Bereans Corner
Bereans Corner
Thru the Bible - #140-Numbers 25- Sins of Peor
Welcome to Berean's Corner, the podcast where we go through books of the Bible chapter by chapter and verse by verse, wherever you are in the world, thank you for joining. Grab a glass of water, a cup of coffee or tea and let's get into today's lesson. Welcome back everyone. How are you all doing? Thank you for joining me. As always, open your Bible to Numbers, chapter 25. We are continuing this journey into the book of Numbers and today the title of the lesson of Numbers 25 is the of pr. So get your bibles open as we get ready to get into this lesson numbers 25, and let's read numbers 25.
Speaker 2:While israel was staying in shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor and the Lord's anger burned against them. The Lord said to Moses Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord's fierce anger may turn away from Israel. So Moses said to Israel's judges Each of you must put to death those of your men who have joined in worshipping the Baal of Peor joined in worshipping the Baal of Peor. Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman, right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel, while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting. When Phinehas, son of Eliezer, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them, through the Israelite and into the woman's body. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped.
Speaker 2:But those who died in the plague numbered 24,000. The Lord said to Moses Phanehas, son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron. The priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites, for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them. Therefore, tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites. The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zemri, son of Salu, the leader of a Seminite family, and the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Cosbi, daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family. The Lord said to Moses Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them, because they treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the affair of Peor and their sister, cosby, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of Peor now.
Speaker 1:The last time we were together, we looked at the conclusion of the relationship between Balak and Balaam. Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor to look down on the children of Israel in hope that Balaam would see something that would make him change his mind. Instead, he blessed them. Balaam was done with Peor, but Peor wasn't done with Israel. Now I want to touch on Balaam again before we move on to israel. The old testament is not the only place where balaam is looked at unfavorably in the new testament. Peter touched on him in second peter. So hold your spot right here and turn to second p, peter, sorry about that. Turn to 2nd Peter, chapter 2, and when you get there we are going to look at verses 14 to 16. 2nd Peter 2, verses 14 to 16. Having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed or cursed children forsaken the right excuse me, forsaken the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of balaam, the son of beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a dumb donkey speaking with a voice of a man restrained. The madness of the prophet Jude also spoke to him. So go to your Bible a couple of more chapters to the right, and then go to the book of Jude, if you had Jude.
Speaker 1:We are looking at verses seven to eleven. Looking at verses 7 to 11, just as sodom and gomorrah and the cities around them since they, in the same way as these, indulge the gross immorality and went after strange flesh are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. Yet in the same matter, these men also, by dreaming, defile the flesh and reject authority and revile angelic majesties. But michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of moses, did not dare pronounce against him a regular judgment but said the lord rebuke you.
Speaker 1:But these men revile the things which they do not understand and the things which they know by instinct, like, like unreasoning animals. By these things they are destroyed. Woe to them, for they have gone the way of Cain and for pay they have rushed headlong to the era of Balaam and perish in the rebellion of Korah. And Jesus spoke with him in Revelation. Go over a couple more chapters to your right and go to Revelation, chapter two, with him in revelation. Go over a couple more chapters to your right and go to revelation.
Speaker 2:Chapter 2 revelation 2 and we are looking at verse 14.
Speaker 1:But I have a few things against you because you have this is, excuse me, this is speaking to the church of pergamum but I have a few things against you because you have some who hold the teachings of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel to eat sacrificed things and things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. So now we see that Balaam couldn't curse Israel directly, but he did curse them indirectly in Numbers 25, which is where we are now as we learn this, in Numbers 31 16,. Numbers 31 16 tells us we're in Numbers 25 now, but in Numbers 31, 16, if you're back in Numbers you could turn. Turn with me to Numbers 31 16 and we can see what is speaking of here. With me to numbers 31, 16 and we can see what is speaking of here. Numbers 31 16 says behold, these cause the sons of israel, through the council of balaam, to trespass against the lord in the matter of pr. So the plague was among the congregation of the lord. Now balaam does meet his end by the command of god in Numbers 31.
Speaker 1:If you're still in Numbers 31, we're gonna look at verses 7 and 8. So they made war against Midian, just as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed every male. And they killed the kings of Midian, along with the rest of their slain, evai and Rechim and Zer and Her and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam, the son of Beor, with the sword. Now we move on to Israel. So we see what happened with Balaam. Now we're going to get to those chapters very soon and we see what Balaam did and how he came to his end. But now we're going to get on to Israel. So in right here, in Numbers 25, we are going to look at this chapter and break it down into three parts. The first part Israel angers God by their immoral behavior. Notice verses one through three.
Speaker 1:While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. Maine, at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab, for they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor and the Lord was angry against Israel. To show you how much of a problem this was, let's look at something Hosea said. So all right, we are looking at Hosea. If you are there, we are looking at Hosea, chapter 9 and verse 10.
Speaker 1:I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in his first season. But they come to excuse me, but they came to Baal Peor and devoted themselves to shame and they became as detestable as that which they loved now. Now, this is the thing, excuse me, this is the thing that is going on here. This is not a small thing to be joined to other gods. We see right here what Hosea is talking about and he's describing when he says the Israel. I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. He's taught you know, and he said he saw the forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree.
Speaker 1:What the Lord is referring to is he's referring to Israel being tied to other gods, and this is a very serious matter. It was a very serious matter for Israel, is a very serious matter for you and I to be tied to other gods. The Lord has made it clear that he's a jealous God. He's a God that he created us. He only wants us to worship him because he's our creator and he created us because he loves us going to follow other gods is very dangerous. It's not a small thing when you know somebody who is in a religion or a sect or whatever it may be, a cult, especially the you know the all cult. This is why you want to be praying for people to get them out of that, and if you yourselves are in any of these weird little sects, you want to get out of those things, because the lord takes this very serious. It's a very serious thing to be tied up with other gods, to be worshiping other gods, to be putting anything whether it's wood, whether it's a stone, whether it's a statue, whatever it may be before the Lord, and it is the same as putting any uh, you know material or uh, or you know intangible things in front of the Lord.
Speaker 1:What I'm basically saying is is that you want to make the Lord your focus, and this is what the Lord wanted Israel to do, and there's a price to pay when you don't make the Lord your focus. When the Lord, god, is your focus, things will go and it will be correct. Things will be in order, unlike Israel here, who has always went astray. Now we're going to see what happens with Israel, because every time Israel will fall off from the Lord. There are other things that may happen to them, negative things that would happen to them, but when they were on course with the Lord, things stay smooth.
Speaker 1:So the point I'm really making is is that it is not a small matter to be tied in with other gods. It's not something to take lightly. It's not something to where you look at people. Maybe it's because of someone you love and you try to make an excuse and say, well, you know they're, they're good people, you know they, they follow these rules. No, these people are worshiping the false God and it's something that you should take very serious. All right, forgive me for that little tangent, but I just had to go on that because it is very important for you and I to know that.
Speaker 1:Let's move on to part two. There is a price to pay to God for immoral behavior and we see this in verses four to nine. The Lord said to Moses take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the lord, so that the fierce anger of the lord may turn away from israel. So moses said to the judges of israel each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to be out of pure. Remember we just talked about this. Then, behold, one of the sons of israel came and brought to his brother tales a medianite woman, in the sight of moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of israel, why they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. Now you heard what just went down and these people are weeping and here this guy walks in with a medianite woman. When phinehas, the son of Eliezer, the son of Aaron, the priest so this would be Aaron's grandson saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation, took a spear in his hand and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through the man of Israel and the woman through the body. So the plague of the sons of Israel was checked and those who died by the plague were 24,000.
Speaker 1:The Lord calls for the death penalty on the immoral leaders. Look at verse four. The Lord said to Moses take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord. Next thing we want to notice is that moses does what the lord says. Look at verse 5. So moses said to the judges of israel each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to baal of pior. Next, we see, one of the sons of israel did not heed the message.
Speaker 1:Verses 6 through 10. We saw that. Then, behold, one of the sons of the, excuse me. Then, behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a midnight woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel. You know, I want to point out something about this. Verse 9 let's look at verse 9 again. And those who died by the plague were 24 000. Now I want to point out something about that. Uh, verse right there. Verse 9, hold your finger right here. Go to the new testament, to first corinthians. I like to point out something real quick about that. And when you get the verse first corinthians, go to chapter 10. First corinthians, chapter 10. We are looking at verses 6 to 9, first corinthians. 10, starting at verse 6.
Speaker 1:Now these things happen as examples for us that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved, and do not be idolaters as some of them were. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and stood up to play. Nor let us act immorally as some of them did, and 23 000 fell in one day. Nor, let us excuse me, try the lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.
Speaker 1:Now we get paul talking about this 24 000 right here in first corinthians. So you see what he said that this was given as an example for us so they should not crave evil, and that is the same thing here. The reason why these things were written is for an example. So Israel during this time would look back on these things and they would say, hey, you know it was, you know it's not an oral tradition. Then, remember, they didn't have the bible. So they would go back and say, hey, remember what happened to Israel during this time when they joined themselves to buy out of PR right. So that's why these things were written, as an example, and this is why these things were written for you and I.
Speaker 1:These things were written for you and I as an example for us to see what happened to the people who are disobedient to the disobedient to the Lord in the past and what could happen if we follow along those same lines. All right, let's move on to part three. Phinehas gets rewarded by God. We see this in verses 10 through 18. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying Phinehas, the son of Eliezer, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned away my wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with my jealousy, has turned away my wrath from the sons of israel in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of israel in my jealousy. Therefore, say behold, I give my covenant of peace, and it shall be for him and his descendants after him a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his god and made atonement, atonement for the sons of israel. Now, the name of the slain man of israel who was slain with the midianite woman was zimri, the son of salu, the leader of a father's household among the simianites, and the name of the midianite woman who was slain was kazbai, the daughter of zur, who was head of the people of a father's household in Midian. Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying be hostile to the Midianites and strike them, for they have been hostile to you with their tricks with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Kazbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague because of Peor. Now I would like to point out something. In verses 16 through 18, god gave Moses a command that he will follow in Numbers 31. So let's look at that again. And then we're going to turn and turn to uh number. Actually we won't turn to Numbers 31. You know what? I'm gonna leave that for the next time. When we get there, we're in 25, we have six more books to get through. We get the numbers 31, but I do want to point out that in verses 16 to 18 let's look at those again the lord spoke to moses saying be hostile to the medianites and strike them, for they have been hostile to you with their tricks with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor. I just want you to keep that in mind. So when we do get to Numbers 31,. We will. We will trace back to Numbers 25 and you will see that Moses did keep this command. You know, god gave Moses a command and he will follow through with this when we get to Numbers 21. And he will follow through with this when we get to Numbers 21.
Speaker 1:This is why it is important to read the Bible in its context, to read it in its proper order that it was written in and that it was organized in. This is why we go through the Bible chronologically, because I want to paint the picture for you. I don't want to just jump around. I want to paint the picture for you and paint the story as the story unfolded, as it unfolded in actual time. So that is why we do this this way. And this is really more. This is not for you, who have been here for a while. This is for anyone who comes across. This is why we go through books of the Bible, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, so that you don't forget that, excuse me, so that you don't miss anything and so that you get everything. Thus said the Lord.
Speaker 1:Ok, that brings us to the end of Numbers, chapter 25.
Speaker 1:I thank you for hanging in there with me, as always, continue to pray for me. Pray that I stay steadfast in these scriptures and that we get through the whole book. If the Lord tarries, who knows you and I may be with the Lord before we know it and we don't get through it. But in the meantime, we are going to stay in God's word and we're going to learn together, and I am praying for you as well. I thank you all very much. I care for you all a great deal. I thank you for going through these scriptures with me. As I mentioned, I am speaking and doing the teaching, but we are learning together, because the good thing about the Lord's word is is that I believe that even in eternity, even in eternity, people like myself and people like yourselves, we will be going through these scriptures and still learning and still find ourselves fascinated with the things that the Lord done and the way that he controlled things throughout history and throughout time in his sovereignty. Okay, that is all for now, until next time, god bless.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to Berean's Corner. We appreciate you joining us as we dive into God's word and seek biblical truth together. If this episode encouraged or challenged, you be sure to subscribe, share and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. You can find Berean's Corner on Buzzsprout, apple Podcasts, spotify, iheart, amazon Music and more. Let's stay connected. If you have questions, comments or prayer requests, reach out to us at BereansCornerBuzzsproutcom, where you can follow along with show transcripts and leave a message in the fan mail slot. Also follow us on YouTube at Bereans Corner, and don't forget to subscribe. We'd love to hear from you. Until next time. No-transcript.