What can we learn about obedience from the actions described in Numbers 7:31? Setting the Scene Numbers 7 records the dedication of the altar in the wilderness. Each tribal leader brought exactly the same items. Verse 31 describes the fourth day, when Elizur from the tribe of Reuben stepped forward: “His offering was one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;” (Numbers 7:31) Key Observations • Precise weights are named—130 shekels and 70 shekels. • The measurements follow “the sanctuary shekel,” not a tribal or personal standard. • The contents are “fine flour mixed with oil,” the best quality, prepared God’s way. • Nothing is improvised; Elizur brings exactly what the Lord prescribed. Lessons on Obedience Exact Obedience Matters – God specified the weight of each vessel; Elizur copied the divine blueprint to the gram. – Attention to detail signals wholehearted submission (cf. Exodus 25:40). Obedience Submits to God’s Standard – The “sanctuary shekel” reminds us that true obedience is measured by God, not culture, convenience, or personal opinion. – Romans 12:2 urges us to avoid being “conformed to this world” but rather transformed by God’s will. Quality Counts – “Fine flour mixed with oil” indicates costly, deliberate preparation. – Malachi 1:8 rebukes half-hearted offerings; Elizur’s gift models the opposite. Unity Flows from Shared Obedience – Every leader, tribe after tribe, brought an identical offering. – Common submission knit the nation together—a picture of New-Covenant unity (John 17:21). Obedience Demonstrates Love – Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). – Elizur’s act shows that love for God finds tangible expression in doing exactly what He asks. Supporting Scriptures • 1 Samuel 15:22 — “To obey is better than sacrifice.” • Leviticus 2:1-2 — details of the grain offering (fine flour with oil). • Proverbs 21:3 — “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” • James 1:22 — “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Putting It into Practice • Check the “weights and measures” of your obedience—are you following God’s instructions precisely or approximating them? • Evaluate whose standard guides your decisions: the “sanctuary shekel” of Scripture or the shifting scales of culture. • Offer God your best—time, resources, energy—prepared with care, not leftovers. • Cultivate unity by walking in the same revealed commands together with fellow believers. • Let obedience be a daily expression of love, not a grudging duty, remembering that the God who gave the instructions also gives the grace to fulfill them. |
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