God's mercy on wicked vessels

Numbers 31:19-23 (KJV)
And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. [20] And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair , and all things made of wood. [21] And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses; [22] Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, [23] Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

After the slaughter of the Midianites, Moses commands those who fought in the war to stay outside the camp for seven days. They cannot dwell in their defiled state with the presence of the Holy God. Not that they were impure in carrying out the will of God in avenging them according to God's command. But because they have touched the dead, and it is against the law of God to stay within the camp for seven days as recorded in Numbers 19. Also, because of the weakness and sinfulness of Israel, they may have indulged in blood-lust or prideful thoughts or in impure anger against the Midianites. They carried out God's wrathful vengeance against Midian, but because of their imperfections as fallen men, they did not carry it out in a perfectly holy manner, as perhaps angels would. Though being only the instrument of His justice, they may have exalted themselves against God, boasting the authority God had graciously given them. But all this is expected. How can a sinful man think of pure thoughts when killing another man? It is not possible. Killing is killing, even it if is for the purposes of God, and is still not part of what God had originally designed for this world. No matter how noble, killing produces guilt of conscience, and it is still sin for a man to take another man's life. But being instruments of God's purpose, God allows the mercy of purification to the warriors of Israel.

Here we remember the crucifixion of Christ, when the Jews went to war with their own King. They were carrying out God's will, and they were instruments of God's wrath against His Son for the sins His people. But by what blasphemy did they kill their own God? They were the tools by which God sacrificed His Son, but it was through their great sin of betraying their own Lord. But God had mercy upon Israel, for they meant it for evil by killing Christ, but God meant it for good. God allowed them the chance of purification after Christ was killed, because though they sinned, their sin carried out the will of God for the world. For read:
Acts 2:36-38 (KJV)
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. [37] Now when they heard this , they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Here God commands the washing of regeneration by the Holy Spirit to all those who killed Jesus Christ. Though they have sinned by killing Christ, because it was done through God's determinate counsel and foreknowledge, they are given the privilege to cleanse themselves. The same calling is for us. Though we have contributed to Christ's death by condemning Him our sins, God gives mercy to us, for it was through the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. Let us also cleanse ourselves by the Holy Spirit, that though we have killed Christ, we may be washed from our sins and be right to dwell with God.

Aside from cleansing of the soul, the purification was likely to be God's means of protecting the camp from possible disease. Since so much death has occurred, God commands them and even the captives to purify themselves. Death cannot dwell with God, who Himself is life. Thus whoever has killed a man or has touched a dead body, cannot dwell with God, unless he be cleansed. Likewise us Christians do well to cleanse ourselves from the daily residue of death that clings to us. This world and its inhabitants are dead in sin. Moving further and further away from the Source of life, which is Christ, the world is decaying physically and spiritually, day by day. Are we who has been called into life to be scavenging through the remains of this dead world? God forbid. We are to feed on Him, who is the living bread and water. When we are spiritually sick, we have caught the disease by associating too much with the dead, and not enough with the risen Christ. Let us fellowship with Him who is still living, and in whom is no death nor corruption at all. Though it is impossible for us to keep clean from the deadness of this world, for we are still living in the world, let us cleanse our feet everyday by the word of God that Christ speaks to us.

Purify all your raiment. As we read this verse, we are reminded of the verse in Revelations:
Revelation 7:14-15 (KJV)
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [15] Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
It is the blood of the Lamb that makes our raiments white. All the filthiness of dead works are cleansed by His blood, when we believe that He died for them. What can take away our deadness away? What can revive us? His death. His lifeblood has cleansed away our death. His death is our life. Stain of our sin was so thick, that no soap of self-righteousness could take it off, but His blood has made our garments as white as snow, for He has was crushed with the guilt of our sins. Let us go to Him who was slain to be cleansed from the deadness of this world.

Everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire. God commands the men of war to not only purify themselves from death, but even their spoils. They were to make go through fire everything that could stand fire, and others through water. Here is great encouragement for believers. Why is this an encouragement? Because we are reminded of the words of the apostle Peter:
1 Peter 1:6-9 (KJV)
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: [7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: [8] Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: [9] Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
We believers in Christ know that our faith can stand the fire of trials and temptations. We have heard how Daniel's three friends survived the furnace of fire because of their faith. God puts us trials because we can stand the fire through faith. If we were not able to overcome, God would not put us through certain trials, for God never gives us more than we can bear. And what is the end of all this? Peter tells us: the praise and honour and glory and ultimately, our salvation. Through fire of suffering, God proves our faith, that which He put in us, to be true. Through trials we are found to be true children of God. Through pain we are found to be really believing in Christ as Lord and Saviour.

And we can feel assured that, as this text says, even if we are not ready for the fire, we shall go through the water. God's desire is that we be cleansed from the filthiness of this world. We ourselves are like the spoils that Christ has gathered from His war with Death. We were like the spoils of Midian, things that used to belong to filthy hands Satan and used for wicked and evil purposes. We were vessels which were used in temples of demons, unfit for the house of God. We needed to be cleansed before they could be used for Christ's purposes. We needed to be put through the fire and through water, that we may be purified for the use of God. Let us then give ourselves to God, for we were filthy sinners, and our uncleanness from our previous uses are still remaining. There are areas that still need cleansing. For read:
2 Timothy 2:20-22 (KJV)
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. [21] If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. [22] Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Let's take an example. If say there was a dish in a kitchen and some troublemaker took that dish and used it to scoop dung off the street, or to carry garbage, the master of the house would be out of his mind to use that same dish to eat his dinner or for inviting guests. What would he do? He would utterly destroy that dish, or keep it to be used by the troublemaker for vile purposes. But if he decided to use that dish, he would take that dish from the troublemaker's hand and say "let go, for it is mine", and plunge it into a bucket of water. Now it may be good enough to be used to feed his dogs. But if he desired to use it to eat his dinner from, he will probably by some disinfectants to scrub the dish thoroughly, and he may put the dish in boiling hot water to kill every trace of virus or bacteria. Then, he would be able to use the dish for his table, if he dares to eat from it.

This is what God has done for us. Read what Jesus said:
Acts 9:15 (KJV)
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Jesus chose Paul, a filthy vessel, for His glory. And what a mercy and grace it was for Paul. He was a vessel used for picking up filth, but God used him for beautiful purposes. How could Paul say anything other than this about his ministry given by a gracious God:
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (KJV)
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. [10] But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness, that we may be used by God for noble purposes. Though we were nothing but filthy vessels before, God is able to cleanse us, and kind enough to use us. Though we be the vessels from Midian, we can be used as the vessels in God's house, through faith. Praise be unto our gracious God!

Nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation. The water of separation was that which was ordained by God through the High Priest to cleanse oneself from the touching the dead. It was made of the ashes of a slain heifer and running water, which was dipped by hyssop and sprinkled by the clean on the unclean person or vessel or anything that touched the dead:
Numbers 19:9,17-19 (KJV)
And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. [17] And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: [18] And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: [19] And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
So we see that it was by this water the warriors were purified. But it is interesting that God commands even the vessels that went through fire be cleansed again by this water. It is another reminder that salvation is impossible apart from Jesus Christ. Even good works like gold or silver, that can stand the fire of trials, is useless if the foundation is not upon faith in Jesus Christ:
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (KJV)
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; [13] Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. [14] If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. [15] If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
On judgment day, Christ shall judge all works by fire to see whether they be like gold, silver, wood or hay. But even if we have built our house with gold, but laid not upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice, we shall be lost. And even if our works are found to be gold or silver, and our faith found to the praise of God, we know that we are only saved because of the blood of Jesus Christ. We are saved only because the Jesus Christ the Clean has sprinkled this water upon us the Unclean. We would never stand the fire of judgment if it wasn't for Christ. Thanks be to Christ our Foundation, upon whom we do all things. Let us live for that Day, not by our own works, but by our works which are by faith in Him. Amen.