Numbers 25:1-18
Q.1. Was God’s judgment a bit severe? Why did God take such drastic steps with the leaders of His people? – (Num.25:1-9)
God always had a special calling on His people – For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth (Dt.7:6 c.f. 1 Pet.2:9). Israel was not yet in the Promised Land and began intermingling with the ungodly nations around them and eating their sacrifices to Baal-peor (Num.25:1-3). When God prevented the prophet Balaam from cursing Israel, he advised King Balak to entice Israel’s men to commit immorality with the Moabites (Rev.2:14 c.f. Num.31:16). God was angry that Israel had so quickly broken their Covenant and He commanded Moses to make a public display and execute the unfaithful leaders (Num.25:3-4). Before the day was through twenty four thousand died in a plague (Num.25:9).
Q.2. What did Phinehas do to stop Israel’s plague? How did God respond to the zealous action of the priest? – (Num.25:6-13)
The command to execute their own people brought weeping from the leaders (Num.25:6). When a leader among the Simeonites brazenly took a Midianite woman into their midst, Phinehas speared them through in righteous indignation (Num.25:7-8). The Lord saw the blood and – the plague of the sons of Israel was checked (Num.25:8). God totally exonerated the action and extended a covenant of peace to Phinehas – and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.’ (Num.25:13). The zeal of Phinehas to honour the holiness of God saved hundreds of thousands more. He was the predecessor of Zadok who will feature in the Millennial Reign of Christ (see 1 Chron.6:4 & 8; 9:20; Ezk.44:15-16; 48:11-12)
Q.3. What principle did God want His people to follow in their relationships with the surrounding nations? – (Num.25:14-18)
It is recorded that the Midianites had – been hostile … with their tricks … and had deceived Israel (Num.25:18). The incident shows how easily people drift from their faith in God when they form attachments with the ungodly. The names of the ‘culprits’ are recorded for posterity as a warning against compromise (Num.25:14-15). The conduct of the Midianites had been deceptive. God commanded Israel to keep separate from them and their evil ways. Though we are to reach out to the lost, we must avoid following the ways of the ungodly (2 Cor.6:14-18; Jude 22-23).