Nu. 15: Aliens. Tassels.

Man, in Numbers 15, we hear about offerings again. Its nothing I haven't already read back in the beginning of Leviticus, with hins and ephahs and bulls and pleasing aromas.

What I find most interesting here is that now these offerings emphasize how an alien, an outsider is subject to the same regulations and stipulations. They are not exempt from following these laws. Aliens and foreigners...non-Israelites are able to be brought in under the same system. The same goes for unintentional sins. See Leviticus 4. reading : blog

The Israelites were called to be a holy, separate people. So much emphasis was placed on the distinction Israel had from these other nations. With this inclusion of aliens and foreigners, it suggests to me that somehow God still had his eye on these other nations...God was still at work with these other people. I wonder though to what extent? There doesn't appear to be any sort of...missions work. Outreach...I guess. Did these other millions of people on earth live and die outside of God's grace? If God had put in place this method for aliens to make offerings, and be atoned for, that suggests that, yes, these other nations were basically screwed. At least at this point in my reading.

God's punishment for unintentional sins is nowhere near as severe as his punishment for the defiant sinner...the blasphemers, those who despise God's word and commands.

A Sabbath breaker is found gathering wood. He wasn't resting. He knew the commands. The assembly stoned him outside the camp. He was put to death for just gathering some wood. Harsh. Severe. Just. Consistent. Horrifying.

Then God posts a rule about putting tassels on the fringes of garments. I guess they serve the same purpose as tying a thread around your finger to remember something. In this case, to help remember God's commands. When those tassels are there, the people will always be reminded of the specter of God always being there, always watching, always looking out for them. They will see the tassels everytime they dress, and be reminded of who they are called to be.