Numbers 19:1-2 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: “This is a requirement of the law that the LORD has commanded….”
In Numbers 19 as in others chapters, commentary talks about the public health nature of many of the cleanliness guidelines in the Bible. With concern over the coronavirus at a fevered pitch, I can certainly appreciate the public health aspect of Numbers 19 in an entirely different way.
Numbers 19:9 “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes….They are to be kept…for use in the water of cleansing….”
But these measures are not just about public health concerns. They are also about approaching the meeting place of God in such a way that respects who He is. He is God. When we go to His house, we wouldn’t dream of showing up caked in mud, but we should also have a heart that seeks Him and seeks to come clean with Him.
Numbers 19:11 “Whoever touches a human corpse will be unclean for seven days.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reminder that You are sovereign and holy and that the spirit in which we approach You is critical. Help us to come clean with You, to be honest with You, in all areas of our lives. Draw us closer. Amen.
Numbers 19:20 “But if those who are unclean do not purify themselves, they must be cut off from the community, because they have defiled the sanctuary of the LORD….
Have a blessed day.
My faith, my life, my teaching–it's all a work in progress.