Numbers 15 (Part Two) - Burning out by doing good

This chapter has a very serious warning I think we overlook too easily.

There was a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath. Although work on the Sabbath was prohibited, picking up some sticks hardly seems a serious infraction. And yet, much of the Old Testament is a picture of what God will fulfill in the New Testament through Jesus.

Jesus came to be our Sabbath rest. It is in Him that we are to find ourselves refreshed and revitalized. Because of Jesus death, we no longer have to work to obtain God's favor. We can rest in His work, it is finished. This goes against everything in me that wants to do more, accomplish more, work harder in order to be approved by God. I simply cannot imagine Him loving me for just me. There has to be more that I can do to show Him I am worthy.

So this poor man worked on the Sabbath. He gathered sticks to light a fire. Maybe his family was cold. Maybe his neighbors needed the heat. Maybe he was just being a nice guy, stepping up. Maybe he wanted to be thought of as helpful, someone you could count on.

He ended up being stoned to death.

The fire he sought to light ended up burning him instead. He did not follow the direction of God. He did not rest. He messed up God's picture of being saved through faith, not works. He went out on his own, doing something ostensibly good, and got burned.

There's a lesson in there somewhere...