Chance Hicks – Stoned for Sticks (Num. 15:32-36)



Notes:

The Context (Numbers 11-17)

  • A Context of Rebellion
    • Rebellions of the Multitudes (11:1-3; 11:4-35)
    • Rebellion of Miriam and Aaron (12:2, 8, 15)
    • Rebellion of the Men (13:31;14:10,4,37,29,32-33)
    • Rebellion of the Morning (14:40-45)
    • Rebellion of Motivation (16:10, 31-33; 17:10)
  • A Context of Reverence (13:30; 14:24, 30, 38; Psa. 138:2)

 

The Commandment

  • The Presumptuous Sin – A deliberate defiance of God’s word which reproaches Him (vs. 30) and despises His word (vs. 31; Deut. 29:19-20).
  • The Problem – It is a problem of the heart (vs. 39; 2 Pet. 2:10; Jude 8).
  • The Punishment – Presumptuous sin was to be punished by death (vs. 30, 21).

The Case

  • The Sticks – A man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath (vs. 32; Exo. 20:8; 35:3; 31:18; Deut. 9:10; Exo. 35:1; 16:26; 20:9-11).
  • The Sentence – After being held in custody, the Lord delivered his sentence (vs. 33-35).
  • The Stoning – The sentence was carried out as Israel stoned the man (vs. 36).

 

The Calling

  • The Requirement – God instructed Israel to put fringes with blue riband on their garments (vs. 38).
  • The Reminder – The fringes and blue riband was to be a reminder to Israel (vs. 39-40).
  • The Reason – God gave them this reminder and wanted them to be holy because they were His people (vs. 41; cf. 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Heb. 10:28-29).