Numbers 15:22-41
WE SEE here that while there was forgiveness for sins of ignorance, the sin itself had to be atoned for. Ignorance did not make the sin to be no sin, as many would like to think. Sin defiles and interrupts communion. We read of a sin offering here and other offerings were needed for restoration. There must be the confession of failure even though the sin be caused by ignorance. These offerings all speak of Christ and His work of redemption without which there can be no forgiveness or restoration of counion with God.
But there was to be no provision for the presumptuous or willful sinner. He could not plead ignorance for he sinned against a well-known command. He was to be cut off or put to death because he had despised the word of the Lord and broken His commandment. It is a solemn thing to despise the word of the Lord We have an illustration of this in the next verses (vv. 32-36) where a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath. They shut him up until the Lord should pass judgment on him. The Lord said he must be put to death. Then all the congregation stoned him outside the camp.
It might seem a trivial thing to some to be gathering sticks on the Sabbath but God had said, “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy,” and the man could not plead ignorance. He had violated the majesty of God. Israel had put themselves under law and the Lord would have them understand the absolute and perfect obedience they were called to render in that day.
How thankful we should be that we are not under law, but under grace. Times without number we have failed and sinned willfully, but the stroke of judgment due to us fell upon our blessed Substitute. Well might we bow before Him and thank Him for having suffered in our stead.
In the end of the chapter the Lord told the children of Israel to wear a riband of blue on the fringes of the borders of their garments: “that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them.” Surely there is a word in this for us all — even boys and girls who love the Saviour.
The blue is the heavenly color, and we should ever keep before our eyes that we belong to heaven. Others ought to see this in us too. It is not enough that we should keep ourselves from evil, or be content with leading a godly life, both of which we should cultivate. But we ought to be reminding ourselves from day to day of where we belong.
The garments speak of our character and ways, particularly before others, so in our walk and ways day by day there ought to be the token that we are heavenly, not merely that we hope to go there by and by. If we were to make heaven merely a hope for the future, it would be like the Israelite not looking at his riband of blue or perhaps not wearing it at all. We are as the beautiful hymn states,
Called from above, and heavenly men by birth,
Who once were but the citizens of earth.
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Col. 3:1,2.
ML-11/04/1973