ORDER THAT MAINTAINS PURITY. Numbers 5 Purity among God's people and in God's house should never be treated casually or with indifference. Chapter five of Numbers addresses aspects of the lives of those called to be holy because we belong to a holy God. There is a corporate judgment that impacts all the people. Every individual expects personal judgment as they live in the world and among consecrated people. God Himself exercises judgment concerning those areas of our lives that involve motivation and inner desires.
There is a principle of discipline aimed at addressing impurity within God's people. In Israel, during their wilderness journey, there was a requirement for anyone with an infectious disease or who had contact with a decomposing body to be separated from the community. Transmittable diseases have historically wiped out entire societies because those infected were not quarantined.
Redemption is the foundation of God's willingness to dwell among His people, and discipline underpins His continued presence with them. The sin of one man, Achan, illustrates how a single reckless act can hinder the progress of all God's people as they strive to advance His work. We should never underestimate how one person's sin can affect an entire congregation.
Health concerns are always important in a society where people live closely together. Avoiding contagious diseases or anything that could cause infection was a clear instruction from God. Sending a disease-infected person outside the camp of Israel to a safe but isolated place protected all God's people from the same risk. The question might come up, “Why should we banish someone for a condition they can’t control?”
If not isolated, touching a contaminated body or coming into contact with some infectious disease can spread and defile many others. When that disease had run its course in a banished Israelite, a priest could visit to observe the disease's progress and determine when the infected person was healed. Then, there was a cleansing process, and the person who was infected was cleared to reenter the camp and could return to their home and family. Separation from the “unclean thing” kept them physically safe.
Separation, morally and spiritually, among God’s people keeps us from defiling the temple of God. In First Corinthians, the defilement was from false doctrine. Whether a person is consciously aware of it or not, what they listen to, if not according to God’s revealed will, must be dealt with in God’s way. Anything "contagious" must be exposed for what it is and avoided. In our walk with the Lord, we must not “touch” those things that are immoral of a sexual nature because uncontrolled passions lead to uncontrolled living. That will affect a person for a long time and can bring consequences that one has to live with for a lifetime.
Unclean spiritual influences affect the mind and lead to uncontrolled thinking. Once they begin, it becomes very difficult to bring them under control. Someone who exposes their thoughts to many different perspectives will never end a restless, empty search for something that will convince them they've finally found the truth. This usually shows they believe the truth is what they perceive and desire, something that confirms their prideful view of their own intelligence.
Anyone in the fellowship of God's people should first judge themselves, guided by the Holy Spirit who dwells within them. However, they may not always be willing to do so. Within a church community, judgment must be given time to act and to bring about the benefits of changed behavior without bias or prejudice. Discipline by God's people aims not only to correct the wrongdoer but also impacts everyone connected with that person, whether personally or through the community. Lust leads to sin, and unjudged sin results in a contaminating negative effect on all. The call to be holy is not only for individuals but for all the people of God.
Men cannot judge the universal, or dispensational, Body of Christ because it extends across the centuries of this Church age and is invisible in all parts of the world. The local assemblies of God's people are responsible for judging doctrine and morals of everyone in that fellowship. An assembly is not a random gathering of people who meet occasionally but a united body of saints who share one faith, hope, and baptism and publicly testify to that in the place they live. We are not called to judge the motives of those within that fellowship, but we do have the biblical responsibility to judge their actions.
The unity of the Body of Christ remains intact when discipline within the house of God is upheld. We do not judge those outside the church, only those inside. Our faith and ethics should be aligned. Ethical teachings and living by faith should match. If they do not, then there is genuine guilt. Whether judgment is collective or individual, there is no easy forgiveness for the believer who sins. Sin must be confronted and addressed.
Believers who are dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ and willingly pursue the intellectual exploration of the scriptures will discover deep satisfaction in God’s revealed Word. There are more layers to the nature of truth, its meaning, and its power than one could understand in ten lifetimes. Every time the Word of God is read, prayed over, and meditated upon, new spiritual truths are unveiled—truths that were previously hidden or unappreciated. Furthermore, consistent study of the Bible and applying its spiritual truths refresh, enlighten, and empower the mind and spirit.
Perhaps even more valuable is the fellowship and joy of experiencing God's presence through our holy communion and dedication during our time with Him. Not only will our hearts be warmed and comforted emotionally, but our minds will be challenged and fulfilled intellectually. This deepens our relationship with God, makes life more enjoyable, and makes our connection with Him more meaningful.
Freedom from guilt requires a legal pardon. A legal pardon involves the high cost of a life forfeited for sin. The trespass offerings of the Old Testament foreshadowed the cost paid by Christ for our freedom when He gave His life. Restitution by someone who has acted unjustly and caused a problem, division, or loss of some kind on another person does not mean revenge is the answer. The person who did wrong was required to fully repay the consequences of his action and also pay twenty percent of its value to the person he wronged.
Only if no one from the wronged family was alive to receive the fine could the person who sinned pay it to the priest, who was the representative of God's government. There was an expectation that a person would judge themselves and, with a tender conscience, make full restitution plus the one-fifth added. A tender conscience in a Christian is morally appealing to those wronged or witnessing a dispute. If we treat holy things, and even moral things, lightly after a wrong is committed, it leads to a shallow attitude toward everything.
Sometimes, people are very self-centered and don't realize that their words can have consequences when they gossip or make accusations. Suspicion from a husband regarding his wife's behavior or expectations is taken seriously by God. He established a law to fairly address jealousy. Dealing with jealousy is challenging because it involves personality and perception.
Dealing with a jealous husband is very uncomfortable for a woman, but a faithful wife would be willing to go through it because she knows that God knows what is true. This whole process was both a protective and an investigative measure. An innocent woman accused of having an affair, and through this process, the truth would be revealed, would want this issue to be resolved. It would serve as a deterrent, not only to prevent a jealous husband from taking private vengeful actions but also to ensure that justice is served in a highly volatile situation.
Unbecoming behavior toward men and flirting with them could raise a husband's suspicion that his wife might be involved in some immoral activity. If he believed his seed was adulterated, he would be justified in ensuring the sin was addressed fairly. If there was suspicious behavior or harassment of his wife by another man, he might consider whether there was any reciprocal activity on her part. However, if he, out of spite, acted jealously against his wife, the law of jealousy should ideally make him pause and reflect on the impact of his jealousy on his wife and the testimony of God's people.
A lesson to learn is that God does not allow ongoing suspicion of evil, much less the act itself. Any kind of intimate communication with someone you're not married to can foster suspicion and diminish trust. We must be careful with what we do and say around others so that our marriage bond is not weakened. “Abstain from all appearance of evil” and “Flee youthful lusts” apply to all of God’s people at all times. If there has been unfaithfulness to the vows taken, there are consequences for that action.
At the time Israel was in the wilderness, consenting adultery was punished by death. If there was suspected infidelity that was not admitted, the jealous husband could bring his wife to be judged by the priest. If she was innocent, she had nothing to fear, even though she might be frightened by her husband's actions and the law's authority. There would no doubt be a natural tendency to worry because of having to stand before the priest when charged with a capital crime.
The jealousy offering was similar to the sin offering. The actions taken by a jealous, suspicious husband were then brought before the highest court—the court of divine judgment. Now, not only is the sin of adultery to be investigated, but the sin of suspicion and jealousy must also be examined. Neither person can avoid the consequences. There is no escape for someone who is guilty. The same process that determines the guilt of the accused will also confirm the faithfulness of the innocent.
When that offering was made, God was involved in the matter. He would settle the issue visibly and without doubt. The "dust" of death and the "water" of the Word mixed with the writing material would be there to settle the charges. There was a statement of the charges made. Then the woman was presented to the priest who would conduct the judging process. She would be required to swear an oath and then drink the mixture as God prescribes. The outcome would be obvious to everyone - the husband, the priest, the woman, and all involved in the event. Ultimately, the entire camp would know if she was found guilty of the charge. Moral integrity was a key aspect of this legislation.
Adultery would dishonor the holiness needed to uphold a tribe's purity, which relied on the nation's uniqueness and separation. The oath made would benefit her if she was innocent. Her husband and every other jealous husband would not act impulsively on suspicions if she was innocent. He would be revealed as a petty, jealous man who would not be trusted easily afterward. The Lord would bring about physical changes if the wife's guilt was uncovered.
We must be very careful to avoid any moral impurity that could lead us astray and bring us under God's judgment. We also need to be cautious before making any unproven accusations against someone else. Suspicion and gossip damage both the person who starts them and those who listen. We should discipline our hearts and minds to obey God and protect ourselves from anything that might harm others. Remember, nothing is hidden from the Lord.
Restitution, not revenge, was a new concept at that time, and because it was unique, it halted a cycle of wrongs. Payback was not a bloody confrontation or a time of open hostility and conflict. This way, unfairness and open accusations could be stopped. The fine, which was a fifth of the amount taken, plus the return of all that was stolen, addressed this. Twenty percent of what was taken was enough to cause pain to a thief or embezzler so they wouldn’t do it again. It was low enough for someone to pay, even if it caused them financial hardship, and the guilty would have to go without many things long enough to learn that “crime does not pay.”
Robbery, a trespass, a broken law - now was the time to see your rights enforced. The guilty party was identified, and the culprit was confronted. He or she had to face the reality of their guilt, and the guilty individual was condemned. Facing that publicly and adding the fifth part could not be avoided. Restoration could happen when the loss was paid fully and the wrong was corrected. The loss is only part of it all; trauma, suffering, and the upset caused made it an important part of the event. The fifth part was added to compensate for all that the wrong caused.
Apologies, while appropriate, are not enough. Awareness of guilt and acknowledgment, though right, are not sufficient. Tears of remorse and sobbing words of guilt are not enough to fully make restitution. The fifth part is necessary. The victim has a right to what is his; after all, he earned it or received it legally. The loss must be restored in full, but how can everyone involved learn the lesson? What allows them to look at each other again? The fifth part!
Measure the full amount, determine the complete value, and ensure everyone recognizes its worth. Accounting is essential for a fair and comprehensive solution. Record it in writing—no guesswork. Add 20% to the total, along with a fifth part. Twenty years of sinning? Four years of serving! The fifth part is 20% of what was taken to ensure proper compensation. Thirty years of withholding what belongs to God? 10% of $500.00 weekly equals $50.00 to give to God. Have you forgotten? Over 30 years: $72,000 + $18,000 = $90,000. The fifth part is added to this amount.
We don’t retaliate or claim unfairness. Vengeance is not something God permits us to take, because that right belongs to Him. Apologies are kind, appropriate, and expected, but the full restitution of what was lost must be made. I need to go further in my life or in any way I have wronged God. I must add the fifth part.