Numbers 5:11-16- Then
the LORD said to Moses, "Speak to
the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man's wife goes astray and
is unfaithful to him by sleeping with another man, and this is
hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no
witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), and if feelings of
jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she
is impure--or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure--then
he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth
of an ephah of barley flour on her
behalf. He must not pour oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain
offering for jealousy, a reminder offering to
draw attention to guilt. The priest shall bring her and have her stand before
the LORD.
The ten commandments that God had given Moses included a
specific law against adultery. And now God felt the need to add to his explanations
and guidelines a specific thing to do if adultery was suspected …but no
evidence was found to substantiate the claim of a ‘jealous’ husband. A ritual …that
required the woman to be brought before the Lord…and drink ‘bitter water’…was
explained to Moses…so he could speak to the people…and remind them that only
God has the right to punish sin…especially sin that is just suspected.
Jealously…a dangerous emotion….that eats away the trust
between two people. It destroys the
heart…it eats away confidence and encourages other sins…like lying. It eventually separates the two who once
claimed love for one another… and in the days of Moses brought death by stoning
to anyone who admitted such behaviors. It is one thing to know for sure…but
quite another to just ‘think it true’ with no proof....the stoning of an
innocent person…man or woman would be considered murder…so God gave them a sure
way to deal with an ‘suspicion’ so it
would not end in hostile actions for an innocent woman.
Believe it or not…this rule protected the woman…as much as it
brought about a healthy fear of ever committing such a serious sin against God
and her spouse. Many of the commentaries
I researched said that the mistreatment of suspected women was horrible in
those days. This rule forced a jealous husband to let God decide her guilt or
innocence. It kept one from dragging their wife out to be stoned without it
being ordained by God.
This scripture…though it was written for a day long ago
still reminds us to take our suspicions to God before they are allowed to
fester….destroy trust….destroy a healthy heart and open the door to other sin.
I am reminded this morning of my own first marriage...and how badly I fell into
this trap of jealously when I suspected my first husband had been unfaithful. I can see and hear the mean spirited
accusations I spat out around the breakfast table where I work….how I allowed
my suspicious to fester and create an anger that gripped my heart and engulfed
me in depression and despair. I never once asked God to help me…never once just
came out and ask him to show me what was true and how he wanted me to deal with
it…I just whirled around the doubts in my heart till Satan had me complete in
his grip of anger and hate….allowing my heart to give up…just walking out on a
promise I had made 30 years before.
God has been working on me…trying to help me learn to
forgive and forget the past. He is repairing the damage I allowed Satan to do
to my heart…helping me to always bring my doubts and suspicions to him before I
let them fester….or turn into anger. James 3:14-16 says “But if you have bitter jealousy
and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.
This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual,
demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder
and every vile practice.”
Father…I thank you for this reminder that I must constantly
guard my heart against the anger and selfishness of jealously. I remember so
vividly the night that you showed me how to forgive…and how your sweet peace
washed over my anger and bitterness and began to heal my broken heart. Help me to remain in your love…and draw
strength from your truth…and never let Satan trick me into anger and jealously
again. Protect my heart….set up your
presence in my soul and create a passion in me to always listen to you…to hear
your voice...and act only on your directions. Amen
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