilderness, Your love and wisdom knew that the only path to bringing them back to You was discipline. My son, do not take lightly the discipline of Adonai or lose heart when you are corrected by Him, because ADONAI disciplines the one He loves and punishes every son He accepts (Hebrews 12:6). Even in Your discipline, You are slow to anger (Exodus 34:6, Numbers 14:18) by immediately giving ways for Your people to offer a “pleasing aroma” to You (Numbers 15:3, 10, 13, 14) when they come into the Land. You also graciously gave instructions about how the congregation can be forgiven for unintentional sins. I love You and am amazed by Your gracious love. I desire to love You back with all my heart. You are our Holy, Almighty, All-Powerful, All-wise, Forgiving Savior and Loving Father. I delight in praising You at all times! You are the joy of my life! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Challah
15: 17-21

The Challah DIG: How often was it made? What is the importance of setting aside the challah? How is this a teaching symbol? Why do you think ADONAI made this mitzvot?

REFLECT: How is this mitzvah observed today? How does it serve the same purpose as it did for the ancient Hebrews? What is the difference between then and now?

We are not to forget ADONAI in our daily lives, and not to leave our first love.

Bread is a staple. It was, and is, the most common everyday food. In ancient times it was made new each day. The Torah taught that when (not if) they entered the Land (15:17-18a), they were subject to the mitzvah of the challah (a loaf). It is interesting to note that these instructions were only applicable when they entered the Land. Which shows that despite the sin of Kadesh-barnea (to see link click Bz – Faith and Obedience), despite the fact that the Exodus generation would not enter the Promised Land, the covenant of the Land is still valid. Ownership of the Promised Land is unconditional (see the commentary on Genesis Eg – I AM the LORD, Who Brought You Out of Ur of the Chaldeans to Give You This Land); however, enjoyment of the Land is conditional. ADONAI’s Covenant with Moshe (Exodus 19:3-25) is a conditional divine pledge to be Isra’el’s God, protector, the advocate and sustainer of her blessed destiny; the condition was Isra’el’s dedication to Ha’Shem as symbolized by observing the 365 prohibitions and 248 commandments in the Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Dd – The Mosaic Covenant).²⁷⁴

When you enter the Land where I am bringing you and eat bread produced in the Land, you are to set aside one loaf as an offering for ADONAI. It was to be the first loaf to be made from the batch of dough, a kind of first-fruits offering. When they did this, the Israelites would take the time daily to acknowledge who their source of life was, and how much YHVH had provided. Not only that, by giving the challah to the LORD (the priesthood), it reminded them to constantly give their best and first to Him. Present a portion from your first (Hebrew: resheet, meaning the first part of the crop) dough that you are baking as a cake offering; set it aside as you would set aside a portion of the grain from the threshing-floor (15:18b-20). In terms of holiness, it was to be treated as an offering of the threshing-floor. This meant that it was dedicated to the priesthood and their families and could only be eaten in a state of ritual purity (see the commentary on Leviticus Bj – The Mitzvot of Purification).

The Torah does not prescribe how large the portion of challah removed from the batch of bread should be. Like the edges of the fields for gleaning (see Ruth Aq – Ruth Gleans in the Field of Bo’az), the measure is left unspecified. The rabbis, however, determined minimums. They have said that a batch of dough must be at least an omer of flour (about three quarts) to be subject to the mitzvah challah. The size of the portion must be at least 1/24^th of the total batch. A baker is allowed to make it only 1/48^th of a total batch. In the Torah, the mitzvah is specifically limited to bread made in the land of Isra’el. The Sages further limited it to dough made from the flour of five grains produced in the Land: wheat, spelt, barley, rye, and oats. However, rabbinic halakhah (mitzvot governing Jewish life) broadened the mitzvah to apply to all lands in every age least the principle be forgotten.²⁷⁵ Throughout the generations to come you are to give this offering to ADONAI from the portion from your first dough to support the priesthood (15:21). After the fall of the Second Temple this custom was still maintained: pious Jews would throw a handful of the dough into the fire as a sort of a mini-sacrifice, thereby making every fireplace an altar and every kitchen a house of God.²⁷⁶

The same mitzvah is observed today with a slight variation. Messianic believers do not give a portion to the priesthood because it is nonexistent today. Instead, we call the special braided bread on the evening of the Sabbath, challah. We say the special blessing seen below and acknowledge, in a special way, that He is the only source of life and sustenance. Practicing the Torah of the challah helps us to constantly remember our Lord and Provider.²⁷⁷

Barukh attah ADONAI Eloheinu melekh ha’olam,
ha’motzi lechem min ha’aretz.

Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe,
Who brings forth bread from the earth.

Grain and Drink Offerings
15: 1-16

Grain and drink offerings DIG: How does Chapter 14 speak to the need of these offerings in Chapter 15? Why is the teaching on the sacrifices inserted right after the defeat by the Amalekites? Why do you think the teaching about foreigners is put here? Why do you think that the same mitzvot that applies to Jews also applies to Gentiles in the land of Isra’el? In Acts 15, the question was, “Can these Gentiles really be saved?” How does the Church view Jews today? Does your church have a Jewish outreach? How so? Why not?

REFLECT: The LORD’s words here to the Israelites can offer hope to us today when we face struggles in our daily lives. We need to raise our eyes to heaven because that will be our ultimate home. The drink offering can symbolize a life poured out for ADONAI. How, practically speaking, can you pour out your life for Him? How important is it that we obey God’s Word today? How easy is it for us to ignore clear teaching of Scripture and do what we think best? What are the consequences of that kind of thinking?

By far, the most significant drink offering was that of the Master’s blood,
which was poured out on the ground like water.

This is the beginning of thirty-eight years of wilderness wanderings. There are very few descriptions of historical events. Basically, all we have given to us is the basic description of life during that time. Not a lot of detail, just checking off the days, weeks, months, and years until all the Exodus generation had died. However, for some basic descriptions of life during this time, see these six passages (Deuteronomy 8:1-5 and 29:2-6: Joshua 5:2-6; Ezeki’el 20: 15-17; Amos 5:25-26; Acts 7:42-43).

Grain and drink offerings (15:1-10): Now ADONAI spoke to Moshe, saying: Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘When (not if, became an assurance of their ultimate victory) you have come into the Land where you are going to live, which I am giving to you, your enemies will not stop you, The combining of these verses with the sad ending of Chapter 14 (to see link click  Cc – Defeat by the Canaanites and Amalekites), is dramatic. The sins of the people were many; they would be judged. The grace and mercy of ADONAI are magnified as He points to the ultimate realization of His ancient promise to Abraham, “ADONAI appeared to Abraham and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to ADONAI, who had appeared to him (Gen 12:7), and His continuing promise to the nation that they would indeed enter the Promised Land.²⁶⁷

It is interesting to note that these instructions were only applicable when they entered the Land. Which shows that despite the sin of Kadesh-barnea (see Bz – Faith and Obedience), despite the fact that the Exodus generation would not enter the Promised Land, the covenant of the Land is still valid. Ownership of the Promised Land is unconditional (see the commentary on Genesis Eg – I AM the LORD, Who Brought You Out of Ur of the Chaldeans to Give You This Land); however, enjoyment of the Land is conditional. God’s Covenant with Moshe (Exodus 19:3-25) is a conditional divine pledge to be Isra’el’s God, protector, the advocate and sustainer of her blessed destiny; the condition was Isra’el’s dedication to Ha’Shem as symbolized by observing the 365 prohibitions and 248 commandments in the Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Dd – The Mosaic Covenant).²⁶⁸

And, at that time in the future, when you want to make an offering by fire to ADONAI — a burnt offering or sacrifice to fulfill a special vow (see the commentary on Leviticus Fb – Personal Vows), a voluntary offering (see Leviticus Ak – The Peace Offerings: At Peace with God), or at your appointed times (see Leviticus Dw – God’s Appointed Times), to make a fragrant aroma for ADONAI that He accepts with pleasure – then, whether it is comes from the herd or from the flock, the person bringing the offering is to present ADONAI with a grain offering consisting of two quarts of fine flour mixed with one quart of olive oil, and the last item was one quart of wine for the drink offering, a symbol of a life poured out to the service of God (Second Timothy 4:6). This is what you are to prepare with the burnt offering or for each lamb sacrificed” (15:1-5). The fellowship between God and mankind had not been broken.

Bread and wine are basic ritual elements familiar to both Christian and Jewish practice. In Christianity, the unleavened bread and the wine of the Master’s last Seder were removed from their Passover context and took on the status of a religious sacrament independent of Torah practice. In Judaism, the bread and wine combination is not only a Passover rite. Every Jewish festival (excepting fast days) is begun with a cup of wine and a ritual breaking of bread. Every Shabbat is begun with wine and bread. What is the significance of this ever-present ritual?

At the most basic level, the significance of bread and wine is that they are food and drink. A meal that if bread and wine were not served, it was considered hardly a meal. They were staples of diet. Therefore, breaking the bread and sharing the cup is still, to this day, the simple intimacy of table-fellowship. It is the simplest human gesture of goodwill toward another. To offer one to eat from your bread is to give of yourself. To offer them to drink from your cup is to give of yourself. It is very different from giving a guest their own bread and their own wine to drink. It is a level of intimacy that speaks of close relationship.

We first see the sharing of bread and wine instituted in the story of Abraham and Melchizedek (see the commentary on Genesis Ed – Melchizedek: King of Salem and a Priest of God Most High). Melchizedek, welcomed the victorious Abraham by bringing out bread and wine. He blessed God over the bread and the wine. It is the first recorded blessing (of God) in the Bible. Abraham reciprocated by giving a tithe to Melchizedek. This story of the bread and wine ties together the ritual elements of bread and wine with the priesthood and the blessing of God. They are elements of a shared meal, indicating a covenant relationship.

In the Temple, the priesthood was forbidden to drink wine, to make sure they didn’t serve while drunk. After the death of Nadab and Abihu (see the commentary on Leviticus Bh – The Death of Nadab and Abihu), Ha’Shem commanded: Don’t drink any wine or other intoxicating liquor, neither you nor your sons with you, when you enter the Tabernacle, so that you will not die. However, both bread and wine were still very much a part of the priestly ministry of the bronze altar.

Every burnt offering and peace offering was to be offered to ADONAI in conjunction with grain and wine offerings. A token amount of the offering , the memorial portion, was placed on the animal sacrifice as an offering before YHVH (see Leviticus Aj – The Grain Offerings: Dedicated to God). Similarly, a drink offering was made alongside the grain offering. Throughout the course of the day, gallons of wine would have been poured out over the Temple altar as drink offerings to the LORD. The imagery was that of an intimate relationship with God. Isra’el and God shared the same bread and cup, as it were.²⁶⁹

For a ram, the grain offering is one gallon of fine flour mixed with one-and-one-third quarts of olive oil. The provision of fine flour speaks of costly food rather than ordinary flour. This type of fine flour was used in cooking (Ezeki’el 16:13), at the table of the king (First Kings 4:22), for honored guests (Genesis 18:6), and in the worship of God. Hence, the attitude toward the flour was the same as toward the animals one might bring to sacrifice at the Tabernacle; only the best was good enough, for the gift was to the LORD (15:6).

We suspect that the oil and wine used in these offerings were also selected from choice, and not common stocks. While for the drink offering, you are to present one-and-one-third quarts of wine as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI (15:7). Another interesting element in these worship mitzvot is the concept of a fragrant aroma for ADONAI (Genesis 8:21). The odor of the sacrifice, whether of the whole burnt offering or the burning of heavy organs and fat, would be heavy, unpleasant, and pungent. The addition of fine flour, oil and wine to the fire only added an exotic element to the smell. We may ask, would the mere smell and smoke of the sacrifice please God? Of course not! When any sacrifice was brought to the Tabernacle, or later to the Temple, the thing that pleased God, the thing that made it a fragrant aroma, was the faith with which it was brought. David would write:

Sacrifices and grain offerings You do not want; burnt offerings and purification offerings You do not demand. Instead, You have given me open ears; so then I said: Here I am! I’m coming! In the scroll of the book it is written about Me. Doing Your will, my God, is My joy; your Torah is written on My heart (Psalm 40:6-8).²⁷⁰ The more valuable the animal, the more costly the offerings given. When you prepare a bull as a burnt offering, as a sacrifice to fulfill a special vow or as peace offerings for ADONAI, there is to be presented with the bull a grain offering of one-and-a-half gallons of fine flour mixed with two quarts of olive oil. For the drink offering, present two quarts of wine for an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for ADONAI (15:8-10).

Even if I am being poured out . . . Paul compared his own life to a drink offering poured out over the bronze altar on two different occasions. First, he did so in his letter to the Philippians, and secondly, he did so in one of his last letters in Second Timothy. To the Philippians, Paul compared his life to a drink offering, in that he had poured out his efforts upon the Philippians without any assurance of success. Some would measure his efforts spent on them to be a waste, but Paul saw it as a gesture sacrifice and service of their faith, saying: Indeed, even if my lifeblood is poured out as a drink offering over the sacrifice and service of your faith, I will still be glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise, you too should be glad and rejoice with me (Phil 2:17-18).

Six years later, near the end of his life, Paul wrote to Timothy. He knew he would not survive the murderous intrigues of the court of Nero, and he again compared his life to a drink offering being poured out over the bronze altar of sacrifice. He knew he was going to die a martyr’s death. But from his perspective, it was a noble end in as much as it was a martyrdom for the sake of the Kingdom. In the same way that the wine offering was not wasted on the bronze altar, but was offered as a holy service to the LORD, in the same way, Paul regarded his own life spent as a drink offering to YHVH. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come (Second Timothy 4:6).

Dear Heavenly Father, What a wonderful privilege to be Your child! You are the absolute best father that ever could be. There is nothing that could make You better, for you excel in all areas: abounding in steadfast love (Psalms 85:15, 63:3), gracious in gift giving (Romans 5:17, Ephesians 2:8-9), slow to anger/patient (Exodus 34:6, Numbers 14:18), completely Holy (Isaiah 6:3), totally wise for You know the future before it happens (Genesis 40, Daniel 2, 7,8, 11-12, Rev 19) and many other positive qualities! To be a drink offering poured out for You, is a privilege for me to have the opportunity to give back to You my love in a way that shows how deep and sincere my love for You is. You left heaven’s glories (John 17:5) for pain and shame on earth (Hebrews 12:2). You are so worthy of all my love! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

But, by far the most significant drink offering was that of the Master’s blood which was poured out on the ground like water. Yeshua Himself, when He took the seder meal, makes an allusion to the drink offering when He said: This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Kk – The Third Cup of Redemption). In Mark, Yeshua says that His blood is poured out for many (Mark 14:24), and in Matthew, He adds that it is poured out for forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28).²⁷¹

The summary (15:11-12): Do it this way for each bull, ram, male lamb or kid. For as many animals as you prepare, do this for each one, regardless of how many animals there are.

The application (15:13-14): The Torah makes it clear that the mitzvot of the Levitical sacrificial system (as well as all the mitzvot of the Torah) are binding on the native as well as upon the foreigner. All who are native (Hebrew: ezrach) are to do these things in this way when presenting an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI. If a foreigner (Hebrew: ger) stays with you – or whoever may be with you, through all your generations – and he wants to bring an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI, he is to do the same as you. So, the door was always open to proselytes who desired to identify with Isra’el, their faith, and their God (see the commentary on Acts Bb – An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah 53).²⁷²

The principle of equality (15:15-16): For this community (Hebrew: qahal) there will be the same Torah for you as for the foreigner living with you; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations; the foreigner is to be treated the same way before ADONAI as yourselves. The same Torah and standard of judgment will apply to both you and the foreigner living with you. This sounds a lot like Paul’s declaration: There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with the Messiah Yeshua, you are all one (Galatians 3:28). It is the rule of the invisible, universal, Church. It does not mean that the distinction between Jew and Gentiles has been done away with (see the commentary on Jeremiah Eo – I Will Make a New Covenant with the People of Isra’el: The Church’s Relationship to the B’rit Chadashah). But in terms of our standing before YHVH, the native and foreigner were to be treated the same way before ADONAI.

The Jewish practice: Every Jewish home is regarded as a small sanctuary (see the commentary on Exodus Fi – The Sanctuary in the Tabernacle). Their homes are viewed as holy places, set apart to accommodate the Presence of God (that is what makes the October seventh 2023 slaughter of families in their own homes so horrific). In the same way, the kitchen table is the symbolic equivalent of the bronze altar. The family seated around their table is regarded as the symbolic equivalent of the priesthood. The meal on the table is regarded as a symbol of the sacrifices. These analogies help explain the presence of the Sabbath bread and cup. Just as every burnt offering and peace offering was brought to the bronze altar with grain and drink offering, so too the Sabbath table is set with bread and wine.

As the early believers met from house to house (see the commentary on Acts Ao – The New Covenant Community Begins), breaking bread together from Sabbath to Sabbath, Messianic associations were inevitable. It would have been impossible for them to take the Sabbath cup of redemption together without remembering the Master’s seder cup. It would have been impossible for them to break bread and bless the Lord without remembering the Bread of Life (see The Life of Christ Fr – Jesus the Bread of Life).

As believers, we will do well to diligently keep the Sabbath rituals alive, remembering the altar of ADONAI, the drink offering poured out on our behalf, and the bread of life, descended from heaven, in which we have all shared. These ingredients are the very basis of our Shabbat shalom.²⁷³

A Whisper of Hope:
Reassurance for Life in the Promised Land
15: 1-41

The calm and orderly obedience of the holy camp of Isra’el in Numbers Chapters 1-10 had been broken by wave after wave of rebellion, disobedience, and mutiny in Numbers Chapters 11-14. It’s time to take a break, to go back and review some of the basics, and to receive some assurances about the future. Numbers 15 function in this was a break in the downward slide of Isra’el’s rebellion. The introduction of a series of mitzvot interrupts the story of Numbers and mirrors the interrupting effect of the multiple revolts on Isra’el’s progress toward the Promised Land. The effect of the mitzvot is much like a coach reviewing game strategies and basic fundamentals that have been forgotten following a crushing defeat. It is time to stop, investigate, and remember what has been forgotten, and receive encouragement in the face of despair.

Chapter 15 begins with a number of mitzvot concerning sacrifices and offerings that the people were to present to YHVH when they had taken up residence in the Land of Canaan (to see link click Ch – Grain and Drink Offerings and Ci – Challah). The next files provide regulations for sacrifices that atone for unintentional sins (see Cj – Unintentional Sin), and is followed by a judicial case involving a man gathering wood on the Shabbat (see Ck – The Sabbath-Breaker). Finally there are instructions to the people to wear tassels on their clothing as a reminder of God’s commandments (see Cl – Tzit-tzit and Blue Thread).²⁶⁶

The Interconnections between
Numbers 11-14 and Numbers 15

The possibility that the mitzvot of Numbers 15 may have a purposeful connection with the stories of rebellion that precede them was already suggested by early Jewish commentators like Ibn Ezra and Nachmanides: The incident of the spies is immediately followed by the section containing mitzvot which apply only to the Promised Land. This was intended to give confidence of the ultimate possession of the Land to the wilderness generation, who might have been skeptical about the fulfillment of the forty-year-old promise.

That this section of mitzvot for life in Canaan was intended to serve as words of promise for the wilderness generation is confirmed by the concluding verse in this section. It reaffirms God’s relationship to Isra’el after the trauma of the rebellion stories in Numbers Chapters 11-14: I am ADONAI your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. This is important since the major issue in the spy story is Isra’el’s desire to undo the Exodus and return to Egypt (14:2-4). The mitzvot in Numbers 15 explicitly apply only when Isra’el arrived in Canaan; therefore, they carry an implicit promise: it is the Land, God promises, that I am giving to you (15:2). The reaffirmation of God’s relationship, and the implicit promise that YHVH would bring Isra’el back into the Land was reassuring to the wilderness generation that He would be faithful to the promises that He had made to them (14:31).

Many other connections between the mitzvot of Numbers 15 and the preceding rebellion stories of Numbers 11-14 may also be seen. Other refrains in Numbers 15 touch on themes in the revolt narratives.

Numbers 11-14                                                                          Numbers 15

In Numbers 11-14 we see the Gentile rabble (11:4) who followed the Hebrews out of Egypt, and the Cushite wife of Moshe (12:1); while in Numbers 15 we see the Gentile foreigner.

In Numbers 11-14 we see that the Exodus generation will die in the desert, but the wilderness generation will live in the Land (14:30-31); while in Numbers 15 we see the phrase, “throughout the generations to come.”

In Numbers 11-14 we see the reversal of the fact that ADONAI’s fire broke out against the rebels in the camp (11:2-3); while in Numbers 15 we see an offering by fire to YHVH.

In Numbers 11-14 we see the anger of ADONAI (11:1, 10, 33, and 12:9); while in Numbers 15 we see the offerings as “a pleasing aroma to ADONAI.”

Other associations between the mitzvot in Numbers 15 and the rebellion stories in Numbers 11-14 can be seen. Examples of sinning defiantly and despising ADONAI discussed in Numbers 15:30-31 abound in the rebellion stories of Numbers 11:1 and 4-6, 12:2, 13:32-33, 14:2-4; while in Numbers 15 certain offerings, a priest could atone for unintentional sins ( to see link click Cj – Unintentional Sin). But in the case of intentional rebellions by individuals or the community, as in the spy story, only Moses could seek forgiveness in an extraordinary act of intercession. Even so, the community was severely punished (Num 14:13-24).

The image of the sacrifices and offerings in the land of Canaan that combine different meats, flour, and wine in Numbers 15:1-21 suggests that Canaan was a place of rich food, fertility, and wonderful variety. This portrait confirms the first spy report concerning Canaan that it was a land flowing with milk and honey (13:27) as well as Caleb and Joshua’s report that it was an exceedingly good land (14:7). The delicious variety of food reflected in the prescribed time after Isra’el was to arrive in Canaan after forty years (15:1-21) provides an answer to the rebels who were tired of the monotony of manna and yearned to go back and eat the variety of foods in Egypt (11:4-6). In effect, the grain and drink offerings (15:1-16) taught the Israelites how to properly receive and eat what YHVH provided – with thanksgiving and with the recognition that it was a gift from God (11:32-33).

The death penalty by stoning in the case of the Sabbath-breaker as commanded by Ha’Shem (Numbers 15:36) contrasts with the rebellious attempt by the community to use death by stoning against the two faithful spies, Caleb and Joshua, in the spy story in Numbers 14:10. The concern with both individual acts of sin and community acts of sin in 15:22-31 reflects the interplay of individuals and the whole community in Numbers Chapters 11-14. At times individuals engage in acts of rebellion (the rabble in 11:4; the rebellion of Miryam and Aaron in 12:1-3; the ten unfaithful spies in 13:31-33 and 14:36-38), and at other times the entire community was guilty (11:1, 3 and 33; 14:1-4 and 39-45).

Finally, the blue cords on the tzitzit remind Isra’el to be diligent in obeying the commandments so that their eyes do not stray and they do “not follow the lust of your own heart and your own eyes” (15:39). The Hebrew literally reads, “so that you are not spying out (Hebrew: tur) after your own heart and after your own eyes as you are shoring (Hebrew: zenuth) after them. The same pair of Hebrew verbs, to spy out and to commit spiritual adultery, occurs in 14:33-34. There, God condemns the faithless spies and the whole community for their faithlessness, which led to the punishment of death in the wilderness. The verb to commit spiritual adultery is often used as an image for Isra’el’s going after other gods or idols, phantom gods that are not the true God of Isra’el (see the commentary on Exodus Gq – The Golden Calf Incident). The faithless spies had lied and exaggerated what they saw: a land that devoured its inhabitants and primordial giants named Nephilim (13:32-33) rather than God’s gift of a very good land flowing with milk and honey. The rebellious people redefined reality by claiming to see Egypt as a place of salvation and promise (14:1-4) rather than a land of slavery, suffering, and death (Exodus 1:8-22 and 3:7-9). Therefore, the blue cords and tzitzit worn on their clothing were to remind the people of their God and His mitzvot, the first of which is that, “I am ADONAI your God . . . you shall have no other gods beside Me (Deuteronomy 5:6-7).

Overall, the interconnections between Numbers 15 and the stories of rebellion that precede it are numerous. The mitzvot of this chapter were meant to be words of encouragement to the wilderness generation (see Cg – A Whisper of Hope: Reassurance for Life in the Promised Land), in spite of the disobedience and death of the Exodus generation. In this case, the mitzvot function as a profound promise for their future.²⁶⁵

Isra’el’s Wilderness Wanderings
15:1 to 22:1

Sometimes we feel like we are in a spiritual wilderness. But God is still there. Waiting.

Dear Friend,

I just had to send a note to tell you how much I love you and care about you. I saw you yesterday as you were walking with your friends. I waited all day long hoping you would want to talk with me also. As evening drew near, I gave you a sunset to close your day and a cool breeze to give you rest. And I waited. But you never came. It hurt me, but I still love you because I am your friend.

I saw you fall asleep last night and I longed to touch your brow. So, I spilled moonlight on your pillow and your face. Again, I waited, wanting to rush down so that we could talk. I have so many gifts for you. But you awakened late the next day and rushed off to work. My tears were in the rain.

Today you looked so sad, so all alone. It makes my heart ache because I understand. My friends let me down and hurt me so many times too. But I love you. I try to tell you in the blue sky and in the quiet, green grass. I whisper in the leaves on the trees and breathe it in the colors of the flowers. I shout it to you in the mountain streams and give the birds love songs to sing. I clothe you in the warm sunshine and perfume the air with nature’s scents. My love for you is deeper than the oceans and bigger than the biggest want of need in your heart.

If you only knew how much I want to help you. I want you to meet my father. He wants to help you too. My father is that way you know. Just call me, ask me, talk with me. Please, please, don’t forget me. I have so much to share with you. But I won’t hassle you any further. You are free to call me. It’s up to you. I’ll wait . . . because I love you.

Your Friend,
Yeshua

Theological Reflections on the Spy Story

The spy story in Numbers 13 and 14 gathers together several central themes in the theology of the TaNaKh and B’rit Chadashah. The story explores sin; the interplay of forgiveness and judgment; the death of the old and the birth of the new; trusting in the power of ADONAI versus trusting in human power and resolve; and Ha’Shem’s power over “giants” verses God’s grace on “the little ones.” The following five illustrations are ways in which these themes are intertwined in both the spy story in the TaNaKh, sayings in the B’rit Chadashah, and stories of Yeshua Messiah, as well as early Church tradition.

1. The nature of the sin in Numbers 13-14 is the rejection of God’s free gift of the Promised Land, which was Isra’el’s for the taking. The rebels in the spy story fall so low because the sense of expectation and hope that the entire Torah attaches to this one moment is so high. All the ancestral promises in Genesis and their constant reiteration since Exodus Chapter 1 have looked forward to this dramatic point where Isra’el was on the cusp of entering the Promised Land of Canaan. But the people refuse to trust ADONAI to make good on God’s promises. One analogy in the B’rit Chadashah to this moment is the story of the crucifixion of Yeshua. The cross is a sign of the world’s rejection of God’s great gift of salvation in Messiah. YHVH’s fulfillment of Isra’el’s messianic expectation was ironically met by the people’s rejection of their Messiah.

2. The spy story highlights the forgiveness of ADONAI through the intercession of Moses. Moshe’s appeal to God’s lovingkindness (see the commentary on Ruth, to see link click Af – The Concept of Chesed) was an appeal to His commitment to the promises He had made to Isra’el. In the process, Moshe denied himself and the possible glory of becoming a great nation. Instead, Moses used his uniquely intimate relationship to God to pray for forgiveness for the people (14:12-19). Similarly, Paul in Romans 8 assures his readers that nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Messiah Yeshua our Lord (Rom 8:39). And the basis for the assurance of God’s lovingkindness is in the intercession of Yeshua who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us (Rom 8:34). Like Moshe, Yeshua denied Himself and His own glory for the sake of others through His suffering and death (Philippians 2:1-11).

3. The spy story upholds the dialogical tension between God’s forgiveness and God’s judgment through the paradigm of the death of the old and the birth of the new. Death in the desert was God’s just judgment on the old Exodus generation. They would never reach the Promised Land. But out of death came new life. ADONAI promised to raise up a new generation of hope who would enter the land of Canaan. Thus, YHVH was above all merciful and faithful to the promises that were made. But the LORD also preserved a sense of responsibility and justice by giving the old Exodus generation the punishment that corresponded to what they had said they wanted, which was to die in the desert.

In a similar way, the promise of forgiveness and new life arises out of the judgment and death that Yeshua bore on the cross. Messiah opens up the way through the death of the old to the birth of the new as He calls His disciples to take up their cross daily and follow Me (Luke 9:23). The rebels in the spy story wanted to save their lives by refusing to stand up to the enemies of Canaan. Yeshua instructs us that the road of faith moves in the opposite direction: For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for My sake will find it (Luke 9:24). The way of faith is always through death to life, through the cross to resurrection. The concrete expression of that movement for the believer is baptism into Messiah signifying the death of the old self and the rebirth of the new self: Therefore, we have been buried with Him in baptism into death, so that just as Messiah was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we, too, might walk in the newness of life (Romans 6:4).

4. The spy story portrays unbelief as fear and trust in God’s power above all else. The first commandment of the Ten Words (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words) is: You shall have no other gods beside Me (Deuteronomy 5:6-7). The spy story illustrates the two primary ways in which this mitzvah was broken. First, the rebellious spies and the people feared the inhabitants of the land of Canaan more than they feared God. Yet, the fear of ADONAI is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10a). They also exaggerated and made up lies about the enemy, speaking of a land that devoured its inhabitants and about giants who had died long ago in the Flood (Numbers 13:32-33). Secondly, at the end of the spy story, the Israelites presumed to go up and conquer the Land by their own power and resolve. They did this in spite of Moshe’s warning that God was not with them. In their pride, they trusted in their own efforts and determination to gain for themselves the promises of ADONAI. The result was defeat and death (Numbers 14:39-45). Whether in pride or in despair, the old Exodus generation failed to learn the fundamental lesson of the Bible: to fear, love, and trust God above everything else.

5. Finally, the spy story affirms both God’s mighty power to conquer giants and His loving power to save the children of the Exodus generation. Caleb and Joshua knew that the giants in Canaan were nothing compared to the power of Isra’el’s God. They declared: ADONAI is with us, do not fear them (Numbers 14:9). Just as Ha’Shem’s power defeated the mighty Pharaoh and his army, so God’s power would deliver the children of the Exodus generation into the Promised Land. But your children, who you said would be taken as booty – them I will bring in. They will know the Promised Land you have rejected (Numbers 14:41 and Deuteronomy 1:39). The B’rit Chadashah likewise portrays the power of YHVH to fight the enemies of God. Yeshua sent out seventy of His disciples to preach and to heal, and they came back saying: Lord, in Your Name even the demons submit to us! Yeshua responded: I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning (Luke 10:17-18). The demonic enemies, even the giant Satan fall before the power of God’s holy war weapons of healing and preaching the Gospel. Ephesians 6:10-12 urges followers of Messiah to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His power.

In later traditions with the TaNaKh, the proper weapons by which Ha’Shem conducted holy war (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Ag – The Problem of Holy War in the TaNaKh) against the enemies of God had already begun to be reinterpreted. No longer were God’s people to use swords of violence; rather, they were to fight with weapons of God’s Word and obedience to God’s Torah (Deuteronomy 33:10-11; Joshua 1:7-9; Isaiah 2:1-4). This tradition was carried on into the B’rit Chadashah. Yeshua’s disciples didn’t battle evil with weapons of violence, but with God’s Word and with a ministry of reconciliation (Luke 22:49-51). And those who received these gifts were often the little children of this world. Yeshua called the little children to His side, saying: Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs (Luke 18:16).

Yeshua’s parable of the great banquet is in many ways a commentary on the spy story (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Hp – The Parable of the Great Banquet). A delicious dinner is prepared, not unlike God’s preparation of the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey for the Israelites. The master of the house extends a gracious invitation to many people. However, all those who are invited refuse to come to the banquet and offer excuses as to why they are not able. Instead, the master then decides to invite the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame to come and eat a great banquet with him. They came and received the gracious gift of food. The master vowed concerning those who were invited first: For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner (Luke 14:24). The parable is a metaphor for the kingdom of God and the little children to come and eat at the table of ADONAI (Luke 22:24-30). The apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian church that God has chosen the foolish and the weak to shame the wise and the strong, “But God chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise; God chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the strong; and God chose what the world looks down on as common or regards as nothing in order to bring to nothing what the world considers important; so that no one should boast before God” (First Corinthians 1:27-29). 

As we move on in the book of Numbers from this central and defining story of the rebellious spies, and the failed attempt to conquer the Promised Land, these important theological themes of judgment and hope will continue to weave in and out of the story that follows.²⁶⁴

Defeat by the Canaanites and Amalekites
14: 39-45

Defeat by the Canaanites and Amalekites DIG: Why did the people attempt to go into battle against the Amalekites? If they had “repented” why did YHVH not grant them victory? Why do you think ADONAI allowed the Israelites to be defeated? What is the difference between being remorseful and being repentant? Between admitting sin and confessing sin?

REFLECT: What is the difference between remorse and repentance? Between admitting sin and confessing sin? After studying the episode at Kadesh-barnea, how would you define “faith” in this context? Ask the Lord to help you to obey Him when He calls so that you will not miss out on opportunities for service. Ask Him to give you grace to walk faithfully with Him.

Faith is simply obeying ADONAI in spite of how we feel, what we see, or what we think might happen.

The day after their great failure (to see link click Bz – Faith and Obedience), the Israelites were supposed to start on their long march through the wilderness, but the nation refused to obey. Stricken with guilt and grief the people attempted to invade Canaan, but the end was disastrous. It was a classic example of too little, too late. ADONAI’s oath (see Cb – God’s Response), that the Exodus generation must die in the wilderness, was final. Now, too late to walk in faith, the people were determined to walk up to the Land that they had just refused to enter. Unbelief, a spirit of complaining, and a rebellious attitude are terrible masters that cause no end of trouble in the lives of those who cultivate them. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).²⁵⁹

When Moshe told these things to all the people of Isra’el, the people felt great remorse. But they thought they could change the consequence of their actions with one more act of repentance. They arose early the next morning, came up to the top of the mountain overlooking Kadesh-barnea looking to the Promised Land and said: Here we are, and we did sin, but now we’ll go up to the place ADONAI promised (14:39-40). But the offer by God had been revoked from the Exodus generation. They had reached a point of no return and could not change the decree by Ha’Shem. Their feeble attempt was doomed to fail.

Ordinarily, repentance is a very simple matter. When we realize we have sinned, we confess it (First John 1:9), stop that behavior, turn around, and go in a godly direction. In this case, it was not so simple. Isra’el had sinned by breaking the command of YHVH to go up and take the Land. The LORD had already sentenced them to forty years of wandering in the wilderness, but they thought they could reverse His decision by reversing their original lack of faith by going up and taking the Land. They were sincere, but sincerely wrong.

Moshe answered, “Why are you opposing what ADONAI said? You won’t succeed! He warned the people, “Don’t go up there, because ADONAI isn’t with you. If you do, your enemies will defeat you” (14:41-42). Again, the critical issue is not human strength or even human resolve or determination. The key is the presence of God in their midst. The Ark, the sign of God’s presence, remained in the camp and did not go up with the Israelites as they attacked the Canaanites and Amalekites. The result was predictable. The Israelites were soundly defeated in battle. The death of the Exodus generation had begun.²⁶⁰

The Canaanites and the Amalekites are there ahead of you, and you will be struck down by the sword. The reason will be that you have turned away from following ADONAI, so that ADONAI won’t be with you (14:43). Neither Moses nor the ark left the camp, the Sh’khinah glory didn’t move from the Tabernacle, and the silver trumpets didn’t blow. What were they thinking? Man’s efforts without God’s blessing do more harm than good, for Yeshua Himself said: Without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5). But they were a presumptuous, stubborn people, so in their arrogance they went on up toward the high parts of the hill-country, even though the ark for the covenant of ADONAI – and Moshe – stayed in the camp. So, as was predicted, the Canaanites and the Amalekites living in that hill-country descended, struck them down and chased them over one hundred miles north, all the way back to Hormah (14:44-45). It was a sad day for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.²⁶¹ So, this attempt to invade the Land totally failed. It seems that at this point, circumcision was discontinued, and probably the observance of the Passover as well because they could not observe the Passover uncircumcised (Joshua 5:2-12). But God continued to communicate through Moses, and to provide manna, shoes, clothing, and water (Deuteronomy 8:2-6 and 29:5-6).²⁶²

The conclusion is replete with antithetical statements in relationship to the initial instructions given by God and Moses. In YHVH’s instruction to Moshe, He stated that He was giving them the Promised Land; but now when they attempted to enter the place ADONAI promised, they were warned against doing so. Moshe instructed the Israelites to go up into the Land (13:17); now they are commanded, “Do not go up.” In earlier episodes of rebellion, Israelite remorse often led to Moses interceding with YHVH to withdraw His punishment of the nation or at least to lighten its effect. But in this case, the prophet proclaimed further warning if the people should respond rebelliously again and attempt to conquer the Land. In the end, the Canaanites and Amalekites, whom the Israelites would have easily conquered if the Divine Warrior was on their side, were easily defeated.

The entire experience at Kadesh-barnea teaches us that there is no substitute for faith in God’s promises and obedience to His commands. Faith is simply obeying ADONAI in spite of how we feel, what we see, or what we think might happen. When God’s people trust and obey, the LORD delights in doing wonders for them, because they glorify His Name.²⁶³

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for both your love-gift of gracious forgiveness and Your perfect wisdom to provide the way so You could forgive. Thank You so very much that Your heart, full of love, did not give up on mankind when we sinned; but Your omniscient wisdom made a plan to rescue us from sin. You knew all along when You gave the mitzvot to Moses, that Isra’el would not keep them. Moshe, the greatest of all the prophets of the TaNaKh, declared in no uncertain terms that Isra’el would break God’s commandments and be driven into exile (Deuteronomy 4:25-28 and 30:1). But Your lovingkindness never ends for those who love You. ADONAI, Your act of forgiveness and salvation in Messiah Yeshua, is rooted in Your lovingkindness, which can be seen in forgiveness, and makes it possible to have a relationship with You.

Faith is the correct response that opens the door for You to bless people with Your gracious love by the outpouring of Messiah’s righteousness. He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). Then Abraham believed in ADONAI and He reckoned it to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). May I keep my eyes on You and have faith in You. No matter how much I stumble in this life, You are always there to pick me up and dust me off. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

God’s Response
14: 20-38

God’s response DIG: What was the “different spirit” that was upon Caleb? What would later become of Caleb (see verse 24 and Joshua 14:10-14)? Why did ADONAI reserve His sharpest rebuke for the parents of the Exodus generation? Why did Ha’Shem immediately strike down the ten spies, but not the people who listened to them?

REFLECT: What is the difference between regret and true repentance? Between admitting sin and confessing sin? Does forgiveness mean that we don’t have to suffer the consequences of our sin? Why? Why not? God’s people missed an opportunity to enter the Promised Land. Are there opportunities in your life that you might be missing?

God had the time, and the wilderness had the sand.

Here ADONAI reveals one of the harshest realities of His judgment. It has been said that if God is for us, who could be against us? But if God is against us, there is no hope. Isra’el was about to learn what it meant to have God against her, a situation where even the most feeble of foes would triumph over the armies of Isra’el.²⁵²

God responded to Moshe’s intercession (14:20-23): ADONAI finally spoke: I have forgiven (Hebrew: salach, basically meaning to pardon), as you have asked. He was moved by the intercession of Moshe (to see link click Ca – Moses Intercedes for the People). But the forgiveness in this case was not without consequences for the horrific sins of the Israelites. The faithless people would not be put to death, and it did not affect anyone’s individual salvation, but neither could things go back to the way they had been on the day before the rebellion. The point of no return had been reached.²⁵³ The words of Ha’Shem are forceful and direct: As sure as I live, just as the whole earth will be filled with the glory of ADONAI in the Messianic Kingdom; now, I declare that none of the people who saw My glory and the signs I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet tested Me these ten times and did not listen to My voice, will see the land I swore to their ancestors!

The sages teach that the ten testings were: (1) the testing at the Sea of Reeds (Exodus 14:10-12); (2) the waters of Marah (Exodus 15:22-26); (3) the wilderness of Tzin (Ex 16:1-3); (4) the first sin of the manna when they kept it overnight (Ex 16:20); (5) the second sin of the manna when the people tried to gather on the Sabbath (Ex 16:27-28); (6) the mummering at waters of Rephidim (Ex 17:1-7); (7) the golden calf incident (Ex 32:1-10); (8) the sin of Tev’erah (Num 11:1-3); (9) the mummering at kivrot Ha’Ta’avah and the sin of the quail (Num 11:4-35); (10) is now the sin of Kadesh-barnea (Numbers Chapters 13 and 14). In summary, none of those who treated Me with contempt will see it.²⁵⁴ As a result, the Exodus generation would not be allowed to see the Promised Land, the prize of His grace for the faithful.

Caleb and Joshua will live (14:24-25): But My servant Caleb, because he had a different Spirit with him and has fully followed Me. ADONAI singles out Caleb, calling him “My servant” and remarking with affection his different Spirit. It may be that Caleb was the principal spokesman in the defense of the goodness of the Land and the supreme character of YHVH (14:7-9). Caleb’s ultimate vindication came forty-five years later (Joshua 14:6-15 and Judges 1:11-15). Him I will bring into the Land he entered, and it will belong to his descendants (14:24). Joshua is not specifically mentioned here, but it is obvious that he, too, would live and go into the Promised Land (see the book of Joshua).

Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valley, tomorrow turn around and get yourselves into the wilderness along the way to the Sea of Reeds (14:25). Here is a verse of sadness. ADONAI reminded Moshe that there were inhabitants already living in the Land, Amalekites and Canaanites; hence, the people needed to turn back into the wilderness. They had been brought near for the purpose of fighting those inhabitants of the Land in a struggle for possession. But now they were not to fight. They had lost their opportunity; it was back to the sand, back to God’s time.²⁵⁵

The Exodus generation will die in the wilderness of Tzin (14:26-35): A reiteration of the rhetorical questions asked in 14:11 introduces another cycle of responses. This literary style provides expanding layers in which additional detail is added. ADONAI said to Moshe and Aaron, “How long am I to put up with this evil community who keep grumbling about Me? I have heard the complaints of the people of Isra’el, which they continue to raise against Me.” Moshe lifted up His hand in an oath to swear that the entire Exodus generation (except for Caleb and Joshua) would fall in the wilderness. “As surely as I live, ADONAI swears, as surely as you have spoken in My ears, I will do this to you.” They said they wanted to die in the wilderness (14:2), so they had brought on themselves their own punishment. “Your carcasses will drop in this wilderness!” Moses led the longest funeral march in history. Every single one of you who were included in the census over the age of twenty (see Aj – The Command to Number), you who have complained against Me, will certainly not enter the Land about which I raised my hand to swear that I would have you live in it – except for Caleb and Joshua” (14:26-30). But at the same time the new census list (see Eg – The Second Census: The New Generation of Hope) is tangible evidence that YHVH’s promises will be kept. A new generation of Israelites would indeed enter the long-awaited land of Canaan.²⁵⁶

Ha’Shem’s sharpest rebuke came in response to their charge that He wanted to harm their children. The attacks on His grace and the rebuffs of His mercy He tolerated. The forgetfulness of His power and the ignoring of His acts of deliverance He set aside. But there was one thing that Ha’Shem simply would not tolerate – the accusation that He had brought the people into the wilderness with the intent of destroying their children, so that they would die in the wilderness or to be taken as plunder by victorious enemies. Hence a further element of cosmic justice is declared that the children, concerning whose safety their parents made such a false charge against YHVH, these children, would be the ones who would actually enter and enjoy the Promised Land.²⁵⁷

But your children, the wilderness generation, who you said would be taken as plunder (Numbers 14:3 and Deuteronomy 1:39) – them I will bring in. So, the wilderness generation will see the Land that the Exodus generation rejected; they despised the Pleasant Land (Psalm 106:24). But you, the Exodus generation, your carcasses will fall in this wilderness; and your children will wander about in the wilderness for forty years bearing the consequences of your spiritual adultery (Hebrew: zenuth, meaning harlotry, prostitution, or unfaithfulness) until the wilderness eats up your carcasses. It will be a year for every day you spent spying out (Hebrew: tur, meaning to seek out, spy out or explore) the Land that you will bear the consequences of your offenses – forty days, forty years. The reader is left with a sense that God’s condemnation of the entire Exodus generation to a gradual forty-year death in the desert is a punishment that fitted the crime. Then you will know what it means to oppose me! I, ADONAI, have spoken. I will certainly do this to this whole evil Exodus generation who have assembled together against Me. The lies of the ten spies had fallen on ears ripe for mutiny – so they will be destroyed in this wilderness and die there (14:31-35).

The death of the evil spies (14:36-38): The people as a whole received a commuted sentence, a mitigated judgment. But not the ten men who were responsible for the treasonous lies that lead to the rebellion against YHVH. They fell as a down payment on God’s oath. So the ten men Moses had sent to explore the Land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against Him by lying about it were struck down and died of a plague before the LORD, proving that their evil report was simply a lie. The judgment against them was immediate. But the Exodus generation they influenced would live out their lives in the wilderness under a death sentence of forty years. Only Caleb and Joshua were exempt from this judgment. Of the men who went to explore the Promised Land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived. The repeated mention of these two men is deserved, for together they withstood a nation.²⁵⁸

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise you that having a loving relationship with You is so much better to have than any earthly relationships! Since Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You (Psalms 63:3). When Joshua and Caleb stood against the whole nation, it must have been very hard for them, especially the entire nation angry at them and wanting to stone them (Numbers 14:10). Loving and obeying You must have been much more important to them than anything else in this world!

Everyone desires to be loved. Your great love is the best way to fill the love spot in our lives. Love from family and friends is nice, but it is only temporary. Sometimes our family and friends are nowhere to be found. Your love is so much better than any temporary love for Your love is eternal. Your love is great and always there (Hebrews 13:5c). You are loving even when You must discipline (Heb 12:6). Your love is all day long, every day of the year. You never have days when You are not loving. You are always one-hundred percent holy (Isaiah 6:3) and one-hundred percent Love. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him (Psalms 103:11).

You are so wonderful and worthy of all our love! Even if all my friends and family should choose to turn away from You, still I want to follow You. Thank You so very much for Your Awesome, forever Love! Give thanks to ADONAI-Tzva’ot, for ADONAI is good, for His love endures forever (Jeremiah 33:11b)! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Moses Intercedes for the People
14: 5-19

Moses intercedes for the people DIG: Why did Joshua and Caleb tear their clothes? What is the significance of the Sh’khinah glory here? What was Moshe’s main argument against ADONAI? Why was it such a good argument? Do you think God’s anger with the Israelites was justified?

REFLECT: In what ways do you suffer the sins of your parents and grandparents? Take a moment to intercede and pray for those who are now under God’s judgment. Ask Him to open their eyes to the truth before it is too late. Thank the Lord that He is willing to forgive us for our sins.

Yes, discipline the people for their sin if You must,
but please don’t totally destroy them for Your Name’s sake.

In the midst of this riot of rebellion, only a few voices still spoke of God’s grace and remembered His power. The Torah mentions four such people: Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb. These were the only ones mentioned as not being part of the larger, rebellious community. I suspect that they are listed because of their prominence in the central story. But I also suspect that they were not, in fact, the only ones in the entire community who were faithful to YHVH. In any period of great apostasy, we (and Scripture) tend to focus on the majority of the rebels and to forget about the righteous of the TaNaKh. ADONAI always has a remnant of faithful believers. Certainly this was the experience of Elijah on Mount Carmel (First Kings 19:10, 14 and 18). Yet, the only voices of reason and faith we hear in the text are those of Moses, Aaron, Caleb, and Joshua.

The words of the faithful (14:5-10a): Moshe and Aaron fell on their faces before the entire assembled community of the people of Isra’el, half in anticipation of the divine wrath about to explode upon the people and half in prayerful intercession for Ha’Shem’s forgiveness. It was a national rebellion! Joshua and Caleb, from those who had explored the Land, tore their clothes in a ritual symbolic of mourning. They tried to dissuade their countrymen from their foolishness, countering the lies of the majority report, saying: The land we passed through in order to spy it out is an outstandingly good land . . . their protection (Hebrew: tzillam, meaning shade) has been removed from them. In the hot and arid regions of the Middle East, the concept of shade is a symbol of grace and mercy, a relief from the searing heat (Psalm 91:1). YHVH had served as a protecting shadow for the peoples of the land of Canaan; but now that protection was gone. God was with His people. The faithful declared: ADONAI is with us! Don’t be afraid of them! If ADONAI is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this Land and give it to us — a land flowing with milk and honey (14:5-9).²⁴⁸

Finally, they got to the theological heart of what was at stake: Just don’t rebel against ADONAI. And don’t be afraid of the people living in the Land – we’ll eat them up! The question was not who was taller or who had the larger fortifications or who had more weapons. Ultimately, all such reliance on human power and estimates was irrelevant. The issue was trusting in the power of Isra’el’s God. He could be trusted to make good on His promises and bring the Israelites into the Promised Land. That fact should have been enough to strengthen their confidence, but the whole community chose insurrection over submission as they passed the word to gather stones to kill their faithful leaders in whom they had lost confidence. Despite the pleas of Joshua and Caleb and the prostrate forms of Moshe and Aaron, the people were deaf to mercy and blind to truth. They were determined that all four of them should be stoned to death (14:10a).²⁴⁹

The threat of Ha’Shem (14:10b-12): YHVH considered obliterating Isra’el there on the spot. Just then, the Sh’khinah glory appeared in the Tabernacle to all the people of Isra’el (14:10b). When Ha’Shem appeared, He did not thunder against the people; instead, He spoke directly to His servant Moses about their outrageous behavior. His words had a sense of disbelief: How much longer are these people going to treat Me with contempt? As we think of God’s promise to bless those who bless Isra’el and to curse the one who treats the people with less than a sense of dignity and respect (Genesis 12:3), we wonder what must be in store for the one who holds YHVH in contempt! How much longer will they not trust Me, this unbelief was the root of the problem (to see link click Bz – Faith and Obedience), especially considering all the signs I have performed among them (14:11)? Since God was able to defeat the Egyptians, He could certainly defeat the Canaanites. Ha’Shem’s anger against His people was at fever pitch. He declared: I am going to strike this rebellious people with a plague, destroy them, disinheriting them from the covenantal promises of the Land (see the commentary on Genesis Eg – I AM the LORD, Who Brought You Out of Ur of the Chaldeans to Give You This Land). And God could begin again. With a plague the people could be reduced to a believing remnant. Moshe could be the new “father;” he could be Abraham brought back to life, as it were. Therefore, God said: I will make from you a nation greater and stronger than they are (14:12)! For the second time since the Exodus, YHVH speaks of starting over with Moshe in order to create a new people faithful to Himself (Exodus 32;10). But Moses refused to take the offer that God gave him.

Moses intercedes (14:13-19): To the extent that the expression of the wrath of Ha’Shem was a test of the character of Moshe, we see in his response one of his greatest moments. Not for a second did he mull over the possibility of a new people of God, “the children of Moses!” Instead, zealous for the protection of the perception of the character of YHVH among the nations, Moshe couldn’t contain himself, “When the Egyptians hear about this – [and they will] – because it was from among them that You, by Your strength, brought this people up – they will tell the Canaanites. It seems that the Egyptians had been keeping track of the migration of the Israelites, hoping that they would eventually return as their slaves. They have heard that you, ADONAI, are with this people; that you, ADONAI, are seen face to face; that Your fire-cloud stands over them (see Bk – The Pillar of Cloud and Fire); that You go ahead of them in a column of cloud by day and a column of fire by night (14:13-14).

For Moses, there was something far more important than his own pride and destiny, something even more important than the people themselves . . . this was the reputation of God! If You kill off these people at a single stroke, then the nations that have heard of Your reputation will say that the reason ADONAI slaughtered these people in the desert is that He wasn’t able to bring them into the Land which He promised to give them. So now, please, let ADONAI’s power be as great (14:15-17).

Even more compelling, Moshe invoked ADONAI’s twelve attributes. God is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in lovingkindness (see the commentary on Ruth Af – The Concept of Chesed) and truth; showing grace to the thousandth generation, forgiving offenses, crimes and sins; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents’ offenses to be experienced by their children and grandchildren, and even to the third and fourth generations (Numbers 4:18 quoting Exodus 34:6-7). So, yes, discipline the people for their sin if You must (see the commentary Hebrews Cz – God Disciplines His Children), but please don’t totally destroy them for Your Name’s sake.

Then, armed with the twelve attributes of God’s essential character, Moshe pleads: Please! Forgive the offense of this people according to the greatness of Your grace, Your covenantal faithfulness, just as you have forgiven this people from Egypt until now (14:19).²⁵⁰

Moderns who have rejected the message of the TaNaKh have often done so on the basis of faulty biblical teaching. They have been taught through popular culture and through misinformed teachers that “the God of the Old Testament” is a God of wrath, whereas “the God of the New Testament” is all mercy and grace. It is to YHVH’s attribute of lovingkindness (see chesed above) that Moshe appeals in his plea to ADONAI not to destroy Isra’el (14:18-19).

Moses knew the LORD intimately. He knew Him as a consuming fire; he also knew His warm embrace. We tend to focus on the flashes of God’s wrath. Moshe reminds us that while the wrath is real, it is long delayed. The most remarkable feature of God’s exercising His wrath is how much frustration He tolerates before He finally acts in righteous judgment. I suspect that there are occasions when we all have wished that Ha’Shem would “zap” this evil or reach out and destroy that evil. But the fact that He has not yet done so is a loving reminder that He may extend the same patience with us as well.²⁵¹

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your wonderful attributes that You described to Moshe. Then ADONAI passed before him, and proclaimed, “ADONAI, ADONAI, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, showing mercy to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means leaving the guilty unpunished, but bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6-7). Meditating on your outstanding characteristics brings such peace and joy!

To Abram You called Yourself, God Almighty. When Abram was 99 years old, Adonai appeared to Abram, and He said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Continually walk before Me and you will be blameless” (Genesis 17:1). As my Almighty Father there is no reason for me to worry about any “giant problem.” Your presence is always with me (Hebrews 13:5) to help me, and is so much greater and more powerful than any problem! You are the Great King who, by the breath of His mouth, can “fix giant problems” (Revelation 19:15).

Gracious and compassionate Heavenly Father, You fixed the giant problem of my sin by sending Yeshua the Messiah as the Lamb of God (John 1:29) to suffer and die as my substitute, then you conquered the giant of death by rising victoriously (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20-21)! Thank You for being such a wonderful Heavenly Father that can always be relied on and trusted! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Faith and Obedience
Numbers 14:1-4 and Hebrews 3:7-4:13

Faith and Obedience DIG: Within reach of the Promised Land, the Israelites now pull back from their goal. Why do you think they did this? In their desire to return to Egypt, what were the people really expressing? What is a midrash (see glossary)? How was entering into the Promised Land similar to entering faith in Yeshua Messiah?

REFLECT: Have you ever found yourself grumbling and complaining about your spiritual leaders or the situations that God has placed in your life? Why is it a serious matter to grumble and complain about God’s purposes? Who do you know that has not stepped over the line from knowledge to faith in Yeshua Messiah? How can you pray for them this week?

The people’s rebellion and failure to enter the Promised Land
is the subject of a midrash in Hebrews 3:7 to 4:13.

Utterly disheartened by the spies’ evil report (to see link click By – The Report of the Spies), the children of Isra’el fell into despair. They cried out in dismay and wept all night long. The lies of the ten spies had their intended effect. Moreover, all the people of Isra’el became afraid and began grumbling against Moshe and Aaron. The whole community told them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! or died in this wilderness (soon they will get their wish)! Why is ADONAI bringing us to this land, where we will die by the sword?” They made no mention of the supposed greater danger that awaited them in a land which, they alleged, devours its inhabitants. They used their women and children as pretense for their lack of faith. Our wives and our little ones will be taken as booty! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” Then, the Israelites spoke words that completely destroyed their covenant relationship with YHVH as they said to each other, “Let’s appoint a leader (which Nehemiah 9:17 tells us they actually did) and return to Egypt” (14:1-4). They lacked both faith and obedience.

In a series of a few brief lines, the Israelites rejected all that Ha’Shem had done for them. They rejected all the promises that the LORD had made since first calling Abraham and Sarah to leave their homeland and to go to the land of Canaan. There, God had promised Abraham and Sarah, “To your offspring I will give this Land” (Genesis 12:7). Therefore, their faithlessness was inexcusable. They had experienced the revelation of Heaven unlike any generation before or after them. They saw the ten plagues and the dividing of the Sea of Reeds. They saw the Sh’khinah glory. They had heard the Voice at Mount Sinai and seen the fire. They had seen the Tabernacle filled with glory, and they had seen the fire leap out and consume the sacrifices upon the bronze altar. They had Moshe to speak directly on God’s behalf. They witnessed provision of manna, water, and quail. They should have been as fearless as lions. But all of these gracious acts and gifts of God were forgotten and discarded. Their failure is inexplicable. They tested and tried My patience, even though they had seen My work (Psalm 95:9).

Lack of faith (Psalm 95): Hebrews 3:7-4:13 (see the commentary on Hebrews Ar – The Superiority of Messiah in the Rest He Gives) is primarily a midrash on Psalm 95, which is regarded as a Sabbath psalm. In the synagogue service today, it’s the psalm used to welcome in the Sabbath on Friday evenings. Furthermore, it is regarded as a psalm about the Messianic Kingdom (see the commentary on Revelation Fh – The Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom). Every Shabbat is a foretaste of that great Sabbath of rest and peace. Come, let’s sing to ADONAI! Let’s shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation! Let’s come into His presence with thanksgiving; let’s shout for joy to Him with songs of praise (Psalm 95:1-2).²⁴⁵

But the psalm also contains a warning against the mistakes of their forefathers, and is introduced with urgency: If only today you would listen to His voice, “Don’t harden your hearts, as you did at Meribah (meaning quarreling, see the commentary on Exodus Cu – Strike the Rock and Water Will Come Out of It), as you did on that day at Massah (meaning testing) in the desert, when your fathers put Me to the test; they challenged Me, even though they saw My work. For forty years I loathed that generation; I said: This is a people whose hearts go astray, they don’t understand how I do things” (Psalm 95:7b-10). For forty years YHVH struggled with the Exodus generation. Like Pharaoh before them, how many times did they need to see God work before they understood? Did they not see that God had their best interests at heart? How tenderly and patiently He had shepherded His flock, but they had disappointed and angered Him. In their hearts they had wandered from Him, and had never learned from His gracious ways. The psalm ends abruptly: Therefore, I swore in My anger that they would not enter My rest (Psalm 95:11).²⁴⁶

Sabbath rest for God’s people: Psalm 95 is quoted extensively in Hebrews 3. The writer of Hebrews is obviously aware of both Sabbath and Messianic Kingdom interpretations of Psalm 95 as he employs them both. Furthermore, he derives his own lesson from the words: Today, if you would hear His voice, do not harden your hearts . . . (Hebrews 3:7-8 quoting Psalm 95:7-8). Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-13). He warns the believers reading his letter that just as Ha’Shem did not spare the Exodus generation of the wilderness, neither would He spare the current generation. He compares entering into the Promised Land to entering faith in Yeshua Messiah. Both require faith and obedience. The writer of Hebrews says: Those who disobeyed . . . were not able to enter because of unbelief (Hebrews 3:19).

But what is the “rest” which they were not able to enter? The writer to the Hebrews points out that God’s rest began on the Sabbath following creation, but it has never ceased. He did not go back to work on Monday. Therefore, the Sabbath rest of YHVH is more than the seventh-day Sabbath, it is an eternal Sabbath rest. It is the rest of the World to Come (see the commentary on Revelation Fq – The Eternal State). Seeing that the Exodus generation did not enter this eternal rest, the writer of Hebrews deduces that some will, namely those who do not disobey. That is why the Psalm warns us not to be like them, but rather to listen to God’s voice “Today.” On the day we hear His voice (obeying Him), we will enter “Today” (the Sabbath rest of God). This is essentially the same interpretation the Oral Law (see  The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law) gave for Psalm 95; the Sabbath rest is a picture of the World to Come, and the disobedient will not enter it.

In the book of Hebrews, the Exodus generation is used as a midrash example. The writer of Hebrews says: For we also have had the Good News proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed (Hebrews 4:2). From the perspective of the writer of Hebrews (a First Century Jewish believer writing to other First Century Jewish believers) the situation is similar to that of the Exodus generation about to enter the Land. The entrance into the Promised Land and the message of the Messiah are similar because, just like the Promised Land, Messiah is the culmination of the whole Torah. Everything had been leading up to that point. Just like being poised on the edge of the Promised Land, those believers in the diaspora that he was writing to were poised on the edge of the World to Come in Messiah. It is the World to Come that we speak (Hebrews 2:5).

He writes to the disenfranchised believing community which was tempted to turn away from Messiah, just as the Exodus generation in the wilderness was tempted to turn away from the Promised Land. All those Jewish believers needed to do to be accepted back into mainstream Judaism with full Temple rights and privileges was to walk away from Yeshua. All they had to do was to say, “He’s not the Messiah.” All they had to do was to turn their back on Him. The writer to the Hebrews tells his generation, “Don’t make the same mistake that the Exodus generation did when they walked away from the Promised Land and never entered God’s rest. It was right in their grasp. They could have gone in, but instead they turned their back on it. Those in the diaspora were in the same place. He said, “Don’t turn your back on Messiah. For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their work just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience (Hebrews 4:10-11).

How do we enter that rest? When is that rest? When is it “Today?” Where is this rest we enter into? When is Messiah? It is when we hear His voice; it is if we will obey Him.²⁴⁷