Audio Download

Numbers 25:1-18  Israel Worshiped Baal at Peor

[Study Aired October 23, 2023]

Num 25:1  And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. 
Num 25:2  And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 
Num 25:3  And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. 
Num 25:4  And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.
Num 25:5  And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye everyone his men that were joined unto Baalpeor. 
Num 25:6  And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 25:7  And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 
Num 25:8  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 belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 
Num 25:9  And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. 
Num 25:10  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 25:11  Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. 
Num 25:12  Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: 
Num 25:13  And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. 
Num 25:14  Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites. 
Num 25:15  And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian. 
Num 25:16  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 25:17  Vex the Midianites, and smite them: 
Num 25:18  For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor’s sake. 

Intruduction

Chapter 25 starts with how Israel committed sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab, and as a result, they ended up serving Baal at Peor.  This whoredom and idolatry was punished by the Lord with a plague. The chapter also describes the pious zeal of Phinehas and the Lord’s commendation of his zeal. This chapter ends with the enmity between the Israelites and the Midianites.

The preceding three chapters of Numbers 25 dealt with Balaam, who was invited by Balak, king of Moab, to come and curse the people of Israel with the intent that this would cause the people of Israel to be defeated by the Moabites. Balaam could not curse the people of Israel because the Lord told him that the people of Israel were a blessed people who could not be cursed. In Revelation 2:14 we are given further information that the whoredom of the people of Israel was the result of Balaam’s doctrine which taught Balak to entice the people of Israel to commit fornication, which would cause the Lord to go against them, thus making it easier for them to be defeated.

Rev 2:14  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

The question is: what is this doctrine of Balaam which cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, causing them to be involved in eating things sacrificed to idols and committing fornication? The fornication in this sense spiritually means to worship another Jesus. That is, leaving our husband Christ to play the harlot. Through the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles, we are able to know the doctrine of Balaam. Let’s take a look at what John has to say about the doctrine of Balaam:

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 
1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

The doctrine of Balaam causes us to eat food offered to idols and to commit fornication. Eating food offered to idols means accepting what the idols of our hearts say and rejecting the truth of the word of the Lord. The doctrine of Balaam also causes us to forsake our husband Christ and go after another Jesus. In 1 John 4:3, anybody who does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh has the spirit of the antichrist. As we are aware, everybody knows that Jesus came in the flesh. However, it is only the elect who believe that Jesus Christ comes to us, His elect, in this life to destroy the works of the flesh within us with the breath of His mouth and His brightness. What this implies is that any teaching that does not acknowledge Christ as coming within us to overcome the flesh is tantamount to the doctrine of Balaam. In other words, any teaching causing us to rely on our strength through our perceived self-will (false doctrine) instead of Christ is the doctrine of Balaam. This is because, without Christ coming to us, we are like grasshoppers before the flesh and at the fullness of time, we shall succumb to its control as we end up playing the harlot.

With regard to the doctrine of Balaam, this is what Peter has to say: 

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

What this means is that any great swelling words of vanity constitute the doctrine of Balaam since it has the potential to arouse the lust of the flesh. An example of these great swelling words of vanity is as follows:

2Pe 2:3  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

The feigned words mean fictitious words. In other words, false doctrines is the doctrine of Balaam since it has the potential to allure the lust of the flesh which leads us to clinging to another Jesus.

Paul also said the following to say:

Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

Perverse things used here by Paul means misinterpreted or corrupt words. It can also mean to ‘turn away.’ In other words, these perverse things spoken are false doctrines which cause us to turn away from Christ to follow another Jesus and therefore constitute the doctrine of Balaam.

As we know, the people of Israel here were the new generation of believers with most of them less than 40 years old. They had left Egypt, but they ended up in Babylon as they committed whoredom and ate food offered to idols.

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

There are many lessons we can glean from this chapter to guide our path to Christ and be delivered from Babylon within and without.

Israel Joined Himself unto Baalpeor

Num 25:1  And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
Num 25:2  And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
Num 25:3  And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.

The daughters of Moab in verse 1 signify the many different divisions of Babylon. The Israelites committing whoredom with the daughters of Moab therefore spiritually signify leaving our husband Christ to be joined to or worship another Jesus when we were in Babylon.

2Co 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

In verse 2, the people of Israel eating the sacrifices of their gods and bowing down to them means imbibing the false doctrines of Babylon, which causes us to leave the simplicity which is in Christ in favor of another Jesus. Over time, we end up joining ourselves completely to another Jesus such that we become twofold the child of hell, just as the people of Israel joined themselves to Baalpeor and became worse off as they incurred the anger of the Lord.

Mat 23:15  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

We must remember that the people of Israel in this case were a new generation with a maximum age being less than 40 years, as almost all the old generation had died in the wilderness. They therefore represent us as believers when we started our walk with Christ. Our attraction to Babylon to serve another Jesus is so strong, especially when we start our journey with Christ. This is clearly shown in the following verses:

Pro 7:1  My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. 
Pro 7:2  Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. 
Pro 7:3  Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. 
Pro 7:4  Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
Pro 7:5  That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. 
Pro 7:6  For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
Pro 7:7  And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, 
Pro 7:8  Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, 
Pro 7:9  In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: 
Pro 7:10  And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. 
Pro 7:11  (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
Pro 7:12  Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 
Pro 7:13  So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 
Pro 7:14  I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. 
Pro 7:15  Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. 
Pro 7:16  I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. 
Pro 7:17  I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 
Pro 7:18  Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. 
Pro 7:19  For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: 
Pro 7:20  He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. 
Pro 7:21  With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 
Pro 7:22  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 
Pro 7:23  Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. 
Pro 7:24  Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. 
Pro 7:25  Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. 
Pro 7:26  For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. 
Pro 7:27  Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

Our Judgment and That of the World

Num 25:4  And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.

In verse 4, although most of the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord by their whoredoms, it is the chiefs of the people who were held responsible by the Lord. The Lord told Moses to take the chiefs of the people of Israel and hang them in the sun before the Lord.  The chiefs of the people of Israel symbolize the elect who are being judged for their whoredom in this life. The fact that the chiefs must be hanged in the sun and before the Lord is to remind us that it is those who are in Christ, represented by the sun, who are being judged. Being hanged before the Lord means our judgment is all part of the plan of the Lord with the objective to cause us to learn righteousness. 

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Num 25:5  And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye everyone his men that were joined unto Baalpeor. 

The judges of Israel in verse 5 refers to the elect. This verse is to show us that in the fullness of time, as judges we will administer judgment to the whole world. This will happen during the lake of fire age.

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Num 25:6  And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

The Midianitish woman represents Babylon and the children of Israel who were weeping before the tabernacle in the presence of the Lord, symbolizing the assembly of the Lord’s elect. Therefore, verse 6 shows us that when we become part of the church of the firstborn, we clearly see the sins of the physical churches of this world, which is Babylon, as the weeping children of Israel saw the Israelite in the company of the Midianitish woman in plain sight. The psalm of David clearly shows us that it is when we enter the assembly of the church of the elect that we see Babylon clearly and her end.

Psa 73:1  A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. 
Psa 73:2  But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped. 
Psa 73:3  For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 
Psa 73:4  For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. 
Psa 73:5  They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Psa 73:6  Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. 
Psa 73:7  Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. 
Psa 73:8  They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

Psa 73:12  Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
Psa 73:13  Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
Psa 73:14  For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. 
Psa 73:15  If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 
Psa 73:16  When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
Psa 73:17  Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 
Psa 73:18  Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. 
Psa 73:19  How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

Num 25:7  And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 
Num 25:8  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 belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 
Num 25:9  And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. 

Phinehas here symbolizes the elect who was among the congregation who were mourning or weeping for the sins of Israel.

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses [the elect], and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth [in mourning].

A javelin is an instrument to kill or destroy. It comes from an unused word which means ‘to hurt.’ Spiritually, it represents the fire of the word of the Lord which destroy or hurts our old man.

1Sa 18:11  And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

Phinehas thrusting the man and the Midianitish woman with the javelin means that the Lord’s elect shall judge the world and Babylon in the Lake of Fire Age. This judgment shall destroy the old man in all mankind since creation. That is when the plague of sin shall cease. In verse 9, those who died from the plague were 24,000 (24x10x10x10). The number 2 means ‘a witness’, the number four signifies the whole of whatever is under consideration, and the number 10 represents the completeness of the flesh.  In this case, we are looking at those who have died as a result of the plague. In other words, we are looking at the whole of humanity who were spiritually dead as a result of the plague of sin. What the number 24,000 therefore means is that all humanity who were spiritually dead will be saved through judgment and therefore become like the Lord’s elect (the two witnesses).

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

1Ti 4:9  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 
1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

It is instructive to note that the javelin entered the woman through the belly. Paul makes it clear that those whose God is their belly are mindful of things of the earth. So it is the fiery word of God (javelin) which put to death our “belly” which stands for our earthly mindset and desires that have become our God. This implies that the judgment of Babylon is to destroy the old man. 

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Rom 16:17  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 
Rom 16:18  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

The Blessing of the Elect

Num 25:10  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 25:11  Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Num 25:12  Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
Num 25:13  And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

The zeal for the Lord by Phinehas resulted in the children of Israel not being consumed by the Lord. This means that our zeal for the Lord in this life is for the sake of our brothers and sisters in Christ and the people of the world, including those in Babylon. In other words, the mercy we have received from the Lord which has caused us to be zealous for the Lord is for the benefit of all humanity as they also shall receive mercy from us. May the Lord help us to be zealous for Him in this life!!

Psa 69:9  For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

In verses 12 and 13 we are given to know some of the blessings the Lord has given to us, His elect. One of the promises given to Phinehas for his zeal for the Lord is the covenant of peace. As the Lord’s called and chosen, we are like Phinehas whom the Lord has given the peace of mind which passes all understanding. To the rest of humanity, the way of peace has eluded them.

Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

Isa 57:21  There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

Isa 59:8  The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. 
Isa 59:9  Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 
Isa 59:10  We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

In addition to our covenant of peace, the Lord has also blessed us to be given the priesthood.

Isa 61:6  But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Num 25:14  Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites. 
Num 25:15  And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian. 

It is insightful to note the names of the victims of Phinehas’ zeal. The name of the Israelite that was killed by Phinehas’ javelin was Zimri, which means that ‘God is my protection.’ That of the Midianitish woman was Cozbi which means ‘false.’ What we are being told here by these names is that the false doctrines that we imbibe take away the Lord’s protection, and therefore we become easy prey for the devil.

It is also important to note that the man (Zimri) was a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites, and the woman was the daughter of a chief house in Midian. As we indicated earlier, Cozbi, the Midianitish woman, represents Babylon. This implies that it is the leaders of Babylon who commit fornication with her and lead the people astray.

Isa 9:16  For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. 
Isa 9:17  Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for everyone is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 

Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 

Rev 18:9  And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, 
Rev 18:10  Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

The Enmity Between Israel and Midian

Num 25:16  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 25:17  Vex the Midianites, and smite them: 
Num 25:18  For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor’s sake.

The Midianites represent our flesh. If we do not see that the present danger regarding our walk with Christ is our flesh, then we shall surely be defeated by it, just as Zimri was overcome by a daughter of Midian. The Lord telling Moses to vex the Midianites is another way of saying that our flesh lusts against the spirit and are therefore contrary to each other. However, if we walk in the Spirit, that is, if we walk according to the word of the Lord, we shall smite the Midianites (the flesh).

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 
Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 
Gal 5:18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

May the Lord continue to help us to overcome the flesh in this life. Amen!!