02/09/2021 – Day 268 – Numbers 25 – 28 //Leaders are held even more accountable for turning a blind eye to sin.//
Israel’s Harlotry in Moab – Chapter 25
We can observe the close connection of the sins of fornication and harlotry with the Moab women and the worship of their idol god – Baal of Peor. In the Gospels , it is proclaimed that fornicators will not get into the kingdom of heaven. (see 1 Corinthians 6: 9 – 11)
So, Zimri, an Israelite openly parades around with this Moabite harlot, right in front of Moses, the priests and the people who were weeping in the door of the tabernacle of meeting for the plague that God had sent them for committing such grievous sins against Him. As Matthew Henry notes in his commentary, it was a brazen affront to God and the justice of the nation. So, Phinehas, the son of Eleazer, the young son of Eleazer the priest, acts boldly and ills both Zimri and Cozbi. Note that both perpetrators are son and daughter of leaders. Let’s note: James 3:1: “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”
And Matthew concludes his commentary on this passage thusly:
“It is not at all difficult to justify Phinehas in priesthood, no doubt he was one of those judges of Israel whom Moses had ordered, but the divine appointment, to slay all those whom they knew to have joined themselves to Baal-peor. God testified his acceptance of the pious zeal of Phinehas. He put an honour upon Phinehas. Though he did nor more than it was his duty to do as a judge, yet because he did it with such extraordinary zeal against sin, and did it when the other judges, out of respect to Zimri’s character as a prince, were afraid, God showed himself particularly well pleased with him and it was counted to him for righteousness, Psalm 106:31. Phinehas, upon this occasion, though a young man, is pronounced his country’s patriot and best friend, v 11. The priesthood is entailed by covenant upon his family. It was designed for him before, but now it was confirmed to him.
God had punished the Israelites for their sin with a plague; as a Father he corrected his own children with a rod. The mischief which the Midianites did to Israel by enticing them to whoredom must be remembered and punished with as much severity as that which the Amalekites did in fighting with them when they came out of Egypt. Exodus 17:14.”
Soli Deo Gloria!