"Be Sure Your Sin Will Find You Out"

Author and poet William Cullen Bryant once stated, "Truth crushed to earth shall rise again" (source).

Regarding the Gadites and Reubenites disobedience to God's specific instructions to help Israel defeat their enemies in the land of Caanan (see summary here), Moses told them in Numbers 32:23, "But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out."

The meaning of the above phrase, is not that our sins will be found out or discovered, but that our sins will one day be the instrument of punishment, not only here on earth, but in eternity as well (see commentary on vs's 20-27). Yes indeed, "truth crushed to earth shall rise again."

In O.J. Simpson's case, because of his sins against humanity (and ultimately against God), he has spent nine incarcerated years for a Las Vegas kidnapping and armed robbery charge (see here), thus we know that the above analysis of our sins being an instrument of punishment is true.

The eternal principle of sowing and reaping in Galations 6:7-8 will always be true: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."

Bill and Hillary Clinton, Harvey Weinstein, Tiger Woods, the late Hugh Hefner, and a host of others (see here and here), can also attest to the above truth of our sins being the instrument of punishment, not only in this life, but in the life to come (Luke 16:19-31; cf. Mark 9:38-50).

To all those who have sin in their life, the bottom line is this: "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23 - see article).

---Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets