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Numbers 15: Of tassels of blue, Sabbath reverence and offerings

After the accounts of rebellion and fear in trusting God’s leading into Canaan (Numbers 13–14), there’s this passage talking about types of offerings, tying blue-corded fringes on clothes and setting aside a memorial portion of each loaf, called challah. These may seem like grab-bag topics, but they all are connecting to a life of faith.

After the accounts of rebellion and fear in trusting God’s leading into Canaan (Numbers 13–14), there’s this passage talking about types of offerings, tying blue-corded fringes on clothes and setting aside a memorial portion of each loaf, called challah. These may seem like grab-bag topics, but they all are connecting to a life of faith.

Thought questions

  • What is the purposed of the whole congregation’s offering a bull?
    • What does a bull represent?
  • What does the she-goat represent?
    • Why a male goat for the nation and a female goat for the person?
  • What does the Passover lamb symbolize?
  • What’s the difference between the burnt (khol), grain (minkhah), guilt, sin and fellowship (shalom) offerings?
    • Are these sacrifices obsolete, as many Christians teach?
    • What are the sacrifices we offer today, in light of Romans 12:1 and Hebrews 13:15–16?
    • What about freewill offerings?
    • What is the equivalent today?
  • Isn’t killing someone for collecting wood on the Sabbath unreasonably harsh?
    • Why do violations of the Ten Commandments bring death when restitution is available for theft?
  • What is challah bread?
    • Why do we lift the bread to God when we bless it?
  • What are the tassels (in Hebrew, tzitzitot) described in Numbers 15 for?
    • Do they have relevance for us today?
    • What is the blue cord in the tassel?

Reader: Jeff. Teacher: Richard Agee.


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