Numbers 5

Numbers 5:1-31

Numbers 5:1-31; Numbers 6:1-272. The Sanctification of the Camp (Numbers 5-6) The people are now ready to follow God’ s leadings, but they must first be sanctified, fitted in heart and life to follow a holy God. The miscellaneous laws herein set forth all carry with them the idea of maintaining the holiness of the camp. The law of leprosy has been dealt with in Leviticus (cf. Page 210). The great lesson taught is that enunciated by the prophet, “ Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord” (Isaiah 52:11), and corroborated by the New Testament, “ If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’ s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).

Numbers 5:5-10

Numbers 5:5-10(a) The Law Dealing with Restitution (Numbers 5:5-10) The law dealing with restitution is interesting. It has been dealt with before (cf. Exodus 22:1-4), but a new phase of the subject is here presented. In Exodus the culprit has been found out, and consequently must restore double. Here the culprit has not been found out but his own conscience has shown him his sin; the idea of restitution arises from within; consequently he is required to add only one-fifth because it is a matter of conscience and not law. There is also another interesting thought in connection with restitution here.

So clear is it that fortunes made by fraud must not be allowed to be a source of gain to the one having done the wrong that he is obliged to use it in the service of man. If those to whom restitution is owed are not living, then restitution must be made to the priests, that is, it must go to the service of God. Has this thought any bearing on the question of “ tainted money?” Any atonement without such restitution is of no avail.

Numbers 5:14-31

Numbers 5:14-31(b) The Law of Jealousy (Numbers 5:14-31) The law of jealousy emphasizes the fact that the thought of sin in the face of insufficient evidence is to be prohibited. The marriage estate must be protected.