Connect Numbers 15:16 with Galatians 3:28 on unity among God's people. The call for one statute (Numbers 15:16) “‘The same law and the same ordinance shall apply both to you and to the foreigner residing with you.’” - Israel’s worship and daily life were to be governed by a single, non-negotiable rulebook. - The native-born and the sojourner stood side by side under God’s authority, enjoying identical privileges and responsibilities. - God’s heart for unity was already on display in the wilderness: He refused to allow multiple standards among His people. Fulfillment in Christ (Galatians 3:28) “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” - At the cross, the boundary lines flatten. Ethnicity, status, and gender lose their power to divide. - What Numbers foreshadowed—one statute—becomes one body in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). - The single ordinance of Sinai blossoms into the single family of faith (Ephesians 2:14–16). Harmony of Law and Gospel - Old Covenant: One law guarded Israel and welcomed outsiders who trusted Yahweh (Exodus 12:49; Isaiah 56:6–7). - New Covenant: One gospel gathers every believer into Abraham’s spiritual lineage (Galatians 3:7–9). - Both covenants highlight God’s consistent purpose: holiness expressed in togetherness. Implications for believers today - Reject partiality: any hierarchy the Lord has dismantled must never be rebuilt (James 2:1–9). - Celebrate diversity under a shared standard: truth unites when everyone submits to Scripture’s authority. - Serve side by side: ministry teams should reflect the one-body reality—different gifts, equal value (Romans 12:4–5). - Guard the gospel: adding cultural or personal requirements corrodes unity (Acts 15:9–11). God’s single statute in the wilderness and His single Savior at the cross tell the same story: one Lord, one people, one destiny. |