So, we traditionally watched the Super Bowl last night. I am always amazed at all the “pregame” stuff that happens before playing this anticipated game of the year that decides the champion team in the football world.  There were so many interviews presented to let us know the importance of the game ahead with and what it means to those interviewed.  We can predict what they will say because the questions are the same with every game; but we watch anyway.  Media digs into every part of the players and coaches lives as they pursue “good stories” that will keep watchers attentive.  Media works hard to present each player as deserving to win to prize! 

The “pregame” also present all reminders of past Super Bowl games with their heroes, and their outcomes. Past football players, now “expert” announcers, presented more than necessary information (maybe that’s just me) with their “talk” of all the previous stats of previous players of this popular game.  There were many pregame shows, pregame commentaries, pregame food prep, pregame gambling, along with pregame celebrations—all before entering the field of play! 

But the most important pregame activity of all would be the pregame passionate talk from the Head Coach to his players as they gathered around him in the locker room.  The Head Coach, alongside the Quarterback, focuses his team to put their full attention on the game they are about to play.  He reminds them of all they have learned to this point and of all the experiences they have had that has led them to this one moment in time—to play in the Super Bowl!

In today’s passage, the Lord is now “coaching” His people, through his quarterback, Moses.  God reminds them of all He previously commanded them to be and do concerning offerings of atonement for their sins—in a new land.  When they enter the promised land, sins will follow; for they are human.  God had provided ways to be forgiven.  “Remember how to atone for your sins as an offering pleasing to the Lord”, the Head Coach commands.  Focus on Me.  I am the Lord, your God.  I will still lead you. Trust Me. Obey Me.  Stick to the basics. 

Numbers 15

Supplementary Offerings

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

⁶ “‘With a ram prepare a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin of olive oil, ⁷ and a third of a hin of wine as a drink offering. Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

⁸ “‘When you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow or a fellowship offering to the Lord, ⁹ bring with the bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with half a hin of olive oil, ¹⁰ and also bring half a hin of wine as a drink offering. This will be a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 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.

¹³ “‘Everyone who is native-born must do these things in this way when they present a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. ¹⁴ For the generations to come, whenever a foreigner or anyone else living among you presents a food offering 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. 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.’”

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 ¹⁹ and you eat the food of the land, present a portion as an offering to the Lord. ²⁰ Present a loaf from the first of your ground meal and present it as an offering from the threshing floor. ²¹ Throughout the generations to come you are to give this offering to the Lord from the first of your ground meal.

Offerings for Unintentional Sins

²² “‘Now if you as a community unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the Lord gave Moses— ²³ any of the Lord’s commands to you through him, from the day the Lord gave them and continuing through the generations to come— ²⁴ 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. ²⁵ The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven, for it was not intentional and they have presented to the Lord for their wrong a food offering and a sin offering. ²⁶ The whole Israelite community and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.

²⁷ “‘But if just one person sins unintentionally, that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering. ²⁸ 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. ²⁹ One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.

³⁰ “‘But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the Lord and must be cut off from the people of Israel. ³¹ Because they have despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.’”

The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death

³² While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. ³³ Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, ³⁴ and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. ³⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.” ³⁶ So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Tassels on Garments

³⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁸ “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, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. ⁴⁰ Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. ⁴¹ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.’”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Trust the One who is faithful to us and delivered us from the bondage of our sins.  Obey the One who forgave us of all our repented sins and put our feet on solid ground.  Our faith is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness!

Listen the Jesus, our coach, who has walked where we walk now and has experienced all the hurt, betrayal, and torture that we might face along with the compassionate love of friends and family.  He is the true expert of how to live this life on His playing field of love, mercy, and grace!  He gave His very life for us and then rose from death to defeat it once and for all!  He is our hope, our reason for living, and our Way into the promised land of heaven!  He knows us by name and gives us power to overcome all the temporary things of this earth.  Because of Jesus we are heaven bound and no longer bonded to earth.  This world is not our home, it is only the pregame activities with God helping us until we fall into the arms of Jesus, our Savior and Lord!

Consider this final thought…On their wilderness journey, God still pointed his people toward the promised land, even after their rebellion in the desert. (See yesterday’s offering devotion, Numbers 14) God did not give up on His people. God has a purpose, and He will fulfill it. God has a plan for each life He has created.  Follow Him without grumbling; it will make the ride a lot more enjoyable!

If you don’t think Jesus doesn’t know how you “feel” in those dark moments as you sit in your desert wilderness of wondering what to do next; think again.  Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness, fasting and praying, while evil attacked him with temptations meant to distract Jesus’ focus and dishonor His Father.  The Son of God overcame these temptations with the Word of God.  We can do the same as our Coach taught us to be and do!  God never fails. God’s Word is Truth.  Jesus was the Word who came down and moved into the neighborhood of humanity to verify Truth.  Jesus was, is and always will be the Way to Truth that leads to eternal Life.  Jesus is Truth.  Trust Truth.

Oh Lord,

Thank you for coaching us in our lives today with constant reminders of Your glorious ways! Thank you, dear Jesus, for saving our souls. Thank you, Holy Spirit for guiding us to all that is true!  Thank you, ThreeInOne for always being with us.  I am yours and You are mine.  May the Lord be continually praised!

In Jesus Name, Amen!  Yes!