PLAGUE OF BAAL-PEOR AND THE JAVELIN OF PHINEHAS
PLAGUE OF BAAL-PEOR AND THE JAVELIN OF PHINEHAS
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
Numbers 25
March 17, 2020, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
We are to speak the WORD OF FAITH that decimates plagues, not the curse of the evil King Balak of Moab.
Last week while in Kerrville visiting my daughter, like you, I was praying about the Corona virus and asking the LORD how I should pray? That night I had a dream: “I was reading the Book of Numbers. I was scrolling through the verses reading every verse with the word “his.” “His” in each verse was high-lighted with a green arrow.: (End of dream)
The first verse which was quickened to me was Numbers 8:19:
Num 8:19And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.
The context of this chapter is the purification and cleansing of the Levites that they may assist the priests. The Levites take the place of the firstborn as gifts to Aaron to make atonement so that no plague will strike. Just as Israel is set apart from the nations, so the Levites are set apart from Israel. This is the principle of the cleanness of the priesthood and those who serve the sanctuary. Without the spiritual cleanness through the Blood of Jesus Christ, the Church does not have the power over plagues. God’s people are redeemed to serve. We are saved to serve.
Going back to chapter 7, the Lord received the offering of the Princes of the twelve tribes. God was pleased with the offering for he spoke to Moses from the mercy-seat.
Num 7:89Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus, He spoke to him.
The principle of giving in times of crisis and financial stress is a form of warfare. Satan cannot put fear on us about our finances if we are giving freely to the LORD. The Lord will rebuke the devourer for us because of our FAITH in him; not our fear of need.
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In chapter 22 and 23 we have the plague of Baal-Peor. This is the principle, sin and false teaching of the error of Balaam.
Balaam was a prophet of the Lord who sought to prostitute his prophetic gift for personal gain.
1. The error of Balaam – prophesying for wages. Jude 1:11: Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah
2. The doctrine of Balaam – casting stumbling blocks: Rev 2:14 I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
3. The way of Balaam – loving unrighteousness: 2Pe 2:15: They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.
Now this is really bad to be condemned three times in the New Testament. This should put the fear of God into every prophet. The error of Balaam becomes a doctrine which becomes a way of life.
2Pe 2:14Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
The King of Moab, Balak was fearful of Israel and sent to Pethor of Mesopotamia for Balaam and requested him to curse Israel. The elders of Moab and of Midian approached Balaam with this request.
God told Balaam not to do the bidding of King Balak of Moab.
Num 22:7So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me.” So, the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
So, Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’” And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” So, Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the LORD has refused to give me permission to go with you.
It was God, Elohim, that told Balaam not to do the bidding of Barak. Then God tells him to go with the men, but he gets angry with him with he goes.
Num 22:19“Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.” And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.”
Num 22:22Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the LORD took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. Now the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So, Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so, he struck her again. Then the Angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
I think we can say, God anger was not because he went, but because of his frame of mind. Hopefully that would put the fear of God in me and I would stay far away from this king and his elders, but the second temptation with more money prompted this soulish prophet to approach God a second time, because he was bent on doing his “own thing.”
It is possible to possess high spiritual gifts without possessing a sanctified life, and to have profound spiritual insight, and yet be blind to one’s own state. Failure to give the first temptation a decisive refusal will lead to eventual submission (a hesitating NO is a desire to say YES). Some practice their gift where it pays the most. Some seek to circumvent the will of God so as to obtain their own ends without open disobedience.
Balaam meets Balak and ends up in the high places of Baal.
Balaam uttered four parables.
1. Israel was separated unto the Lord, a great multitude. (23: 1-12)
2. Israel was just and influential among the nations. (23: 13-30)
3. Israel was beautiful, strong and prevailers. (24: 1-14)
4. Israel has a coming King and His Messianic Kingdom (24: 15-25)
The fourth utterance speaks of Jesus, the Star and the Scepter. Edom shall be conquered in the last days (today Israel, Jordan, Palestine). Jesus will have dominion and Amalek shall perish forever.
Numbers 25: 1-18 – deals with the grievous sin with Baal-Peor. Balaam advised the Midianite rulers to use their women in a deliberate plot to entangle the Israelites in immorality so as to bring the disfavor of God. What Balaam could not accomplish by cursing, he attempted by seduction.
Baal Peor was the mount upon which the heathen prostitutes invited Israel. The punishment was severe upon the chiefs because they made no effort to prevent this sin. 24,000 fell in one day.
Num 25:1Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.
So, Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the LORD, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.” So, Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor.” And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So, the plague was stopped among the children of Israel; And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. “Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace;
‘and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’”
Now the name of the Israelite who was killed, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s house among the Simeonites. And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a father’s house in Midian.
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Harass the Midianites, and attack them “for they harassed you with their schemes by which they seduced you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed in the day of the plague because of Peor.”
Phineas, son of Eleazar, and the grandson of Aaron slew the Simeonite prince Zimri and the Midianite princess Cozbi with the javelin. Phineas received a Covenant of peace and an everlasting priesthood.
Phineas stayed the plague because in his zeal he defended the honor of God. It seems prince Zimri and Princess Cozbi blatantly went into a tent with immoral intent.
As we study the plagues which come upon the people because of their sins, repeatedly it is sin against God that brings the plagues and it is repentance and purification which stops the plagues.
We, are faced with a plague that is threatening the financial, cultural, educational and every aspect of our society. Churches are being closed down. Schools are closed down. Supply chains are being shut off and the list goes on. It is time to repent for the evil that is in our churches and in our nation.
Psa.106 28-31: They joined themselves also to Baal
of Peor,
And ate sacrifices made to the dead. Thus, they provoked Him to anger with
their deeds,
And the plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
And the plague was stopped. And that was accounted to him for righteousness
To all generations forevermore.
Phinehas’s birth is recorded in the Book of Exodus.
Exo 6:25 - Eleazar, Aaron's son, took for himself one of the daughters of Putiel as wife; and she bore him Phinehas.
Phinehas led the army into victory against the kings of Midian.
Num 31:6
- Then Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from each tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and the signal
trumpets in his hand. And they warred against the Midianites, just as the LORD commanded Moses, and they killed all the males.
They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.
Phinehas was sent as head of the elders of the tribes to quench the rebellion in Canaan by the Reubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh.
Joshua 22:13: Then the children of Israel sent Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead,
Joshua 14:33: Eleazar the son of Aaron died. They buried him in a hill belonging to Phinehas his son, which was given to him in the mountains of Ephraim.
After his father’s death, Phinehas became the high priest. He is mentioned in Judges and leads Israel to avenge the wickedness of the Sons of Belial known as the Gibeon Outrage.
Jdg 20:27-28: So, the children of Israel inquired of the LORD (the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days. Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, “Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease?” And the LORD said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
I entered into the labors of Principles of Present Truth of Numbers by Kelly Varner. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those who I enter into their labors.