Lesson 2 Purification Of The Unclean
TEXT: Numbers 19:1-22
God is interested in every detail of the life of His children. He does not want them to be corrupted by the evil practices of the people that surround them. Therefore, He sends instructions, commandments and warnings as to the need to remain pure and holy before Him. He also made provision for their cleansing peradventure they became unclean through their carelessness.
For New Testament people, Jesus had been offered as our sin-Bearer. His blood is the only cleansing agent that can remove all the stains of sin and present us spotless before our holy God.
“Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood? In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless?
Are they white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?”
If you are still doing bad things like stealing, fighting, telling lies, disobeying, etc., you must run to the Saviour now and “lay aside the garments that are stained with sin, and be washed in the blood of the Lamb.” Ask Jesus to come into your heart to be your personal Lord and Saviour.
- PROVISION FOR PURIFICATION OF THE UNCLEAN:
Numbers 19:1-10; Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 4:11,12; Hebrews 9:13,14; Matthew 1:21; 1 John 2:1,2
Purification is a noun used to describe the act or process of making a defiled person clean or free from sin. It involves the removal of impurities. Other words that further explain what purification is are cleansing, decontamination, disinfect, filter, fumigation, refine, sanitize and wash. These words show the importance of both physical and spiritual cleansing.
God in His love and mercy knows that the children of Israel were opened to temptation to become unclean. He therefore made provision for their cleansing. He is a holy God, anyone who will come near Him must be holy. The people were commanded to bring a spotless red heifer (a young female cow) to sacrifice for the cleansing of their sins. The colour red was a symbol to remind them of the future provision for the salvation of the whole world. This great provision is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins. The sinless blood He shed is the only one thing that has power to wash away our sins and present us spotless before the Holy God.
There is always a link between the Old Testament and New Testament. Whatever provisions were made through the sacrificial system were shadow of what was to come. Jesus Christ, is the Lamb of God, slayed from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). There is no other sacrifice needed to cleanse a sinner from sin. Jesus Christ is the perfect sacrifice; He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. All a sinner needs do is to come to Him and be cleansed.
- PENALTY FOR DISOBEYING GOD’S COMMAND:
Numbers 19:13,20; Hebrews 9:22; Revelation 21:27
The law of purification of the unclean is of great significance to all friends of Jesus. God counts it very important and therefore prescribed punishment for anyone who disobeys. Such a person will be cut off from the congregation of the people and will not have the privilege of worshiping God.
However, it is important to note that these ceremonial laws have been abolished with the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins. Therefore, sinners have no excuse to remain in their sinful ways. Anyone who rejects God’s offer of salvation and dies in his sins will cry forever in hellfire.
The warning to all sinners and backsliders now is to sincerely pray like the Psalmist “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:2). God is holy and all that desire to live with Him eternally in heaven must be holy as He is (1 Peter 1:15,16).
- THE PROCESS OF PURIFICATION OF THE SINFUL:
Numbers 19:1-22; 5:2; Leviticus 21:1,11; Hebrews 9:13,14; 1 John 1:6-9
The law given to Israel prescribed in specific detail the process of the purification of the defiled. The sacrifice of the red heifer provided for the cleansing of anyone who was defiled and therefore unable to draw near to God in worship. The red heifer without blemish was killed and burned outside the camp. The ashes were kept, mixed with water and applied to those who were defiled as the need arise.
This purification process makes the person clean, allowing him to come near to God once again. As the children of Israel had in the ashes a ready means for their purification, so the believers in Christ have a ready fountain of the blood of Jesus. Through the cleansing by the blood of Jesus, we can draw near to God, receive mercy and obtain grace to help in time of need.
Today, the sinner does not need to go through all those processes. Jesus’ death has made everything simple for all. All a sinner need do is to sincerely and urgently
- Acknowledge his sinful state
- Confess his sins to God
- Repent and ask for forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Jesus.
- Promise God that he will not go back to sin.
- Ask Jesus into his heart to be his personal Saviour and Lord.
- Start to live the new life through daily observance of quiet time, reading and meditating on God’s word.
QUESTIONS :
- What provision did God make in the Old Testament for the cleansing of the unclean?
- The process of the cleansing involves _________________
- What is the significance of the red heifer?
- What is the punishment for the sinner who refuses to obey God’s command?
- What steps should a sinful child take to be cleansed?
MEMORY VERSE: “And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin” (Numbers 19:9)
LESSON: The blood of Jesus is the perfect cleansing agent for all sinners.
THOUGHT: I am washed in the blood of Jesus.
ACTIVITY: Prayer and altar call.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 38 – HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS?
CHORUSES: (1) There is power mighty in the blood (2) Jesus died on the cross (3) He has broken every fetter.
HOMEWORK: Share with a sinful child what he/she needs to do to be cleansed.
BIBLE WORD SEARCH
Find the meanings of these words. You can use your dictionary.
- Purification
- Unclean
- Cleansing
- Fountain
- Significance
