Christ in all the scripture
"Zealous for my sake among them" Numbers 25
"And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab"-Numbers 25v1.
The word abode (yashab) is strong and suggests a settling down, a couching, a resting. This, at a time when they should have been alert for their rest was in the promised land, not Moab. The place where they rested-Shittim (acacia groves)- should have reminded them as the tabernacle was constructed with shittim wood. Perhaps it was this relaxation which caused their downfall. Scripture abounds with examples of failure after success. Noah, the preacher of righteousness, when he came through the flood in the restored earth, was found drunken in his tent. Elijah the prophet, who withstood 850 prophets on Mount Carmel, went into depression in a cave at the threat of a woman. It was while king David rested following the victories against the house of Saul, and all Israel's enemies, that he succumbed to temptation, in illicit consort with Bathsheba (2nd Samuel 11), with disastrous consequences. The New Testament bristles with appeals to stay on our guard, to remain alert for there is no rest for us here in this world.
It was while they rested on the borders of Moab that the promiscuous women of Moab seduced them. This appeared to be a simple case of Israel falling into temptation, but it was more than that; it was a trap set by Balaam. Numbers 31v16 relates the depravity of Baal-peor in Moab to the counsel of Balaam. We would not know it from the reading of chapter 24, but Balaam either remained long enough to provide Balak with a plan for their downfall, or, he had been double speaking all along...saying one thing in public, and another in private. Balaam could not turn God against Israel (no one can); however he succeeded in turning Israel against God, thus bringing the wrath of God upon them. This is the ploy of Satan, who will try every way to bring God's people down. The extent of this departure is printed in holy writ. Immorality led to idolatry, and the whole camp was compromised. Modern journalists call it "the honeytrap" when predators seek to bring down businessmen and politicians. This was used freely in the 1st century A.D. and is referred to in Revelation 2v14/15, "Thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication". Centuries after this disastrous episode in Israel, the same tactics are being used, female prostitution to attract to false gods.
The sin of Israel was not just fornication; the intent of it, and the outcome of it was to seduce them away from the true God to worship idols.
"Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor" 25v3a
They had turned from God to idols, and idols of the worst kind, the god worshipped by the Canaanites practising the worst kind of spiritual evil.
"The Lord's anger was kindled against Israel" 25v3b
There follows now a Divine action unparalleled in His judgments on Israel. All the heads (rulers) of the people were publicly executed in broad daylight. When God's people stray the responsibility will fall on the rulers. Then the command was given to the judges to slay every one that was joined to Baal-peor.
"Those that died in the plague was 24,000" 25v9
In the midst of all this, in the face of Divine anger, one of the higher ranking Israelites (Zimri, the son of a prince of the chief house among the Simeonites) brazenly entered the camp with a Midianite princess. Moses, Aaron, and all the judges with the whole camp were aware of it, but they were dealing with the plague sent among them. These elite individuals had no regard for God or the people of God. Taken aback by the sheer brass neck of this, the leaders appeared paralyzed. Sensing the gravity of the situation, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, took prompt and decisive action, by entering the sullied tent and killing the perpetrators in the very act. Scripture records the following:
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy" 25v10-11
This very public sin of Israel was brought to an end in a very public way by one man who would not remain silent when the Lord's honour was being trashed. Only eternity will reveal, in the course of time, the number of people with similar zeal, and with God's glory at heart. who have saved God's people from more sorrow.
This brings us to the major theme of this chapter. In these studies we are considering the scriptures as they reveal Christ. What is revealed here is that God loves His people, and will not forsake them, but He hates their sin and He must act against it. He will not tolerate rank immorality or idolatry amongst us. Of Christ it is written, "Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity"-Hebrews 1v9. God's redeemed people must not practise what God hates. "Judgment must begin at the House of God", writes Peter (1st Peter 4v17). Paul wrote, "When we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world"-1st Cor. 11v32. The writer to Hebrews says, "My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him. For whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth"-Hebrews 12v5-6. Sometimes that chastening can be very severe, as the word scourgeth would infer. Sometimes it will involve removal from earth as in 1st Corinthians 11v30. This was the case with Israel, and it is still in force today. God cannot allow His people to dishonour His name. Like Phinehas, we need people like him who will act, instead of remaining silent as many do today. The name of the Lord is everything in this world, and His people need to display that. Will the Lord say of us, "he/she was zealous for my sake among them"?
No comments:
Post a Comment