The whoredom of Israel with the daughters of Moab was no
accident. As we have seen before, it happened as a direct result of Balaam's
advice to Balak (Revelation 2:14). It was a strategy meant to accomplish
through covert infiltration what they had not been able to accomplish through
sacrifices and prophecies. Just the
wicked counsel of one man, Balaam, affected a whole nation very negatively.
However, Balaam was not the only important figure in this
story. He had a nemesis. There was one man in Israel who had more courage and
boldness than any other at that time... his name was Phinehas.
When
the people followed the Moabites into idolatry, God was offended. God decreed
the death and public desecration of the people who had led in the debauchery
(Numbers 25:4). But, in the middle of the execution of justice and of the
repentance of Israel's leaders, one man (Zimri) acted with brazen disregard of
God's righteousness. And one man (Phinehas) took a javelin and ended Zimri’s ungodliness
by skewering him through his belly.
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