“Error of Balaam - 30”

February 19, 2020

“Error of Balaam - 30”

Blessings folk!

Moses had just told the judges of Israel to kill all those who had joined themselves to Baal of Peor.

Then, more happens…

Num 25:6-9

Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman,
in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel,
while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it,
he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand,

and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through,
the man of Israel and the woman, through the body.
So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked.

Those who died by the plague were 24,000.

One of the sons of Israel flaunted his sin before Moses, all the congregation and God.
He did so while they were weeping before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

Phinehas…the son of Eliaza…the son of Aaron the priest saw it and took action.

Notice the action was immediate.
He did not consult with man.
He did not set up a committee meeting.
He moved boldly based upon the Word of the Lord.

That is what we need to see.
He acted based upon the Word of the Lord.

Phinehas went after the man of Israel.
Phinehas literally went into their tent and pierced them both through.
(I wonder if he did this with a single thrust? Did he judge them “in the very act”?)

Regardless, both were killed.

This action by Phinehas checked/stopped the plague of the Lord upon the sons of Israel.
Still, some 42,000 had died.

We will see more about Phinehas tomorrow.

One more interesting point for today.

God names the perpetrators.
He gives lineage.
Often, (usually?), the Lord leaves such unnamed, not even honoring them with a name in the Word.

But, in this case…

Num 25:14-15

Now the name of the slain man of Israel who was slain with the Midianite woman,
was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s household among the Simeonites.

The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur,
who was head of the people of a father’s household in Midian.

Offspring of leadership.

None is above judgment.

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