And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
Israel abode at Shittim east of the Jordan on the very borders of earthly Canaan and began sexual relations and fornication with the daughters of Moab, and also of Midian. The seduction spread through the camp until it became national, and the sexual sin led directly into joining in idolatrous sacrifices, bowing to Baal-peor and turning to heathen gods. The snare was deliberately laid by Balaam, who after being forbidden to curse Israel advised Balak to entice them to transgress, knowing that so long as they remained obedient God was their shield but transgression would make their Protector their enemy and leave them an easy prey. Indulgence brought God's wrath in disease and plague, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day by divine judgment while those who cleaved to the Lord lived. The fall on the borders of earthly Canaan stands written as an admonition for God's people now on the very borders of the heavenly Canaan, whom Satan seeks to ruin by the same snares of impurity, idolatry and forbidden association.
Shittim Setting and Timing
Israel abode encamped at Shittim beside the Jordan east of the river before entering Canaan. It lay in a sheltered valley east of the Jordan, in the vale of Shittim, on a plain several miles wide with a tropical climate. The place was named for its acacia trees, and its groves beside the river offered an agreeable retreat.
The sin began on the very borders of earthly Canaan with only the Jordan between Israel and the promised land. It took place at Baal-peor near the close of the wilderness wandering just before entrance. Those who remained faithful afterward renewed their vows when the conditions of the covenant were repeated.
It happened within a few weeks after the victories over the Amorites and Bashan. The cloudy pillar still hovered over the tabernacle and gave no sign to move forward. Moses was fully occupied preparing the people for permanent occupation of Canaan, while the people, though joyful and confident from success and eager to enter their inheritance, found the suspense and waiting most trying, and in idleness and impatient expectation gave way to frightful departures from virtue and integrity.
The pleasant, shaded setting and ease of life weakened their alertness. The surrounding region was steeped in idolatry and sexual corruption, especially in the worship of Baal at Beth-peor. Constant exposure to these influences polluted the atmosphere and gradually drew Israel away from God and left the people vulnerable to temptation.
Sin With Moabite Women
At Shittim the people began sexual relations and fornication with the daughters of Moab, and also with the daughters of Midian, enticed through the deceitful wiles of the Midianites. The snare was laid at Shittim at Balaam's suggestion after he was constrained to bless instead of curse, drawing Israel to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab and Midian and bringing destruction upon many thousands under divine judgment.
The seduction did not remain isolated but spread through the camp until the apostasy became national and even reached into the camp itself. It marked a grave and frightful departure from virtue, integrity and faithfulness, turning attention away from God.
That sexual sin led directly into worship of Moab's gods, joining in their sacrifices and bowing to Baal-peor. A festival honoring Moab's gods lured the Israelites in, where music, dancing, feasting and wine led them to abandon loyalty to God, engage in lewdness, bow to idols and sacrifice at heathen altars. In this way involvement with the women drew them toward heathen rites and idolatry, and indulgence in pleasure and lust after the feast brought serious sin and judgment, with many dying in a plague.
The temptation drew Israel toward the licentious worship of Baal and Asheroth, also called Ashtaroth. Israel's safety depended on obedience, and this sin would forfeit divine protection and leave them vulnerable to the fierce warlike nations around them. The episode is remembered as the sin at Beth-peor, whose consequences were fearful.
Balaam's Deliberate Snare
Balaam had been forbidden to curse Israel and compelled instead to bless them, even while his heart longed to curse for riches and honor, and having yielded to temptation he became Satan's agent to bring a curse upon them by leading them to transgress. When direct cursing was denied him he laid an indirect snare, succeeding at last in bringing the curse by causing them to break God's commandments, so that in sinning they separated themselves from God and were left to feel the power of the destroyer.
Moab had learned by trial that so long as Israel remained true and loyal and obedient to God's law, God was their shield and no power in earth or hell could prevail against them or harm them. Their well-being and prosperity and safety depended wholly on obedience, and only disobedience could forfeit His protection. At Satan's suggestion Balaam therefore advised Balak and the Moabites to raise a barrier between Israel and God by enticing them to sin. He knew transgression would bring a curse, turn their omnipotent Protector into their enemy, and leave them an easy prey to the fierce warlike nations around them.
The means appointed was a festival and idolatrous feast in honor of Moab's gods to lure the Israelites in. There music and dancing and feasting and wine loosened loyalty to God, while beautiful Moabitish women enchanting them enticed them into lewdness. Drawn thus into the licentious worship of Baal and Asheroth or Ashtaroth, many joined the idolatrous people, bowed to idols, and sacrificed at heathen altars, breaking God's law and bringing His anger and severe punishment.
Ungodly influence was in this way used to lead God's people to transgress His law and show contempt for His authority. The friendship of the wicked thus proved more dangerous than their enmity, for none can prevail against the servants of the living God except by tempting them to disobedience.
Devils Worship and Separation
The stay at Shittim that began in whoredom with the daughters of Moab passed into joining in their sacrifices and bowing to Baal-peor, which was heathen idolatry associated with worship of the dead. That joining was pretended communication with the dead through familiar spirits. The familiar spirits then claimed as visitants from other worlds were not the dead but spirits of devils. Heathen sacrifices are offered to those devils, as shown by the passages that connect Israel's involvement in pagan worship with the worship of devils.
This sin is the witchcraft and sorcery of old, condemned and prohibited by God. Its foundation theory is at war with Scripture. It is now revived in a new disguise as modern Spiritualism, worked by the same powers behind the ancient seduction.
The disaster at Baal-peor, where turning to idolatry and disobedience brought disease and death while those who remained loyal to God lived and were spared, demonstrates that the law was not an unbearable burden to the faithful. It became grievous when the people rejected God and lost the love and power that enabled obedience. Afterward the conditions of the covenant were repeated, and those who remained faithful renewed their vows of allegiance. Through Moses Israel was warned against temptations that would assail them in the future and was earnestly exhorted to remain separate from the surrounding nations and to worship God alone. The event stands as a warning not to rebel against the Lord and depart from God by separate worship, since those dwelling surrounded by worshipers of that idol were in danger of again being led to partake of its iniquity while the same sins were still cherished.
Judgment on the Guilty
Those who followed Baal-peor were destroyed, while those who remained faithful to the Lord and cleaved to God lived and were spared. The division shows the grave consequences of disobedience and the difference between cleaving to God and turning aside from Him. The judgment was a warning against disobeying God and it also restrained their corrupting influence.
Indulgence in pleasure, lust and licentiousness after the feast brought God's anger, wrath, displeasure and terrible judgments upon the guilty. That turn to idolatry and disobedience brought disease and death, with many dying in a plague among the congregation. The sin was not put away at once, for many still cherished the same sins, and those dwelling surrounded by worshipers of that idol were in danger of again being led to partake of its iniquity.
Twenty-three thousand were slain by the sword at Moses' command and fell in one day, with thousands falling under divine judgment. Their polluted bodies were left overthrown in the wilderness as a signal manifestation of God's displeasure, with His judgments following close upon the heinous sin. Fornication thus brings swift divine judgment, standing with idolatry, tempting Christ, and murmuring as examples written for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come, so that whoever thinks he stands must take heed lest he fall. Iniquity in Israel greatly weakened their forces, removed the presence of the Lord of hosts from their armies, and made enemies no longer fear their power, so that God's blessing would not rest upon them.
By this wile the Midianites and their idolatrous, licentious women, the principal criminals who caused Israel's trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, filled up the measure of their iniquities. They ended their day of probation and closed the door of mercy against themselves, calling forth God's mandate to vex and smite them, so that the war against Midian was just retribution upon a guilty people. Sparing the women and children as captives was lack of thoroughness in executing God's commands, and preserving them would have constantly endangered the morals of Israel. Sympathy that spares such transgressors and excuses wrong and shields the guilty under the cry of charity is contrary to the will of God and is not the charity of the Bible, and is dangerous to the prosperity of the church at the present day. The offensive character of such sin can be estimated only in the light of the cross, where Christ took the guilt of the disobedient and suffered in the sinner's stead, proving that God, though merciful, will punish transgressors of His law.
Warning on Canaan's Border
Just before Israel entered Canaan Satan sought to seduce the people into idolatry and licentiousness to compass their ruin. Licentiousness and impurity and crime entered the camp in a bold defiant advance that only the very harshest punishments could stop. The same position and danger exist now, for God's people are now on the very borders of the heavenly Canaan with all advantages and light and evidences of truth shining upon them. They are repeating that history while the same snares are laid for them.
While God's people follow after righteousness and true holiness and keep all His commandments, Satan and his agents are not permitted to overcome them and all opposition proves powerless. Therefore he ever employs his power and influence to mar their unity, defile the purity of their characters, weaken their power for good, and confuse and corrupt minds by snares laid in a thousand ways. Ancient Israel's enticement into sin through forbidden association with the heathen warns God's people against choosing the company of the ungodly. The same work goes on now through desire for worldly gain and advantage drawing away those God would accept as workers, as when young men absorbed in ventures such as the real-estate craze sell their interest in the truth until spirituality dies, love for the truth is lost, and the immortal inheritance is eclipsed.
Impurity and pleasure-seeking that threatened Israel before a promised inheritance can recur among God's people. Satan's scheme at Shittim was to confuse the minds of the youth and those older and turn them aside at the borders of the promised land, and ministers of the gospel who have lost their bearings and lead others to walk in strange paths, or draw youth into company with the unconverted to confuse their minds, do a work similar to that scheme. Balaam causing Israel to sin just before the promised land parallels a development now seen in the cause of God. It is dangerous so to exalt any man that he becomes confused and confuses the minds of others in regard to the truths given for the last fifty years. Few see the meaning of this apostasy, but its meaning and the result if allowed to continue are revealed and require decided action and voices lifted in warning over whether to acknowledge God as supreme Ruler or choose misleading views that make Him as nothingness.
Misleading influence through Balaam just before the promised land warns that apostasy can develop within God's people at a critical time and bring disastrous results if allowed to continue. The fall stands written as an example and admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come to keep from lusting after evil things and from idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ and murmuring. Fornication brings swift divine judgment, with thousands falling in one day and their polluted bodies left overthrown in the wilderness as a signal manifestation close upon the heinous sin. Whoever thinks he stands must take heed lest he fall. Those who do not purify their souls by living up to the light bear guilt for choosing to walk in the imaginations of their own hearts like Sodom, the antediluvian world of Noah, and the inhabitants of Sodom.
Israel abode at Shittim east of the Jordan on the very borders of earthly Canaan and began sexual relations and fornication with the daughters of Moab, and also of Midian. The seduction spread through the camp until it became national, and the sexual sin led directly into joining in idolatrous sacrifices, bowing to Baal-peor and turning to heathen gods. The snare was deliberately laid by Balaam, who after being forbidden to curse Israel advised Balak to entice them to transgress, knowing that so long as they remained obedient God was their shield but transgression would make their Protector their enemy and leave them an easy prey. Indulgence brought God's wrath in disease and plague, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day by divine judgment while those who cleaved to the Lord lived. The fall on the borders of earthly Canaan stands written as an admonition for God's people now on the very borders of the heavenly Canaan, whom Satan seeks to ruin by the same snares of impurity, idolatry and forbidden association.
Shittim Setting and Timing
Israel abode encamped at Shittim beside the Jordan east of the river before entering Canaan. It lay in a sheltered valley east of the Jordan, in the vale of Shittim, on a plain several miles wide with a tropical climate. The place was named for its acacia trees, and its groves beside the river offered an agreeable retreat.
The sin began on the very borders of earthly Canaan with only the Jordan between Israel and the promised land. It took place at Baal-peor near the close of the wilderness wandering just before entrance. Those who remained faithful afterward renewed their vows when the conditions of the covenant were repeated.
It happened within a few weeks after the victories over the Amorites and Bashan. The cloudy pillar still hovered over the tabernacle and gave no sign to move forward. Moses was fully occupied preparing the people for permanent occupation of Canaan, while the people, though joyful and confident from success and eager to enter their inheritance, found the suspense and waiting most trying, and in idleness and impatient expectation gave way to frightful departures from virtue and integrity.
The pleasant, shaded setting and ease of life weakened their alertness. The surrounding region was steeped in idolatry and sexual corruption, especially in the worship of Baal at Beth-peor. Constant exposure to these influences polluted the atmosphere and gradually drew Israel away from God and left the people vulnerable to temptation.
Sin With Moabite Women
At Shittim the people began sexual relations and fornication with the daughters of Moab, and also with the daughters of Midian, enticed through the deceitful wiles of the Midianites. The snare was laid at Shittim at Balaam's suggestion after he was constrained to bless instead of curse, drawing Israel to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab and Midian and bringing destruction upon many thousands under divine judgment.
The seduction did not remain isolated but spread through the camp until the apostasy became national and even reached into the camp itself. It marked a grave and frightful departure from virtue, integrity and faithfulness, turning attention away from God.
That sexual sin led directly into worship of Moab's gods, joining in their sacrifices and bowing to Baal-peor. A festival honoring Moab's gods lured the Israelites in, where music, dancing, feasting and wine led them to abandon loyalty to God, engage in lewdness, bow to idols and sacrifice at heathen altars. In this way involvement with the women drew them toward heathen rites and idolatry, and indulgence in pleasure and lust after the feast brought serious sin and judgment, with many dying in a plague.
The temptation drew Israel toward the licentious worship of Baal and Asheroth, also called Ashtaroth. Israel's safety depended on obedience, and this sin would forfeit divine protection and leave them vulnerable to the fierce warlike nations around them. The episode is remembered as the sin at Beth-peor, whose consequences were fearful.
Balaam's Deliberate Snare
Balaam had been forbidden to curse Israel and compelled instead to bless them, even while his heart longed to curse for riches and honor, and having yielded to temptation he became Satan's agent to bring a curse upon them by leading them to transgress. When direct cursing was denied him he laid an indirect snare, succeeding at last in bringing the curse by causing them to break God's commandments, so that in sinning they separated themselves from God and were left to feel the power of the destroyer.
Moab had learned by trial that so long as Israel remained true and loyal and obedient to God's law, God was their shield and no power in earth or hell could prevail against them or harm them. Their well-being and prosperity and safety depended wholly on obedience, and only disobedience could forfeit His protection. At Satan's suggestion Balaam therefore advised Balak and the Moabites to raise a barrier between Israel and God by enticing them to sin. He knew transgression would bring a curse, turn their omnipotent Protector into their enemy, and leave them an easy prey to the fierce warlike nations around them.
The means appointed was a festival and idolatrous feast in honor of Moab's gods to lure the Israelites in. There music and dancing and feasting and wine loosened loyalty to God, while beautiful Moabitish women enchanting them enticed them into lewdness. Drawn thus into the licentious worship of Baal and Asheroth or Ashtaroth, many joined the idolatrous people, bowed to idols, and sacrificed at heathen altars, breaking God's law and bringing His anger and severe punishment.
Ungodly influence was in this way used to lead God's people to transgress His law and show contempt for His authority. The friendship of the wicked thus proved more dangerous than their enmity, for none can prevail against the servants of the living God except by tempting them to disobedience.
Devils Worship and Separation
The stay at Shittim that began in whoredom with the daughters of Moab passed into joining in their sacrifices and bowing to Baal-peor, which was heathen idolatry associated with worship of the dead. That joining was pretended communication with the dead through familiar spirits. The familiar spirits then claimed as visitants from other worlds were not the dead but spirits of devils. Heathen sacrifices are offered to those devils, as shown by the passages that connect Israel's involvement in pagan worship with the worship of devils.
This sin is the witchcraft and sorcery of old, condemned and prohibited by God. Its foundation theory is at war with Scripture. It is now revived in a new disguise as modern Spiritualism, worked by the same powers behind the ancient seduction.
The disaster at Baal-peor, where turning to idolatry and disobedience brought disease and death while those who remained loyal to God lived and were spared, demonstrates that the law was not an unbearable burden to the faithful. It became grievous when the people rejected God and lost the love and power that enabled obedience. Afterward the conditions of the covenant were repeated, and those who remained faithful renewed their vows of allegiance. Through Moses Israel was warned against temptations that would assail them in the future and was earnestly exhorted to remain separate from the surrounding nations and to worship God alone. The event stands as a warning not to rebel against the Lord and depart from God by separate worship, since those dwelling surrounded by worshipers of that idol were in danger of again being led to partake of its iniquity while the same sins were still cherished.
Judgment on the Guilty
Those who followed Baal-peor were destroyed, while those who remained faithful to the Lord and cleaved to God lived and were spared. The division shows the grave consequences of disobedience and the difference between cleaving to God and turning aside from Him. The judgment was a warning against disobeying God and it also restrained their corrupting influence.
Indulgence in pleasure, lust and licentiousness after the feast brought God's anger, wrath, displeasure and terrible judgments upon the guilty. That turn to idolatry and disobedience brought disease and death, with many dying in a plague among the congregation. The sin was not put away at once, for many still cherished the same sins, and those dwelling surrounded by worshipers of that idol were in danger of again being led to partake of its iniquity.
Twenty-three thousand were slain by the sword at Moses' command and fell in one day, with thousands falling under divine judgment. Their polluted bodies were left overthrown in the wilderness as a signal manifestation of God's displeasure, with His judgments following close upon the heinous sin. Fornication thus brings swift divine judgment, standing with idolatry, tempting Christ, and murmuring as examples written for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come, so that whoever thinks he stands must take heed lest he fall. Iniquity in Israel greatly weakened their forces, removed the presence of the Lord of hosts from their armies, and made enemies no longer fear their power, so that God's blessing would not rest upon them.
By this wile the Midianites and their idolatrous, licentious women, the principal criminals who caused Israel's trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, filled up the measure of their iniquities. They ended their day of probation and closed the door of mercy against themselves, calling forth God's mandate to vex and smite them, so that the war against Midian was just retribution upon a guilty people. Sparing the women and children as captives was lack of thoroughness in executing God's commands, and preserving them would have constantly endangered the morals of Israel. Sympathy that spares such transgressors and excuses wrong and shields the guilty under the cry of charity is contrary to the will of God and is not the charity of the Bible, and is dangerous to the prosperity of the church at the present day. The offensive character of such sin can be estimated only in the light of the cross, where Christ took the guilt of the disobedient and suffered in the sinner's stead, proving that God, though merciful, will punish transgressors of His law.
Warning on Canaan's Border
Just before Israel entered Canaan Satan sought to seduce the people into idolatry and licentiousness to compass their ruin. Licentiousness and impurity and crime entered the camp in a bold defiant advance that only the very harshest punishments could stop. The same position and danger exist now, for God's people are now on the very borders of the heavenly Canaan with all advantages and light and evidences of truth shining upon them. They are repeating that history while the same snares are laid for them.
While God's people follow after righteousness and true holiness and keep all His commandments, Satan and his agents are not permitted to overcome them and all opposition proves powerless. Therefore he ever employs his power and influence to mar their unity, defile the purity of their characters, weaken their power for good, and confuse and corrupt minds by snares laid in a thousand ways. Ancient Israel's enticement into sin through forbidden association with the heathen warns God's people against choosing the company of the ungodly. The same work goes on now through desire for worldly gain and advantage drawing away those God would accept as workers, as when young men absorbed in ventures such as the real-estate craze sell their interest in the truth until spirituality dies, love for the truth is lost, and the immortal inheritance is eclipsed.
Impurity and pleasure-seeking that threatened Israel before a promised inheritance can recur among God's people. Satan's scheme at Shittim was to confuse the minds of the youth and those older and turn them aside at the borders of the promised land, and ministers of the gospel who have lost their bearings and lead others to walk in strange paths, or draw youth into company with the unconverted to confuse their minds, do a work similar to that scheme. Balaam causing Israel to sin just before the promised land parallels a development now seen in the cause of God. It is dangerous so to exalt any man that he becomes confused and confuses the minds of others in regard to the truths given for the last fifty years. Few see the meaning of this apostasy, but its meaning and the result if allowed to continue are revealed and require decided action and voices lifted in warning over whether to acknowledge God as supreme Ruler or choose misleading views that make Him as nothingness.
Misleading influence through Balaam just before the promised land warns that apostasy can develop within God's people at a critical time and bring disastrous results if allowed to continue. The fall stands written as an example and admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come to keep from lusting after evil things and from idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ and murmuring. Fornication brings swift divine judgment, with thousands falling in one day and their polluted bodies left overthrown in the wilderness as a signal manifestation close upon the heinous sin. Whoever thinks he stands must take heed lest he fall. Those who do not purify their souls by living up to the light bear guilt for choosing to walk in the imaginations of their own hearts like Sodom, the antediluvian world of Noah, and the inhabitants of Sodom.