Numbers 15:30–31: “But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the LORD, and he shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.”

January 25th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

When this verse says, “the person who does anything presumptuously,” it literally reads, “with a high hand.” The New American Standard Version reads “the person who does anything defiantly.” This kind of sin, committed knowingly and deliberately, is described as high-handed because these are arrogant or defiant acts against God. So here the Old Testament Law is distinguishing between mistakes and willful failure.

Everyone makes mistakes, stumbles into sin. Some people don’t even know they have done anything wrong. But once sin is realized, they are commanded to confess it and then take steps to repair their relationship with God. He called for the death of an animal and the spreading of its innocent blood so that they would understand that sin always brings death. However, the animal sacrifices would not atone for deliberate or premeditated sin. That person was guilty of a capital offense and the penalty was death.

How does this impact our lives today as New-Covenant believers? Sin still carries a high price. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). It still requires that someone be separated from God to pay for that sin. The good news is that this is not the end of the story and is in fact the reason Jesus came to die, so we would not have to. He was separated from Father God on our behalf. Jesus became sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” So Jesus Christ, God the Son, paid the high price for high-handed sin—His blood.

“LORD, we don’t ever want to be high-handed in regards to our relationship with You. We desire to walk humbly with You today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”