Even the message God spoke through angels had to be obeyed. Every time people broke the Law, they were punished. Every time they didn’t obey, they were punished.

那藉着天使所传的话既是确定的；凡干犯悖逆的都受了该受的报应。

既然那藉着天使所传的话是确定的，凡违背不听从的，都受了该受的报应；

既然那藉着天使所传的话是确定的，凡违背不听从的，都受了该受的报应；

既然借天使传下来的话正确无误，凡干犯、违背的人都受到了应有的报应，

那透过天使所传讲的信息既然是确定的，所有干犯和不听从的，都受了应得的报应。

要知道，那藉着天使所说的话既然是确定的，连一切过犯和悖逆都受到了应得的报应，

那藉着天使所傳的話既是確定的；凡干犯悖逆的都受了該受的報應。

既然那藉着天使所傳的話是確定的，凡違背不聽從的，都受了該受的報應；

既然那藉着天使所傳的話是確定的，凡違背不聽從的，都受了該受的報應；

既然藉天使傳下來的話正確無誤，凡干犯、違背的人都受到了應有的報應，

那透過天使所傳講的信息既然是確定的，所有干犯和不聽從的，都受了應得的報應。

因為那由天使宣講之道既這麼確定，以致一切犯法和不聽從的事都當受該受的報應，

要知道，那藉著天使所說的話既然是確定的，連一切過犯和悖逆都受到了應得的報應，

蓋由天使所言若果鞏固、凡干犯不順者、皆受義報、

浸假道藉天使以傳、言出惟行、使諸犯逆、無不遭應得之譴、況吾棄救道、如此之大者、豈能逭乎、

其藉天使所傳之道既確定、凡不順而逆者、皆遭應得之報、

夫以天神所傳之誡命尚且一成不變、有犯必懲；

For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,

For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,

For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.

For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment,

For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every violation and act of disobedience received a just punishment,

For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,

For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;

For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment,

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

For if the message spoken through angels proved to be so firm that every violation or disobedience received its just penalty,

For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty,

The law you received was given by angels. But you haven’t obeyed it.”

Then why was the law given at all? It was added because of human sin. And it was supposed to control us until the promised Seed had come. The law was given through angels, and a go- between was put in charge of it.

Suppose someone did not obey the law of Moses. And suppose two or three witnesses made charges against them. That person would die without mercy.

“ May anyone who doesn’t honor the words of this law by obeying them be under the Lord’ s curse.” Then all the people will say,“ Amen!”

So don’t throw away your bold faith. It will bring you rich rewards.

Someone might show that they don’t respect the judge. Or they will show that they don’t respect the priest. The priest will serve the Lord your God at the place God will choose. If anyone doesn’t show respect for these people, that person must be put to death. Remove that evil person from Israel.

He suffered shame because of Christ. He thought it had great value. Moses considered it better than the riches of Egypt. He was looking ahead to his reward.

I want to remind you about some things you already know. The Lord saved his people. At one time he brought them out of Egypt. But later he destroyed those who did not believe.

So take the person who has done that evil thing to your city gate. Put that person to death by throwing stones at them.

“‘ But suppose someone sins on purpose. It does not matter whether they are an Israelite or an outsider. They speak evil things against the Lord. They must be separated from the community of Israel.They have not respected what the Lord has said. They have broken the Lord’ s commands. They must certainly be separated from the community. They are still guilty.’ ”The Israelites were in the desert. One Sabbath day, people saw a man gathering wood.They brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole community.They kept him under guard. It wasn’t clear what should be done to him.Then the Lord said to Moses,“ The man must die. The whole community must kill him by throwing stones at him. They must do it outside the camp.”So the people took the man outside the camp. There they killed him by throwing stones at him. They did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. Those who come to God must believe that he exists. And they must believe that he rewards those who look to him.

Someone living among you might do what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God. It might happen in one of the towns the Lord is giving you. That person is breaking the Lord’ s covenant.

Then he spoke to them. He said,“ The Lord, the God of Israel, says,‘ Each man must put on his sword. Then he must go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other. Each man must kill his brother and friend and neighbor.’ ”The Levites did as Moses commanded. About 3,000 of the people died that day.

Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the Israelites. The snakes bit them. Many of the people died.

Then Moses raised his arm. He hit the rock twice with his walking stick. Water poured out. And the people and their livestock drank it.But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said,“ You did not trust in me enough to honor me. You did not honor me as the holy God in front of the Israelites. So you will not bring this community into the land I am giving them.”

But 14,700 people died from the plague. That doesn’t include those who had died because of what Korah did.

Nadab and Abihu were two of Aaron’s sons. They got their shallow cups for burning incense. They put fire in them. They added incense to it. They made an offering to the Lord by using fire that wasn’t allowed. They did it against his command.So the Lord sent fire on them. It burned them up. They died in front of the Lord.

But while the meat was still in their mouths, the Lord acted. Before the people could swallow it, he became very angry with them. He struck them with a terrible plague.

Your own eyes saw what the Lord your God did at Baal Peor. He destroyed every one of your people who worshiped the Baal that was worshiped at Peor.But all of you who remained true to the Lord your God are still alive today.

But God was not pleased with most of them. Their bodies were scattered in the desert.Now those things happened as examples for us. They are supposed to keep us from wanting evil things. The people of Israel wanted these evil things.So don’t worship statues of gods, as some of them did. It is written,“ The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance wildly in front of their god.”( Exodus 32:6)We should not commit sexual sins, as some of them did. In one day 23,000 of them died.We should not test the Messiah, as some of them did. They were killed by snakes.Don’t speak against God. That’s what some of the people of Israel did. And they were killed by the destroying angel.Those things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us. That’s because we are living at the time when God’s work is being completed.So be careful. When you think you are standing firm, you might fall.

As soon as Moses finished saying all these words, what he had said came true. The ground under them broke open.It opened its mouth. It swallowed up those men. In fact, it swallowed up everyone who lived in their houses. It swallowed all Korah’s men. And it swallowed up everything they owned.They went down into the grave alive. Everything they owned went down with them. The ground closed over them and they died. And so they disappeared from the community.All the Israelites around them heard their cries. They ran away from them. They shouted,“ The ground is going to swallow us up too!”Then the Lord sent down fire. It burned up the 250 men offering the incense.

So tell them,‘ Here is what I am announcing. I am the Lord. You can be sure that I live. And here is what you can be just as sure of. I will do to you the very thing that I heard you say.You will die in this desert. Every one of you 20 years old or more will die. Every one of you who was counted in the list of the people will die. Every one of you who has spoken out against me will be wiped out.I lifted up my hand and promised to make this land your home. But now not all of you will enter the land. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, will enter it. So will Joshua, the son of Nun. They are the only ones who will enter the land.You have said that your enemies would capture your children. But I will bring your children in to enjoy the land you have turned your backs on.As for you, you will die in the desert.Your children will be shepherds here for 40 years. They will suffer because you were not faithful. They will suffer until the last of your bodies lies here in the desert.For 40 years you will suffer for your sins. That is one year for each of the 40 days you checked out the land. You will know what it is like to have me against you.’I, the Lord, have spoken. I will surely do these things to this entire evil community of Israel. They have joined together against me. They will meet their end in this desert. They will die here.”So the Lord struck down the men Moses had sent to check out the land. They had returned and had spread a bad report about the land. And that had made the whole community speak out against Moses.Those men were to blame for spreading the bad report. So the Lord struck them down. They died of a plague.

In the past, God spoke to our people through the prophets. He spoke at many times. He spoke in different ways.

But the plague had already killed 24,000 of them.

Let my teaching fall like rain. Let my words come down like dew. Let them be like raindrops on new grass. Let them be like rain on tender plants.

“ Get the man who spoke evil things against the Lord. Take him outside the camp. All those who heard him say those things must place their hands on his head. Then the whole community must kill him by throwing stones at him.Say to the Israelites,‘ Anyone who curses me will be held accountable.Anyone who speaks evil things against my Name must be put to death. The whole community must kill them by throwing stones at them. It does not matter whether they are an outsider or an Israelite. When they speak evil things against my Name, they must be put to death.

God has come with tens of thousands of his chariots. He has come with thousands and thousands of them. The Lord has come from Mount Sinai. He has entered his holy place.