No atonement for things done presumptuously. 22 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses, 23 Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your gene rations; 24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. 25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance: 26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance. 27 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. 28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. 30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. 32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. 35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death : all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses. 37 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue : 39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: 40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. 41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God. LECTURE 267. The peril of persisting in wilful sin. Each offering for a sin of ignorance, whether a bullock, or a kid of the goats, must be accompanied "with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner;" that is to say, the manner previously set forth in this chapter. And the efficacy of these offerings for sins of ignorance, though previously declared, see Lev. 4. 13-35, is here insisted on at length, by way of contrast with the penalty due to things done "presumptuously;" "that soul shall be cut off from among his people." Some very gross offences must in every case be presumptuous. And no offence could be atoned for, by any offering provided in the Law, if it were proved, that the offender committed it, neither in ignorance, nor through frailty, but out of such contempt of the Law, as amounted to reproaching the God who gave it. In all cases of this kind," he that despised Moses' law," the Law revealed through Moses, "died without mercy, under two or three witnesses." Heb. 10. 28. But no human witness could see the intention of the heart. And cases must be likely to occur, in which it would be hard to say whether a thing were done presumptuously or not. Such probably was the case here brought forward, of "a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day." The penalty for this offence was death. See Exod. 31. 14. 35. 2. But might not this be a sin admitting of atonement by an offering? Might it not have been done without presumption? No; for the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp." The commandment to keep the sabbath holy had been so frequently and urgently repeated, that no man could profess ignorance in transgressing it. Nor could any natural infirmity be pleaded in excuse of this particular transgression. All must join to execute the sentence; that all might be well warned against the sin. All must henceforth wear a mark of distinction on their clothes, a badge and token of their service, and of the risk they would run in wilfully neglecting it. This ordinance is to us also a token of God's purpose in behalf of us his people, that we should be separate from sinners, and holy unto the Lord. And when we see how certainly the last penalty was enforced against every presumptuous transgressor of the Law, we must not fail to think within ourselves, of how much sorer punishment he must be worthy, who presumptuously offends against the Gospel! The insurrection of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: 2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of re nown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Yetake too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? 4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face : 5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. 6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. 8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? 11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab : which said, We will not come up: 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. 15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them. LECTURE 268. Motives to restrain envy and ambition. The rebellion, of which Korah was the head, was directed personally against Moses and Aaron, as having taken too much upon themselves, too much of honour and authority, in the priesthood, and in the government of the people. Korah was himself a Le This vite, a Kohathite, a near relation of Moses and Aaron. may account for his jealousy and ambition. Dathan, and Abiram, and On, were of the tribe of Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob; which might seem to give them some title to precedency. With them were joined no less than "two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly," whose rank may have made them impatient of the authority, which the Lord had assigned to Moses and Aaron. In all these parties we see the danger of possessing eminence, either of birth, or rank, or renown. From all we may take warning against the sins of pride and envy, which beset the lowly no less than the great. One great safeguard against these evil tempers is suggested by the words of Moses to the sons of Levi, when he asked them whether the privileges they already possessed seemed but "a small thing" unto them. When tempted to discontent or jealousy, let us reflect on the many advantages which we all enjoy, whether high or low, rich or poor, in our fertile soil, our well ordered government, and above all in our holy religion. God has brought us all near to Himself, in the Gospel; how much nearer than all the rest of the nations! What more need we wish for, than grace on earth, and glory in heaven? And here is another consideration, yet more weighty, to the same effect, suggested in the address of Moses to Korah and his company: namely, that whatever be our station, it is God who has placed us where we Dare we accept the challenge of Moses, and refer it to God to answer, whether we ought not to be in a higher place? Know we not, that He knows us to be all unworthy of whatsoever advantages we now have? And instead of humbly thanking Him for mercies utterly undeserved, shall we venture to murmur that He heaps not on us more? If we would, if we are still tempted so to do, let us bethink ourselves of the presumption, and outrageous folly, to which pride led these "sinners against their own souls." Ver. 38. Let us hear them saying of the guilty people, so lately sentenced to death for their disobedience "all the congregation are holy." Let us listen to the reply of Dathan and Abiram, reproaching Moses with selfish ambition, and reproaching God, by calling Egypt, as God had called Canaan, a land flowing "with milk and honey." And whilst we are filled with horror at this insolence, let us mark him that was used to intercede, now wroth, and saying unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering." Oh how hopeless is their case, if their offering shall not be accepted! Oh what can save that unfruitful tree, that hardened sinner, of whom the Saviour and Intercessor Himself is heard to say, "Thou shalt cut it down?" Luke 13. 9. God forbid that we should ever thus murmur against Him! God preserve us from ever thus provoking Him, who maketh intercession for us! Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, 16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow: 17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer. 18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron. 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation. 20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their's, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. and their company, consumed. 27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side : and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. 28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. 29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. 30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. 31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation. 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. |