Some see the transition from chapter 14 to 15 to be abrupt and misplaced. Chapter 14 ended with God’s command that those who went all in on not believing that YHWH would deliver them into the land He promised would wander the wilderness they love so much until it was time for their kids to once again have a shot. In reaction, those same people decide to try and take the land under their own force and are soundly defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites and chased out complete. Chapter 15 starts with God’s pronouncement of additional (or perhaps, clarifying) law. Weird? Not really. The content of the laws are important.
Notice that YHWH directs Moses to tell the people of Israel, “When you come into the land…” You see, the presence of these laws is an affirmation that God has every intention of sticking with His people. Even when they are faithless and rebellious, He is faithful, keeping the covenant that He made with them. Their last gasp of self-reliance was still not enough for God to turn His back on His intentions for His people. So, He provides them laws that not only confirm that His promise of their return to this land is true, but these laws also provide some context to the situation that has just occurred (which will show up in the mournful outcome of the Sabbath-breaker at the end of the chapter).
The law describes in v.3-10 indicates that every time a sacrifice is made that has an animal with it (could be a burnt offering or peace offering, doesn’t matter), there should be included a hefty amount of flour (cereal), oil and wine. Although the theological purpose is not mentioned, it’s possible we have an indication of a couple of things. For one, this ups the game from the travelling folk, who were only offering meat. When they were in the land YHWH provides, they would be capable of offering the additional grain, oil and wine along with it, things likely not at their disposal when wandering the wilderness. The wine requirement is especially telling given the significant grape haul that was brought back from the initial scouting exercise. These additional items not only represent a more holistic submission to YHWH for the offering (a more rounded representation of what the people are capable of offering), but also an increase into the variety of goods that were given to the priests, given that many of the sacrifices were able to be consumed/used by the priest after being offered to YHWH.
The amounts of grain, oil and wine were relative. The larger the animal, the more vittles should accompany it. And, it needs done every time, you can’t say, “I did the hin of oil last time, just brought the beef on this round”. You’re all in, all the time. Also, everyone has the same requirement, whether you’re an Israelite or just a person living in the land as a non-Insraelite, all are the same before YHWH (v.15).
Next, there’s a law about bringing the first bread loaf to YHWH as an offering. Just as God is given the first fruits of other Israelite output (crops, kids, etc.), when they are settled in and baking loaves in this new land they need to bring the first one by for God. Again, a nice boon for the priests here. This became a consistent tradition in Jewish culture that, when the second temple was destroyed in AD 70, Jewish ladies instead treated their own fireplace/hearth as a mini-alter, throwing a handful of dough into the fire as a sacrifice before continuing on into their baking. Again, the theological significance isn’t specified, but it does extend the “first fruits” concept out of the field and directly into the home, permeating a reminder of God’s goodness and the call of the Israelites to covenant faithfulness in all areas of their lives.
Given the number of commands that exist in this covenant, YHWH then makes provision for those sins that are committed unintentionally. All is not lost, but wherever they fall short, either as individuals or as a community, the sin must be paid for (atonement). If it’s something the whole community is responsible for, they offer a bull (and all the extras just covered earlier in the chapter). If it’s a single person, then a year-old female goat is to be offered. Just like earlier, the stranger and the Israelite are to be treated the same here, they are covered with the community and must offer individually for unintentional sin.
However, that’s for unintentional sins. What about when you just do what you want? You personally decide that you don’t care what YHWH wants at this particular moment and are just going to go about your own affairs? Well, there’s no atonement for that. You’ve sinned with “a high hand”, with a clear intent to defy God, and circumvent His covenant and the promises therein. You have “…despised the word of YHWH”. Thus, you shall be cut off from your people (death, it seems, at the Lord’s discretion). That’s stiff. Why so harsh? Well, it’s certainly startling, but I’m not sure it’s particularly harsh. This represents a situation where God lives among them, is right there, and you brazenly spit in his face and decide to do as you please and dare God to do His worst. God’s holiness is a serious business. There is no atonement for that.
What follows is an example of such a case. A man is caught wandering, gathering sticks on the Sabbath, presumably to start a fire and cook. The people inquire of God what to do with him, and YHWH confirms he is to be put to death. We are so far away from a proper understanding of Sabbath that perhaps we find ourselves aghast at these consequences. It was just a few sticks, yeah? The Sabbath was a sign of the covenant, one God gave to them as proof of His blessing and sharing of His rest. Literally no one else is out there gathering sticks. And then there’s this guy, under the apparent assumption that the lack of YHWH personally delivering this message and warning him 6-7 times meant it wasn’t really wrong, coupled with his internal belief that “it’s really not a big deal”, is out gathering on the day of rest. That’s us, man. This Sabbath thing seems like one of the optional commands to us. It’s weird, YHWH chose 10 things to highlight in the initial push, and remembering the covenant He made and honoring that day as holy was one of them. It’s a deal, fellas. And although no longer punishable by death, Jesus said Sabbath was made for man, which means it’s still as important as it was, we should just see it as an important GIFT.
Either way, our man is sentenced to death for intentionally and brazenly sinning against YHWH. The whole community had to take part (that’s heartbreaking, certainly his family and friends were there).
Ending the chapter, YHWH has Moses do some physical, tangible things to keep the commands of God front and center in their lives. They are supposed put tassels on the corners of their clothes, colored blue and on each corner. Whenever they see it, it should remind them of their call to be faithful to the commands of God, “…to do them”. Calling it rightly, YHWH admonishes them to, “…not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. So you shall remember and do all my commandments and be holy to your God.” Think setting up tangible reminders in your everyday life to keep you thinking about God and how you are to live is childish? Silly? YHWH sure doesn’t think it’s a bad idea. Grown, responsible men wear tassels, or whatever it takes to keep your eyes where they should be and the leading of your heart in check.
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