On first reading Numbers 5 might seem rather shocking. But note how the judgement is left to God – He will judge the guilt or innocence of the wife. The husband is not to take things into his own hands, but to leave that responsibility with God. There is no presumption of guilt, but there is the inevitability of God’s perfect judgement. Numbers 5 tells us that an innocent wife has nothing to fear from the elaborate process described here (in fact she will receive a very public affirmation of her innocence), but a guilty wife must bear the consequences of her sin.
One day each of us will face a
similar judgement: have we been faithful to God? In some ways God will be like
the wronged husband: let down by somebody who has been unfaithful to Him. We
may not have been publicly ‘caught in the act’ of our unfaithfulness to God but
He will know the truth. And yet, through the redeeming power of the cross, we
will be forgiven – it will be as if we were like a guilty Israelite wife who is
taken through the process of judgement and yet amazingly it will end up as if
we were innocent all along: no taint or suggestion of sin will remain. Amazing
grace indeed!
(homegroup leader)