Chapters 5 – 8 • Unclean People in the Community (5:1 – 4)• Confession and Restitution (5:5 – 10) • A Test for Adultery (5:11 – 31) • The Nazirite Vow (6:1 – 21)• Aaron’s Blessing (6:22 – 27)• Offerings for the Tabernacle (7:1 – 89)• The Seven Lamps (8:1 – 4) • Cleansing of the Levites (8:5 – 22)• Retirement Plan for Levites (8:23 – 26)

Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge

and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead…

they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell. (5:1 – 3)

Moses Enacts the Purity Laws

• Moses enacted the purity laws recorded in Leviticus 13 – 15.

• Levitical laws protected the Israelite camp from defilement

• Among those laws were regulations governing people found to have an infectious skin disease, bodily discharge, or touching a dead body

• Unclean individuals were placed outside the camp, cities, or villages.

Confession and Restitution (5:5)

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying “Speak to the people of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the LORD, and that person

realizes his guilt, he shall confess that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong…

Confession and Restitution (5:5)• Any sinful act committed against another is

considered “breaking faith with the Lord” • Through the guilt offering, the sinner is

reconciled to the LORD and to the community of faith.

• Today, God’s people receive forgiveness through Confession and Absolution.

• However, we don’t when able to make restitution and by showing mercy towards others.

A Test for AdulteryA “water” test

The goal of the ordeal was to cause sincere confession

of sin of innocence

• The husband would bring a grain offering which the wife would hold, she would take an oath, and drink “holy water containing the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle”. (5:17)

• How she responded to the mixture determined either guilt or innocence.

Why a “TEST”? • Adultery undermines people’s lives in serious

ways: trust is destroyed, families are torn apart, children become bargaining chips, and nations are ripped apart.

• The relationship between husband and wife should always be guarded and protected.

• While the OT penalty for adultery is death, we rejoice in the forgiveness brought to us by Christ for we all belong to an “adulterous nation.”

• The Nazarite Vow was taken as a special vow for someone who wanted to be “separated, consecrated”.

• For unspecified reason, voluntarily and for a certain period of time, a person could make a special pledge of dedication to the LORD above the normal requirements of holiness.

• The vow and consecration gave the person a special, holy status.

• A very serious matter.

Samson the Nazirite

1.A Nazirite must not drink wine or any beverage made from grapes. (Numbers 6:3)

2.A Nazirite must not eat fresh grapes. (Numbers 6:3)

3.A Nazirite must not eat raisins. (Numbers 6:3)

4.A Nazirite must not eat grape seeds. (Numbers 6:4)

5. A Nazirite may not eat the skins of grapes. (Numbers 6:4)

6. A Nazirite must not become ritually impure for the dead. (Numbers 6:7)

7. A Nazirite must not go near a dead body. (Numbers 6:6)

8. A Nazirite must not shave his hair during the time of his separation. (Numbers 6:5)

Aaron’s Blessing

• The Lord now gives a blessing to his people.

• It shows his gracious favor toward them • The NAME of God is repeated 3x which

draws which anticipates the 3 fold blessing of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

• Aaron would “lift up his hands toward the people and bless them”

Aaron’s Blessing

• “keep” – guard and protect • “make his face shine” – when God’s face

shines up us his glory and grace and blessing are with us

• “countenance” – to view someone favorably. The image is that of a smile that turns the corners of the mouth upward.

• “peace” – to be well and whole

Offerings at the Tabernacle’s Consecration

• Out of gratitude for God’s mercy, “the chiefs of the tribes” (7:2) supplied consecrated items.

• Other gifts “for the dedication of the altar” by each tribal representative are recorded in the same connection.

• The ceremony extended over a period of 12 days.

• Gifts are listed individually in the roll call of the various leaders, though the gifts are identical.

• Repetition emphasizes that all tribes participated equally and that God looks for a response to His goodness from those who receive it.

• The tribal chiefs present their gifts in the same order as the arrangement of the camp.

The Golden Lamps• The beautiful lampstand served a practical

purpose, lighting the tabernacle. • The golden lampstand also foreshadowed

Christ (John 1:6 – 9). • As the lampstand gave the sanctuary light, so

Christ is the light of the world.• Many congregations today have two

lampstand of seven lamps in the chancel, symbolizing the presence of Christ with His church.

Cleansing of the Levites• Before the Levites began to carry out their

assignments (chapters 3 and 4) • They were formally inducted into office (8:5 –

19)• The rites included ceremonial and physical

purification (8:7 – 8) • The transfer of the people’s guilt to the

Levites and from them to sacrificial animals (8:8 – 12)

• The dedication of the “wave offering” (8:11)

• Laying on of Hands• People’s sins were

laid symbolically on the Levites who in turn laid their hands on the heads of the bulls to be slain to “make atonement”

• All our sins are “laid upon Jesus” who makes atonement for us

Retirement of the Levites• At the age of 50 Levites shall “withdraw

from the duty of the service and serve no more”

• Retirement was necessary due to the physical labor of caring for and moving the parts of the tabernacle.

• After retirement they would “minister to the their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard and by mentoring younger Levites for service.

Passover Celebration Numbers 9

Passover Celebration

• The census, instructions, and consecrations of chapters 1 – 8 took place over 2 weeks.

• Israel would now observe its second Passover before leaving Sinai.

• A question is posed of Moses by several men who were “unclean” because they had come into contact with a dead body.

• What are we supposed to do? • Moses consults YAWHEH

YAHWEH’S RESPONSE• If you are unclean then observe the Passover

two weeks later thus they could still participate and be ready to travel

• If someone had been on a “long journey” (v. 13) then they should do the same thing

• However “if anyone who is clean and is not on a journey fails to keep the Passover, that person shall be cut off from his people because he did not bring the LORD’s offering at its appointed time, that man shall bear his sin.” (v. 13 – 14)

• Also strangers were welcomed to the table

The Cloud Covering the Tabernacle

• See Numbers 9:15 – 23 • The final directive for the departure from Sinai

and the journey in the wilderness gave explicit marching directives.

• “Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, the people of Israel would set out, and when the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel encamped.

• The cloud could move for several days, a month, or even longer

Led by the LORD

• At God’s directive, the Israelites move away from Mt. Sinai.

• God’s providential care is evident. • The pillar cloud/fire symbolizes His gracious

hand over His covenant community. • God continues to sustain, guide, and lead his

people through his gracious gifts. • “let the fiery, cloudy pillar Lead me all my

journey through” LSB 918:2

The Silver Trumpets• Straight metal tubes, different from the

curved ram’s horn, which is also translated as “trumpet”

• The “trumpets” signaled it is was time to move

• The trumpet blasts also called together the leaders of the entire community to assemble at the tent of meeting.

• It also served as a reminder that “I AM the LORD Your God.

Israel Leaves Sinai• In the second year, on the 20th day of the month the

cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony

• Israel broke camp from Mount Sinai according to prearranged orders.

• By recording the sequence of the tribal groups and once more listing the leaders, Moses showed that the people followed God’s commands.

• They left Sinai for the wilderness of Paran

Moses Liturgical Response

And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O Lord, and let your

enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” And when it rested, he said, “Return, O

LORD, to the ten thousands of Israel.” Numbers 10:35 – 36