That title sounds a little crazy, right? But tonight's whole chapter seems a little crazy on the surface. Numbers 25 has all the makings of a soap opera, but with a very final end (instead of the endless recycling of stories for the characters so often seen in the soaps).
It starts out telling us that the Israelites were turning to false gods (ironically enough, it's Baal again!). Not only that, but they were being enticed by the Moabite and Midianite women to do so. One of the biggest aspects of the worship to Baal, a fertility god, was prostitution. So even after all they've been through, and in quite the contrast to the blessings just pronounced on them through Balaam, they're yet again turning from God to commit sin. We've all got a good idea how this is going to end, right?
Of course, God is angry with His people. And not just a little mad, but fiercely angry. So much so that he demands the death of those who have begun to worship Baal. And not just any death, either. For whatever reason, the ESV translates God's command in verse 4 into "hang", but with a little footnote that says impale. This referred to the practice of shaming someone who had committed some sort of atrocity by killing them and then impaling them on a stick and leaving them there to rot in the heat, rather than according them the decency of a burial. For those of you out there who think God is only love, and wouldn't condemn His people to hell, here's your answer to that! God will not tolerate false worship. He is a jealous God. Keep in mind, here, that God's jealousy is not our own, but a term to help us understand. This is the closest emotion to what would be invoked in us under similar circumstances.
Okay, so this command has just come down. As we'll find out in a minute, there was apparently already some sort of plague wiping out these followers of Baal from within Israel. (Considering their form of worship, I doubt the plague was a pleasant one.) All of a sudden, one of the chief's sons deliberately and publicly flouts God's command not to mingle with these women anymore, bringing one home and beginning to "worship" with her (if you know what I mean). This so inflames Phinehas, the chief priest at the time, that he grabs up a javelin, rushes to their tent, and impales them both with the javelin, killing them.
Now, even though God greatly values human life, rather than punish Phinehas, God rewards him. Here's why: Phinehas did this out of a righteous anger (not a self-satisfying anger) because this chief's son was deliberately disobeying God. In addition, God had just commanded that those who were doing these things be impaled, which is exactly what Phinehas did. So hear me, this is not an example of how to behave when someone you know dishonors God. Society (and God Himself) would frown upon this type of behavior. However, this was a special case with a special, specific punishment directly ordained by God for a specific behavior during a specific time period. Because the heart of Phinehas was for guarding the people of God, for honoring God and for offering His commands when he did this, God rewarded him.
In addition, this act stopped the plague. I don't know if that's because there was no more prostitution or if the plague was a very special God-sent plague, but whatever the reason, it stopped. Apparently, though, God wasn't ready to, because He commands Moses to war against the Midianites, because they had deliberately seduced God's people away from the one true God.
More tomorrow! Or, in the spirit of the soap opera, should I say, To Be Continued.... (dramatic music)
Father God, what a God You are! Just when I think I might have the slightest grip on what to expect next, You surprise me. Your Word is full of good and true things, and it's amazing to see how You will go to great lengths to preserve the purity of Your people. Even when it might seem harsh to the world who does not know You, how loving it is to us! Thank You for Your mighty hand, guiding, protecting, and preserving Your people. Amen.
It starts out telling us that the Israelites were turning to false gods (ironically enough, it's Baal again!). Not only that, but they were being enticed by the Moabite and Midianite women to do so. One of the biggest aspects of the worship to Baal, a fertility god, was prostitution. So even after all they've been through, and in quite the contrast to the blessings just pronounced on them through Balaam, they're yet again turning from God to commit sin. We've all got a good idea how this is going to end, right?
Of course, God is angry with His people. And not just a little mad, but fiercely angry. So much so that he demands the death of those who have begun to worship Baal. And not just any death, either. For whatever reason, the ESV translates God's command in verse 4 into "hang", but with a little footnote that says impale. This referred to the practice of shaming someone who had committed some sort of atrocity by killing them and then impaling them on a stick and leaving them there to rot in the heat, rather than according them the decency of a burial. For those of you out there who think God is only love, and wouldn't condemn His people to hell, here's your answer to that! God will not tolerate false worship. He is a jealous God. Keep in mind, here, that God's jealousy is not our own, but a term to help us understand. This is the closest emotion to what would be invoked in us under similar circumstances.
Okay, so this command has just come down. As we'll find out in a minute, there was apparently already some sort of plague wiping out these followers of Baal from within Israel. (Considering their form of worship, I doubt the plague was a pleasant one.) All of a sudden, one of the chief's sons deliberately and publicly flouts God's command not to mingle with these women anymore, bringing one home and beginning to "worship" with her (if you know what I mean). This so inflames Phinehas, the chief priest at the time, that he grabs up a javelin, rushes to their tent, and impales them both with the javelin, killing them.
Now, even though God greatly values human life, rather than punish Phinehas, God rewards him. Here's why: Phinehas did this out of a righteous anger (not a self-satisfying anger) because this chief's son was deliberately disobeying God. In addition, God had just commanded that those who were doing these things be impaled, which is exactly what Phinehas did. So hear me, this is not an example of how to behave when someone you know dishonors God. Society (and God Himself) would frown upon this type of behavior. However, this was a special case with a special, specific punishment directly ordained by God for a specific behavior during a specific time period. Because the heart of Phinehas was for guarding the people of God, for honoring God and for offering His commands when he did this, God rewarded him.
In addition, this act stopped the plague. I don't know if that's because there was no more prostitution or if the plague was a very special God-sent plague, but whatever the reason, it stopped. Apparently, though, God wasn't ready to, because He commands Moses to war against the Midianites, because they had deliberately seduced God's people away from the one true God.
More tomorrow! Or, in the spirit of the soap opera, should I say, To Be Continued.... (dramatic music)
Father God, what a God You are! Just when I think I might have the slightest grip on what to expect next, You surprise me. Your Word is full of good and true things, and it's amazing to see how You will go to great lengths to preserve the purity of Your people. Even when it might seem harsh to the world who does not know You, how loving it is to us! Thank You for Your mighty hand, guiding, protecting, and preserving Your people. Amen.
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