Num_16:48. The Plague Stayed<\/p>\n
"And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed."’97Num_16:48.<\/p>\n
Never did the depravity of human nature appear more deep and striking, than in the history of the Israelites. Their history is one continuous record of God’s goodness, and man’s sinfulness. It cannot be read, without yielding both instruction and admonition.<\/p>\n
Before pronouncing on them our unhesitating sentence, perhaps we had better examine our own hearts and lives; for human nature is much the same in all ages, and countries, and classes of men. The text refers to God’s displeasure on three flagrant offenders; Num_16:1, &c. They were the victims of God’s severe wrath; Num_16:31, &c. Surely this would lead to reverence, and submission, and fear. So far from that, they wickedly murmur against the servants of God; Num_16:41. God now, in a most signal manner, sent the plague, etc. Moses and Aaron propitiate Deity, &c.; and the text states the happy results which followed.<\/p>\n
Observe,<\/p>\n
I. The evil<\/p>\n
II. The punishment And,<\/p>\n
III. The remedy.<\/p>\n
I. The evil.<\/p>\n
Murmuring against God. Dissatisfaction with God’97his government, etc. Now this is the essence of all sin. Holiness is harmony’97agreement with God. Sin, disagreement and murmuring. So it was with the first sin, and every sin since. This leads to irreverence, complaining, and audacious presumption. How these abound!<\/p>\n
(1.) In profane swearing,’97horrid imprecations.<\/p>\n
(2.) In Sabbath profanation. Counted as no sin.<\/p>\n
(3.) In gross intemperance<\/p>\n
(4.) In general profligacy.<\/p>\n
(5.) In skepticism. Denying God’s government, &c.<\/p>\n
(6.) In recklessness’97amidst divine judgments.<\/p>\n
What a sight for a holy God to behold! I come back to the first idea:’97All sin is contrariety to God’97dissatisfaction with God; and hence, rebellion against his government.<\/p>\n
Notice,<\/p>\n
II. The punishment. It was,<\/p>\n
1. Divine.<\/p>\n
God did it. No magistrate. No human pain or penalty. God immediately did it. Often sin mediately is its own punishment; but sometimes direct, &c.<\/p>\n
2. It was by the plague.<\/p>\n
We do not know precisely what it was. Some sudden disease, which swept all before it. It was however, evidently,<\/p>\n
(1.) Fatal. Destroyed life.<\/p>\n
(2.) Speedily so. Like a blast of wind, &c.<\/p>\n
(3.) Incurably so. No one knew of a remedy.<\/p>\n
How analogous is the nature and effect of sin!<\/p>\n
(1.) Sin is the disease of the soul.<\/p>\n
(2.) It is deadly in three senses’97temporal, spiritual, and eternal.<\/p>\n
(3.) There is for it, no human remedy. All human skill, &c., failed.<\/p>\n
III. The remedy.<\/p>\n
1. In itself not apparently adapted. Doubtless, the air was charged with death.<\/p>\n
But the incense was not possibly adapted to decompose, and change, and purify.<\/p>\n
2. It was connected with pious intercession. In which there was confession of sin. Admission of the justice of God; and the divine mercy was implored. It was a direct appeal to God.<\/p>\n
3. It was intercession, grounded on sacrifice.<\/p>\n
By the Priest, in view of the victims presented to God.<\/p>\n
4. It was efficient. Completely at once.<\/p>\n
Let us turn now to the great remedy for sin. It is,<\/p>\n
(1.) Not what human philosophy would have recommended. It is essentially connected with,<\/p>\n
(2.) The priestly work of Christ. His obedience’97sacrifice’97resurrection’97ascension’97intercession.<\/p>\n
(3.) It is effectual. The curse removed’97wrath averted’97mercy published’97life offered. None need now die’97no not one. The connecting links between a guilty world, and the remedy, is on God’s part, the preaching of the word. On our. part, believing the word so preached;’97by which repentance, humiliation of soul, and devotedness to God, are secured. Learn,’97<\/p>\n
1. The extreme evil of sin.<\/p>\n
2. The riches of the grace of God.<\/p>\n
3. The immediate duty of the sinner; to call earnestly on the Lord.<\/p>\n
Autor: JABEZ BURNS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Num_16:48. The Plague Stayed "And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed."’97Num_16:48. Never did the depravity of human nature appear more deep and striking, than in the history of the Israelites. Their history is one continuous record of God’s goodness, and man’s sinfulness. It cannot be read, without yielding … Continue reading “668. NUM 16:48. THE PLAGUE STAYED”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20497\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}