Numbers 15:15 The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord:
I don’t like double standards. For me, it strikes at the heart of justice. I want all to be held to the same standard of conduct. But this isn’t the way the world has worked down through history. There have always been haves and have nots. Some have been able to act with impunity, while others get prosecuted to the full extent of the law and beyond.
We see it every day in the news. Certain classes of people can say and act in very different ways and,seemingly, no one holds them accountable. They are a law unto themselves. And there are millions of people who see this and jump on board hoping to avoid the negative backlash of pointing out the hypocrisy.
But that is not the design that the LORD has for His community, and by extension of their example, for the whole world. Those who follow Him need to see the wisdom in equal application of law to all people. Our text gives us a very simple example to illustrate this principle.
To set the scene, the Israelites have set spies into the Promised Land and have seen the abundance of the LORD’s provision. But ten of the twelve men who did the reconnaissance mission have come back filled with fear. They have spread their fear, and the people have picked up that fear for themselves. They have started to grumble.
Despite being told that they would not enter the land, they try to force the issue and get their tails handed to them on a platter. They are easily defeated because the LORD is not with them. No mystery here.
But the LORD gives them hope. On some future day, when their descendants are in the land, they will bring offerings to the LORD. But even more importantly in the context is this: both Israelites and foreigners will live side by side and both will be observant participants in the LORD’s community.
This is where our text lands. When the Promised Land is occupied, there will be a new society formed. All will have the opportunity to enter into relationship with the LORD on equal footing. There will be equity before the LORD. No insiders and outsiders. So double standards.
We have a hard time imagining this because we are so used to the unequal societies in which we live. Justice is not universal. Violent act victims don’t receive justice. With a legal system tipped toward criminals, the appeals process lasts for years. In our quest to get it right, we get it wrong.
But in Israel, there was to be the same standard for everyone. All those who wanted to follow the LORD stood on the same level ground. Now this was and is radical.
Justice will remain elusive as long as we have members of our society who choose not to follow the LORD. Remember, this is a vision of what could be for a people who are living in a reality that is very different. They can’t enter into this, but their children need hope. They gave up their chance at hope when they continued to not trust and grumble instead.
Does our complaining and grumbling keep us for the LORD’s best? I wonder sometimes. Do we treat all people who have joined our fellowship of believers equally? Or do we fall into the trap written about in James chapter two! I think we too often follow the wrong pattern.
The Arnold Journey 