What is the meaning of Numbers 15:6? With a ram God specifies a male sheep rather than a bull or a goat. The ram points to: • A costly sacrifice—more valuable than a lamb, echoing Genesis 22:13 where Abraham offered “a ram caught in the thicket”. • Substitutionary imagery—Leviticus 5:15 directs an offender to “bring the LORD a ram without blemish.” The worshiper in Numbers 15 likewise approaches the altar confident that a flawless animal satisfies divine justice. • A reminder of covenant faithfulness—Exodus 29:22–28 shows a ram used in priestly ordination, tying every subsequent ram offering back to that initial commitment between God and His people. you are to prepare a grain offering Alongside the ram comes grain, signaling that worship involves more than bloodshed; it includes the daily produce of the land. Consider: • Leviticus 2:1–3 places grain offerings in the category of “a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.” • The pairing of meat and grain underlines total devotion—spiritual and material. By bringing both, the Israelite affirms that every aspect of life belongs to God (Deuteronomy 8:10). • The priest burns a portion, but the remainder often feeds the priesthood (Leviticus 6:14–18), illustrating how worship blesses both heaven and earth. of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour The quantity matters. Two-tenths of an ephah (roughly seven quarts) is double what accompanied a lamb (Numbers 15:4). This teaches: • Greater sacrifice calls for greater tribute—larger animal, larger grain. • Precision in worship—God numbers the hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30); He also numbers the cups of flour brought to His altar. • Fine flour—sifted, pure, free of chaff—mirrors the inner purity God expects (Psalm 24:3-4). mixed with a third of a hin of olive oil Oil enriches and binds the flour, symbolizing: • Consecration—Exodus 30:25 labels holy anointing oil “a sacred anointing oil.” Blending it with grain points to a life saturated with the Spirit of God (1 Samuel 16:13). • Joy and abundance—Psalm 104:15 says oil “makes his face to shine.” The offerer does not come grimly but gratefully. • Proportionality—one-third of a hin (about one quart) corresponds to the larger grain measure, again stressing that worship is carefully ordered (1 Corinthians 14:40). summary Numbers 15:6 instructs Israel to pair a ram with a substantial, Spirit-symbolized grain gift, underscoring that authentic worship is costly, precise, and holistic. Animal, grain, and oil together picture a life wholly offered to God—body, labor, and joy—anticipating the perfect sacrifice of Christ who fulfills every measure in full. |
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