Happy Valentine’s Day, let’s begin by discussing Number chapters 15 & 16.
Beware of the heart
Valentine’s Day has always been a celebration of what our heart’s desire. I remember being in the 1st grade and making several little cards to give to various people in my class. Throughout the years, a couple of those little girls became my temporary girlfriends. It was innocent and fun.
We are told not to trust our hearts; they are deceitful and desperately wicked. (see Jer 17:9).
Today, we read that while everyone has unintentional sin in their lives, some have sins of defiance. These are sins where we believe God’s way is not acceptable to our lifestyle choices.
As a hormone crazed teenager and even young adult, knowing that sex outside of marriage was a sin didn’t matter. Even if I were not an atheist, I would not have let this description of those actions inhibit me. We rationalize God would not make us the way we are if He did not intend for us to enjoy it.
It’s that self-centered, narcissistic perspective that justifies abortion. My body, my choice. The LGBTQ community also demonstrates this mindset.
We all determine on our own that our god would not have a problem with this behaviour. As Dr. David Jeremiah said in a sermon, I watched – “this is true, because your god does not exist”.
This is all another form of idolatry. Making our own god that we can worship instead of respecting the God that created us. Numbers 15:30 says this is blasphemy against the Lord, and therefore we must shun those who commit it.
Actions have consequences
Some might claim that it’s a cultural difference. But this verse says even the foreigner must be driven out for these actions.
Our society’s emphasis on universal acceptance directly contradicts this.
While God loves everyone, He never tolerates intentional defiance. If we choose to rebel against the Lord, there will be consequences.
As an example, we see a man gathering wood on the Sabbath. It doesn’t say he was chopping wood or cutting a tree down. He was merely gathering it. For this action, because they had been told to do no work on the Sabbath, God tells Moses the man must die. The whole assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death.
People might say it was different back then, and in one way, this is true. Today we have grace.
Jesus said, “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matt 5:18, NIV).
Jesus accomplished something. He died for you to forgive your sins.
This requires surrendering the lordship of your life to Jesus. If you are making a different god for yourself. One which allows for immoral conduct. You have not given Jesus that control. Therefore, you are still under the Law.
Keep it top of mind
Numbers 15:39 tells us that God gave the Israelites tassels to remind them of his commands.
We have the Cross of Jesus to look at. This reminds us not only that He paid the price for us, but how seriously God will judge sinfulness. If we do not submit ourselves to Jesus, this is the fate we are accepting for ourselves.
We should look upon it, as they did the tassels, so that we would not chase “after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.” (Num 156:39, NIV)
The rebellion
Just as now, there were many who remained bent on defiance. This included Korah, Dathan and Abiram, along with 250 other men.
God swiftly dealt with this bold resistance by opening the ground and swallow these men in chapter 16.
It is poetic justice that when they defy God, and choose to be of the world, they are consumed by the world. The earth literally swallowed these sinners, along with their whole families.
The third mystery is after seeing all this happen, the people still put up resistance to Moses and Aaron.
For this, God sends upon them a plague, and even though Moses prayed God would remove the plague, another 14,700 people died.
Today, we have a society dedicated to defying the Lord. Believing they can flaunt their sinfulness. They see plagues poured out and remain defiant.
We must help these lost souls come to know the Lord. They believe they can endure what lays ahead of them, but no one can. It is not loving them to allow them to make these choices without us trying to show them the light.
As we celebrate this day of love, let us all love enough to share the Gospel with those who need to hear it.
