# 23 2026 Dev. Numbers.15-16. Rules and Rebellion! Read all of chapters fifteen and sixteen first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Nu.15 Offerings, Unintentional sins, Sabbath-breakers, Tassels.
Vs.1-21 “The Lord said to Moses,‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you as a homeand you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock, as an aroma pleasing to the Lord…”’ After the entrance in the land” due to the people’s disobedience, this is forty years in the future. The offerings are as God had directed them all along. It may be God reiterated the offerings when entering the land because of rebellion in the former chapter and the rebellion in the next chapter. God forgave them, when Moses interceded for them. There is grace and forgiveness, certainly today, with Jesus’ intercession for us.
Vs.22-31 “‘Now if you as a community unintentionally fail to keep… any of the Lord’s commands to you through him…and if this is done unintentionally without the community being aware of it, then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord, along with its prescribed grain offering and drink offering, and a male goat for a sin offering.” This covers the community. “But if just one-person sins unintentionally that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering. The priest is to make atonement before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven.” Grace and forgiveness were available at that time. As it is today with a sacrificial heart
The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death
Vs.32-36 “While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘The man must die.”’ Can we imagine that today? The Sabbath (now Sunday for most Christians) is disregarded in many ways, Jesus has set us free. We worship in Spirit and in truth Jn.4:23-24!
Tassels on Garments
“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord…” Today we have God’s Word, in nature and in the scriptures!
Nu.16 Korah, Dathan and Abiram
Vs.1-50 “Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.”
They put themselves at the spiritual level of Moses and Aaron. “When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. Then he said to Korah and all his followers: ‘in the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him.” Moses said to them, you Levites have been chosen by God to serve him. Now you also want the priesthood? “Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, ‘We will not come!”’ Moses became angry and did not interceded to God for them. Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you and they and Aaron. Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it—250 censers in all—and present it before the Lord.” When they came to the tent of meeting “the glory of the Lord appeared to the entire assembly. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once. But Moses and Aaron fell face down and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one-man sins?” Again, Moses intercedes and God responded with Love, grace, forgiveness and justice, all those who opposed God received punishment. “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective…but God is not mocked.”
God said to Moses “move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram” We see what happens, the earth opened and swallowed up these three families along with all their belongings. “And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.” The 250 censers used by those opposing God were beaten into sheets, used to cover the alter. What happens next is amazing and confirms the statement; “these people are a stiff-necked people.”
“The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. ‘You have killed the Lord’s people,’ they said.”’ God again threatened to destroy the assembly, Moses and Aaron fell on their faces. It wasn’t by words this time but by actions, something we must remember. Moses sent Aaron with his censer filled with coals from the alter and incense, to go among the assembly to make attornment. God relented and the plague stopped but not before 14,700 people died from the plague.” This chapter is about a prideful, stubborn and uncooperative people whose hearts are not willing to listen to God or to take direction from His Word. Does this sound familiar?
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