What connections exist between Numbers 31:20 and New Testament teachings on purity? Setting the Scene “Purify every garment and every article of leather, every work of goat hair, and every article of wood.” (Numbers 31:20) • After the battle with Midian, Israel’s soldiers returned with loot that had been exposed to death and pagan culture. • God required a ritual cleansing of even inanimate objects before they could be used among His people. • The principle: whatever has been touched by impurity must be cleansed before entering God’s camp. Purity Moves From Objects to Hearts New Testament teaching keeps the demand for purity but shifts the focus: • Jesus: “Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him… What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.” (Mark 7:18-20) – External washing was a picture; real defilement is internal. • “First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may also be clean.” (Matthew 23:26) – The Pharisees polished objects; Jesus insisted on heart purity. A Better Cleansing Agent Old covenant: water mixed with ashes (Numbers 19) purified items. New covenant: • “If the blood of goats and bulls… sanctify… how much more will the blood of Christ… cleanse our consciences from dead works?” (Hebrews 9:13-14) • “The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) Ongoing Pursuit of Holiness The apostles draw direct lines between ritual imagery and daily discipleship: • “Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1) • “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.” (Ephesians 5:25-26) • “Keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27) Connecting the Dots • Numbers 31:20 shows God’s intolerance of impurity—He demanded cleansing before fellowship. • The New Testament intensifies the standard: if God required pure objects, how much more does He desire pure hearts and minds? • External washing foreshadowed the inner washing accomplished by Christ’s sacrifice and applied by the Spirit. • Believers now cooperate with that cleansing, guarding attitudes, media intake, conversations, and relationships—anything “handled” must remain pure for God’s service. Practical Takeaways • Examine what “articles” you bring into your life—entertainment, habits, possessions—and submit them to Christ’s cleansing. • Confess sin quickly, trusting the constant efficacy of Jesus’ blood. • Saturate your mind with Scripture, the water that keeps the heart clean. • Pursue holiness not as a ritual, but as a grateful response to the One who made you His dwelling place. |
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