Animals, Colors, Metals, Numbers and Signs in Scripture.

Seven - Completion

Complete Shame of Sin 

In the 12^th chapter of Numbers Aaron and Miriam had spoken against Moses and claimed that God had also spoken to them.  God's anger was kindled against Aaron and Miriam.  To show his anger, Miriam was stricken with leprosy. 

Num. 12:9 "And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. 10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb. 13 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. 14 And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again. 15 And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again."

Miriam had to bear the shame of her sin for seven days.  This represented the complete shame of her sin.  There is a shame to all sins.  When Adam and Eve had transgressed in the Garden of Eden, they saw their own nakedness and were ashamed.  It is a shame to sin.  When we are convicted of sin, we become ashamed of our sins.  Yet in all of our sins, to which we should be ashamed, Christ bore the shame of our sin as we read in Heb. 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." 

Just as Miriam had to bear the complete shame of her sin for one week, Jesus bore the shame of our sins for us on the cross of Calvary. 

Complete Deliverance 

Job 5:19 "He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee."  While this text is often used as a promise of timely deliverances and that the Lord will be with us in all our trials, troubles, tribulations, and persecutions, it also speaks to us of the complete deliverance wherewith the Lord delivers us.

2 Cor. 1:10 "Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us."  This verse speaks to us that God has delivered us in the past, he is delivering us in the present, and he will deliver us in the future.

First, God has delivered us in the past from our sins and the condemnation and eternal death of our sins.  According to God's eternal covenant, Christ went to the cross to deliver us from the condemnation and wrathful judgment of our sins.  He paid the price in full and there is nothing left to be paid of that price.  This deliverance is in the past.

Second, God has delivered us from the bondage of the law of sin and death when he caused us to be born of the Spirit of God.  In this new birth, God wrote his laws in our heart and put them in our mind.  He gave us a desire and ability to cry Abba Father.  By causing us to be born of the spirit we have the fruit of the spirit and can understand spiritual things.  This understanding of spiritual things and the ability to worship God in spirit and in truth is a great present deliverance to us.  Furthermore, our experinces in life have lead us to believe that God will never leave us or forsake us, but will be with us in all our trials and troubles.  This too is a current or present deliverance.

Third, God has promised a future deliverance.  In this future deliverance, we will be delivered from the corruption of sin.  This mortal must put on immortality.  This corruptible must put on incorruption.  We shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkle of an eye and we shall be fashioned like the glorious body of Christ.  Truly there is no evil that can eternally touch us.