April 25, Reading 1 – Numbers 5

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

A large part of this chapter is taken up with dealing with jealous husbands. Once again, remember that this is dealing with real cases – not with men as they should be, but as they are! Once a wife had undergone the ritual, he had no ground for complaint or innuendo. These are people living in tents in a camping ground! He couldn’t abuse her without everyone knowing! It left the outcome to God and a husband HAD to leave it there!

SJA Notes

* God above, let the heavens praise Your wonders! Who in the skies can compare to You!

“This is the law in cases of jealousy, …”

In this passage God points us to the jealous husband.

God’s word tells us that God is a jealous husband.

In Ezekiel 16 this is made very clear (as well, Isaiah 54).

God takes His covenant with us very seriously.

So much so that He is, as well as husband, our Redeemer. We who have gone astray, running after false gods like a faithless wife after other men; we have been redeemed through Jesus.

It is important to note that the imagery of a faithless wife is not saying that husbands are somehow more resistant or less prone. That is folly to think in such a way. Great King David was a murdering adulterer.

The picture described in God’s word is God/Lamb as husband and us/Jerusalem as wife.

The wife is faithless in this picture because she is us! We are broken and blind, deaf and dead in our sin. We follow after this and that other thing, refusing to acknowledge our desperate need for Jesus.

We are sinners all, prone to wander.

The words “adultery” and “idolatry” sound familiar, and they have familiar meanings too! Faithlessness. Breaking covenant.

Let us be exhorted today towards faith-FULL-ness in whatever relationships we have; All of us with the LORD GOD, and flowing outwards from there.

* Gracious Lord,

Thank You for Your faithfulness to us, that You never fail or wander or break Your promises.

We believe Lord God, please help our unbelief!

Amen.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.