Numbers 5:8-10 - No Fraud Permitted By God

I. THAT EVERY WRONG DONE TO ANOTHER IN RESPECT OF HIS PROPERTY WAS ASSUMED BY THE LORD AS A TRESPASS AGAINST HIMSELF . So now every wrong or fraud, and all cheating or sharp dealing, practiced by one of us against another, is not merely an offence against man,—such as may be excused by the necessity of the times, or the custom of business, or the universal prevalence of such practices,—but is an outrage against the righteousness of God which he will never overlook. To such a man God himself is "the adversary" ( Matthew 5:25 ); and if he be not repaid, then will he himself "repay" that man ( Isaiah 59:18 ; Romans 12:19 ). He that hath cheated his neighbour of a penny hath gained unto himself an eternal and immeasurable loss, except he repent, confess, restore ( Exodus 34:7 ; Isaiah 61:8 ).

II. THAT EVERY ONE WHO HAD DONE SUCH WRONG MUST

So now there is no true repentance for, and no real forgiveness of, such wrongs—from the least even to the greatest—unless they are

Those wrongs (alas, how many!) which are never found out, which are not acknowledged through false shame, and not made good through covetousness, are like bullets lodged in the body, which will not cease to cause misery, disease, and death.

III. THAT IF THE WRONGED MAN WAS DEAD , AND HAD LEFT NO REPRESENTATIVE , THE TRESPASS MUST STILL BE RECOMPENSED TO THE LORD BY BEING PAID TO THE PRIEST . So now it is a certain maxim of Christian morality (as of law) that no man be a gainer by his own wrong. If he cannot repay to the person wronged, directly or indirectly, he is bound to make recompense to God by devoting, it to some pious purpose. If a man has made a fortune by fraud, his repentance is vain unless he make over the whole of it to the good of his neighbours. This will not cleanse his conscience,—only the one Sacrifice can do that,—but without it his conscience cannot be cleansed.

IV. THAT GOD DID CAREFULLY INSIST THAT HIS PRIESTS SHOULD RECEIVE THEIR PORTION , and SHOULD NOT BE OVER - REACHED . Even so is the law of Christ ( 1 Corinthians 9:7-14 ; Galatians 6:6 ; 1 Timothy 5:17 , 1 Timothy 5:18 ).