Num 25:6-8 | KingComments | STEP | There is a man, an Israelite, who defies the judgment that has been carried out. He ignores God’s judgment and, with incredible hubris, brings a Midianite woman to his brothers. This is not just any sin. It is a frontal attack on the true, high and pure service to God. With his deed he slaps God’s face and he is not interested in anything that he does to his brothers with his deed. His brothers mourn about the situation and he indicates with his deed that they are behaving overly dramatic. So he defies God and despises the crying people. The Israelites cry – is it just because of the plague or also because of the unfaithfulness to God that has been committed? – and watch as this great sin takes place. But they not only must cry, they also must act here. Phinehas understands what is happening. For the superficial reader, his action seems merciless. But in his action he shows true love for God and for His people. True love “does not rejoice in unrighteousness” ( ). Not acting is sin. Such shameless sin can be dealt with only in one way: without pardon he kills those who sin without shame and cause the plague. When he has executed the judgment, the plague stops. With the execution of the judgment, Phinehas works atonement. 24,000 people have died by the plague. This seems contrary to the 23,000 mentioned in 1 Corinthians 10 ( ). But there it says “in one day”. This could mean that on another day a 1,000 people died from the plague. It is also possible that the figure of 24,000 includes the death of the leaders of the people who have been executed. It would be about 1,000 leaders. In any case, it shows the extent of the unfaithfulness. Phinehas is the son of Eleazar, the high priest, and the grandson of Aaron. All three are a picture of the Lord Jesus, the true High Priest. Aaron has died. He is a picture of the Lord Jesus Who made atonement and brought His blood in the sanctuary. Eleazar, as a high priest, is a picture of the Lord Jesus in what He is doing for us now, after He rose from the dead. Phinehas is also a high priest and also a picture of the Lord Jesus, but then in judging power. Judgment is given to the Lord Jesus as the Son of man ( ). Phinehas’ judgment of sin means that the whole people are spared. The Lord Jesus judges the church so that the relationship between Him and His people may be maintained. Hard measures are sometimes needed that we remain His people with whom He can have fellowship. For his decisive action God rewards Phinehas and his descendants with the eternal priesthood ( ; ). When listing the gatekeepers, Phinehas is remembered with great respect ( ). He has behaved like a true gatekeeper and made sure that evil is removed from God’s presence. The spirit of Phinehas must characterize us all. It is the spirit of priesthood, practiced in God’s presence. For us it is about the service in the sanctuary, especially when we come together as a church. The man who dared to commit such a sin is the son of a leader of a father’s household. This teaches us that origin or position is no guarantee whatsoever not to fall into the most awful sin. For this we are only kept if we put our trust not in ourselves but in the Lord.

‏ Numbers 25:6-8

Phinehas Is Jealous for the LORD

There is a man, an Israelite, who defies the judgment that has been carried out. He ignores God’s judgment and, with incredible hubris, brings a Midianite woman to his brothers. This is not just any sin. It is a frontal attack on the true, high and pure service to God. With his deed he slaps God’s face and he is not interested in anything that he does to his brothers with his deed. His brothers mourn about the situation and he indicates with his deed that they are behaving overly dramatic. So he defies God and despises the crying people.

The Israelites cry – is it just because of the plague or also because of the unfaithfulness to God that has been committed? – and watch as this great sin takes place. But they not only must cry, they also must act here. Phinehas understands what is happening. For the superficial reader, his action seems merciless. But in his action he shows true love for God and for His people. True love “does not rejoice in unrighteousness” (1Cor 13:6a). Not acting is sin. Such shameless sin can be dealt with only in one way: without pardon he kills those who sin without shame and cause the plague.

When he has executed the judgment, the plague stops. With the execution of the judgment, Phinehas works atonement. 24,000 people have died by the plague. This seems contrary to the 23,000 mentioned in 1 Corinthians 10 (1Cor 10:8). But there it says “in one day”. This could mean that on another day a 1,000 people died from the plague. It is also possible that the figure of 24,000 includes the death of the leaders of the people who have been executed. It would be about 1,000 leaders. In any case, it shows the extent of the unfaithfulness.

Phinehas is the son of Eleazar, the high priest, and the grandson of Aaron. All three are a picture of the Lord Jesus, the true High Priest. Aaron has died. He is a picture of the Lord Jesus Who made atonement and brought His blood in the sanctuary. Eleazar, as a high priest, is a picture of the Lord Jesus in what He is doing for us now, after He rose from the dead.

Phinehas is also a high priest and also a picture of the Lord Jesus, but then in judging power. Judgment is given to the Lord Jesus as the Son of man (Jn 5:27). Phinehas’ judgment of sin means that the whole people are spared. The Lord Jesus judges the church so that the relationship between Him and His people may be maintained. Hard measures are sometimes needed that we remain His people with whom He can have fellowship.

For his decisive action God rewards Phinehas and his descendants with the eternal priesthood (Jdg 20:28; 1Chr 6:4-15). When listing the gatekeepers, Phinehas is remembered with great respect (1Chr 9:19b-20). He has behaved like a true gatekeeper and made sure that evil is removed from God’s presence. The spirit of Phinehas must characterize us all. It is the spirit of priesthood, practiced in God’s presence. For us it is about the service in the sanctuary, especially when we come together as a church.

The man who dared to commit such a sin is the son of a leader of a father’s household. This teaches us that origin or position is no guarantee whatsoever not to fall into the most awful sin. For this we are only kept if we put our trust not in ourselves but in the Lord.