Youth STS Lesson 106: Purification of The Unclean
MEMORY VERSE: “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil” (Isaiah 1:16).
TEXT: Numbers 19:1-22
Our text today deals with the commandment concerning the purification of unclean persons and those defiled as a result of touching a dead body (verse 11). This was to be done by killing and burning a red heifer (baby cow) without spot and blemish. The ashes of the heifer “shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin” (verse 9). The holy nature of God hates sin. “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity…” (Habakkuk 1:13). Today, sinners can only be cleansed by the blood of Christ as they repent and believe in Him. The blood of Christ was shed for complete cleansing without need of any other sacrifice as it was required in the Old Testament (Hebrews 9:14). A close study of the text in this lesson shows: God’s law (verse 2); provision of an heifer without spot and blemish (verse 2); the sacrifice that was to be done outside the camp (verses 3,9); the cleansing was for the defiled person (verses 11,12); the purpose of the water of separation (verse 9); the permanence of the law (verse 10) and death penalty for the disobedient (verse 13). This law of cleansing was for any defiled person in Israel and strangers living among them (Numbers 19:10). In the same way, the salvation provided by Christ is for every sinner who accepts and believes in His sacrifice. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9).
Question 1: Why is cleansing necessary today?
Cleansing is necessary today because without it, we cannot have forgiveness that brings us into relationship with God. This means that we cannot enjoy the blessings of God while living in sin. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
- CAREFUL PREPARATION FOR CLEANSING.
Numbers 19:1-16; Isaiah 1:16-20; Jeremiah 4:14; Acts 22:16; 2 Corinthians 7:1; James 4:8; 1 John 3:3.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, this is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke” (Numbers 19:1,2). This ordinance was specifically for any defiled person in Israel and strangers living among them. The Lord commanded Moses and Aaron to speak to the children of Israel to provide a red heifer without spot and blemish, which Eleazer the priest shall kill outside the camp. The priest must be careful to observe this ordinance.
One, the priest shall sprinkle the blood directly before the tabernacle seven times (verse 4).
Two, the heifer shall be burnt before the priest and the cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet cast “into the midst of the burning of the heifer” (verses 5,6).
Three, the priest shall wash his clothes and remain unclean till evening (verse 8).
Four, the ashes of the heifer shall be kept outside the camp for the congregation (verse 9). This is water of separation and for “purification for sin”.
Five, any person who touched a dead body shall be unclean and shall purify himself on the third day (verses 11,12). This ceremonial law has been replaced with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary (1 Peter 1:18,19). However, a sinner must take specific steps to receive the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice.
Question 2: State steps a sinner must take to receive salvation through the sacrifice of Christ.
“ctNeither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (As 4:12). To benefit from the sacrifice of Christ and enjoy the salvation He offers, a sinner must accept Jesus as his lord and Saviour, believe in Him as the only Way to God, the Father; confess all his sins to the Lord and depend on His grace to live a new and overcoming life. Furthermore, other blessings through the blood of Christ include sanctification, healing, deliverance and protection from evil. “Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him” (Numbers 19:13). The punishment for those who disobey this ordinance was death penalty. The Lord expects everyone in the church to obey His word. The Scripture says obedience is better than sacrifice and disobedience is sin (1 Samuel 15:22,23). Obedience helps us maintain a good relationship with God.
Question 3: Mention specific areas God requires obedience from Christian youths.
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). The word of God specifically states areas God expects obedience from Christian youths.
Some of them include command to live a holy life (1 Peter 1:15,16), be filled with the Spirit of God (Acts 1:4,5), preach the gospel (Mark 16:15,16), pray always (1 Thessalonians 5:17), love God and man (1 Timothy 1:5) and separation from the world and worldliness (2 Corinthians 6:16-18; 1 John 2:15-17).
2.CEREMONIAL PURIFICATION BY WATER.
Numbers 19:17-19; Acts 13:38,39; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 5:25-27; Hebrews 9:13,14; 13:20,21; 1 Peter 1:2,18,19; Revelation 1:5.
“And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel” (Numbers 19:17). The ceremonial cleansing by water was to be administered by a clean person to an unclean person. The unclean person shall take the ashes of the burnt heifer and the running water in a vessel and the clean person shall sprinkle the water upon the defiled and other things that are unclean. This shall be done on the third and seventh day (verse 19). The purpose of this process was for the “purification for sin”.
Question 4: What can we learn from these procedures as related to that of Christ?
One, only Jesus Christ qualifies as the clean Person that can cleanse sinners from their sins (Hebrews 7:26-28).
Two, a sinning youth must acknowledge his sins, accept the sacrifice of Christ and confess his sins to God.
Three, God expects both outward and inward cleansing from all His children (verse 18; Romans 12:1,2). In the Bible, water signifies both the Scripture and the Spirit of God by which true purification is obtained (Ephesians 5:26,27; Romans 15:16). Those who desire to be cleansed must submit themselves to the work of the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament ceremonial purification was a type of cleansing of the conscience of believers from the pollution of sin (Hebrews 9:13,14). We cannot compare the effectiveness of the blood of Christ with the cleansing that was done through the “the ashes of an heifer” (Hebrews 9:13). Even he that sprinkled the water of separation or touched the unclean person must be unclean till the evening; that is, he must not come near the sanctuary (Numbers 19:21,22). This reveals the imperfection of those services and their insufficiency to purify man’s conscience. Through Christ, our conscience is purged from dead works and we have liberty and access to the throne of God. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19,22).
- CONSEQUENCE OF REMAINING UNCLEAN.
Numbers 19:20-22; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 5:12; 6:23; Revelation 21:8.
“But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean” (verse 20). The consequence of refusing the provision made by God was death penalty. Also, all that the unclean person touched or any person that touched him became unclean. This law was a perpetual statute to the children of Israel. It is dangerous to look down on divine instructions. Uncleanness separates us from God. “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27). No unclean youth can have any inheritance in the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). His command is for everyone to repent and be cleansed in order to avoid His wrath. Those who fail to respond will have themselves to blame, because the holy God will judge every sinning youth and those found guilty will be condemned.
Question 5: What are the consequences of living in uncleanness
Disobeying the command to be cleansed will lead the offender into dangerous consequences. Neglect to get cleansed with the blood of Christ will cause dullness of understanding (Acts 28:27), darken your conscience (Ephesians 4:18), divert your feet (Isaiah 53:6), defile your tongue (Romans 3:13,14), deceive your heart (Jeremiah 17:9), devour your intellect (1 Corinthians 2:14) and damn your soul in hell (Ezekiel 18:4). Avoid hell today by repenting and being cleansed with the blood of Christ. Having the knowledge of the content of cleansing, there must be a positive response to the question of a songwriter:
Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you wash’d in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you wash’d in the blood of the Lamb?
All youth should desire to be cleansed since the provision for cleaning is made available to all for free. One cannot be cleansed except he accepts and believes God’s provision for it (Psalms 51:7; 79:9; John 13:9). Our soul, spirit and body need to be presented to God for cleansing from all pollution. His promise says, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23,24).