Last Sunday in TBC, Pastor Akira shared the story of his time in Bible school when he consulted his professor about his plan to make an in-depth study of the Old Testament Law (the Torah, first five books). His professor advised him that it is difficult, and can even be dangerous, to study the Old Testament just by itself. I understand that now – without Jesus, many things in the Law does not make sense, and can be quite discouraging. Case in point, the second part of Numbers 5.
A husband, who finds out his wife committed adultery – or even just thinks that she did, whether it is true or not – has some things within his right that he is able to do. He can present his wife to God through the priest, and let her go through a test. Up until here the focus is on the jealous husband, but now the focus is on the wife. She is made to give a testimony in front of God of her innocence, and the effect of the water (holy, mixed with dust from the area inside the temple) she is made to drink will determine if she is truthful or not.
There are so many angles we can look at regarding this passage, but for now, just one. God tells us that He is a jealous God. He is jealous for the people He created, loves, and through Jesus, sacrificed and gave up so much for. He is forever faithful and, rightly so, expects those who has committed themselves to Him to be faithful as well. God calls the Church – his people – as his bride.
If we as a church, or just personally, were made to stand before God now – will we be able to say confidently that we are faithful? We can hide from people, our sins can be hidden, but not to God. I would not drink the holy water. I would break down and confess my sin. Numbers 5 does not say what happens in that case, but I do know what the jealous God will do. What He has already done. He forgives, he took the punishment in our place, he cleanses us, and we are made new. We are able to escape the curse, and we are even recipients of greater blessings.
It’s fitting to end this post with the song “How He Loves”:
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us, oh,
Oh, how He loves us,
How He loves us all