Numbers 9: 15–23
The ministry of condemnation came with glory and demonstrated God’s faithfulness. The ministry of righteousness came with infinitely greater glory and consummated God’s manifestations of faithfulness as seen in his acts toward Jacob’s descendants (See 2 Corinthians 3:7–11). God’s actions toward Israel also served as examples for admonition. External advantages that do not bring about true worship, love of righteousness, and consistent trust may prove to be mere appearances without the root of persevering faith (1 Corinthians 10:1–13). This passage from Numbers gives an example of God’s unrelenting determination to accomplish his redemptive purpose even as he operates for the earthly benefit, with eternal implications, for a spiritually stubborn people. The promise of consistent presence and leadership comes as a seal upon a series of manifestations of power and redemptive purpose.
I. God has the prerogative of covenantal election.
This had begun in Ur of the Chaldees with the call of Abraham (Genesis 11:31 – 12:3). The divine sovereignty of both call and direction was present from the beginning. The promise of Genesis 3:15 was made of pure grace and its fulfillment controls all the data of Scripture.
A. Through conflict and murder (Genesis 3:8), God pursued his redemptive purpose (Genesis 4:25, 26; 5:6, 7, 28, 32).
B. All that was preparatory for the coming of the Redeemer was promised and executed through Israel. They received promises, covenantal blessings, the birth of the Christ, and his personal presence and teaching (Romans 9:1–5).
C. God’s promise to bring the Savior through this covenant community would not fail in spite of the gross unfaithfulness of Israel (Ezekiel 16:31–34; 60–63).
D. In these intertwined events of promise, covenantal inalterability, and unfaithfulness we may see the clear distinction between the external advantages and clarity of God’s actions and the internal operations of saving grace that finally and truly consummates the covenant (Romans11:5–7; 25–27).
II. God’s manifests His power in securing His chosen (Exodus 8–14).
Their first observance of the Passover subsequent to this powerful deliverance was on the 14th day of the first month of the second year after the escape from Egypt. This visible manifestation of his unceasing presence in pursuit of his immutable promise was intended to point back to the amazing deliverance from slavery and cruel oppression in Egypt and to point forward to the greater deliverance from the cruel oppression of sin and its ultimate consequence of eternal wrath. This historical event prefigured the deliverance planned for eternity (1 Corinthians 5:7 – “Christ our Passover” –1 Peter 1:17–21 – “a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world”). This show of power over hostile forces finds fulfillment in the victory over death, Satan, corruption of heart, and the grave in the rescue of “children of wrath” from the clutches of eternal death (Ephesians 2:1–10).
III. God has shown His purity and revealed His holy expectations in His law (Exodus 20:1–26).
Even at the giving of the law, the necessity of the incarnation and absence of the works of human hands was implicit. Any altar of sacrifice before the completion of the altar and tabernacle was not to show marks of human ingenuity or design; no pride in human accomplishment could be tolerated in the necessity of a sacrifice for sin. The law was given to demonstrate our incapability of attaining acceptance before God by personal righteousness. “Through the law I died to the law that I might live to God. … for as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse; … Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Galatians 2:19; 3:10, 13).
IV. God has revealed that he makes complete satisfaction, the gracious provision of an atonement for sins of all kinds through his designated sacrifices (Leviticus 1–6:7).
A. In recognition that righteousness cannot come by the law, God has provided a full array of the kinds of sins that us sinners will commit and grants assurance that a sacrifice can cover it.
Nuances exist in the bringing of these different kinds of offerings: the burnt offering, the grain offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, and the restitution offering including specific ways in which these offerings were to be executed.
B. Also, God revealed strict requirements concerning the once-a-year offerings of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).
The chorus resonates throughout these descriptions, “The priest shall make atonement for him, for his sin that he has committed and it shall be forgiven him” (e.gLeviticus 4:20, 26, 31, 35 etc.)
C. The book of Hebrews makes it clear that these aspects of forgiveness were not perfect and complete but must find their culmination and moral fulfillment on in the Person and Work of Christ.
His sacrifice satisfied once-for-all God’s just wrath against human sin and justified God’s passing over of sins previously committed (Romans 3:25). Though God justified in the ages before the incarnation, He did so on the basis of covenantal arrangement to be executed by Christ (Galatians 3:19–25). The worshippers were not made perfect by these temporary, day-by-day, year-by-year sacrifices (Hebrews 7:26–28; 9:11–15; 26–28), but only in anticipation of Christ and objectively fulfilled in his obedient life and substitutionary death.
V. God promised His presence to secure, cheer, and guide (Numbers 9:15–23).
This duplicates the narrative in Exodus 40:34–39). Though many of them would perish in the wilderness because of disobedience, God nevertheless continued his leadership all the way and through the decades to bring them to the inheritance promised to Abraham. This was a demonstration of God’s faithfulness even though the people were unfaithful. God would bring them to the promised earthly home to grant to his elect the promised eternal heavenly home. “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come” (Hebrews 13:5, 14).
A. The completion of the Tabernacle established the special presence of God with the children of Israel.
The cloud by day and the fire by night led them throughout their wanderings, through plague and comfort. All the way to their promised inheritance, God’s presence abided.
B. Jesus has tabernacled among us in the incarnation (John 1:14) and even in that state of humiliation, John says, “We beheld His glory.”
Jesus completed the work He came to do, sent His spirit to empower us and grant persevering grace, and has promised, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Poem
Those first-born but without blood-cover faced the death angel’s doom.
Cries of despair rose throughout the land for death racked every home.
The Deliverer had come and the enemy defeated,
Plague and blood freed Jacob’s sons, left Pharaoh’s power unseated.
The Sea responded to God’s will and covered the uncovered.
God’s people sang and celebrated for God’s presence hovered.
A law of holy purity, a sacrifice for sin,
Separation to Jehovah, claimed by Him without, within.
Worship governed by His word, a priesthood clearly set apart,
Obey each pointer to salvation, Love the Lord with all your heart.
Each son, a tribe, a holy nation, moved by God’s unswerving plan;
Each would camp, and each would follow, guided by their Lord’s command.
By day a cloud, by night a fire, these symbols of a gracious God,
To give them rest, to lead them forward to the promised rich abode.
The fullness of God’s saving grace displayed in blood and power and law,
Reveals his ever-present mercy, filled with wisdom, seen with awe.
By your grace, Lord, guide us ever, both in darkness and in light.
Let us praise the sovereign myst’ry, saved through weakness and through might.
