SCRIPTURE: NUMBERS 25
BIBLE VERSE:
“The Lord said to Moses, “Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them. They treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the Peor incident involving their sister Kozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of that incident.” (Numbers 25:16)
THE SIN OF PEOR (vs. 1-9)
While Israel was staying at Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the Moabite women. They invited the Israelites to the sacrifices of their gods and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. They joined in worshipping with Baal of Peor. The fierce anger of the Lord arose and commanded Moses to slay the men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor.
While they were weeping at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, an Israelite brought a Midianite in the sight of Moses and of all congregation. When Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand and pierced through both of them. So the plague against the Israelites stopped. But those who died by the plague were 24,000.
THE ZEAL OF PHINEHAS (vs. 10-18)
Because Phinehas was jealous for his God, he displayed passionate zeal in His behalf and made atonement for the sons of Israel. So, God made special covenant of peace with him and his descendants with a covenant of lasting priesthood.
The man of the slain man was Zimri, a Sinemite. The Midianite woman was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, who was a leader of the Midian clan. The Lord told Aaron: “Be hostile to the Midianites and kill them. For they are your enemies who deceived you to worship Baal at Peor and in the affair of Cozbi, who was slain in the day of the plague at Peor.
THOUGHTS:
Aaron’s grandson Phinehas took a decisive stand for the Lord and opposed the compromise of God’s people with the heathen. A plague from the Lord had already begun. When Phinehas slew the guilty man and woman, the plague stopped but before that, 24,000 had died. In this age, we should be careful not to be friendly with spiritual enemies. We need courageous men like Phinehas who took a difficult stand for separation and holiness.
The biggest and challenging problem for Moses was compromising pagan Canaanite religion and culture. Baal was the most popular god in Canaan. It is represented by a bull, symbol of strength and fertility, who was the god of the rains and harvest. Today, Christian churches are joining the world and are forgetting their calling to be separated from the world.
The anger of Phinehas was proper and justified because of his zeal for the Lord. His anger was unique because it averted God’s judgment and made atonement for the nation of Israel.
.