YOUTHS STS Lesson 97 SUNDRY OFFERINGS AND PRESUMPTUOUS SIN
Text: Numbers 15:1-41 Memory Verse:
Memory Verse “All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD” (Numbers 15:13).
In the previous chapter, the children of Israel murmured hem to the Promised Land. Their unbelief was because they heard a fearful report that there were giants in the land to fight with. Therefore, God was not happy with them hence, He had said that they would die in the wilderness “save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun” (Numbers 14:30).
In today’s lesson, the Lord gave the children of Israel laws that would regulate the offerings which would be offered in the land of promise (Numbers 15:1-4). As school fellowship officers or youth leaders, we should keep on teaching the word of God irrespective of people’s negative reaction. Moses was to “Speak unto the children of Israel“.
1.COMMAND ON SUNDRY OFFERINGS. Numbers 15:1-21; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5,12,13; 9:6,7; Amos 5:21-24; Proverbs 23:26; Romans 12:1.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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, And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice… Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat offering…And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering… (Numbers 15:1-5). The children of Israel had different offerings for different purposes. There was burnt offering, freewill offering, heave offering, peace offering, sin offering, trespass offering and wave offering. Each of these had its associated ceremony. But now, God said that in spite of those offerings, there must be an inclusion of meat and drink offerings. This was done in a very considerable way, to make people of various financial abilities to be able to do it.
Question 1: What can New Testament believers learn from the way God asked Old Testament people to offer their sacrifice?
God expected them to offer according to their ability. People should be encouraged to give according to their ability just like the Macedonian Christians. “For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves” (2 Corinthians 8:3). The additional meat and drink offerings were not used by God to make it more difficult for people to give but it was regulated to fit in everybody’s ability. There is no youth who does not have anything to offer to God. We can offer our time, talents, skills and materials. We should first give our lives to God. “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the LORD, and unto us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:5).
Question 2: Why should we first give our lives to God?
God demands our hearts first and He seeks to occupy the first place in our lives. It is when we are holy that our services or sacrifices will be accepted before Him. “One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you” (verse 16). God did not want anyone to be exempted from keeping the whole law on the basis of tribal or racial differences. They should all be considered as one, to keep one ordinance. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:27,28). Therefore, Christian doctrines are binding on all Christians regardless of their nations, boundaries, cultures and colours.
2.CAUTION ON PRESUMPTUOUS SINS. Numbers 15:22-36; Habakkuk 1:13; Romans 6:1,2; 1 John 2:1,2; Hebrews 10:26-29; 6:6-8.
God is of a purer eyes than to behold iniquity. He would never encourage any of His people to go into sin. However, He makes allowances for human weaknesses. He said, “And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses,… Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering…” (verse 22,24). This is committed unknowingly. The moment it comes to knowledge either by reading or hearing the word of God, such individual should repent of it and it would be forgiven. “My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
Question 3: What should a Christian youth who unknowingly falls into sin do?
The word of God shows that He does not want any Christian who has fallen into sin to remain in such defeated position. He should repent and believe in the atonement of Christ our High Priest. However, this does not give license to sin. Our text makes it very clear that “…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” (verse 30). To sin presumptuously is to sin not minding what God chooses to do. “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:26,27).
Question 4: What is the danger of deliberately sinning?
Youths who sin deliberately will spend their eternity in hell- fire if they fail to repent. When a youth, who was once saved and have received the good teachings of God’s word, backslides to the point that he now delights himself in his backslidden state, it might lead to a point of no return (Acts 5:1-10; Joshua 7:16-25; 2 Thessalonians 2:11,12).
“And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day“ (Numbers 15:32). This was an example of presumptuous sin and the consequence was death. The man knew that God had given a command not to work on the Sabbath but he did otherwise. He was stoned to death because he went into sin deliberately. Like the Psalmist, we all should pray: “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression” (Psalm 19:13).
- COMMITMENT TO REMEMBER GOD’S WORD. Numbers 15: 37-41; John 5: 39; Acts 17: 11,12.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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…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” (Numbers 15:37-39). God knew that the children of Israel could be deceived easily and carried away by what they saw and lusted after. He wanted them to know the importance of remembering His word. It is when and what we remember that we can do. God told the Israelites to make blue ribbon and put it upon the special borders they had made on their clothes. Looking at that craft work would remind them of God’s commandments and He hoped they would be able to do it as they remembered.
Question 5: What can we learn from the way God told the children of Israel to remember His word?
To be able to remember the word of God and do it, some commitments are expected of us. First, we must personally read the Bible daily (John 5:39). Second, we should review the notes taken during programmes and services (Acts 17:11). Third, we need to pray for the support of the Holy Spirit. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you“ (John 14:26).