Chuck Smith commentary on that verse:
II. MOSES' COMMAND AND WARNING.
A. "You have sinned against the Lord."
1. "All have sinned" "None righteous."
B. Be sure your sins will find you out.
1. Conscience.
a. Treasury Dept. conscience fund.
2. Face.
3. In the end.
a. You might be clever in concealing from men. You cannot hide from God.
b. You might deceive men. you cannot deceive God. "All things are open and revealed before Him with whom we deal."
Matthew Henry commentary on that verse:
3. He warns them of the danger of breaking their word: "If you fail, you sin against the Lord (v. 23), and not against your brethren only, and be sure your sin will find you out;’’ that is, "God will certainly reckon with you for it, though you may make a light matter of it.’’ Note, Sin will, without doubt, find out the sinner sooner or later. It concerns us therefore to find our sins out, that we may repent of them and forsake them, lest our sins find us out to our ruin and confusion.
More detailed commentary by Pastor Chuck Smith
Excerpt:
B. Sin will find you out in your face.
1. God put a mark on Cain, after he killed his brother. Just what mark was we are not told.
2. It is interesting how that sin leaves its mark on a person's face.
3. Take a person who has given his life over to sin, it begins to leave its mark.
4. When you are young, it is barely recognizable, but the older you get, the more obvious the marks become.
C. Sin will find you out before the judgment seat of God.
1. It is possible that you may have committed the perfect crime. There is absolutely no way it can be traced to you.
2. At this point you feel that you have gotten by with it. It is a secret that only you know, it has never been shared. You may die keeping that secret.
3. The Bible tells us that it is appointed unto man once to die, and after that, the judgment.
4. We are told that all of the dead small and great will stand before God in that day, and the people will be judged for the things that are written in the books.HEB 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.PSA 44:20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
PSA 44:21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.LUK 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
LUK 12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
5. Like the hard drive on a computer, every access to the internet has been stored, and a person with a little computer knowledge can retrieve it.
6. In the books, everything has been recorded, and you will have to answer to God for it.
Fortunately, this bad news is not final! Now, for the Good News:
Continuing with Pastor Chuck Smith's commentary:
D. Have I ever got good news for you! God has made provision to erase your ledger.
1. God said to the nation of Israel, "Come now, let us reason together saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, you can be as white as snow, though they be red as crimson you can be as white as wool.
2. The Bible tells us that if we will confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Reference: Smith, Chuck. "Numbers 32:23," Sermon Notes. Blue Letter Bible. 28 Jul 2005. 20 Jun 2008.
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Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him alone we can know God personally and experience God's love.
He Died In Our Place - "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
He Rose From the Dead - "Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures... He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
He Is the Only Way to God - "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me' " (John 14:6).
God bridged the gulf that separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.
It is not enough just to know these truths...see Becoming a Christian
Posts
6 comments:
Dear Christine—
Jesus the Messiah changed my life forever. He delivered me from sexual immorality, drunkenness and countless other sins. Jesus is good news for all who believe.
I am convinced you are a true Jew in your heart as I am (ROM 2:29). We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood and a holy nation (1PE 2:9). Praise His Name!
It seems on Fridays (beginning of Shabbat at sunset) you tend to share with the world some of your most powerful posts. Accidents do not happen. It is raining in Columbia, South Carolina this hour.
The good news is indeed the power of God for those who can see and hear. Keep shining, my friend. Have a wonderful weekend and Shabbat Shalom, my “little” Jewish sister! (ss)
Dear Susan,
This morning, my intentions were directed towards a very different post. It was much more political and quite disturbing. It had been heavy upon my heart last night. I decided to put that post in the comment section of a previous post.
Where do such changes of the mind and heart come from? Only from the Lord!
While researching for the disturbing post, I had a change of heart to share that particular verse and the commentaries that went along with it.
Knowing that our sins "will find us out" is not good news. It's bad news, actually. It is inescapable! But God's provision of forgiveness, mercy, grace, reconciliation, and salvation through Jesus Christ tosses my (our) sins as far as the east is from the west. What better news is there in life than that?
I must admit that no one has ever called me a "true Jew in my heart" before! But I do understand what you mean by it! Jesus, our Messiah, became man and was born as a Jew. We are to "have the mind of Christ." This includes learning the knowledge and wisdom from both the Old and the New Testaments.
I have always enjoyed the fact that you share so much from the Jewish tradition in your newsletters, comments and emails.
Frankly, not enough pastors in churches do that in their sermons!
When I was doing inductive Bible studies with "Bible Study Fellowship," we studied "The Life of Moses" (Genesis through Deuteronomy) and two years later, "the Minor Prophets". It was so informative and amazing! I learned so much!! I need to go back and read my notes!
It has been hot here on the West Coast...but the days are beautiful and sunny! I thank God for His mighty provisions!
Love & God bless you!
Christine
Christine said: “I must admit that no one has ever called me a ‘true Jew in my heart’ before!”
Even my pastor and his wife looked a bit surprised when I told them over our breakfast table that only true Jews will be in heaven. A true Jew is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Holy Spirit (ROM 2:29). This is food for thought for those who call themselves “Christians.”
Some who call themselves “Christians” resist the Holy Spirit, especially when he speaks to their hearts and minds via Talk Wisdom. Just before Stephen was stoned, he said, “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!” (See ACT 7:51).
Everyone who is called by his name, he created for his glory (ISA 43:7). When Jesus walked the earth, only those from the land belonging to the tribe of Judah were called Jews. Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea (LUK 2:4), and Jerusalem is actually located in the territory given to the tribe of Benjamin.
Citizens from the United States are often called “Yankees” when they travel overseas; however, any true Southerner knows a “Yankee” is from the North. Jews in ancient Israel were from the land belonging to the tribe of Judah.
Jesus the Messiah is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah (REV 5:5). I am not offended to be called a Jew. I trusted the Lord that you would not take offense! Much love to you and your beautiful family... (ss)
what an awesome message! It is a blessing to see Susan and you witness to the those who are reading.
- a redneck in VA, born in SC, and keepin the south pretty by putting yankees on the bus with spare change. :)
Thanks for the kind comment about what Susan and I have shared here Mark! Appreciate it!
I also appreciate the fact that you always come up with ways to make me laugh. ;-)
Dear Mark—
I could not stop myself from laughing out loud when I read your comment about the “Yankees.” Laughter is good medicine (PRO 17:22) and I hope no one takes offense.
One volunteer I worked with during my 5 years in Jerusalem told me she had never been around anyone who viewed Yankees and Southerners as I did. She was what I would call a “true” Yankee. I explained it was probably because American Yankees do not know what it means to lose a war.
Amazing how we become very humble when we realize we are lost or have lost a war. We can never “save” ourselves by the power of our flesh even though everyone tries to at one time or another. As a born-again believer, I often repent on a daily basis for trying to save myself by my own power.
BTW Mark, I appreciate the posts I have read at your blog, “Chester Street.” I have been very comfortable commenting here at Talk Wisdom. The comments at your blog appear to be pretty heavy with “male” input. I was 50-years-old before I realized how differently men and women think.
It appears to me that you are talking wisdom at Chester Street also. Jesus the Messiah has become for us wisdom from God (1CO 1:30). Keep up the great blog posts you are sharing! Shabbat Shalom, my friend. (ss)
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