Because the Lord was preparing the people for when they would enter the Promised Land, he told Moses to tell the people that they had to remember that God is a holy God. But the people of Israel were sinful. How could sinful people live with a holy God? That’s why the Lord told Moses how they had to deal with their sins.

It was possible for the people to sin unintentionally . But even if the sin was an accident, our holy God was angered by that and so they had to make sacrifices for these sins.

Sometimes the people sinned, but afterwards they were sorry for their sins. Also then they could make sacrifices, and God would forgive them. Think of King David who sinned by killing Uriah. That sin wasn’t an accident at all. But David was very sorry for that sin and so he could make sacrifices for that sin, and his holy God forgave him.

But there were also sins that the people did on purpose. They knew that they were sinning, but they didn’t care, and they just kept on sinning. They weren’t sorry for these sins. The Lord said that these people couldn’t continue to live in the Promised Land with him. His holiness is too great to live in the midst of sin. And so such people needed to be cut off from the rest.

What about us? How can we continue to live as God’s covenant children? Every day we sin. And God is just as holy today as he was in Moses’ days. And he hates sin just as much today as he did then.

It’s only because of Jesus’ death on the cross that we can live with God. Forgiveness through Jesus allows us to continue to live as God’s children. So, don’t ignore your sins. Don’t think that your sins don’t matter. They matter very much. Holy God hates your sins. But the Lord also offers you his love and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Tell the Lord how sorry you are for your sins and he will forgive you. And you may continue to live in covenant love with him.

Reflection with your child:

How can we as sinful people live with a holy God?

Source: Rev. D. Agema