Dclm Adults sts Lesson 85 – Test of Marital Unfaithfulness

MEMORY VERSE: “Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be guilty; Then they shall confess their sin which they have done…” (Numbers 5:6,7a).

TEXT: Numbers 5:1-31

This chapter reveals God’s directives on the preservation of holiness in the camp of Israel. He informed them that He would dwell in their camp on the proviso that they remained free from both moral and ceremonial defilement. In particular, the text focuses on the exclusion of those who have ceremonial uncleanness, restitution of misappropriated property and how to resolve cases of suspected marital unfaithfulness.

In every age, God’s expectation from His people is a life of continuous holiness. He abhors any appearance of defilement both in the individual lives of believers as well as in their interpersonal relationships. Just as purity was required for God to dwell in Israel’s camp, it is equally demanded if we want God to dwell among us today. On the condition that we come out and remain separate from all defilements and defilers, God promises to dwell with us and be our Father (2 Corinthians 6:14- 18; Ezekiel 43:9). The regulations given in this text are typical of what believers must do to remain pure and enjoy the presence of God always.

SEPARATION FROM DEFILEMENT IN THE CAMP.

Numbers 5:1-4; Leviticus 13:45-49; 15:2-33; 21:1-12; Ezekiel 43:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16,17; 5:8,13; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 2 Thessalonians 3:14; 2 John 10,11; Revelation 21:27.

God instructed Moses to command the children of Israel to isolate from their camp every leper and every one that has an issue, and whoever is defiled by reason of having contact with a corpse or participating in mourning for the dead (Numbers 5:1,2). The command was intended to keep the camp clean from all forms of defilement. The instruction was not gender-based as both sexes were involved. But beyond the physical benefit of preventing infections, the exclusion of these people symbolises the removal of sin from the camp. Leprosy typified sin in the way it destroys the flesh of its victim gradually. If they were left in the camp, they could spread defilement to others either directly or indirectly. Therefore, God commanded their removal so “that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof [He dwells]” (Numbers 5:3b). God has zero tolerance for defilement and Moses made this clear to the Israelites that if He sees anything unclean among them, He would turn away from their midst (Deuteronomy 23:14).

God’s directive to put away defilement from Israel’s camp teaches that outward and administrative perfection in the church must be coupled with holiness. Though the camp of Israel had been well organised and made secure; the tabernacle and the priesthood had been put in place, yet God would not dwell with them on those accounts except they were free from defilement. This tells us that holiness is central for individuals and congregations that want to retain the presence of God. Notice also that the individual leper or ceremonially defiled person was removed from his or her position in the camp. That is an indication that sin makes a believer forfeit his/her place in God’s kingdom. Believers must continue in holiness for them to enjoy the grace of God. And if anyone falls into sin, it will take genuine repentance and total cleansing to restore lost privileges and rights to such a person.

In the New Testament, the command to excommunicate those who persist in sin corresponds with the exclusion of defiled persons from Israel’s camp (1 Corinthians 5:12,13). The camp of Israel typified the church. Therefore, church leaders must remove anyone whose presence in the assembly would constitute a source of defilement to others. Individual believers must also get rid of anything that defiles from their personal lives because “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6).

The obedient response of the Israelites to God’s command on this point is worthy of emulation. Much later, when Miriam became leprous because she spoke against Moses, she was shut out of the camp notwithstanding her clout in the assembly (Numbers 12:1-16).

SCRIPTURAL DIRECTIVES ON RESTITUTION FOR WRONGS DONE.

Numbers 5:5-10; Genesis 20:1-8,14- 18; Exodus 22:1-7; Leviticus 5:15-18; 6:1-7; Luke 19:8,9; Matthew 5:23,24; Acts 23:1-5; 24:16.

In furtherance of God’s instruction to maintain purity in their lives, He instructed the Israelites to make restitution whenever anyone has done wrong against his or her neighbour. These instructions on restitution in our text are additions to what God had commanded before on the subject (Leviticus 5:15-18; 6:1-7). By this commandment, He places emphasis on living right with Him and with our fellow men. When a man commits sin, he needs to make things right with God through confession, but there is also a need to make things right with the person offended, by making restitution. Therefore, to restitute a trespass involves two things: confession to God and compensation to our fellow men Confession without restitution is incomplete repentance. our fellow men, restoring stolen or misappropriated Restitution is making right all wrongs done against properties to their rightful owners, paying debts, making confessions to those offended, apologising to those slandered, correcting wrong marriages, exposing examination malpractices and giving back whatever has been gained by fraud, including certificates, wife or husband. In cases of misappropriated property belonging to a neighbour, the law required the Israelites to return the exact cost of the property plus a twenty percent surcharge to the rightful owner. But, if the owner has died, the restitution should be made to his relation; and if the man has no kinsmen to recompense the trespass unto, it should be recompensed unto the Lord by giving it to the priest. In our present time, complex cases of restitution should be referred to church leaders who are God’s representatives.

It is surprising that many people reject or rationalise the clear teaching of the Scripture on restitution. Some claim that the demand to make restitution after experiencing the new birth is a relapse to legalism; while others postulate that the practice has been abolished with the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. But they err. To make restitution cannot be equated with legalism because it is not a means of obtaining justification from God; rather, it is a proof that one has truly been justified. It is a fruit of repentance and evidence of a true desire to have a clear conscience before God and man. Anyone who has truly made peace with God will equally long to make peace with their fellow men. doctrine of restitution Looking at the Scripture, the is not limited to a particular dispensation. Before the law was given by Moses, Abimelech, the king of  Gerar made restitution by restoring Sarah to Abraham, her rightful husband (Genesis 20:1-8; 14-18).  under the dispensation of the law, God commended restitution (Leviticus 6:1-7; Numbers 5:5-10). In the New Testament, Zacchaeus, Paul and others made restitution (Luke 19:8,9; Acts 23:1-5; Philemon 18,19). Thus, restitution is timeless and God expects believers to make restitution wherever they have done wrong.

SUSPICION OF MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS AND ITS RESOLUTION.

Numbers 5:11-31; Leviticus 18:20, 20:10; Job 24:15; Proverbs 2:16,17; 6:34; 30:20; Song of Solomon 8:6; Zechariah 7:10; 8:17; Hebrews 13:4.

God instructed Moses on how to resolve cases where a husband accuses his wife of committing adultery but has no conclusive evidence. This could be a case of unfounded suspicion on the part of the husband or actual secret infidelity carefully concealed by the wife. Either way, God considers the allegation of marital unfaithfulness a weighty matter that must be investigated diligently so as to exonerate the innocent and punish the guilty. Here we learn that God will not condone even the slightest hint of evil among His people. Jealousy in the heart of the husband must be dissolved because it destroys the foundation of trust and, if left unresolved, can be as cruel as death. On the other hand, sexual immorality is a heinous crime against God and man. Therefore, every suspected case of infidelity must be searched out and dealt with. In the New Testament, believers are instructed to avoid even a hint of immorality in their lives; and peradventure there is any such hint of evil in the church, we are instructed to deal with it ruthlessly (Ephesians 5:3; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

In our text, God commands the man who suspects that his wife has committed adultery to bring her to the priest to be tried and proven innocent or guilty. In other words, the accuser must not take laws into his own hands but allow God’s priest to adjudicate. The priest would subject the woman to what was known as a “trial by ordeal”, which was a very common means of exposing secret marital unfaithfulness in ancient times. God gave the Israelites definite instructions on how to carry out this trial because He did not want them to copy the idolatrous versions which the Canaanites practised. However, it must be stated that such trial is not valid for use by believers today. The Holy Spirit and His numerous gifts in the church supersede those ceremonial procedures which God ordained only as a temporary measure.

Following the test procedure, the result was always remarkable because God intervened, and not that there was anything magical about the water that was given to the suspect to drink. If truly the woman had been unfaithful to her husband, the water would enter her body system, her belly became swollen and her thighs rotten. But on the contrary, if the woman was innocent and it was just a case of the husband being unduly jealous, the bitter waters would do her no harm. Instead, the innocent woman would be more robust in health and she would bear children. It is significant that the same water that exposed the guilt of the secret adulteress proved the innocence of the faithful wife who was falsely accused. In other words, what causes dread and disgrace to the wicked holds no terror for the righteous. If we have done no evil and we are innocent before God, nothing can harm us (Daniel 6:22; Psalm 18:19-24).

This procedure reveals God’s concern over the sanctity of marriage and the need to curb negative feelings such as jealousy, suspicion, wrong accusation and the like. To this end, believers should avoid adultery and fornication like a plague, not just because they destroy the marriage union but that they directly violate God’s law. Also, husbands and wives should conduct themselves in such a way as to avoid any suspicion by their spouses. There should be no secret dealings with, or undue closeness to the opposite gender. But then, believers should also desist from entertaining unfounded suspicion against one another. Our relationships should be based on mutual trust; and when there is a breach of that trust, the matter should be brought rought to the open, investigated and dealt with. and lack of mutual trust destroy good Suspicions.

There are sundry lessons from the test of marital unfaithfulness in our text. First, there is nothing covered that will not be revealed. Every secret sin that men commit are open and known to God. Therefore, let those who cover up their evil deeds wise up and repent before. their sins find them out. Second, it is more honourable for an offender to confess his or her wrong rather than being investigated and disgraced. A secret adulteress who claims innocence and goes through these frightening rituals with impudence, only to be exposed afterwards, will certainly become a byword among the people. Achan faced such a tragedy and became a byword in Israel (Joshua 7:16-26).

Third, God is fair and will never be party to gender bias. Though there was no such test of marital unfaithfulness designed for men in the Old Testament, God exposed and judged them severely for committing adultery. As a matter of fact, the test of marital unfaithfulness worked on the woman only if the accuser himself was free from the same sin (Hosea 4:14). Hence, it was a matter of whoever comes to equity must come with clean hands.

During the earthly ministry of Jesus, the Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in the act of adultery. They wanted Him to sanction her execution. But Jesus said unto them: “…He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” (John 8:7). By this, Christ did not condone sin but encouraged everyone to acknowledge their sinfulness, repent and experience genuine salvation. Fourth, a day of retribution is coming when God will, through Jesus Christ, judge the secret deeds of men according to the gospel (Romans 2:16). Fifth, God will surely reward the righteous. Believers who are falsely accused today and wrongly punished will one day be exonerated and fully rewarded.

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW:

1. How can believers enjoy the abiding presence of God always?
2. What can we learn from God’s directive to put away defilements from Israel’s camp?
3. How true is the doctrine of unconditional security of believers in view of God’s command to put out those who were defiled from the camp?
4. What is restitution? Prove from the Scripture that the practice of restitution is timeless.
5. What are the dangers of marital unfaithfulless?
6.  What should be the believer’s stance and reaction to marital infidelity?
7. Point out key lessons from the test of marital unfaithfulness in our text.