AN AROMA PLEASING TO THE LORD

Passage: Numbers 15:1-21

Key verse: 2-3

NIV

Supplementary Offerings

15 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you(A) as a home 3 and you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock,(B) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord(C)—whether burnt offerings(D) or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings(E) or festival offerings(F)— 4 then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering(G) of a tenth of an ephah[a] of the finest flour(H) mixed with a quarter of a hin[b] of olive oil. 5 With each lamb(I) for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine(J) as a drink offering.(K)

6 “‘With a ram(L) prepare a grain offering(M) of two-tenths of an ephah[c](N) of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin[d] of olive oil,(O) 7 and a third of a hin of wine(P) as a drink offering.(Q) Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(R)

8 “‘When you prepare a young bull(S) as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow(T) or a fellowship offering(U) to the Lord, 9 bring with the bull a grain offering(V) of three-tenths of an ephah[e](W) of the finest flour mixed with half a hin[f] of olive oil, 10 and also bring half a hin of wine(X) as a drink offering.(Y) This will be a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(Z) 11 Each bull or ram, each lamb or young goat, is to be prepared in this manner. 12 Do this for each one, for as many as you prepare.(AA)

13 “‘Everyone who is native-born(AB) must do these things in this way when they present a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(AC) 14 For the generations to come,(AD) whenever a foreigner(AE) or anyone else living among you presents a food(AF) offering(AG) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord, they must do exactly as you do. 15 The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.(AH) You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord: 16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.(AI)’”

17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land to which I am taking you(AJ) 19 and you eat the food of the land,(AK) present a portion as an offering to the Lord.(AL) 20 Present a loaf from the first of your ground meal(AM) and present it as an offering from the threshing floor.(AN) 21 Throughout the generations to come(AO) you are to give this offering to the Lord from the first of your ground meal.(AP)

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Footnotes
  1. Numbers 15:4 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
  2. Numbers 15:4 That is, about 1 quart or about 1 liter; also in verse 5
  3. Numbers 15:6 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms
  4. Numbers 15:6 That is, about 1 1/3 quarts or about 1.3 liters; also in verse 7
  5. Numbers 15:9 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms
  6. Numbers 15:9 That is, about 2 quarts or about 1.9 liters; also in verse 10
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Laws About Sacrifices

15 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, (A)When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, 3 and (B)you offer to the Lord from the herd or from the flock a food offering[a] or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, (C)to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or (D)at your appointed feasts, to make a (E)pleasing aroma to the Lord, 4 then (F)he who brings his offering shall offer to the Lord (G)a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah[b] of fine flour, (H)mixed with a quarter of a hin[c] of oil; 5 and you shall offer with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, a quarter of a hin of (I)wine for the drink offering for each lamb. 6 (J)Or for a ram, you shall offer for a grain offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil. 7 And for the drink offering you shall offer a third of a hin of wine, a (K)pleasing aroma to the Lord. 8 And when you offer a bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, to (L)fulfill a vow or for (M)peace offerings to the Lord, 9 then one shall offer (N)with the bull a grain offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with half a hin of oil. 10 And you shall offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

11 (O)“Thus it shall be done for each bull or ram, or for each lamb or young goat. 12 As many as you offer, so shall you do with each one, as many as there are. 13 Every native Israelite shall do these things in this way, in offering a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 14 And if a stranger is sojourning with you, or anyone is living permanently among you, and he wishes to offer a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord, he shall do as you do. 15 For the assembly, (P)there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord. 16 One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

17 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 18 (Q)“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land to which I bring you 19 and when you eat of (R)the bread of the land, you shall present a contribution to the Lord. 20 (S)Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution; like a (T)contribution from the threshing floor, so shall you present it. 21 (U)Some of the first of your dough you shall give to the Lord as a contribution throughout your generations.

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Footnotes
  1. Numbers 15:3 Or an offering by fire; so throughout Numbers
  2. Numbers 15:4 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
  3. Numbers 15:4 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

That generation maintained a relationship with God through the Tabernacle. God believed their children would want to give freewill and fellowship offerings – an aroma pleasing to the LORD – to mark their relationship and thankfulness to God. God reiterated the rules of offerings to instruct how to demonstrate love to God practically. This applies to all regardless of cultural background (13-16). Today we come to God through Jesus, our great High Priest, who died for our sins once for all, fulfilling the Old Testament sacrificial system. We show our love today through hearing and obeying Jesus (Jn 14:21) and offering ourselves as living sacrifices, pleasing to God (Ro 12:1). We must show each generation how to do so practically, by our example and instruction.

In the wilderness every bite and drink were provided by God through manna and springs. But in the land they would be blessed abundantly with harvests. To remember and keep a thankful heart to God, the first of the ground meal was to be given to God as an offering. It is easy to think our labor and wealth provides for us; but all that we have is to be received from God with thanksgiving. We are to seek God and his kingdom first (Mt 6:33), trusting in his provision for all our needs.

Prayer: Father, thank you for providing all for us. Help us respond by offering ourselves and our materials in a way that pleases you.

One Word: Offer ourselves as a living sacrifice