Phinehas – Is, Was and Will Be – The Unknown Character of Christ and His Word https://www.iswasandwillbe.com Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty Wed, 26 Jan 2022 22:36:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/cropped-headerlogo-32x32.png Phinehas – Is, Was and Will Be – The Unknown Character of Christ and His Word https://www.iswasandwillbe.com 32 32 Awesome Hands – Part 135: “War with the Midianites” https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/awesome-hands-part-135-war-with-the-midianites/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=awesome-hands-part-135-war-with-the-midianites Sun, 03 Jun 2018 23:58:21 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=16417

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Awesome Hands - part 135 Discussion

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Awesome Hands – Part 135

"War with the Midianites"

June 3, 2018

In today’s study, we are going to visit the judgment of the Lord on the Midianites. If you recall, the Midianites sent their women to commit whoredom with the Israelite men and brought a plague to Israel.

Phinehas slew one of these Israelite men and the Midianite woman he took into his tent while the Israelites were mourning the plague that was sweeping through the camp of the Israelites.

Now, the Lord will speak with Moses to let him know what must happen to the Midianites.

Num 31:1  (ESV) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Num 31:2  "Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people."
Num 31:3  So Moses spoke to the people, saying, "Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the LORD's vengeance on Midian.
Num 31:4  You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war."
Num 31:5  So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

The Midianites were Abraham's posterity with Keturah, another wife Abraham had taken.

Gen 25:1  (ESV) Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.
Gen 25:2  She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
Gen 25:3  Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
Gen 25:4  The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
Gen 25:5  Abraham gave all he had to Isaac.

It’s hard to imagine so many people coming from one man, but this indeed is part of the families that Abraham was used to start.

The Midianites had fallen into idolatry, but their land was not a part of the promised land that had been promised to Israel. If this scenario hadn’t happened, then the Midianites would have just been left alone.

However, this story is an example of just how serious the Lord is about sin brought to His house.

Judgment had already began at the house of God with the Israelites, and now what will be the end of those that obey not the gospel, so to speak?

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?

Num 31:6 (ESV)  And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
Num 31:7  They warred against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every male.
Num 31:8  They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. And they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.
Num 31:9  And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods.
Num 31:10  All their cities in the places where they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire,
Num 31:11  and took all the spoil and all the plunder, both of man and of beast.

Moses is ordered to take the Israelites to war and kill all the men, but we also know that someone caught in adultery must be put to death according to the law, both male and female. Also, none of the males were given the opportunity to grow and avenge their people, so the male children were slain too. Only the female children could live.

Num 31:12  (ESV) Then they brought the captives and the plunder and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
Num 31:13  Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the chiefs of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp.
Num 31:14  And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war.
Num 31:15  Moses said to them, "Have you let all the women live?
Num 31:16  Behold, these, on Balaam's advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the LORD.
Num 31:17  Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him.
Num 31:18  But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves.

The Lord is very particular with how things are handled in His name. With any war, there is plunder, and when there was a plunder taken from this war, the Lord wanted it to be handled a certain way.

Num 31:19  Encamp outside the camp seven days. Whoever of you has killed any person and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day.
Num 31:20  You shall purify every garment, every article of skin, all work of goats' hair, and every article of wood."
Num 31:21  Then Eleazar the priest said to the men in the army who had gone to battle: "This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded Moses:
Num 31:22  only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
Num 31:23  everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless, it shall also be purified with the water for impurity. And whatever cannot stand the fire, you shall pass through the water.
Num 31:24  You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean. And afterward you may come into the camp."

Everything must be cleansed. Everything means everything to the Lord, and nothing was taken in plunder that wasn’t purified. The people themselves who plundered and were plundered were all purified.

This was done with fire and with water, and this should tell us how we are also purified with the Word of God. Nothing is left unchecked.

Here are a few examples of how the Lord uses purification to cleanse His people. These verses are all from the ESV translation for ease of reading in common English.

Gen 35:1  God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau."
Gen 35:2  So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.
Gen 35:3  Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone."

Exo 29:34  And if any of the flesh for the ordination or of the bread remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy.
Exo 29:35  "Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them,
Exo 29:36  and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it.

Neh 13:20  Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.
Neh 13:21  But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.
Neh 13:22  Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

Isa 52:10  The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Isa 52:11  Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the LORD.
Isa 52:12  For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Isa 52:13  Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.

Why does the Lord take the time to have it recorded that we should know that purification is needed? War is not the only time purification is needed, but it is among the times that it is needed.

Luk 2:21  And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luk 2:22  And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
Luk 2:23  (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
Luk 2:24  And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Act 21:26  Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
Act 21:27  And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
Act 21:28  Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

The Israelites certainly knew that purification was needed, as we can see with the above examples.

Both of these times were pertaining to things in the law of Moses, but we know there is a spiritual significance to these things.

Being that we know we are in spiritual war with the carnal mind that is in us, what is the purpose of purification needing to happen after war?

Here is what we need to know about spiritual purification as it pertains to the new testament.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

And:

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

That sounds all good and well, but how to we “purify our hearts” while also knowing that it is the Lord who, by the giving of Himself, purifies unto Himself a peculiar people?

It seems too simple just to say it is the Lord working it all, even though it is. However, just like with the Israelites needing to purify themselves after going to war with the Midianites, we, too, must be participants in the purification process.

We must purify our hearts and our “double minds”. Whatsoever is not the mind of Christ is the mind that must be cleansed.

This is why fire and water are mentioned in the purification process. When we take these terms and apply them spiritually, then we know it is the Word of God that provides us the ability to cleanse ourselves of the other minds we have which are all contrary to the mind of Christ.

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Ultimately, living to the will of God is accepting and living in the various situations we are facing both individually and collectively.

When I come to you all with a prayer request, or you to me with one, you are sharing with me what the will of God is in your life.

We are living to the will of God when we take on the mind of Christ and answer all things as Jesus did, (Luk 22:42)  "Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

“If thou be willing” is a profound way to live. All of humanity, including all of us, will NOT be submissive to this way of thinking if it is left up to us alone.

If you want to know what the will of God is in your life, just treat it like the weather in Indiana. We have a saying which is, “Don’t like the weather? If you wait a few minutes, it will change.”

The weather is what it is, and if you wait a little while the weather will change to something different (and most likely something you prefer since you are presumably currently NOT liking the weather).

It’s the same with the will of God. If we wait a little while, we WILL know what the will of God is because everything happening around us, and IN US, will tell us what His will is for whatever it is we are considering or with which we are dealing.

What makes this concept different than being in a lascivious mindset towards the grace of God?

Jud 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jud 1:5  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

The difference between waiting on the revealing of the will of God in your life and becoming lascivious in your mindset toward serving the Lord, is that while we are waiting for the full revelation of the will of God in our lives on any given matter, we are MOVING with FAITH in ACTION toward what we believe we should be doing in order to do all we do to His glory.

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

When we live in this mindset, we will be rewarded with the “spoils of war” just as the Israelites are with the Midianites. Remember, this war was a judgment of the Lord on the Midianites for their part in causing Israel to turn from the Lord and worship other gods while committing whoredom.

Therefore, this war was an accounting to the Lord for His judgment, and those who execute the judgment of the Lord are rewarded by the Lord.

Num 31:25 (ESV)  The LORD said to Moses,
Num 31:26  "Take the count of the plunder that was taken, both of man and of beast, you and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers' houses of the congregation,
Num 31:27  and divide the plunder into two parts between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation.
Num 31:28  And levy for the LORD a tribute from the men of war who went out to battle, one out of five hundred, of the people and of the oxen and of the donkeys and of the flocks.
Num 31:29  Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for an heave offering of the LORD.
Num 31:30  And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.
Num 31:31  And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.

The rest of Numbers 31 goes into the details of how the plunder was divided, but the thing to take away from this story in Numbers is to recognize that we still have these same principles applied to us when we obey and disobey the Lord.

Likewise, our “houses” are rewarded with the plunder of the Lord, which in our cases are spiritual riches in heavenly places.

I will end this study with an admonition from Peter, which is very much applicable to this study today.

Having the mind of Christ is NOT just being an encyclopedia of verses which have no practical application in our lives. The word of God is “quick”, which also is translated "LIVING" in other places in scripture.

Having the mind of Christ is applying what we know to be right in all the decisions we make. It is the ability to not be ENTANGLED AGAIN in the ways of the world, which does not have the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour.

2Pe 2:17  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
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.
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

We must avoid the “great swelling words of vanity” that oftentimes come from WITHIN our own hearts and minds and drowns out the willingness to say with Christ, “nevertheless thy will be done.”

We must keep “pure minds of remembrance” and accept that the Lord does answer our prayers, but may not answer them in the way we want, just as happened with Jesus Himself when He LITERALLY PRAYED to God the Father for His cup to pass from Him.

Mat 26:39  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Mat 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Jesus prayed this TWICE! Do you think we are any stronger than He is? No, we are not, but Peter does leave us with this encouragement, and this is also what I leave with this study:

2Pe 3:1  This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2Pe 3:2  That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
2Pe 3:3  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Pe 3:5  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2Pe 3:8  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Pe 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2Pe 3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

We need to be “found of Him in peace” within the single mind of Christ while shedding the doubleminded man that so easily ensnares us.

]]> Awesome Hands – Part 133: “The Zeal of Phinehas” https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/awesome-hands-part-133-the-zeal-of-phinehas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=awesome-hands-part-133-the-zeal-of-phinehas Mon, 14 May 2018 00:03:58 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=16229

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Awesome Hands - part 133 Discussion

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Awesome Hands, Part 133 - The Zeal of Phinehas

[Study Aired May 13, 2018]

Zeal is something we all want. Whether it is for work, family or service to the Lord, most of us desire to be zealous in and for the things to which we’ve decided to dedicate our precious time.

Oftentimes, it is hard to determine what to dedicate ourselves to, but no matter what decision we make, it is ALL determined to happen the way it happens, by the will of the Lord.

In our study today, we are going to examine some examples of zeal, and how we, too, can truly be zealous for the Lord.

Zeal stays wrath

Our previous study focused on looking at various decisions and situations we are faced with and either blessing or cursing those things in our hearts as we deal with them. For this study, we are going to see what it means to fully be dedicated to God while He is working all things after the counsel of His own will.

The verses for consideration for this “Awesome Hands, Part 133” study are found in Numbers 25.

Numbers 25:1  And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
Numbers 25:2  And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
Numbers 25:3  And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
Numbers 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.
Numbers 25:5  And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.
Numbers 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.
Numbers 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;
Numbers 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.
Numbers 25:9  And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

At first glance, these verses can seem quite gruesome and violent. In truth, they are both of those things because of the seriousness of the situation in which we find the Israelites.
By today’s civilized standards, these acts are brutal. However, by the standards set in the Old Testament, these were expected behaviors as it pertained to obeying the Lord and disobeying Him alike.

In Numbers 25, the Israelites are not too far along in their journeys from Egypt from seeing various miracles by the Lord. They have long been established as the people of God. They have been given victory over various battles. The Lord has been with them and has clearly claimed them as His people.

So, they now represent the Lord in everything they do. When they do something that is not what God would have Him being represented as, He is going to correct those actions like a good parent does with their children.

When we take on the name of Christian today, this is the same for us. We are “like Christ”. So, we need to evaluate what that means. The clearest way to make sure we are being “like Christ” is to follow the biblical example of that, but I will warn you now that when we do this, the world of mankind WITHIN and WITHOUT us will HATE US.

Hate seems like such a strong word, but it is definitively HATE. Make no mistake about it.

Luke 21:17  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Luke 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luke 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

Mark puts it like this:

Mark 13:12  Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
Mark 13:13  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mark 13:14  But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

One Gospel tells us that not one hair of your head shall perish, and in our patience we possess our souls, while, the other tells us that betrayal of FAMILY will happen, and we will see the abomination of the desolation standing where “it” ought not to stand. Both of these portrayals surround the concept of being hated of all men, so they are happening at the same time.

Our physical families are being talked about in Mark as well as those who are shown to not be approved within the spiritual family of God.

What are we to take away from that when considering the “zeal of the Lord”? How is it that I am connecting these things? How is being hated of all men for the name of the Lord connected with the zeal of the Lord?

“But there shall not an hair of your head perish” doesn’t seem to jive very well with “and shall cause them to be put to death.” These concepts seem at odds with each other, yet they are reflecting what will happen in our lives as Christians.

The zeal that Phinehas showed was one of jealousy for the Lord. The Lord had just judged the Israelites for joining themselves with Baalpeor, and here strolls in an Israelite that takes a Midianite women into his tent before the eyes of Moses and the whole congregation as that same congregation is weeping before the door of the tabernacle.

This is the ultimate contempt for what the Lord has declared. The Lord has just beheaded a bunch of people, and this man and woman just go about their business as disrespectfully as possible.

So, Phinehas acts, and the Lord responds.

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.

What, then, is being zealous that Phinehas and his seed after him receive everlasting peace? I am not sure about anyone else, but I’d like to have some of this peace of which Phinehas and his seed partake.

This is one of those times the Strong’s definition has gotten things a bit twisted. This Hebrew word H7065 is translated 15 times as jealous or jealousy while zeal and zealous are only used 3 times. Two of those times are here in Numbers 25.

It is clear this word is rooted in jealousy. Looking closer, we see in Numbers 25:11 how I can conclude this.

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 H7065 zealous for my H7068 sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my H7068 jealousy.

It clear that this word is equivalent to jealousy. Being zealous for the Lord is being jealous for the Lord over which the things the Lord is jealous.

The root of H7068 is H7065 which is mostly translated as jealous. So, H7068 is jealousy while H7065 is to be jealous.

One is a noun, and one is a verb. We know this to be true because Numbers 25:11 shows us this Truth.

Instead of using the word “sake”, which is the only time H7068 was translated as such, let’s use jealousy to see how the verse changes.

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 H7065 zealous for my H7068 jealousy among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my H7068 jealousy.

I am not sure why the translators decided to use “sake” here, but jealousy makes perfect sense since it is the same word used later in the same verse.

Phinehas was jealous for the jealousy of the Lord. He wanted what the Lord wanted and commanded.

We are also exposed to this act in Psalms:

Psa 106:24  Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:
Psa 106:25  But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
Psa 106:26  Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:
Psa 106:27  To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.
Psa 106:28  They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
Psa 106:29  Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.
Psa 106:30  Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.
Psa 106:31  And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.

You can pretty much reverse all of these behaviors to know you are doing what the Lord would have you do in good accordance to His will.

“They despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word, they murmured in their hearts, hearkened not to His voice, the joined themselves to another God Baalpeor and provoked God to anger with their inventions” are all things we need to do the opposite of.

We are told about this same zeal of the Lord in the New Testament.

Rom 9:31  But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Rom 9:32  Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Rom 9:33  As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Rom 10:1  Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Rom 10:2  For I bear them record that they have a zealG2205 of God, but NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE.
Rom 10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
2Co 7:11  For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zealG2205, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
2Co 7:12  Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

2Co 9:1  For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
2Co 9:2  For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zealG2205 hath provoked very many.

You say, “That is well and good, brother Steven, but what does that mean based on what you are saying in this study? Is this the same zeal spoken of in the old testament verses we read?"

The root of zeal in the New Testament is FERVENT.

Act 18:24  And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
Act 18:25  This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
Act 18:26  And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Act 18:27  And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
Act 18:28  For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

The other example we have is:

Rom 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Rom 12:11  Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Isn’t this what Phinehas was when he acted upon the Israelite man and woman who acted the way they did in front of all the congregation? Phinehas was fervent in his action for the Lord.

For most people, we look on the act of killing two people while they lay with each other as barbaric, but the Lord counted it as zeal and righteousness for Phinehas. It was the context of the situation that justifies the actions of Phinehas.

The context of our actions matters. Phinehas was not acting the way he did for his own glory. We know this because the context of his actions and the reward for which the Lord awarded him and his seed after him.

In fact, we must be very careful in acting on our OWN GLORY with jealousy and calling it zeal or Godly jealousy.

Here are same examples of the negative application of thinking we have the zeal of God when in fact we can be sinning the whole time.

Act 13:45  But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envyG2205, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

2Co 12:19  Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
2Co 12:20  For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyingsG2205, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

Rom 13:13  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envyingG2205.

Php 3:4  Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Php 3:5  Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Php 3:6  Concerning zealG2205, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

We should desire to be fervent or HOT for the Lord. When we are HOT for the Lord, we are seeking his righteousness THROUGH FAITH and fervent PRAYER. Do what you do with purpose!

Rev 3:13  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Rev 3:15  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Being cold or HOT is all about our mindset on whatever it is we have in our minds.

Being cold, the Lord can still make us HOT. He can still work with us. Being lukewarm is trying to ride the fence of “what is permissible with the Lord” versus what we know, via knowledge of the Word, what we should be doing.

Being hot is where it is at when being zealous with the Lord. We must have the DESIRE to serve the Lord, and then PRAY WITH FAITH that the Lord with give us this zeal to serve Him. IF you are not at this point, be zealous and repent. Turn the opposite way from which you are heading now, and the Lord WILL help you serve Him completely.

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