DCLM Daily Manna 31 May 2021 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Isolate Yourself
TOPIC: Isolate Yourself
TEXT: Numbers 19:11-22
11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.
12 He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
14 This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.
15 And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.
16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
17 And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
19 And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.
21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
22 And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.
KEY VERSE: “And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.” – (Numbers 19:22)
MESSAGE:
During the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic that ravaged the world, a number of protocols were listed to be observed in an attempt to contain the spread. Among the measures were “social distancing”, “isolation” and “quarantine”. These became popular words in many societies whilst the scourge lasted. People, including members of family of a Covid-19 victim were not allowed to come close to their loved ones even at death. The reason for this was to prevent contact with anybody that had tested positive for the virus. So, in many countries, government took the responsibility of burying those who died of the virus infection.
There were many in the camp of Israel who were unclean because they came into contact with those who died from a plague. Though people could become unclean for other reasons, the primary reason in this context was the necessity to be cleansed because of their contact with the victims. There is need for the people of God to cleanse themselves of defiled hearts and rebellion against His law. They must also be people who possess a contrite heart before God. The passage also indicates that there is a connection between physical cleanliness and spiritual cleanliness. The physical cleanliness is an outward manifestation of one’s inner self, according to God’s law.
If citizens of a country could do everything to avoid contact with anybody or anything that could lead them to contracting the Covid-19, believers must be wary of any contact with anything that is capable of staining their garment of righteousness which could lead to eternal death.
God’s forgiveness was conditioned on the willingness of the individual to submit to the will of God. There is no grace without obedience to the will of God.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God’s grace will not save a willful sinner.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Samuel 21-22
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
