A New Creation

Numbers 15

There was this one time that I remember getting into trouble the day before because I did something I was told not to do. I woke up and my mom wanted to change the pace of the day by telling me she loves me even when I blow it. It was a radical thing to hear because I remember going to bed miserable and expected everything to carry on to the next day but instead my mom was willing to work past it.

In this chapter God shows his love by repeating the rules about the sacrifices. This was God saying, even though you blew it and rebelled, I still love you and want to have fellowship with you. In verses 1 through 21 were about restoring a relationship with God. This shows God’s grace and how he works in spite of our rebellion.

Unintentional and Intentional

God breaks down two different types of sin, the unintentional sin, like high I messed up but I did not plan on this happening, it just did and the intentional, which is, I am doing this even though I know it is wrong and I don’t care. The fact about this is that everyone sins, there are those that sin and don’t even know when they are in sin and those who know exactly what is sin and choose to rebel against God on purpose.

A story is given on how someone who sins unintentional can go back into fellowship and how those who sin intentionally need to be broken of their rebellion to come back into fellowship. In the story a man is gathering sticks on the Sabbath in which he then was put to death by the whole congregation. In verses 32 through 36 we can read this and realize how harsh for just gathering a few sticks. In reality this man was defying what was commanded by God. Not only was he in sin for gathering sticks which was considered work but he also was going to start a fire with that wood which was another no no. This story serves as the example of someone who intentionally wanted to sin.

Garments for the Lord

In verses 37 through 41 we read about God giving the people of Israel a command with their clothes. They were to add tassels to their garments and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner of the garment.                                                   The reason God wanted them to do this was so they could be reminded of the commands of the Lord and not follow after their own thoughts. This command was Israel would remember God’s faithfulness. The tassel in the ancient world was considered and extension of that person. This now would be Israel’s identity, who they are, God’s people. The blue dye would be expensive to do but also this color was the most sacred color in the tabernacle (4:6-7). This single thread would symbolize the identity of Israel as the royal priesthood. The tassels served two purposes. One, that they would know that they were God’s by his grace. Two, they were redeemed from Egypt to be a holy nation to all the surrounding nations.

Our tassels

I went to a private school that decided to have us wear uniforms. The uniforms served to keep the students from wearing anything inappropriate but also that we represented what school we went to. We had to wear the uniforms and I know for me, there was not really any pride in wearing them, it turned to be more of an obligation.

We as followers of Christ are not held to the same things Jews are held to. We do not have to wear tassels on our garments. We though do have an identity and that is an invisible and visible image. The invisible mark that we have is that Christ came and made us a new creation (2nd Corinthians 5:17). The visible mark that we have is by our lives. We should constantly be showing this world that we are followers of Christ. That means making a stand against what is evil. Walking out from things that this world says is ok, but we know it is against what Christ did for us. Is there a visible showing of the inward change? I challenge you not to be fake and act one way that is not true of the heart but act accordingly to what Christ has done for you. You are a new creation! Some people look at being a Christian as a “Now the fun stops” kind of thing. How sad, I have had more fun in being a Christian than when I wasn’t.