How does Numbers 5:27 illustrate consequences of unfaithfulness in marriage? Setting the Scene • Numbers 5 describes a divinely given procedure for a husband who suspects his wife of adultery but lacks proof. • Verse 27 reveals what happens if the wife has in fact been unfaithful: “When he has had her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings a curse will enter her to cause bitterness, so that her abdomen will swell and her thigh will shrivel, and she will become a curse among her people.” (Numbers 5:27) What the Ritual Communicated • God Himself adjudicates hidden sin; no human evidence is required when He acts. • The “water that brings a curse” underscores His direct involvement. • The visible, physical affliction (swollen abdomen, shriveled thigh) serves as incontrovertible proof of guilt, protecting an innocent husband from false suspicion and an innocent wife from false accusation (cf. Deuteronomy 19:15). Physical Consequences Highlight God’s Judgment • Adultery is not a harmless private matter; it invites divine judgment upon the body (cf. Proverbs 6:32). • The deteriorating womb and thigh symbolize lost fruitfulness—an especially grave penalty in a culture that prized fertility. • The immediacy of the curse demonstrates Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, he will reap.” Public and Social Impact of Sin • “She will become a curse among her people”—the entire community sees the cost of breaking the covenant of marriage. • Public disgrace deters others (cf. Deuteronomy 17:13: “All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again”). • Trust within Israel’s families and tribes is protected when sin is exposed and judged. Spiritual Lessons for Today • God values marital faithfulness; adultery still carries serious repercussions—spiritual, relational, emotional (Exodus 20:14; Hebrews 13:4). • Hidden sin cannot remain hidden from the Lord (Psalm 139:11–12). • Believers are called to self-examination and confession rather than secrecy (1 John 1:9). • While the Mosaic ritual is no longer practiced, it foreshadows the principle that unconfessed sin ultimately brings ruin (Proverbs 28:13). Grace and Restoration Through Christ • Christ bore the curse for sin (Galatians 3:13), making forgiveness and cleansing possible for the repentant adulterer (John 8:11). • The church is tasked with both upholding marital purity and extending restoration to those who genuinely repent (James 5:19–20). Numbers 5:27 stands as a vivid reminder: marital unfaithfulness invites God’s judgment, carries painful consequences, and affects the whole covenant community. Yet even this severe warning points us to the Savior who alone can remove the curse and restore broken lives. |
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