Numbers 15:30-31

Where was the offering, the sacrifice, for this sin? It wasn't there. There was no offering, or sacrifice, for the presumptuous sin. The person, who presumed in his sin, (1) despised the Word of the Lord, (2) brought reproach to the Eternal, and (3) he died in his guilt. That's a very serious situation.

Notice that it doesn't say that he will be "cut off" from his people. It says that he will be "completely cut off" from his people. That is, done—finished. There's no sacrifice for presumptuous sin. So, do you see what I mean when I say it's a very serious sin?

This contrast here—between unintentional and intentional sin—helps define what Presumptuousness is. It's not a complete definition, but it helps to define it. Presumptuous sin is intentional. It is willful. We use words like "bold" and "brazen" and "audacious." Those are ways that we could think of this. It is doing something arrogantly, rebelliously, defiantly.

Remember it says that it brings despite on God's Word. And, if we commit such a sin, we are doing it in defiance of what God has said. (What we know God has said.) I have here in my notes that it is being headstrong, and haughty—no matter what God has said on the matter. It is just pushing "our agenda" right on through, no matter what God may have to say on it. We could say, it is taking matters into our own hands and "damn the torpedoes."

In the sense that there is no sacrifice (or atonement) for this type of sin, there is a link there to 'the unpardonable sin.' But I don't want to leave it there, because it is much broader than that. Much broader! That is far too simple just to say that it is a sin that cannot be repented of (as most of us seem to consider 'the unpardonable sin').

There may be contrition after a presumptuous sin like this, and God may not forgive it. I'm glad that He is the Judge, because I don't know how to judge matters like this. But when we are talking about something done arrogantly, willfully, in despite of God's Word and bringing reproach upon God Himself—then you are talking of very serious guilt. Will the blood of Christ erase such despite? I don't know. That's why I said, "I'm awfully glad God is the Judge."

But, from everything that I have read about presumptuous sin, I've never seen any mercy! Paul said, in Hebrews, that a man died at the testimony of two or three witnesses. How terrible the punishment to one that brings despite to the Son of God, and exposes Him to open shame. I'm glad that God is the Judge.

Numbers 15:30

That means executed - put to death.

Notice these verbs! "Despise." "Reproach." "Cut off." You can see that there is a difference in attitude reflected about the person who sins unintentionally, even though the person was conscious of what he was doing. We will define this a little bit more.

In the last sermon, I gave definitions of the English word, "presumption." In the Old Testament it doesn't quite mean the same thing as it does in English. In English, it simply means "to assume," to take a matter upon oneself without considering all the factors, and then just going ahead and doing it. But, in the Old Testament it carries with it the idea of acting arrogantly—of rebellion. In fact, it means to do something with audacity—to be headstrong.

There is willfulness implied in the usage of the word that is not contained in the English. It is much more forceful than the English usage of the word. It refers to those who overstep their bounds, or dare to act in a disobedient manner.

In other words, a person who is sinning presumptuously is fully aware of what he is doing, in that he is fully educated, and is not in ignorance either of what he is doing, or the potential cost of what he is doing, and he deliberately sets his mind to do it. It is an act of rebellion, an audacious rebellion, of setting one's will despite all he knows to go ahead and do it anyway.

You can see, just by those usages, that the word "unintentional" in Leviticus 4 and Numbers 15 can include within it someone who is conscious of what he is doing, but he does not act audaciously. He does not plan it. He is not rebellious. He is weak. Now God will forgive that. But He will not forgive the sin that is presumptuous according to usage of the words in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, the usage of the word begins very similar to the English usage of the word. It means "to think," or "suppose." But when one looks at the context in which this word is used in the New Testament, it carries with it the idea of dealing proudly, defiantly, and recklessly. It means to look down upon. We see a tremendous amount of pride implied in the usage of the Greek word in the New Testament.

Numbers 15:27-31

That provides the introduction. Then, beginning in verse 3, Moses begins to list categories of individuals or groups. Verse 3 has to do with if the priest sins through ignorance. In verse 13, it is the whole congregation that sins through ignorance; verse 22, when a ruler has sinned and done somewhat through ignorance; in verse 27, if any one of the common people sins through ignorance. With that in mind, flip to Numbers 15 where a comparison is made.

It is obvious from these examples that the attitude and the knowledge of the sinner categorizes the acts, even though it might have been the same sin as committed by him who did it presumptuously. The sin might have been adultery; or the sin might have been murder; or the sin might have been lying. If the person did it ignorantly—not really knowing what he was doing—then there could be a sacrifice for that person. If, however, the person did it presumptuously—willfully, with full knowledge of what he did, with premeditation—there was no sacrifice for that sin.

Did the Bible categorize here, or did it not? It surely did! All sins are NOT the same. Some failures are far more serious than others. Generally, the Ten Commandments themselves are arranged in the order of the seriousness the effects of breaking them brings. The first, and by far the most serious, is to commit idolatry. If a society, a family, or an individual person does not have the true God, everything else gets out of whack to a lesser or greater degree. There is absolutely no foundation at all. Breaking it is a very serious failure.

Numbers 15:29-31

Note the term ignorance.

Presumptuously means with a high hand. It indicates the raising of a clenched fist, as though the person is defiantly challenging God and His command.

When we begin the next time we are going to start with the premise to show you that God judges differently by attitude, whether a sin is done by a person presumptuously, or whether it is done in ignorance. We are also going to see that it makes a difference who commits the sin, and to me that one gets a little scary.

I think you can already begin to see that everything is not on the same level. If we are going to judge correctly—to judge what we are doing, and judge what others are doing, and judge what we should do, or what we should not do—it takes a great deal of understanding of God's law and connection with God by means of His Spirit to reach a right conclusion, a right judgment. We are supposed to judge righteous judgment. That is a command from our Savior Jesus Christ.

Numbers 15:27-31

I want you to notice a contrast.

There is no forgiveness. The word translated "ignorance," which includes those sins we read in Leviticus 4 and 5, are in contrast to the word "presumptuously" that is given in verse 30 of Numbers 15, and it deserves a brief comment.

The difference between the two words is primarily one of attitude in the person committing the sin. You will notice that sometimes in chapters 4 and 5 the person, for a while, didn't even know that he did it. Then when the knowledge came that he did, then he confessed his sin and he made the offering. He was guilty.

"Presumptuously" though indicates defiance. It literally means "with a raised fist." The word "ignorance" or "ignorantly" lacks that force to indicate an error. That error may involve very serious consequences, but what was done, though involving some measure of intention to commit it, lacked the rebellious insolent defiance of a presumptuous sin.

Numbers 15:27-31

Numbers 15 spells it out most clearly. This is where intentional and unintentional sin are contrasted.

I think this helps us define what presumptuousness is. It is doing something arrogantly, rebelliously, defiantly, and intentionally. It is being headstrong and haughty to do something despite what God might say on the matter. It is taking matters into one's own hands. Remember that we saw last time that for this intentional sin there is no sacrifice. It says the guilt remains. The person is cut off, which usually in biblical language means they are killed. The person is executed, and the guilt remains. A very serious sin.

Numbers 15:28-31

I think that the conclusion is almost inescapable that the man who sinned here did so presumptuously. It was something of which he was well aware and the sin was NOT forgiven. Instead, the death penalty was carried out. Let's go on, because (in a way) the story does not stop here.

We all break the Sabbath [from time to time], but to do it presumptuously is not something that we want to do. I don't think most of us are going to do that. We will break it out of ignorance. We will break it out of weakness. But I don't think that very many of us are going to set our minds to do it, like this man apparently did.

Numbers 15:29-36

Let us go back to Numbers 15, a very interesting thing here. Numbers 15, and the context involves sinning presumptuously, just taking it on ourselves to do what we good and well feel like doing.

Now, the implication is from the context that that breaking of the Sabbath may have been, probably was, presumptuous. The major evidence being that he was put to death. It was not something that he just slipped up on. It was something that he must have premeditated about, and then deliberately, in the face of the command to rest, in which the whole nation was supposed to be resting, he went out and did what he did.

Numbers 15:30

Now, God says that when there is an unintentional sin done in Israel—whether it is done by a whole group of people (a whole congregation) or just one person—that they have a certain offering that they need to bring. The priest shall offer it, and God will forgive them. Okay. Clear on that? It's pretty simple. Now, verse 30. Here's the other side of the coin:

Remember that Jesus said something about sinning against the Holy Spirit. This is very similar type of wording. Peter mentioned lying to the Holy Spirit.