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Numbers Chapter
Fifteen
Numbers 15
Chapter Contents
The law of the meat-offering and the drink-offering The
stranger under the same law. (1-21) The sacrifice for the sin of ignorance.
(22-29) The punishment of presumption The sabbath-breaker stoned. (30-36) The
law for fringes on garment. (37-41)
Commentary on Numbers 15:1-21
Full instructions are given about the meat-offerings and
drink-offerings. The beginning of this law is very encouraging
When ye come
into the land of your habitation which I give unto you. This was a plain
intimation that God would secure the promised land to their seed. It was
requisite
since the sacrifices of acknowledgment were intended as the food of
God's table
that there should be a constant supply of bread
oil
and wine
whatever the flesh-meat was. And the intent of this law is to direct the
proportions of the meat-offering and drink-offering. Natives and strangers are
placed on a level in this as in other like matters. It was a happy forewarning
of the calling of the Gentiles
and of their admission into the church. If the
law made so little difference between Jew and Gentile
much less would the
gospel
which broke down the partition-wall
and reconciled both to God.
Commentary on Numbers 15:22-29
Though ignorance will in a degree excuse
it will not
justify those who might have known their Lord's will
yet did it not. David
prayed to be cleansed from his secret faults
those sins which he himself was
not aware of. Sins committed ignorantly
shall be forgiven through Christ the
great Sacrifice
who
when he offered up himself once for all upon the cross
seemed to explain one part of the intention of his offering
in that prayer
Father
forgive them
for they know not what they do. It looked favourably upon
the Gentiles
that this law of atoning for sins of ignorance
is expressly made
to extend to those who were strangers to Israel.
Commentary on Numbers 15:30-36
Those are to be reckoned presumptuous sinners
who sin
designedly against God's will and glory. Sins thus committed are exceedingly
sinful. He that thus breaks the commandment reproaches the Lord. He also
despises the word of the Lord. Presumptuous sinners despise it
thinking
themselves too great
too good
and too wise
to be ruled by it. A particular
instance of presumption in the sin of sabbath-breaking is related. The offence
was gathering sticks on the sabbath day
to make a fire
whereas the people
were to bake and seethe what they had occasion for
the day before
Exodus 16:23. This was done as an affront both
to the law and to the Lawgiver. God is jealous for the honour of his sabbaths
and will not hold him guiltless who profanes them
whatever men may do. God
intended this punishment for a warning to all
to make conscience of keeping
holy the sabbath. And we may be assured that no command was ever given for the
punishment of sin
which
at the judgment day
shall not prove to have come
from perfect love and justice. The right of God to a day of devotion to
himself
will be disputed and denied only by such as listen to the pride and
unbelief of their hearts
rather than to the teaching of the Spirit of truth
and life. Wherein consists the difference between him who was detected
gathering sticks in the wilderness on the day of God
and the man who turns his
back upon the blessings of sabbath appointments
and the promises of sabbath
mercies
to use his time
his cares
and his soul
in heaping up riches; and
waste his hours
his property
and his strength in sinful pleasure? Wealth may
come by the unhallowed effort
but it will not come alone; it will have its awful
reward. Sinful pursuits lead to ruin.
Commentary on Numbers 15:37-41
The people are ordered by the Lord to make fringes on the
borders of their garments. The Jews were distinguished from their neighbours in
their dress
as well as in their diet
and thus taught not to be conformed to
the way of the heathen in other things. They proclaimed themselves Jews
wherever they were
as not ashamed of God and his law. The fringes were not
appointed for trimming and adorning their clothes
but to stir up their minds
by way of remembrance
2 Peter 3:1. If they were tempted to sin
the
fringe would warn them not to break God's commandments. We should use every
means of refreshing our memories with the truths and precepts of God's word
to
strengthen and quicken our obedience
and arm our minds against temptation. Be
holy unto your God; cleansed from sin
and sincerely devoted to his service;
and that great reason for all the commandments is again and again repeated
"I am the Lord your God."
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on
Numbers》
Numbers 15
Verse 2
[2]
Speak unto the children of Israel
and say unto them
When ye be come into the
land of your habitations
which I give unto you
I give you —
Will certainly give you
not withstanding this great provocation. And for their
better assurance hereof he repeats and amplifies the laws of sacrifices
whereby through Christ he would be reconciled to them and theirs upon their
repentance.
Verse 3
[3] And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD
a burnt offering
or a
sacrifice in performing a vow
or in a freewill offering
or in your solemn
feasts
to make a sweet savour unto the LORD
of the herd
or of the flock:
A sacrifice — A
peace-offering.
Verse 4
[4] Then
shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat offering of a
tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.
A tenth deal —
The tenth part of an Ephah
that is
about five pints. An hin contained about
five quarts.
Verse 6
[6] Or
for a ram
thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour
mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.
Two tenth-deals —
Because this belonged to a better sacrifice than the former; and therefore in
the next sacrifice of a bullock
there are three tenth deals. So the accessory
sacrifice grows proportionably with the principal.
Verse 8
[8] And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering
or for a sacrifice
in performing a vow
or peace offerings unto the LORD:
Peace-offerings —
Such as were offered either freely or by command
which may be called
peace-offerings or thank-offerings
by way of eminency
because such are
offered purely by way of gratitude to God
and with single respect to his
honour
whereas the peace-offerings made in performance of a vow were made and
offered
with design of getting some advantage by them.
Verse 12
[12]
According to the number that ye shall prepare
so shall ye do to every one
according to their number.
Their number — As
many cattle as ye sacrifice
so many meal and drink-offerings ye shall offer.
Verse 15
[15] One
ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation
and also for the stranger
that sojourneth with you
an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are
so shall the stranger be before the LORD.
Before the Lord — As
to the worship of God: his sacrifices shall be offered in the same manner and
accepted by God upon the same terms
as yours: which was a presage of the
future calling of the Gentiles. And this is added by way of caution
to shew
that strangers were not upon this pretence to partake of their civil
privileges.
Verse 19
[19] Then
it shall be
that
when ye eat of the bread of the land
ye shall offer up an
heave offering unto the LORD.
When ye eat —
When you are about to eat it: for before they eat it
they were to offer this
offering to God.
The bread —
That is
the bread-corn.
Verse 20
[20] Ye
shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye
do the heave offering of the threshingfloor
so shall ye heave it.
The threshing floor —
That is
of the corn in the threshing floor
when you have gathered in your
corn.
Verse 22
[22] And
if ye have erred
and not observed all these commandments
which the LORD hath
spoken unto Moses
All these commandments — Those now spoken of
which concern the outward service of God
or the
rites or ceremonies belonging to it. And herein principally this law may seem
to differ from that Leviticus 4:13
which speaks of some positive
miscarriage
or doing that which ought not to have been done
about the holy
things of God; whereas this speaks only of an omission of something which ought
to have been done about holy ceremonies.
Verse 30
[30] But
the soul that doeth ought presumptuously
whether he be born in the land
or a
stranger
the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from
among his people.
Reproacheth the Lord — He sets God at defiance
and exposeth him to contempt
as if he were
unable to punish transgressors.
Verse 32
[32] And
while the children of Israel were in the wilderness
they found a man that
gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
On the sabbath-day —
This seems to be added as an example of a presumptuous sin: for as the law of
the sabbath was plain and positive
so this transgression of it must needs be a
known and wilful sin.
Verse 33
[33] And
they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron
and unto
all the congregation.
To all the congregation — That is
to the rulers of the congregation.
Verse 34
[34] And
they put him in ward
because it was not declared what should be done to him.
They —
That is
Moses and Aaron
and the seventy rulers.
What should be done —
That is
in what manner he was to be cut off
or by what kind of death he was
to die
which therefore God here particularly determines: otherwise it was
known in general that sabbath-breakers were to be put to death.
Verse 38
[38]
Speak unto the children of Israel
and bid them that they make them fringes in
the borders of their garments throughout their generations
and that they put
upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
Fringes —
These were certain threads or ends
standing out a little further than the rest
of their garments
lest there for this use.
In the borders —
That is
in the four borders or quarters
as it is
Deuteronomy 22:12.
Of their garments — Of
their upper garments. This was practiced by the Pharisees in Christ's time
who
are noted for making their borders larger than ordinary.
A ribband — To
make it more obvious to the sight
and consequently more serviceable to the use
here mentioned.
Of blue —
Or
purple.
Verse 39
[39] And
it shall be unto you for a fringe
that ye may look upon it
and remember all
the commandments of the LORD
and do them; and that ye seek not after your own
heart and your own eyes
after which ye use to go a whoring:
For a fringe —
That is
the ribband
shall be unto you
shall serve you for a fringe
to
render it more visible by its distinct colour
whereas the fringe without this
was of the same piece and colour with the garment
and therefore less
observeable.
That ye seek not —
Or
enquire not for other rules and ways of serving me than I have prescribed
you.
Your own heart
and eyes — Neither after the devices of your own hearts
as Nadab and Abihu did
when they offered strange fire; nor after the examples of others which your
eyes see
as you did when you were set upon worshipping a calf after the manner
of Egypt. The phylacteries worn by the Pharisees in our Lord's time
were a
different thing from these. Those were of their own invention: these were a
divine institution.
Verse 40
[40] That
ye may remember
and do all my commandments
and be holy unto your God.
Be ye holy —
Purged from sin and sincerely devoted to God.
Verse 41
[41] I am
the LORD your God
which brought you out of the land of Egypt
to be your God:
I am the LORD your God.
I am the Lord your God — Though I am justly displeased with you for your frequent rebellions
for
which also I will keep you forty years in the wilderness
yet I will not
utterly cast you off
but will continue to be your God.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Numbers》
15 Chapter 15
Verse 25
Sin-offering . . . for their ignorance.
Pardon of unknown sins through Christ
1. Because of our ignorance we are not fully aware of our sins of
ignorance. Yet they are many
in the form both of commission and omission. We
may be doing in all sincerity
as a service to God
that which He has not
commanded and can never accept.
2. The Lord knows these sins of ignorance every one. This may well
alarm us
since in justice He will require these trespasses at our hand; but
again
faith spies comfort in this fact
for the Lord will see to it that
stains unseen by us shall yet be washed away. He sees the sin that He may cease
to see it by casting it behind His back.
3. Our great comfort is that Jesus
the true Priest
has made
atonement for all the congregation of Israel. That atonement secures the pardon
of unknown sins. His precious blood cleanses us from all sin. (C. H.
Spurgeon.)
Verse 30-31
The soul that doeth aught presumptuously.
The definition and danger of presumptuous sins
I. The definition.
We take
first
the case of an individual who sins against the positive
remonstrances of his conscience; and we say that he sins presumptuously. We
have all
at one time or another
withstood the clearest and most decisive
suggestions of conscience. We have all proved the power of inclination
when it
has come up in a pleasing shape
to bear down a consciousness of what is right
whether by an invention of some ingenious subterfuge
or by some weapons of
unblushing hardihood. We could give no better definition of conscience than
that it is evidently the vicegerent of Deity. And what then is presumption?
Where shall it be found
if we describe not as presumptuous the conduct of the
man who walks one way whilst the voice of the internal monitor summons him to
walk another? Let us advance to other instances. The guilt of a sin is in a
great degree to be estimated by the strength of the temptation which solicits
its performance. But if you take the generality of men
you will find they
scarcely need any temptation at all to induce them to sin. They may be said to
give the devil no trouble
but to strike their colours without firing a shot: a
breath of air will make them swerve from allegiance. There must be presumption
and that too of an enormity not easily measured
in conduct which is marked on
one side with such contempt of God that men will obey His despisers even
without strong inducement; and on the other
such neglect of the soul
that
they surrender it without requiring anything in exchange. Now let us glance at
the third sort of presumptuous sins. If I wantonly expose myself to temptation
then
though I may afterwards struggle hard before I yield
I shall sin
presumptuously. It were better to see Christians--especially young ones--so
distrustful of themselves that they might pass for timid
than so overweening
of their own strength as to thrust themselves into danger. Take a still more
general case--where a man goes on sinning
calculating either that it will be
time enough by and by to repent
or that God will prove at last too merciful to
execute His threatenings--most assuredly that man sins presumptuously. If he
reckon on uncovenanted mercies
what is this but presumption?
II. But wherein
you will now ask
lies the peculiar guilt and danger of presumptuous sins? Why
should David pray so earnestly to be kept from them? Why should our text be so
emphatic in its condemnation? We will just take in succession several cases of
presumptuous sins
and endeavour to answer the question in each. If
in the
first place
it be sinning presumptuously to sin against conscience and
conviction
there must be special guilt when a man does a thing in spite of the
warnings of the delegate of God; he strips himself of every excuse of ignorance
or inadvertence; and hence a special guilt. But conscience also will grow less
sensitive
in proportion as it be less heeded. If
again
it be sinning
presumptuously to sin on slight temptation
surely there must be peculiar
guilt
inasmuch as there must be a readiness
nay
even an eagerness
to fail in
spiritual matters. He is indeed guilty who is flung in wrestling with a giant
forasmuch as God is ready to give strength in proportion to the opponent; but
what shall we say of him who is flung in wrestling with a dwarf? Then is there
not peculiar danger and peculiar guilt in sinning on slight temptation
inasmuch as a man grows confirmed in habits of sin? For the moment sin becomes
habitual
the breaking loose from it becomes miraculous. If you take our third
class of presumptuous sins--sins
the result of temptation that we have
ourselves sought
or at least not avoided
who sees not the guilt
who
perceives not the danger? Christ would not throw Himself from the pinnacle of
the temple
because it was unlawful to tempt the Lord. Yet we do that from which
the Mediator indignantly recoiled
when we enter into scenes
or mingle with
companies which we know likely to minister incentives to passions
or oppose
hindrances to piety. Such is the guilt: and the danger is that of growing
familiar with vice after having been vanquished by it. Mixed with the world
let the world once seduce you
and the world will appear to you not half so
formidable as before
and not half so pernicious. Thus sinning presumptuously
through presumptuously exposing yourselves
you will be more and more inclined
to continue the exposure
and the presumption
as it were
will propagate
itself; and your danger will be that of growing apathy: issuing
at last
in
total apostacy. Again
there is one other class. If I continue sinning in the
vain hope that there will be time hereafter for repentance
or because I
calculate that God will be too merciful to punish
I incur a special guilt
inasmuch as I trifle with the Almighty
or mock the Almighty; and I run a
special risk as I deal with possibilities as though they were certainties
or
stake on a minute chance the results of a long hereafter. So that
surveying
successively the several descriptions of presumptuous sins
we bring out in
each case the same result; and we are forced to pronounce that he who sins
presumptuously--whether the presumption consist in withstanding conscience
or
in yielding to slight temptation
or in seeking peril
or in reckoning on
future repentance or future mercy--he who sins presumptuously
deserves
and
may expect to have it said of him
“The soul that reproacheth the Lord
shall
be out off from
among His people.” (H. Melvill
B. D.)
Presumption
I. What
presumption includes. It signifies--
1. Boldness in evil. Sinning without fear. Hardihood
recklessness.
2. Arrogance in evil. Setting ourselves up against God. Pride of
heart and spirit and tongue (Psalms 73:6; Psalms 9:2; Acts 2:18).
3. Irreverence towards God. All profanity. As in the case of Pharaoh
“Who is the Lord?” &c.
4. Confidence of escape from the threatenings of God. Not dreading
nor caring for consequences
&c.
II. The chief
causes of presumption.
1. Spiritual ignorance. Ignorance of self and God. It is the
offspring of darkness.
2. Recklessness and inconsideration.
3. Confirmed unbelief
giving no credit to the Word.
4. Hardness of heart. This is both a cause and a result.
III. The terrible
results of presumptuousness.
1. God
defied
will vindicate His authority. He cannot let it pass.
His majesty and law concerned
&c.
2. Threatening despised
He will terribly execute. Not one jot fail.
There may be delay
longsuffering
but the execution of vengeance is certain.
3. Mercy despised will involve in fearful retribution. Hear God (Proverbs 1:24; Psalms 2:4
&c.). The instances of
this
how numerous. The old world
Pharaoh
Sodom
&c.
nations of Canaan
Jerusalem (see Luke 19:41-44).
Application--
1. How needful is consideration.
2. Repentance
how imperative.
3. To seek mercy. The gospel publishes it in Christ
and offers it to
every sinner. (J. Burns
D. D.)
Sins dangerous and deadly
I. that there are
degrees in sin. People sometimes say
as an excuse for their sin
that as they
have gone wrong they might as wall suffer for much as for little. No! it is
false. With every sin the man gets worse; sinfulness increases. Sins of
ignorance through trifling may grow to be those of presumption.
II. That while all
sins are dangerous
some are deadly. The text shows that all sin is dangerous
by the fact that an atonement had to be made for sins of ignorance; none could
be forgiven without. While ignorance may excuse
nothing can justify any sin.
1. That God is merciful. He sent His Son to die that He might put
away sin
and restore us unto Himself.
2. That there is a limit to His mercy. What cost Him so much He will
let no one despise. (D. Lloyd.)
Progress of presumption
Presumption never stops in its first attempt. If Caesar comes once
to pass the Rubicon
he will be sure to march farther on
even till he enters
the very bowels of Rome
and break open the Capitol itself. He that wades so
far as to wet and foul himself
cares not how much he trashes farther. (R.
South
D. D.)
Presumption punished
A young man who had inherited an estate from an uncle was exhorted
to seek Christ
and said that he would do so as soon as he had paid off the
debts which encumbered the estate. “Young man
” said the pastor
“beware: you
may never see that day: whilst you are gaining the world you may lose your
soul.” The young heir said
“I’ll run the risk.” He went into the woods and was
engaged in felling a tree
when a falling limb caused his instant death within a
few hours of his bold presumption.
Verses 32-36
A man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath.
Gathering sticks on the Sabbath
An Oriental legend tells us that
while Solomon was once on his
way to visit the Queen of Sheba
he came to a valley in which dwelt a peculiar
tribe of monkeys. Upon asking about their history
be was informed that they
were the descendants of a colony of Jews
who settling in that region years
before
had
by habitual neglect of the Sabbath
gradually degenerated to the
condition of brutes. The story is
of course
a mere fable
but the moral is
worth remembering. The ceremonial part of the Sabbath is done away
so that
greater liberty is allowed to us than was given to the Jews. Works of necessity
and mercy take precedence even of the regularly appointed duties of the day (Hosea 6:6). The moral part is
however
as strongly in force as ever. To have the mind exercised on spiritual subjects
and occupied in advancing the interests of our souls
is an imperative duty. To
be guilty of a wilful profanation of the Lord’s day is--
I. An unreasonable
sin. A young man
well off in the world
and an elderly man of business
were
riding in a railway carriage together
between London and a country town
when
the question of Sunday amusements came up. “I maintain that Sunday ought to be
a general holiday
” said the younger
in a tone which betokened assurance and
presumption
“and the people ought not to be kept out of such places as the
Zoological Gardens and the Crystal Palace grounds. I would have Sunday used for
recreation.” “Recreation!” answered the elder
gravely
“yes
that is the very
word. The Sabbath is meant for recreation
and if people were recreated
they
would want very little of the so-called recreation which they now make so much
of.” The conversation on that subject dropped.
II. A presumptuous
sin. The man who was so signally punished
for merely gathering a few sticks on
the Sabbath
might have argued that he could only be charged with a very small
breach of the Divine law
and that the bundle of faggots was really necessary
for his comfort. Such flimsy excuses would be of no avail. His conduct was a
decided act of rebellion against God
and he was
in fact
accusing Him with
being a hard master
who did not deserve to be obeyed. Those who believe in
taking God at His word
cannot doubt that any wilful neglect of His commandments
is always followed
sooner or later
by loss! A thrifty merchant remarked to
his physician
“Had it not been for the rest which I have enjoyed on the Lord’s
Day
I should long ago have been a maniac!” Many are the instances of those who
have dug their own graves
because they had no Sundays. (J. N. Norton
D. D.)
Obedience tested in the little
This incident has often been quoted as an instance of extreme and
intolerable severity
and has been cited against those whose reading of the
Scriptures leads them to propose to keep the Sabbath day. The mocker has found
quite a little treasure here. The poor man was gathering sticks on the Sabbath
day
and he had to forfeit his life for the violation of the law. Had the text
read--And a certain man was found in the wilderness openly blaspheming God
and
he was stoned to death--we should have had some sense of rest and harmony in
the mind : the balance would seem to be complete. But that is the very sophism
that is ruining us. We do not see the reality of the case. We think of huge
sins; there are none. We think of little sins; there are none. It is the spot
that is ruin; it is the one little thing that spoils the universe. Obedience
can only be tested by so-called little things. Where one man is called to be a
hero on some great scale
ten thousand men are called to be courteous
gentle
patient; where one has the opportunity of being great on the battle-field of a
death-bed
all have opportunity of being good in hopefulness
charity
forgiveness
and every grace that belongs to the Cross of Christ; where one has
the opportunity of joining a great procession
ten thousand have the
opportunity of assisting the aged
helping the blind
speaking a word for the
speechless
and putting a donation into the hand of honest poverty. Let us
realise the truth of the doctrine that we are not called upon to display our
obedience upon a gigantic scale within the theatre of the universe and under
the observation of angels--but to go out into the field and work with bent back
and willing hands and glad hearts
doing life’s simple duty under Heaven’s
inspiration and encouragement. The man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath day
might have been quite a great man on festival occasions when all Israel had to
be dressed in its best; he might have been one of the foremost of the show. You
discover what men are by their secret deeds
by what they do when they suppose
nobody is looking
by what they are about when they are suddenly pounced upon.
(J. Parker
D. D.)
The Sabbath-breaker and his doom
I. The sin.
1. The transgression of a moral law
which was enforced by the most
solemn commands and by the severest penalty.
2. The transgression of this law wilfully.
II. The arrest. The
offender was seized in the act of transgression
and taken before the judicial
authorities.
III. The
consultation. The direction of the Lord is sought as to the mode by which the
sentence of death is to be executed upon him.
IV. The sentence.
This was determined by the Lord. The transgressor must be put to death (Exodus 31:14-15); he must be put to death
by stoning (Numbers 15:35).
V. The execution.
“And all the congregation brought him without
” &c. (Numbers 15:36). The people were the
executioners. This would increase the force of the warning which the event gave
to the nation.
Conclusion:
1. The moral element in the law of the Sabbath is of perpetual
obligation. We still rest for body and mind; we still need worship for the
spirit.
2. The neglecters of religious duties and privileges will do well to
take warning. If any man fails to observe religiously the Lord’s day
he does
so at his own loss and peril. (W. Jones.)
Punishment of Sabbath-breaking
1. The perpetration of one particular presumptuous sin
together with
its circumstances
as what
where
when
and how. The fact was seemingly but a
small matter
namely
gathering a few sticks
&c.
and possibly he might
pretend some necessity or conveniency to himself thereby
&c.
but because
really it was done with an high hand
in contempt of God and His law
and a
profaning of His holy Sabbath.
2. The punishment for this perpetrated fact of profaning the Sabbath
wherein--
For though the matter of the fact was twice doomed with death (Exodus 31:14; Exodus 35:2)
yet was it not declared
what manner of death such a sinner should die. Therefore God is consulted about
this
who expressly declareth it (Numbers 15:35). Besides
though the law
be in the rigour of it a killing letter
yet might it admit of some favourable
construction from necessity
&c.
which might make the offender capable of
pardon. So Moses did not rashly doom him; nor ought magistrates be hasty in
matters of life and death
as in other cases of an inferior nature. They ought
to be wary: God and His Word ought to be consulted.
Verses 38-40
Put upon the fringe . . . a ribband of blue.
The law of the fringe and ribband
Provision had been just now made by the law for the pardon of sins
of ignorance and infirmity
now here is an expedient provided for the
preventing of such sins. They are ordered to make fringes upon the borders of
their garments
which were to be memorandums to them of their duty
that they
might not sin through forgetfulness.
1. The sign appointed is a fringe of silk
or thread
or worsted
or
the garment itself ravelled at the bottom
and a blue ribband bound on the top
of it to keep it tight (Numbers 15:38). The Jews being a peculiar
people
they were thus distinguished from their neighbours in their dress
as
well as in their diet; and taught by such little instances of singularity
not
to be conformed to the way of the heathen in greater things. Thus likewise they
proclaimed themselves Jews wherever they were
as those that were not ashamed
of God and His law.
2. The intention of it was to remind them that they were a peculiar
people. They were not appointed for the trimming and adorning of their clothes
but to “stir up their pure minds by way of remembrance” (2 Peter 3:1). That they might look
upon the fringe
and remember the commandments. Many look upon their ornaments
to feed their pride
but they must look upon these ornaments to awaken their
consciences to a sense of their duty
that their religion might constantly
beset them
and they might carry it about with them
as they did their clothes
wherever they went. It was intended particularly to be a preservation from
idolatry
That ye “seek not after your own heart
” and your own eyes
in your
religious worship. Yet it may extend also to the whole conversation; for
nothing is more contrary to God’s honour and our own true interest than to walk
in the way of our heart
and in the sight of our eyes; for the imagination of the
heart is evil
and so is the lust of the eyes. (Matthew Henry
D. D.)
The ribband of blue
The chief use of clothing is defence against the chills and
variations of the weather; two subordinate uses are for the promotion of
beauty
and for distinction of office. We can be at no loss to perceive that
there are mental uses corresponding to the above which require for the soul
spiritual clothing. The soul has its summer and its winter
and all the varieties of a mental
year. There are seasons of hopefulness and brilliancy in which we have all the
elasticity and promise of spring; there are states of peaceful warmth
of
continued serene happiness; “the soul’s calm sunshine and the heartfelt joy”
which bespeak the spirit’s summer; but there are likewise periods of decreasing
warmth
of incipient depressions
and coolnesses to what has formerly yielded
the highest pleasure; until at length we arrive at states of painful cold
the
joylessness
the hopelessness
and the sadness
which ate the characteristics
of the winter of the soul. In this wintry state storms of distressing fears and
darkening doubts will rush upon the soul. Strong delusions that we may believe
a lie
will
like fierce tempests
howl about us. Thrice happy are they who remember that the Divine Word will
be a blessing in joy and in sorrow
in sickness and in health
in summer and in
winter; but they should also bear in mind
that to be a protection in all
seasons the Divine mercy has provided us with spiritual clothing. The doctrines
of religion
when intelligently adopted and adapted to our particular states
serve this important purpose. And when those doctrines are
as they ought to
be
full
comprehensive
and complete
applying themselves to all the
departments of human affection
thought
and life
they make a complete dress.
We are
then
to speak to the Israelites who are typified by those of our text
the spiritual Israelites; and say first that they clothe themselves with
genuine doctrines of Divine truth
with the garments of salvation
and next
that they especially make them fringes in the borders of their garments. After
we have meditated upon the doctrines of religion
and seen their fitness to our
own states of mind and heart
thus clothed ourselves in them
the next part of
our duty is to bring them into life. Many there are who put on religion as a
dress for the head
and even also for the breast
but do not bring it down to
the feet. But we are to make a border for our garments
and the border must be
a fringe. The distinctive feature of a fringe is
that the material of which it
is composed is divided into small portions firmly united at the upper part
but
hanging with separate forms of beauty at the lower. The idea suggested by this
is
that religion must be employed in all the small affairs of daily life as
well as on great occasions; the lowest part of our spiritual dress must be a
fringe. We are
however
not only commanded to have a fringe to our garments
but to have upon the fringe a ribband of blue. And this leads us to consider
the correspondence of colours. Natural colours
we know
originate in natural
light. They are the separation of the beauties which are bound up in the
sunbeam
and their reflection to the human eye. There is a trinity of
fundamental colours
red
blue
and yellow. From the blending of these in
varied proportions all others are made. Red
the colour of fire
is the symbol
of the truths of love
the fire of the soul. Blue
the colour of the azure
depths of the sky
is symbolic of the deep things of the Spirit of God
on
which faith delights to gaze. Yellow is the hue of truth which applies to
outward life
and in combination with blue it makes green
which corresponds to
truth in the letter of the Word
made simple to the common eye of mankind. Blue
gives a sense of clearness and depth
in which it surpasses all other hues.
Blue
then
is the colour which represents the spirit of the Holy Word
the
depths of heavenly wisdom. There is
however
cold blue
as it has more of
white in it
and warm blue
as it derives a certain hue from red. There has
also been some difficulty in determining the exact shade meant by Techeleth
the Hebrew name for this colour. But from a full consideration of this subject
we are satisfied it was the name for blue tinged with red
from violet to
purple. And this very strikingly brings out the Divine lesson by
correspondence. While the blue indicates that in our demeanour in life we
should be correct
in harmony with the spirit of truth
the red hue indicates
that all our truth ought to be softened and warmed by love. “Speak the truth in
love
” said the apostle
and to remind them of this duty God commanded the
ribband of warm blue to be worn upon the fringe of their garments by the sons
of Israel. It is religion in life that is observed by and is attractive to good
men. When it not only enlightens the head and rules the heart
but comes down
to the skirt of the garment
infusing justice
kindness
and courtesy in every
act and word
then it has an eloquence which will inspire many a well-disposed
heart to say
“We will go with you
for we have heard that God is with you. Let
your good works and your good words so shine before men
that they may glorify
your Father who is in heaven.” (J. Bayley
Ph. D.)
The ordinance of the fringes: gracious reminders of Divine
commands
I. The proneness
of man to forget the commandments of the Lord. This tendency arises from--
1. The sinfulness of human nature.
2. The worldly spirit which so largely prevails in human society.
II. The
arrangements which God has made to remind man of his commandments.
1. The means which God employs to remind us of His commandments.
2. The design of God in reminding us of His commandments. “That ye
wander not after your own heart and your own eyes
after which ye use to go a whoring;
that ye may remember and do all My commandments
and be holy unto your God.”
Recollection of the will of God must be followed by obedience to that will
or
it will be worse than useless.
III. The grounds
upon which God requires from us this recollection of and obedience to His
commands.
1. His personal relation to us.
2. His gracious doings for us. (W. Jones.)
Remembrancers
How wonderful is what we call association! I hang some thought
upon an object
and say
“Whenever I come hither
ring for me as a bell of joy”;
and upon another I fasten an experience
saying to it
“Toll to me of sadness”;
and to another
“Give forth some bold
inspiring strain”; and to another
“Speak to me always of hope.” And
thereafter
each thing
true to its nature
whether it
be tree
or place
or rock
or house
or that which is therein
never forgets
its lesson. Yea
and when we forget
they make us to remember
singing to us
the notes which we had taught them. Thus the heart
though it may not dismember
itself
to give a soul to the material world
has yet a power half to create in physical
things a soul in each for itself. So its life is written out
and it keeps a
journal upon trees
upon hills
upon the face of heaven. Is it not for this
then
that in turn God has used every object in nature
every event in life
every function of society
every affection and endearment of human love
yea
and things that are not
the very silences of the world
and memories that are
but disembodied events
to represent to us by association His nature and
affections? Thus the heaven
and the earth do speak of God
and the great natural world is but another
Bible
which clasps and binds the written one; for nature and grace are one.
Grace is the heart of the flower
and nature but its surrounding petals. (H.
W. Beecher.)
Association
Thus a house becomes sacred. Every room has a thousand
memories. Every door and window is clustered with associations. And when
after
long years
we go back to the house of our infancy
faces look out upon us
and an invisible
multitude stand in gate and portal to welcome us
and we hear airy voices
speaking again the old words of our childhood. (H. W. Beecher.)
Verse 41
I am the Lord your God.
Everlasting relationship
Can anything be more blessed to God’s people than the assurance of
the everlasting relationship existing between Himself and them? This
everlasting relationship is a hiding-place
refuge
and defence in this desert
land; a safe retreat
where the soul may obtain repose
satisfaction
in trying
moments.
I. To say that
eternal relationship leads to licentiousness
and induces a disregard to all
moral and social duties
is the same as to say
that to bring any individual
into the clear
bright light of the sun will cause a pebble to become a
stumbling-block unto him. Here is a threefold assertion of relationship in my
text
which relationship now is but rarely understood
still less enjoyed
and
often reviled. But
now
notice the nature of this relationship. It is a
relationship of a father
a Brother
a Comforter
a Guide
a Preceptor. It is a
relationship of King and subject
Parent and child
Husband and wife
Friend
and friend.
II. The deliverance
effected as a proof of this relationship. The proof is that He brought His
people out of Egypt. “Oh!” says one timid soul
“but I do not belong to Him. I
do not think the Lord speaks to me.” Well
I do not desire you to make the assertion
unless God
has brought you from Egypt. But mock not His love
deny not His grace
insult
not His Spirit by questioning the relationship if He has rescued you from the
bondage of sin
Satan
and self
the world
and the devil. He has delivered you
on purpose to be your God
openly and avowedly.
III. The claim of
God is upon us
for devotedness to His glory and activity in His cause. He has
brought you out for His own use; and He has a right to all the ardour of your
spirit
all the activity of your life
all the affections of your soul.
Remember
you are not your own
but bought with a price; therefore glorify God
with your body and spirit
which are His. Oh! what ties bind us to devotedness
to His name--ties of blood
ties of love
ties of grace. As a King
He created
me His subject;
as a Deliverer
He brought me to liberty; as my God
He allied me to Himself in
everlasting relationship. And if all these ties fail to produce the effect of consecration
of heart
and soul
and life to Him
I have one more tie left--namely
the constraint of love. (J.
Irons.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》