How holy is Jehovah? What does He require of all of us? Has His view of sin softened? Will He look at sin differently today vs. in the time of Israel? He doesn’t change nor does His holy requirements, regardless of what the false teachers proclaim. Sin will always be an affront to our Holy GOD.
Numbers 15:32 Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the sabbath day.
This is a very unique and somewhat troubling incident. What is so wrong with gathering wood for a fire? There is a winter period in the Mideast and it will get cold at night in the desert, as many of us have experienced ourselves. So does Jehovah expect us to shiver in the cold? Some scholars believe that this is actually a reference to someone gathering wood so they could work, as with shaping metal.
15:33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation; 15:34 and they put him in custody because it had not been declared what should be done to him.
While we have studied just how ungodly these people continued to be, they were quick to see someone who seemed to violate Jehovah’s 4th Commandment. This is a problem we all must fight against, that is, seeing the sin is someone else but excusing or rationalizing our own sin. Jesus taught that there was a right way and a wrong way to judge anyone else.
Matthew 7:2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
7:3 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
7:4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?
7:5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
We are to judge one another in the faith, but not in a very hypocritical manner. First, look realistically at our own sin, which we cannot do without asking Jehovah to reveal it to us.
What was the problem with their understanding of what Jehovah had commanded them?
Exodus 20:8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
20:9 "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 20:10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.
20:11 "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
Genesis 2 is referenced here by Jehovah. This is also the longest of all of the 10 commandments. While is is difficult to research the frequency of the first 3 commandments, the Sabbath is mentioned in 116 verses of which 55 are in the New Testament.
15:35 Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp."
Moses, which was his practice, inquired of Jehovah, who confirmed His holy commandments and His righteous wrath upon any and all who disobey them. Violation of 9 of the 10 commandments is death.
15:36 So all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Why would all the congregation be required to participate in the stoning of anyone? A number of possible reasons come to mind.
First, as a very visible warning to all.
Second, to emphasize that there is no room for violating any of Jehovah’s Laws.
Third, because sin can slowly creep into an entire group of people, it has to be dealt with swiftly and completely.
Ecclesiates 8:11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.
More next Saturday.