What does it mean for someone to be cut off from his people?

214 In verses 2, 3 we see the person unclean without knowing it. Yet he is guilty, but he cannot act as guilty until he knows it. God cannot look at sin. If I have a spot on my back, God cannot have me with that spot on. Some one may help me to get rid of it, but I am unclean with it. In Numbers 15 there is a difference; in verse 27 it is mercy, but in verse 30 the man is to be cut off. What is cutting off? He is put out from God's people altogether. Occasionally God did it; sometimes the people stoned the man themselves. It means death of course.

Twice in our chapter — verses 13 and 20 — is it stated that if defilement was incurred and the defiled person refused or neglected this "water of separation," he would be cut off from the congregation, which would mean he was outside the camp and debarred the ordinary privileges of the Israelites. So let us take to heart that except we experience this repeated cleansing we forfeit communion with God, and may ultimately lose practical communion with the people of God.

On that day the people were to rest not only from servile work, as in all their great feasts, but from all work of whatsoever kind, just as they did on the sabbath. (Lev, 16:29, 23:28-32; Num. 29:7.) On the sabbath they rested in remembrance of God's rest after His six days' work in making the heavens and the earth. On the tenth day of Tisri they rested, because a work was being done for them in which they could take no active part, yet in which they had special and pressing interests. Resting from all work, they were not, however, to sit at home listless and unconcerned, whilst the High Priest was within the sanctuary. They were to afflict their souls. Atonement was God's gracious provision for His people who had sinned. The people were not therefore to think lightly of it. If the High Priest was actively engaged on their behalf, it was because they had sinned. Hence afflicting of their souls was enjoined upon them. If any one refused to do that, cutting off from his people was the penalty to which he exposed himself. If any one did any work on that day, destruction from among his people would be the due reward of his deeds. (Lev. 23:29-30.) Two things they were to learn — nor they only. First, that though atonement for their sins was effected by another on their behalf, they were not to think lightly of sins, which required, as we now know, the death and the shedding of the blood of the holy Lamb of God; and, secondly, that God will have the sinner to own his inability to have a hand in that work. Thus, on the one hand, all lightness of thought about sin in the presence of God's abounding grace was to be checked, and all mistaken thoughts of the sinner doing anything for himself, when the work of atonement was required, were to be corrected. Their need of atonement the people were fully to own, what their sins were was to be deeply impressed on them, and their indebtedness to the ministry of the High Priest to make it, they were equally to acknowledge. "For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord" is the reason assigned for this enforced afflicting of themselves, and for the perfect rest which was enjoined upon them.

The sacrifice was a holy thing, and all that were clean could eat of it. This was the permission. Now for the prohibition. "The soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings that pertain to the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. Moreover, the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings which pertain to the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people" (7:20-21). What care did God take to guard His people from attempting that which His nature must repel. Nor was it simply that they would fail in their object under such circumstances, but they would provoke God, who is light, to act in judgment against them, because He is holy. Living under law, death was the penalty for eating of the peace-offering by any one unclean, for it pertained to the Lord. Under grace, we are told to confess our sins, and communion will be restored (1 John 1:9).

There was, however, the strictest injunction that "all that be clean shall eat thereof;" that is, an Israelite who was defiled would be disqualified for eating the peace-offering. If he partook of it while his defilement was not judged and cleansed according to the direction of Scripture, he might come under the severest judgment of God in being "cut off from His people." "But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from His people. Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from His people." (Lev. 7:19-21.) How guarded then an Israelite had to be, lest, through carelessness, he should do that which would bring down such severe judgment of God upon himself.

To touch a dead body, or a bone of a man, therefore, is being brought into contact with death, which came by man's sin. It consequently needed that "the ashes of an heifer," typical of Christ's sacrifice, should be applied by "the water of separation" to the man, before he could possibly be clean. And this is why it is also said, if he does not purify himself, he would be "cut off." How terrible to be "cut off" by God. How impossible it is for Spirit-taught souls not to see the divine stamp on these wondrous Scriptures!

The treatment of the subject in hand becomes specific in Leviticus 7 which deals with the law of the peace offering (v.11), an apt illustration of what we do at the Lord’s Table. The peace offering is an indication of the fellowship we express at the Breaking of Bread (1 Corinthians 10: 18). Who was permitted to eat of the peace offering? In principle every pure Israelite was allowed to eat of it (v.19), but there were exceptions. “The person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, while he is unclean, that person shall be cut off from his people. Moreover the person who touches any unclean thing, such as human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any abominable unclean thing, and who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD; that person shall be cut off from his people.” Such language is clear enough.

Again, while every Israelite was eligible to be invited and share the feast, there was an inflexible condition: he must be clean. "And as for the flesh, all that are clean may eat the flesh. But the soul that eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which are for Jehovah, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from his peoples. And if a soul touch any thing unclean, the uncleanness of man or unclean beast or any unclean abomination, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings that are for Jehovah, that soul shall be cut off from his peoples." If we are free by grace to enjoy the fellowship of Jehovah, and of Christ the Priest, of His priests as a whole and of the very simplest of His people; we are bound to refuse all irreverence and all iniquity. If we associate with that fellowship what is offensive to God's nature and will, we do so at our peril before Him Who will surely vindicate Himself and His word. To be a Christian, ever so truly, does not suffice, indispensable as it is. The apostle in 1 Cor. 11:27 does not speak of unworthy or unconverted communicants, but of eating and drinking the Lord's supper "unworthily."

Again, while every Israelite was eligible to be invited and share the feast, there was an inflexible condition: he must be clean. "And as for the flesh, all that are clean may eat the flesh. But the soul that eateth the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which are for Jehovah, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from his peoples. And if a soul touch anything unclean the uncleanness of man or unclean beast or any unclean abomination, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings that are for Jehovah, that soul shall be cut off from his peoples." If we are free by grace to enjoy the fellowship of Jehovah, and of Christ the Priest, of His priests as a whole and of the very simplest of His people, we are bound to refuse all irreverence and all iniquity. If we associate with that fellowship what is offensive to God's nature and will, we do so at our peril before Him Who will surely vindicate Himself and His word. To be a Christian, ever so truly, does not suffice, indispensable as it is. The apostle in 1 Cor. 11:27 does not speak of unworthy or unconverted communicants, but of eating and drinking the Lord's supper "unworthily."

If an unclean person refused in self-will the divine provision that had been made for his cleansing, "That soul shall be cut off from among the congregation; because he hath defiled the sanctuary of Jehovah: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean" (ver. 20). Whether in Israel, or in Christianity, uncleanness cannot be tolerated where God's Name is owned. There are associations utterly inconsistent with the profession of Christianity, and one who continues in them has no claim to the fellowship of saints. One such association is referred to by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10, where he writes, "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and the table of devils" (1 Cor. 10:21). If any in Corinth, or elsewhere, persisted in associating himself with the worship of the heathen temple, he forfeited the privileges of Christian fellowship.