Chapter 15

15:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

wandering

The wilderness was part of the necessary discipline of the redeemed people, but not the years of wandering. The latter were due wholly to the unbelief of the people at Kadesh-barnea. The Red Sea, Marah, Elim, Sinai, were God's ways, in development and discipline, and have, of necessity, their counterpart in Christian experience. The Red Sea speaks of the cross as that which--death to Christ but life for us--separates us from Egypt, the world Galatians 6:14 Marah of God's power to turn untoward things into blessings; Elim of God's power to give rest and refreshment by the way; Sinai of God's holiness and our deep inherent evil, the experience of Romans 7:7-24 So far the path was and is of God. But from Kadesh-barnea to Jordan all save the grace of God toward an unbelieving people, is for warning, not imitation ; 1 Corinthians 10:1-11 ; Hebrews 3:17-19 . There is a present rest of God, of which the Sabbath and Canaan were types, into which believers may, and therefore should, enter by faith Hebrews 3:1-4:16 .

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,

When

It is remarkable that just when the people are turning in unbelief from the land, God gives directions for conduct when they shall have entered it. See Romans 11:29 ; Philippians 1:6 .

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:

atonement

(See Scofield "Exodus 29:33") .

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:

ribband of blue

The ribband of blue. Blue, the heavenly colour, used upon the borders of the priests' garments signified that the servants of God were to be heavenly in obedience and character, and separate from earthly ambitions and desires.