Numbers 15:1-21 comments: if a stranger sojourn among you

 

Numbers 15:1 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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, 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: 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. 5  And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb. 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. 7  And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 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: 9  Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil. 10  And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. 11  Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid. 12  According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number. 13  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. 14  And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do. 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. 16  One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you. 17  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you, 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. 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. 21  Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations.

 

One important thing to note in this passage, the like of which is contained in the previous books regarding the Law, Exodus and Leviticus, is that the foreigner, the stranger, who lives among the Hebrews also participates in the burnt offering. In matters of honoring God the Gentiles were encouraged to worship the one true God with the Hebrews although we will later see that they are not permitted to serve in the priests’ ministry.

Exodus 12:48  And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. 49  One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. [note here how a will results in a shall, an important point throughout the Bible]

 

Isaiah 56:3 ¶  Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

 

In Christ all barriers are broken down that would prohibit anyone from worshipping the true God.

Galatians 3:28  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.

 

Here, right after the rebellion and just before another God reaches out to the Hebrews with instructions for offerings suggesting that He is reconciling with them as a people.  First, there is a burnt offering to be offered with a food offering and a drink offering as additional.