Audio Download

Numbers 15:1-41  Laws About Sacrifices

[Study Aired August 7, 2023]

Num 15:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 15:2  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, 
Num 15:3  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: 
Num 15:4  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. 
Num 15:5  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. 
Num 15:6  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. 
Num 15:7  And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 
Num 15:8  And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD:
Num 15:9  Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil. 
Num 15:10  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. 
Num 15:11  Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.
Num 15:12  According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.
Num 15:13  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. 
Num 15:14  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. 
Num 15:15  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.
Num 15:16  One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you. 
Num 15:17  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 15:18  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you, 
Num 15:19  Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the LORD. 
Num 15:20  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. 
Num 15:21  Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations. 
Num 15:22  And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses, 
Num 15:23  Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations; 
Num 15:24  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, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. 
Num 15:25  And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance: 
Num 15:26  And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.
Num 15:27  And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. 
Num 15:28  And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 
Num 15:29  Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. 
Num 15:30  But 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. 
Num 15:31  Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. 
Num 15:32  And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 
Num 15:33  And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 
Num 15:34  And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
Num 15:35  And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 
Num 15:36  And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses. 
Num 15:37  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 15:38  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: 
Num 15:39  And it shall be unto you for a fringe, 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: 
Num 15:40  That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
Num 15:41  I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God. 

Introduction

Chapter 15 focuses on how the Israelites were to relate to the Lord in terms of what they were to offer to the Lord when they entered the promised land. It shows us our growth pattern in Christ when we leave Babylon and start to possess our bodies. As the Lord’s elect, we cannot offer our bodies as sweet aroma to Christ while we are in Babylon. It is when Christ comes to us and drags us out of Babylon that we start to possess our land which is our bodies and therefore can please the Lord.

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

As we can see from the scriptures, it was when Abraham left Haran (Babylon) that he was able to build an altar to call on the name of the Lord. Our relationship with the Lord takes a different turn when we are dragged by the Lord out of Babylon to possess our bodies.

Gen 12:5  And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. 
Gen 12:6  And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 
Gen 12:7  And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 
Gen 12:8  And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

Num 15:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 15:2  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, 
Num 15:3  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: 

A key to understanding what these verses imply is to know that this sacrifice takes place after we have come into the land of our dwellings which the Lord has given to us (verse 2). This spiritually means that we can offer a sacrifice that pleases the Lord only when Christ has come into our lives, and we have started the process of possessing our bodies. This time of Christ coming into our lives is when we come to know the mercies of the Lord, and therefore, we can offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord. What this implies is that we no longer conform to the patterns of this world but are being transformed by the renewing of our mind to know the perfect will of God.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Offering our bodies as a living sacrifice is an offering by fire to the Lord, which is the burnt offering. In a burnt offering, the worshiper voluntarily devotes his whole offering to God through the fire. That is, the whole animal offered “went up in smoke,” providing a sweet-smelling aroma to the Lord, with nothing returned to the worshiper, which made the Burnt Offering distinct from other offerings. The burning was so gradual that it should last from morning to evening. What this means is that it is through the fiery trials or suffering we go through in this life that we can present our bodies wholly unto the Lord as a sweet-smelling offering.

In verse 3, other offerings that were mentioned apart from the burnt offering were a sacrifice in performing a vow and a freewill offering. 

Deu 23:21  “If you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.

Lev 22:17  And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 
Lev 22:18  “Speak to Aaron and his sons and all the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of the house of Israel or of the sojourners in Israel presents a burnt offering as his offering, for any of their vows or freewill offerings that they offer to the LORD, 
Lev 22:19  if it is to be accepted for you it shall be a male without blemish, of the bulls or the sheep or the goats. 
Lev 22:20  You shall not offer anything that has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable for you. 

Exo 35:29  All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD. 

Spiritually speaking, the sacrifice for a vow and a freewill offering refers to our acknowledging the goodness of the Lord to us as we give thanks to Him. When we have started to possess our bodies, our thanksgiving becomes a sweet savor to the Lord.

Psa 54:6  With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good. 

Psa 56:12  I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. 

Psa 61:8  So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day. 

In verse 3, the offerings during the solemn feasts of the people of Israel were also mentioned as being part of the offering to be performed when we possess our bodies. The offering at a solemn feast includes all the offerings we have mentioned. This is shown as follows:

Lev 23:37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, everything upon his day: 

Num 15:4  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. 
Num 15:5  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. 
Num 15:6  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. 
Num 15:7  And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 
Num 15:8  And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD:
Num 15:9  Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil. 
Num 15:10  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. 
Num 15:11  Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.
Num 15:12  According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number. 

These verses show us how the Lord deals with us as we begin to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him. In order to appreciate what the Lord is teaching us, we need to understand what meat and drink offerings are. A meat offering is a food offering which consists of fine flour, oil and frankincense as shown in the following:

Lev 2:1  And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon: 

The meat offering is given in three forms: In the form of groats, with the fresh ears roasted by fire, or dried grains coarsely rubbed or crushed (Leviticus 2:14); As finely ground wheat or barley flour. These first two forms were covered or mixed with oil and frankincense (Leviticus 2:1) in the form of loaves or cakes, made of the fine flour mixed with oil. These could be prepared in an oven (Leviticus 2:4) or upon a flat iron plate (Leviticus 2:5-6).

In this study of Numbers 15, the meal offering consists of fine flour mingled with oil. A drink offering is a form of libation that was poured out before the Lord in the holy place. Usually, the offering was wine. Drink offerings were also included with burnt and meat offerings in God-ordained sacrifices, including the morning and evening sacrifices.

Exo 29:40  And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.

The ingredients for a meat offering and a drink offering are fine flour, oil and wine which are all the result of the fruits of the earth. The meat and the drink offerings represent what we have received freely from the Lord, which we must also give freely to His children. As we know, the meat and drink offerings consisting of fine flour, oil and wine represent the Lord’s words and doctrines which we have received and are required to give freely (offering) to the Lord’s children. That is why Paul twice used the image of a drink offering to describe his own service to the Lord’s people. He compared his service and dedication to the people of God as a drink offering as follows:

Php 2:16  holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 
Php 2:17  Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 

2Ti 4:6  For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
2Ti 4:7  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

In verses 4 and 5, the meat and drink offerings consisting of a tenth of fine flour, a fourth part of a hin (volume measure) of oil and a fourth part of a hin of wine were to be offered together with a burnt offering of a lamb. This shows the progressive way the Lord deals with us as we come to understand the truth of the word of the Lord gradually. Initially, we are only able to take in a tenth of fine flour and a quarter of a hin of oil and wine. In this case, we can only offer a lamb. That is to say, what we can offer to the people of the Lord is limited. As we grow in the knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of the Lord, symbolized by our offering of two-tenth of fine flour and one-third of a hin of oil and wine, we can minister much deeper spiritual truth of the words of the Lord to the Lord’s people signified by an offering of a ram (verses 6 and 7). Again, as we continue to grow in the knowledge of the truth, we can offer a more comprehensive truth of the word of the Lord to the people of God, signified by the offering of a bullock coupled with three-tenth of fine flour and half of a hin of oil and wine. 

An example of this gradual growth in our understanding of the truth of the word of the Lord and our subsequent offering of the truth to the body of Christ is the story of Ezekiel’s vision of water issuing from the temple of the Lord.   

Eze 47:1  Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
Eze 47:2  Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.
Eze 47:3  Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep.
Eze 47:4  Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep.
Eze 47:5  Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.

As we are aware, we are the temple of the Lord, and the water that issues from the temple is the living water that comes out of our belly which is the word of the Lord. Initially, the living water coming from us is in trickles. As we grow in the knowledge of the Lord, the living water issuing from us becomes like rivers of living water.

Joh 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 
Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

What we need to understand is that in Babylon, the meat and the drink offerings are cut by the Lord, and we can only offer them when we have left Babylon and are in the company of the Lord’s elect.

Joe 1:9  The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD’S ministers, mourn. 

Joe 1:13  Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.

Num 15:13  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.
Num 15:14  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. 
Num 15:15  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.
Num 15:16  One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you. 

The one that is born in the country represents the commonwealth of Israel while the stranger typifies the Gentiles. In Christ Jesus, both the one born of the country and the stranger have been brought together as one people and therefore we are all operating under the same spiritual laws of Christ. 

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Num 15:17  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 15:18  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you, 
Num 15:19  Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the LORD. 
Num 15:20  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. 
Num 15:21  Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations. 

Again, the emphasis here is that we have left Babylon and come into the assembly of the elect. It is through what every joint supplies that we eat the bread of the land, which is the word of the Lord. The verses here make us aware that when we eat bread in the land the Lord has given to us, we must remember to set some aside as an offering to the Lord just as we do for grains. The bread we eat in the company of the elect is the word of the Lord, and what we are to set aside as an offering for the Lord is also Christ. It is the truth of the word of Christ we have received which we offer to our brothers and sisters. What we set aside and offer is also our lives as a living sacrifice to the Lord. 

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Num 15:22  And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses, 
Num 15:23  Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations; 
Num 15:24  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, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. 
Num 15:25  And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance: 
Num 15:26  And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.

As the body of Christ, if we are ignorant about certain aspects of the word of the Lord and therefore, we have sinned against the Lord because of our ignorance, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness. 

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Num 15:27  And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.
Num 15:28  And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 
Num 15:29  Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. 
Num 15:30  But 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. 
Num 15:31  Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. 

If we sin through ignorance, the Lord in His mercy will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. However, if we make sin a habit after we have come to know the truth, it becomes difficult to be renewed to repentance as our actions amount to crucifying the son of God afresh and putting Him to an open shame. What this means is we become alienated from the people of God.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 
Heb 6:8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 
Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 

Num 15:32  And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 
Num 15:33  And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 
Num 15:34  And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
Num 15:35  And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 
Num 15:36  And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses. 

Finding rest means we have ceased from our own work. These verses show us that if we do not find rest in Christ, we shall end up not being part of the Lord’s elect. Being stoned to death for not observing the sabbath is the same as being cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. That is to say, we become spiritually dead. The people of Israel could not find rest because of unbelief. The same situation is happening in every generation. Through unbelief many have become disillusioned in their walk with Christ. Our walk is a walk of faith. All we have to do is believe that the Lord who has started a good work in us will accomplish what He started and that it is not by our might or power. It is the Lord at work in us!  

Heb 4:6  Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:7  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 
Heb 4:8  For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 
Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Num 15:37  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 15:38  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: 
Num 15:39  And it shall be unto you for a fringe, 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: 
Num 15:40  That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
Num 15:41  I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God. 

Here in these verses, the Lord commanded Moses to tell the people of Israel to put upon the fringe of each border of their garment a cord of blue. As we are aware, garments signify righteousness. In these verses, the Lord is showing us where our righteousness comes from. Blue represents heavenly. Thus, putting on the blue cord on the fringes of our garment is to remind us that our righteousness is from Christ (heavenly). In other words, we cannot of our own produce righteousness. It is Christ who is our righteousness.

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Jer 33:16  In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.

As indicated in verse 39, any attempt on our part to think that our righteousness comes from our own actions (seeking after our own heart and our own eyes) will result in us playing the harlot. That was what happened to us when we were in Babylon where we thought our own actions as a result of our supposed freewill is what made us righteous. In other words, we wear our own clothes with no cord of blue attached to the fringes. That was what led us astray to play the harlot.

Isa 4:1  And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. 

Jer 3:6  The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel (Babylon) hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.  

Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 

May the Lord cause us to walk by faith as we rest in Him. Amen!