Separation from the Defiled

INTRODUCTION: The Lord desired to dwell in the midst of His people, but in order for this to happen they had to be willing to separate from the defiled. Though we live in a different dispensation and some things have changed concerning the presence of God, we still must be willing to separate from defilement.

1. The Demand for Purification (Numbers 5:1-4)
1. The Command to Separate (Numbers 5:2)
1. Biblical separation is twofold:
1. Separation from something
2. Separation unto God
2. Separation in Chapters 5 and 6
1. Separation from (Numbers 5)
2. Separation unto (Numbers 6)
2. The People to Separate from (Numbers 5:2)
1. Lepers
2. Every one that hath an issue
3. Those defiled by the dead
3. The Purpose of Separation (Numbers 5:3)
1. Defilement of the camp
1. Separation from defilement is not done to be cruel to the defiled.
2. Evil, defilement, and uncleanness can be transferred (Numbers 19:22).
3. God cared more for the purity of the camp than the feelings of the defiled.
4. This is similar to what we know as church discipline (Galatians 1:8-9).
2. The presence of God
1. The congregations responsibility
1. Israel had a special relationship with God (Deuteronomy 4:7; Deuteronomy 5:26; Psalm 147:19-20; Romans 9:4-5).
2. God would meet with Israel and their priests in a special way (Exodus 25:21-22; Exodus 29:42-44; Exodus 30:6, 36).
3. God was to dwell among them (Exodus 25:8; Exodus 29:45-46; Leviticus 26:11-12).
4. As such, there was a great danger of defiling Gods tabernacle among them (Leviticus 15:31; Numbers 19:11-13, 20).
2. Gods hatred for sin
1. God cannot dwell with it (Psalm 5:4).
2. God abhors sins and those who do them (Psalm 10:3).
3. God is wearied by sins (Isaiah 43:24).
4. Sin makes God angry (Jeremiah 25:7).
5. God cannot look upon iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13).
2. The Recompensing of the Trespass (Numbers 5:5-10)
1. The Offense Committed (Numbers 5:6)
2. The Restitution (Numbers 5:7-10)
1. Confession of sin
2. Recompense the trespass and add the fifth part
1. To the kinsman if living
2. If there are no kinsman let it be recompensed unto the Lord.
3. This is certainly an outward demonstration of repentance.
4. Offerings brought unto the priest are his.
3. The Jealousy Offering (Numbers 5:11-31)
1. Suspicion of Guilt (Numbers 5:11-14)
1. There was no evidence against the woman.
2. The husband did not know for sure whether or not she was guilty.
3. If the spirit of jealousy would come upon him, then he would put her through the trial.
2. Her Presentation before the Priest (Numbers 5:15)
1. The man brings his wife before the priest.
2. The husband brings her offering for her.
3. Her Offering (Numbers 5:15)
1. The offering is a tenth part of an ephah of barley meal.
2. No oil is to be poured on it.
3. No frankincense is to be put on it.
4. It is an offering of jealousy.
5. It is an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
4. Her Presentation before the LORD (Numbers 5:16-18)
1. The woman is brought near and set before the Lord.
2. The priest would take holy water and put it in an earthen vessel.
3. The priest would take some dust from off of the tabernacle floor and put it into the water.
4. The woman was completely open before the Lord.
5. The priest would have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse.
5. The Charging of the Oath (Numbers 5:19-22)
1. The priest would charge her by an oath.
1. If no man have lain with thee, be thou free.
2. If thou hast gone aside, the Lord make thee a curse.
2. The Lord would make her thigh to rot and her belly to swell.
3. The woman says, Amen, amen.
6. The Curses (Numbers 5:23-24)
1. The priest writes the curses in a book.
2. He then blots them out with the water.
3. The woman will have to drink the water.
7. The Offering of the Jealousy Offering (Numbers 5:25-26)
1. The priest takes the jealousy offering out of the womans hand.
2. He waves it before the Lord.
3. He offers it upon the altar.
4. The priest then takes a handful of the offering and burns it upon the altar.
5. After this the woman will drink the water.
8. The Drinking of the Bitter Water (Numbers 5:26-28)
1. The woman drinks the water.
2. This water contains dirt and the curses.
3. If she is defiled
1. The water will become bitter - A supernatural working of God did this.
2. Her belly shall swell.
3. Her thigh shall rot.
4. She will be a curse among her people.
4. If she is not defiled
1. She shall be free.
2. She shall conceive seed.

CONCLUSION: Defilement is a serious offense to God. How seriously do we take it? What steps are we willing to take to prevent the flight of the presence and power of God?