Finding Cleanliness: Lessons from Numbers 19

RE: Numbers 19:1-20:29

Hey friend,

My first thought’s are “Holy Smokes, Batman!” In case we haven’t met yet, “Hi, I am a planner and I just might have a broken Gene.” For context, I was listening to Gary Brecka yesterday (thanks to the suggestion of a wonderful human,) and when he spoke about the achievers, I was like, “Guilty! Guilty as charged!” And now, I can’t help but to contemplate my own to-do list and how without intentionality it can become a perpetual prison (hence, a lifetime sentence.) Can you relate? I’m on an Island all by myself? (Um, why did I just think of Gilligan’s Island? Now I am convinced, Gary! Now, I am convinced! He, he.)

So, the planner in me started mentally putting together a to-do list as I was reading Numbers 19. (Please tell me you did too, please tell me I’m not the only one!)

Find a red heifer (where in the heck can I find one of these)
Find a red heifer without blemish (I wonder if Amazon carries these?)
Find a red heifer without blemish and no yoke (aw man, hopefully it’s same-day delivery if they do)
Find a Priest to sacrifice
After sacrifice find a clean man (Oh no, where can you find one of these?)
Clean man to store ashes
Find a clean place outside of the camp to store ashes (to be done by clean man)
Use ashes to purify sin (for the children of Israel)
Clean man to wash his clothes
Clean man is now unclean (until evening)
Use ashes to purify sin (for the children of Israel)

The Bible says “And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel” (Numbers 19:17, NKJV).

Oh, and add, “Find running water” to my list. (Because this is what the Children of Israel were complaining about not having.)

The Bible continues, “But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. It shall be a perpetual statute for them. He who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes; and he touches the water of purification shall be unclean until evening. Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the person who touches it shall be unclean until evening” (Numbers 19:20-22, NKJV).

I give up. Just take me now. A perpetual statute is permanent. It is to remain in effect indefinitely. It cannot be cancelled, and it cannot be terminated. My intrusive thought was, “Forever.” “But not just said “forever.” It was the Sandlot kind of forever, you know the one, “for-ev-er.”) Yikes. What a burdensome law to live under.

It’s like, wait a minute, I would need to do all of this to be considered clean? Is this like the perpetual cleaning of a house? Am I the only one that’s like, “I could have sworn it was clean yesterday?!” All of that, for the sake of being clean. Can I be honest? I feel like a little bit of a jerk. Okay, a lotta of a jerk. Jesus broke that perpetual law, and now, because of him I am perpetually clean. And all I had to do was say yes. I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. And now, I have perpetual direct access. A fast pass if you will! And talk about being a spoiled ungrateful brat. He beckons me into his presence and I’m like, maybe later, God, I’m busy right now. Ouch. Wouldn’t it be funny if he responded, “Doing what? I’ve already cleaned your house.” Touché, Lord, Touché. I mean, isn’t that like having a fast pass (or Genie) at Disneyland and not showing up to redeem it?

Is you crazy?! Don’t you know how much time it would take?!

I would never do that! Would you?

Yet here I am…

With all my love,

iK