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Topic: Penalty For Impurity
[DCLM Daily Manna 2 March 2020 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: Numbers 19:11-22
11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.
12 He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
14 This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.
15 And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.
16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
17 And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
19 And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.
21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
22 And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.
KEY VERSE: “But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.” – (Numbers 19:20)
MESSAGE:
Our contemporary world is enmeshed in damning acts of impurity and debauchery. Because iniquity abounds, the heart of most men are determined to practice evil. Those who once abhorred sin like plague ironically have become active participants because of wrong perception that doing good in the midst of evil is foolishness. Yet, God will judge all unrighteousness.
His desire for all men in every generation is that we should be holy. He created man in His holy image. Even after the Fall, He made the plan of salvation so that man could regain his original nature and true holiness. This is because God Himself is holy and wants to have fellowship with man.
Our text reveals the possibility of being defiled as a result of touching the dead body of a man and the necessary purification rites. However, if the defiled remained in his uncleanness, he shall be cut off from among the congregation. Under the New Testament dispensation, Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God, has made atonement for sins of the whole world. “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” The Lord has promised to forgive every penitent sinner.
What happens to hardened sinners and backsliders who continue in their evil ways? “There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery adversaries.” God loves all men and is willing to forgive all sinners and backsliders who penitently seek Him. Take advantage of His mercy today and make your ways right with Him.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Rejecting God’s counsel causes eternal shame.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 15-17
