May 7

Numbers 15; Psalm 51; Isaiah 5; Hebrews 12

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 92: WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF US, THAT WE MAY ESCAPE HIS WRATH AND CURSE, DUE TO US FOR SIN?
Answer: To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requires of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption.
Scripture: Acts 20:21; 16:30, 31; 17:30.

Numbers 15

This chapter is difficult because of the concept of there being no sacrifice available for “high handed” sin.  I can take this to be the “presumptuous sin” mentioned in Ps 19:13.  It may be willful sin committed with full knowledge or maybe even pre-meditated.  But the problem is that if there was no provision in the law to bring sacrifice of atonement for this type of sin, then what does that mean under the New Covenant?  We only see blasphemy of the Holy Spirit mentioned as “unforgivable” but here this sin has no means of forgiveness and the example of the man collecting sticks makes it clear that there is no offering or atonement for this man, only death and then the judgement of God.  I can only thick that perhaps there is more to “high hand” than willful or planned…maybe it is more of an arrogant mockery of God in flaunting a choice to sin against his law as if to taunt him or challenge him.  This would fit since no child of God would do this.  There is another element here in that this law is for those in the covenant family of Israel so a foreigner who is not circumcised into the family could not commit this crime and would not be accountable for it unless they came into the family by circumcision.  This correlates to the New Covenant in that many unbelievers may do this up until the Lord gets ahold of them and converts them.  No doubt the LORD takes sin seriously and the guilty will not go unpunished (Num 14:18)…praise the name of Jesus that he bears the punishment of those who put their faith in him.

Psalm 51

This Psalm is quite well known and represents David’s confession and repentance following adultery and murder.  Considering the reading in numbers 15 it should be clear that the murder, at least, was pre-meditated and this may be an example of sin that was done willfully yet is not in the category of “high handed”.  David is guilty and Nathan has helped him to acknowledge this (2 Sam 12:9).  Now we hear the cry of David’s convicted heart and his plea for mercy.  He acknowledges that God would be perfectly just and right to punish him and this is why it is pure mercy that he asks for.  What he is concerned with before God is the sin against him not against Uriah even.  Surely he sinned against Uriah but wrapped up in that sin is a greater sin against God.  I don’t take this as David excluding any of his actions as not being sin but I think he is ascribing the highest guilt being that his sin is rebellion and enmity against the holy God of all creation.  David acknowledges that he was born into sin and teaches us of our guilt in original sin (Adam’s fall).  David is looking for relief of his pain and he is looking for a restoration of his joy and assurance and he is asking for repentance.  He asks God to give him the willing spirit that Jesus spoke of in the Garden (Ps 51:12; Matt 26:41).  He moves on to make a case that is greater than simply restoring him, but he makes a case that his restoration will result in returning other wayward sinners as well.  We see this plainly that when one person comes to grips with their sin and acknowledges it before God and man, there are others watching who walk in the same sin.  When a testimony of a brother coming to repentance is given it can be a means of grace whereby the Spirit of God moves in the heart of other men to bring them to that same place of contrition and repentance.  This is the work of the Spirit!  I harm my brothers by denying or hiding or ignoring my sin.  David seems to negate the need for sacrifices according to the plain law of God but I believe he is negating sacrifice that is given from a proud and impenitent heart.  This heart is heaping up wrath still (Rom 2:5).  David may have been speaking about the time between his sin and his current repentance…clearly in verse 19 he makes it known that there are good and right sacrifices that delight the Lord and these he will no doubt offer.  The key here is that the Lord desires that we come to a place of brokenness and acknowledging our sin and our rebellion.  We must come humble before the Lord and not as a cheap grace "box-checker" who says…"thank you may I please have another pardon?”  This is empty religion and there is no love for our savior there…where there is no love for Jesus there is no salvation (1 Cor 16:22).

Isaiah 5

This long chapter God is basically questioning Israel as to why she does not listen and why she is disobedient and why the vineyard yields wild grapes.  He declares judgement and an abandoning of the vineyard for its destruction.  This passage would have been ringing in the ears of the Pharisees as Jesus spoke in Matt 21:33ff about the vineyard and how the gentiles were given the vineyard in place of the Jews who killed the master’s servants and even his son.  He rebukes heavy drinkers who do not regard the deeds of the LORD.  Verse 13 says he sends his people into exile for "lack of knowledge" and this accords with proverbs 2 and the "knowledge of the God".  They lack a treasuring and a seeking and a knowing of God.  They squander the revelation of himself to them.  From verse 26 he could be speaking of the Assyrian exile.  Verse 16 is pretty huge- here God announces that he is exalted in justice and that the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness…this speaks to Rom 3:25-26 (vindication of righteousness) and Rom 3:4-8 (upholding of justice).  He warns those who would twist good into evil and who would call evil good.  He declares clearly that those who are great at partying are cursed…woe to them!  Same for those who are wise in their own eyes and shrewd in their own sight.  Help me O Lord to not be wise or shrewd in my own sight but make me humble and meek and reliant upon thee. 

Hebrews 12

Run the race (Heb 12:1)!  Remember what our king endured for us (Heb 12:2)!  For the joy set before him!  Let us endure as our king did…for the joy that lies ahead.  May our blessed hope give us endurance and train us to renounce ungodliness (Titus 2:11-14) as we wait for our bodily redemption (Rom 8:23-25).  Isaiah 53:10-11 indicates that our king saw his offspring…the inheritance of the saints before him (Eph 1:18; Rom 8:29)…he saw us!  And he endured for the joy of it.  May the love of our savior warm our hearts and put fire in our souls.  He bore our shame and guilt for the joy of knowing that he was saving his bride.  Let us not pretend that we have suffered as he did (Heb 12:4).  Know that discipline comes for our good...for our holiness (Heb 12:10-11).  Be strengthened by your consideration of Jesus and by the unshakeable kingdom that he has established (Heb 12:3, 12, 28).  Don’t quench the Spirit but listen to him and hallow the name of God and receive his guidance (Heb 12:25).  Offer true worship from the heart (Heb 12:28-29)! 


Soli Deo Gloria!