God commands Israel to take vengeance on the Midianites (v1,2) for their act of seduction of Israel into sexual immorality and idolatry (Numbers 25). You will recall that they were numbered with the people of Moab. This was as a result of Balaam’s association with Balak, king of Moab. Vengeance is something we must avoid, however, God says, ‘vengeance is mine’, so it is God’s prerogative to take it, not mine or yours. Problems always arise when we take vengeance into our hands. There is an interesting verse – 2 Thessalonians 1:6 “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.” It is safe to leave it to Him.
Moses told the people to go to war against the Midianites and to take a thousand from each tribe (v3-5). He sent them out with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with holy articles and the trumpets and they made war and killed all the Midianite males, the kings of the Midianites and Balaam (v6-11). They took the women and children and cattle and goods as spoil and burned the cities. I understand it was the custom to take the women and children as servants. Notice Balaam was put to death, the one who had caused the trouble in the first place was dealt with on God’s orders. He had said in chapter 23:10 that he wanted ‘to die the death of the righteous’. This was far from it. His money did him no good if he got any. Jude 11 says that ‘the error of Balaam was for profit.’ He was in it for the money! My good friend Sam Gordon says that he was a prophet who was in it for profit! He was one of the best-informed Gentiles about God’s plan for Israel. He used his spiritual insight to obtain material gain. He compromised his status and devalued the ministry God had given him; he was a great compromiser. There are many today doing just what he did – money is the baseline. If the price is right, they would do anything and go anywhere. Preaching for what they could get out of it, a big fat cheque at the end of a service – nothing to do with faith, but a lot to do with a fee. Despite his failure to satisfy the king Balak, it was obvious that he stayed in Moab and was killed there.
Moses was angry that they spared the women (v12-20) even though the army seemed to think they had won a victory, but it wasn’t a complete victory. Moses asked if they had spared all the women? He chided them these included the women who caused Israel to sin through Balaam, so he commanded them to kill every male among the little ones and every woman who had had sexual relations with men but spare all the the young girls who were virgin. Those who had killed any person were to remain outside the camp for seven days and whoever had touched a dead body to purify themselves and their captives on the third and seventh days, and every garment, everything made of leather, woven of goat’s hair and wood.
Moses was angry because the Israelites failed to recognise that those women had led them into sin. We can be guilty of overlooking the people and things that lead us into sin and failing to deal with it. We see from this period of history that this was more dangerous than an army attacking them.
As Christians we are told that we should be separate, in the world but not of the world. It is dangerous to play games with the devil, we are playing with fire, even allowing it to exist among us. Paul tells us to put to death the old life and put on the new. If we’ve put it to death, we must not allow a resurrection.
I think we have introduced or allowed too much of the world into our lives and churches which will be fatal if we don’t deal drastically with it as such. I know I’m from the older generation, but I often think that some of the music which passes for christian music we would never have recognised it as such thirty or forty years ago. Please don’t think I’m anti music; those who know me will tell you that no-one loves music more than me. I’ve been involved in gospel music for over sixty years and love it, but it must be honouring to God and glorify Him.
Eleazar the priest stated the law of God given to Moses (v21-24) that only items which could endure the fire, should be put through the fire and cleansed. And then purified with water. They were to wash their clothes on the seventh day to be clean and then come back into the camp.
Fire purifies metal, the dross rises to the top and skimmed off leaving it pure.
There are several references with regard to ‘gold’ in our relationship to Our Lord and Saviour and the picture is shown as to our sanctification through Him.
“When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)
“These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire” — (may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed) (my paraphrase). (1 Peter 1:7)
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18,19)
Water is also figured – That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. (Ephesians 5:26)
The Lord gave Moses directions with regard to the spoil which had been taken in defeating the Midianites (v25-54). The numbers were huge, and I am not going into details. It was to be counted and divided into two parts, those who went to war and those who remained in the camp, so those who did not go to fight were not discriminated against and a portion was to be given to the Lord.
