Numbers 4:1-5:10

Numbers 4:1-5:10

Typically I think of Leviticus being the book that contains all of the various laws that the Israelites had to follow. I do not typically place Numbers in this same category. Initially, I was expecting it to get back to the story of the Israelites journey to the Promised Land again, but these opening chapters have been more instructions regarding the tabernacle and the priests. Numbers 4 continues with the instructions given specifically to the tribe of Levi. Each clan within this tribe had been designated with specific tasks to perform at and around the tabernacle. These duties included watching over the tabernacle every time the nation stopped in a new place and how to set up or tear down the tabernacle every time they needed to move. There really is not any new application that I see in this chapter. It continues on the theme of obedience.

Numbers 5 opens with a reminder of what to do to those who are living in disobedience. Anyone who had been involved in an unclean action, thus being declared unclean, was not allowed to live within the camp. They were commanded to live outside the camp for the allotted number of days until they could be considered clean again. The reason that this is mentioned at the beginning of this chapter could be due to the fact that this command was being ignored. No one likes to be told what to do, especially a second or third time. But many times, that is what we need in life, just a simple reminder. It is easy to get complacent and not be as careful to follow the rules placed in our lives. So in one sense, this was just a reminder to the Israelites to make sure that they are following this command. But at the same time, the Israelites were preparing to move on toward the Promised Land, and God was making sure that His people were holy (or clean) as they moved forward.

God then instructed the Israelites on what to do after they had sinned. We have already seen from the book of Leviticus that one way in which they dealt with their sins was by offering sacrifices to God. This cleared things up between them and God, ending in Him offering them forgiveness. But God also wanted them to set things right with those whom they had wronged. Today, this can be seen partly through church discipline (when the person does not try to fix the broken relationship). For the Israelites, this restitution was more obvious. They were required to pay back in full whatever it was that they had done wrong, plus one fifth. This involved any sin that was committed against another. Therefore, if the act had involved money, $100 would turn into $120. Now this is a more modern look on the idea, but the idea of restitution for the Israelites served as a reason not to be caught up in that sin again. Think about if we had to pay back 100% plus one fifth of whatever we had done (whether that involved money, possessions, time, or anything else). I bet it would make us be much more watchful of what we say or how we treat others in life. We would be more careful in the choices that we make. It is easy to think that laws and commands just make life harder, but time and time again we hear that such guidelines are for our own good. This is a great example of how some commands can really be for our good and serves as a reminder to watch how we live our lives. Are we currently living a holy life before God?

Matt