1.  Into the Wilderness 

  1. The congregation is moving into the wilderness
    1. Ecclesia = congregation and church
    2. Israel moving is a type of church moving through life
  2. Wilderness
    1. Place of barrenness and demonic
    2. Place of temptation
    3. Punishment
    4. Miraculous provision.

2.  Confession Numbers 5: 6,7

  1. Confession as as discipline.
  2. Confession is a Torah institution
    1. Remember the laying on of hands of the goat to be released into the wilderness?
    2. Don’t hear a lot about it because of Catholic tradition
  3. David ” against you and you only, have I sinned and done evil in your sight Psalm 51: 4
    1. Must make restitution with others whom we have sinned against, but it must start with God.
  4. The need for humility in the presence of God
    1. All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. Romans 3:23
    2. If we say we have not sinned, then we make God a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:10
    3. Easy to excuse sin as it is not that bad
  5. Command as we walk through the wilderness “confess sin which he has committed and repent
    1. Message of the kingdom repent for the kingdom of God is at hand

3. Defining Confession

  1. To speak the same to agree with, to admit the truth
  2. God knows what we did so why confess ?
    1. A stubborn child that refuses to confess is more frustrating to a parent than the act that they did.
  3. Hints in the bible that a lack of confession can lead to illness “Oh lord be gracious to me; heal my soul for I have sinned against you.” Psalm 41:4
  4. Confession is agreeing with what the word of God says about who we are
    1. Purpose of the law. To show us how incapable we are to serve God.
    2. It does its work in our hearts
    3. Paul in his spiritual journey to being the chief of sinners. 1 Timothy 1:15, 16 and least of the apostles. 1 Corinthians 15:9
    4. Woman in act of adultery. John 8. Older men drop the stones first.

4.  Repentance 

  1. Quit sinning.
    1. John warned people to not only confess their sins, but to change to flee the judgement that was coming. Luke 3:7
  2. Add 20% to the wrong.  Vs 7
    1. Making restitution is a practical way of showing repentance.
    2. EXAMPLE Zacchaeus  Luke 19: 1-10. No prayer and not raising of the hand, but accepted confession and repentance.

5. Woman and bitter water. 5:11

  1. Woman accused of adultery can be brought before priest.
  2. Torah put in water and if guilty then destroyed by water. If innocent water exonerated her.
    1. Joseph and Mary. He decided to put her away quietly. (No trial by water)
    2. God himself exonerated Mary   Matthew 1:18-25
  3. The water put with dust and word of God Numbers 5:19-22
    1. She drank the word of God and the name of God.
    2. Mary had the word of God in her and the dust of the word became flesh and dwelt among us.
  4. Water which was a curse became a blessing for her
    1. She will bear a seed Vs 28
    2. Mary bore the promised seed Genesis 3:15. Seed of Abraham to bless the nations. Genesis 22:18

6. Lining up with the living word.

  1. Have not sinned we make God to be a liar.
  2. Confess our sins and he is able to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness
  3. Paul knew of sin, but talked about it in the past tense.
  4. Only through knowing sin, can we understand the grace of God and his acceptance.
  5. Knowing who we are as guilty before God and knowing his acceptance of us brings us to a right standing before Him.

7. Favor of the blessing. 6:27

  1. Favor in the midst of cursing.
    1. Exodus 17 judged God guilty of no water, he gave them water.
    2. Who can understand the favor of God
    3. God’s favor means our humility.
  2. Blessing for the name of God to be upon them. Numbers 6:27
    1. Bless you and keep you Every spiritual blessing is in Messiah Ephesians 1:3 all the blessings of Abraham have come upon Gentiles. Romans 15:29. Messiah is able to keep us from stumbling and make us stand in the presence of his glory. Jude 1:24,25
    2. Lord make his face  shine upon you and be gracious to you. Messiah’s attention and pleasure. Saved through grace Romans 3:24. Freely bestowed on the the riches of his grace. Ephesians 1:6-8
    3. Lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus the Messiah Romans 5:1. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts Colossians 3:15. No end to his government or of peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom. Isaiah 9:7
  3. This is how the congregation walks through the wilderness.