A System to Foster Corruption?
Numbers 5:5 Then the LORD said to Moses, 6 “Give these instructions to the people of Israel: If any of the people—men or women—betray the LORD by doing wrong to another person, they are guilty. 7 They must confess their sin and make full restitution for what they have done, adding a penalty of 20 percent and returning it to the person who was wronged. 8 But if the person who was wronged is dead, and there are no near relatives to whom restitution can be made, it belongs to the LORD and must be given to the priest, along with a ram for atonement. 9 All the sacred gifts that the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him. 10 Each priest may keep the sacred donations that he receives.”
Given man's inherent sinful nature it seems that this system was set up to entice corruption by "finding" sinful behavior. "Godly" priests may have resisted the temptation but during the 1,500 years between Moses & Jesus there must have been many self-serving priests.
God struck Nadab & Abihu dead for burning "strange fire" before Him. (Leviticus 10:1-2) He struck Uzzah dead for touching the Ark, to steady it. (2 Samuel 6:6-7).
We would have far less crime in our world if punishment for crime was harsh & administered swiftly. The plot for Season 1, Episode of Star Trek Next Generation centers around an idyllic planet visited by the crew. Wesley, a teenager, inadvertently breaks a law. A policemen beams to his location. His job is to administer a lethal injection on the spot.
With the US justice system many/most murderers on death row die of old age before being executed.
I won't presume to understand why God seems to delay corrective action (punishment) when we sin, He is God, who am i to question Him. Our world would be a better place if man, even though we will occassionaly err, meted out swift and harsh punishment.
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