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!!

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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.