It does appear shocking to see a young man stoned to death for “merely” gathering sticks [probably for lighting fire prohibited, Exo.35:3] on a sabbath day–people all over the world, including Christians, keep doing all kinds of works on sabbath today! It is only when one puts the episode in its context that one can make sense of its meaning and relate oneself to it.

  1. The sabbath was a covenantal sign between God and Israel; desecration of the sign symbolized rebellion and breach of the covenant.
    Exo 31:13-14  “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. So you must keep the Sabbath, for it is holy for you. Everyone who defiles it must surely be put to death; indeed, if anyone does any work on it, then that person will be cut off from among his people.
  2. For unintentional sins where there was confession in humility, there was provision of mercy and forgiveness (Num 15:22-31). In some cases, the whole community had to offer a sacrifice for atonement (Num.15:24ff). In cases of individual import, the sacrifice was to be individual (Num.15:27).
  3. The law was the same for all native and alien residents (Num.15:26). The law explicitly stated: Num 15:30-31  “‘But the person who acts defiantly, whether native-born or a resident foreigner, insults the LORD. That person must be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the LORD’s message and has broken his commandment, that person must be completely cut off. His iniquity will be on him.’”
  4. Given this context, the transgression of the man in the next verse (Num.15:32) certainly could be classified under an act of defiance and amounted to a direct insult of the LORD, which was a capital offense. An act of defiance signifies intentional rejection, rebellion, and disobedience. An act of defiance is only rational where the laws in concern are irrational and inhuman. Given the context of Israel’s miraculous deliverance and God’s active presence as liberator, protector, and provider of Israel in the wilderness, any act of defiance of a covenantal prescription was explicitly self-destructive.
  5. There is no evidence of the young man showing signs of remorse or repentance.
  6. For a covenant to be a covenant, adherence to its prescriptions has to be stringent; otherwise, it loses its seriousness, significance, and reliability.
  7. The other party of a covenant cannot but demand absolute adherence to the covenantal agreement. Any lenience would render the covenant standing on flimsy pillars of weak conditions.
  8. The only resolution would be the presence of a strong MEDIATOR, which Moses attempted to act upon the role as in Exodus 32:32 when the people sinned against God. Exo 32:32  But now, if you will forgive their sin…, but if not, wipe me out from your book that you have written.” However, then God responded: Exo 32:33  The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me – that person I will wipe out of my book. Which meant that the mediatorship of Moses was not accepted. In fact, later on Moses himself was barred from entering the Promised Land for violating God’s command.
  9. In John 8, when Jesus was confronted with the question of what to do with the woman caught in adultery, He replied “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her,” in effect, humans do not possess the power either to execute judgement or to mediate for sin. [Adultery violates a commandment of the Decalogue, but more specifically the violation of marital covenant is a type of the violation of covenant with God]
  10. John 8:11 – “I do not condemn you either” is remarkably different from “Did no one condemn you?” (8:10). in Jn.8:10, the public could not condemn as they were rendered disqualified. In Jn.8:11, Jesus does not condemn because He did not come to condemn but to save the world (Jn.3:17). In truth, He was the TRUE MEDIATOR.
  11. However, there is still no pardon for the ones who continue in rebellion under the New Covenant: 2Th 1:8  With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 2Th 1:9  They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength.

Heb 10:28  Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Heb 10:29  How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace?

Heb 10:30  For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

Heb 10:31  It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.