Numbers 15:27-31: a reflection

27“‘If a person sins unwittingly, then he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. 28The priest shall make atonement for the soul who errs when he sins unwittingly before the LORD. He shall make atonement for him; and he shall be forgiven. 29You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them. 30“‘But the soul who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native-born or a foreigner, blasphemes the LORD. That soul shall be cut off from among his people. 31Because he has despised the LORD’s word, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall be utterly cut off. His iniquity shall be on him.’”

These verses set two very different kinds of sin side by side. For the one who sins unwittingly, in weakness or ignorance, there is atonement and forgiveness; God provides a way for such a one to be cleansed. But then a different case is named: the soul who does anything with a high hand, defiantly, presumptuously, despising the LORD's word. This one, the passage says, blasphemes the LORD and is to be cut off, for he has despised the LORD's word. The difference is between falling into sin and defiantly despising God.

Notice the distinction: between sins of weakness and defiant, high-handed sin. The sin done unwittingly, in weakness or ignorance, is a stumbling, for which atonement is provided; but the high-handed sin is different, a deliberate, defiant despising of God's word, a raised fist against him. It is not weakness but defiance; not stumbling but a proud rejection of God's authority. The seriousness lies in the defiance: the high-handed sinner does not fall into sin, but deliberately despises God's word, setting himself against God. That defiant posture is the grave danger.

That distinction is worth taking to heart, for there is a difference between the sins we fall into and a defiant, high-handed setting of ourselves against God. We all stumble into sin through weakness; and for such, God provides forgiveness. But there is a graver thing: to sin with a high hand, defiantly, despising God's word, knowing it and setting ourselves against it in proud rebellion. Guard against not merely the sins of weakness, for which God provides forgiveness, but especially the defiant, high-handed posture that despises God's word and sets itself against him. Do not let your sinning harden into defiance, a proud despising of God's word; keep your heart soft and submissive to God, so that when you sin it is a stumbling to be forgiven, not a high-handed defiance that despises him. Beware the defiant heart that raises its hand against God's word; keep a heart that reveres God's word even when you fall short of it, rather than one that despises it in high-handed rebellion.

Lord, these verses set two very different kinds of sin side by side. For the one who sins unwittingly, in weakness or ignorance, there is atonement and forgiveness; you provide a way for such a one to be cleansed. But then a different case is named: the soul who does anything with a high hand, defiantly, presumptuously, despising your word. This one blasphemes the LORD and is to be cut off, for he has despised your word. Show me the distinction: between sins of weakness and defiant, high-handed sin. The sin done unwittingly is a stumbling, for which atonement is provided; but the high-handed sin is a deliberate, defiant despising of your word, a raised fist against you. It is not weakness but defiance; a proud rejection of your authority. The seriousness lies in the defiance. Take that distinction to my heart, for there is a difference between the sins I fall into and a defiant setting of myself against you. I stumble into sin through weakness; and for such, you provide forgiveness. But there is a graver thing: to sin with a high hand, despising your word, setting myself against it in proud rebellion. Guard me against not merely the sins of weakness, but especially the defiant, high-handed posture that despises your word. Keep my sinning from hardening into defiance; keep my heart soft and submissive to you, Lord, so that when I sin it is a stumbling to be forgiven, not a high-handed defiance. Keep in me a heart that reveres your word even when I fall short of it.