Numbers 5:1-10 – Expelling the Unclean
This expelling of the unclean out of the camp is a sign of: what the leadership of the church ought to do: they must separate between the precious and the evil, lest others should be infected and defiled. It is for the glory of Christ and the edification of His church that those who are openly and incorrigibly evil should be put out and kept from Christian communion till they repent. This is also a sign of what God Himself will do in the great day: He will thoroughly gather out of His kingdom all things that are wicked. As here the unclean are shut out of the camp, so into the new Jerusalem no unclean thing shall enter.
If a man sins against or defrauds his brother in any matter, it is to be looked upon as a sin against the Lord, who is the protector of right, the punisher of wrong, and who strictly charges and commands us to do justly. Satisfaction must be made for the offense done to God, whose law is broken, as well as for the loss sustained by our neighbour; restitution in this case is not sufficient without faith and repentance. This law we have had before (Lev. 6:4), and it is here added that if the party wronged is dead, and he has no near kinsman who is entitled to the debt, or if it is any way uncertain to whom the restitution should be made, this is not an excuse to keep what is unjustly gotten; and therefore it must be given to the priest.
Whatever is given to the priest, is his. He that gives it isn’t to get it back for any reason. This law makes sure that people don’t give things to the priests in a fit of zeal, and then take them back when they get angry. The other priests are not to share with that priest to whom the hallowed thing, whatever it is, is given. The one that does the work, let him have the pay.
Question
- What is the expelling of the unclean a sign of?
- What should someone do if they cheated their neighbour?
Prayer Points
- Pray for the leadership of the church.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.