And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.
Moses commanded the judges and magistrates of Israel to put to death every man under them who had joined himself to the worship of Baal-peor, including the leaders of the apostasy. The sin had come through the enticement of the Midianite women at Balaam's counsel, drawing Israel at a luxurious idolatrous feast into licentiousness and trespass, and the sentence was carried out with many thousands slain by the sword and by plague in one day. By this joining to Baal-peor Israel broke allegiance to God and stood on a level with idolatrous nations, kindling His wrath so that disease and death came upon the nation. The destruction was His just judgment after long mercy and clear light, not cruelty, commanded to turn away His anger and to save the rest of Israel from corruption by making the punishment a public terror. The facts stand written as ensamples for those upon whom the ends of the world are come, for the same snare laid just before earthly Canaan is laid again for God's people on the borders of the heavenly Canaan, warning them not to lust after evil things, be idolaters, or commit fornication.
Setting and Execution
The command belongs to Israel's history just before entrance into Canaan, near the close of the wilderness wandering on the very borders of the promised land. It stands among the snares laid for Israel at that decisive moment, and its fearful results at Beth-peor remained fresh in the minds of the people afterward. Those who remained faithful renewed their vows of allegiance in its aftermath.
The background was a luxurious feast connected with the worship of Baal, after which many fell into licentiousness. Through the deceitful wiles of the Midianites, laid at Balaam's suggestion and counsel, the Midianite women enticed Israel to sin and caused them to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor. By that enticement the Midianites filled up the measure of their iniquities.
Moses was filled with grief and indignation at what had been done, and he directed the judges and magistrates of Israel to slay and execute every one of his men who had joined themselves to Baal-peor. The order included the leaders of the apostasy. The command was carried out as punishment for transgression and for apostasy spreading through the camp.
Many thousands were slain by the sword at the divine command given through Moses. The heads of the transgressors were hung before the Lord and their bodies displayed before Israel, so the people would recognize abhorrence of the sin and the terror of the judgment and would fear to follow their example. With the sword came plague, with 23,000 dying in one day, and the polluted bodies of the guilty overthrown in the wilderness.
Justice and Mercy
By joining himself to Baal-peor Israel placed himself on a level with idolatrous nations in breach of allegiance to God. That joining kindled the fierce anger and wrath of the Lord against His people. Transgression brought disease and death and plague upon the nation, and idolatry brought the wrath of God upon the whole nation.
The slaying of the guilty was God's just judgment and righteous visitation, not harsh cruelty. It came after long mercy, added evidence, and clear light, including His compelling Balaam to bless Israel instead of cursing them. The command to the judges to execute those joined to Baal-peor was carried out as punishment for the spreading apostasy, and the public punishment was meant to make Israel fear to follow their example. It was commanded so that His anger might be turned away from Israel. It was merciful because their continued influence would have corrupted all Israel, while its warning taught others not to dishonor God.
The work required thoroughness and severity and faithful obedience as God's instruments. It was to be done from zeal for the divine glory and not to gratify malice or revenge. Those chosen as messengers to execute His doom must faithfully perform the appointed work however repugnant to natural feeling, since lack of faithfulness in executing His judgments brings reproof. Severe measures were necessary to stop brazen sexual impurity and boldly spreading crime in the camp. Through Balaam's counsel the Midianite women had caused Israel to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor and brought a plague among the congregation, making them the principal criminals. Sparing those idolatrous, licentious transgressors as captives would have constantly endangered the morals of Israel, so the sympathy that would spare them was contrary to the will of God.
Those who remained faithful to the Lord lived and were spared, while the Lord judged those who followed Baal-peor. Those who remained faithful renewed their vows of allegiance. The episode illustrates the distinction between obedience and disobedience to God's commandments. To the loyal His commandments were not an unendurable burden, but turning from God left the people exposed to disaster.
The execution teaches that in the future judgment retribution will surely come upon every evildoer according to deeds done in the body. Sin is a deadly leprosy, and God as Creator and owner has right to take abused blessings. His name and authority as ruler must be maintained against idolatry, blasphemy and rebellion. The offensive character of such sin is estimated only in the light of the cross, where Christ took upon Himself the guilt of the disobedient and suffered in the sinner's stead until the sword of justice was awakened against the Son of God.
Warning for Last Days
The facts of the slaying of those joined to Baal-peor were commanded to be repeated to Israel from time to time lest they be forgotten, for they are written as ensamples for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come, warning him that thinketh he standeth to take heed lest he fall. The command to the judges to slay every one of his men that were joined to Baal-peor, that the fierce anger of the Lord might be turned away, shows that Israel by joining himself to Baal-peor had placed himself on a level with idolatrous nations and kindled the anger of the Lord, experiencing the sure results of his own choice. Fornication prevailing among ancient Israel brought a signal manifestation of God's displeasure, with judgments following close upon the heinous sin when thousands fell and three and twenty thousand fell in one day and their polluted bodies were left overthrown in the wilderness. This happened even though all were under the cloud and all passed through the sea and were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual meat and all drank the same spiritual drink from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ, and it was written to teach not to lust after evil things as they lusted, not to be idolaters, and not to commit fornication.
What happened at Baal-peor was one of Satan's snares laid for Israel just before entrance into Canaan, near the close of the wilderness wandering on the very borders of the promised land, and the same snares are laid for God's people now. Israel's history just before entering Canaan is repeated in later times, and those living now on the borders of the heavenly Canaan are repeating that history. Through Moses Israel after Baal-peor 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. Those who remained faithful renewed their vows of allegiance, while rejecting the light and advantages given leads to guilt and judgment.
After a feast connected with Baal worship many fell into licentiousness, and God's judgment followed with terrible judgments upon the guilty, showing that indulgence and rebellion can lead to grievous sin and divine judgment. The order to the judges to punish the men who had joined in it illustrates the severe measures needed to stop brazen sexual impurity and crime in the camp. Though the guilty were slain, the sin was still cherished by many afterward, and idolatry brings the wrath of God upon the whole nation. Living surrounded by worshipers of idols brings danger of again partaking of their iniquity and departing from God.
Through the counsel of Balaam the Midianite women had caused Israel to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor and brought plague among the congregation, and they were the principal criminals whose sparing as captives would have constantly endangered the morals of Israel, so that sympathy that would spare idolatrous, licentious transgressors was contrary to the will of God. The same sympathy for sin and sinners that excuses wrong and shields the guilty is dangerous to the prosperity of the church at the present day. The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity, since none can prevail against the servants of the living God except by tempting them to disobedience.
Moses commanded the judges and magistrates of Israel to put to death every man under them who had joined himself to the worship of Baal-peor, including the leaders of the apostasy. The sin had come through the enticement of the Midianite women at Balaam's counsel, drawing Israel at a luxurious idolatrous feast into licentiousness and trespass, and the sentence was carried out with many thousands slain by the sword and by plague in one day. By this joining to Baal-peor Israel broke allegiance to God and stood on a level with idolatrous nations, kindling His wrath so that disease and death came upon the nation. The destruction was His just judgment after long mercy and clear light, not cruelty, commanded to turn away His anger and to save the rest of Israel from corruption by making the punishment a public terror. The facts stand written as ensamples for those upon whom the ends of the world are come, for the same snare laid just before earthly Canaan is laid again for God's people on the borders of the heavenly Canaan, warning them not to lust after evil things, be idolaters, or commit fornication.
Setting and Execution
The command belongs to Israel's history just before entrance into Canaan, near the close of the wilderness wandering on the very borders of the promised land. It stands among the snares laid for Israel at that decisive moment, and its fearful results at Beth-peor remained fresh in the minds of the people afterward. Those who remained faithful renewed their vows of allegiance in its aftermath.
The background was a luxurious feast connected with the worship of Baal, after which many fell into licentiousness. Through the deceitful wiles of the Midianites, laid at Balaam's suggestion and counsel, the Midianite women enticed Israel to sin and caused them to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor. By that enticement the Midianites filled up the measure of their iniquities.
Moses was filled with grief and indignation at what had been done, and he directed the judges and magistrates of Israel to slay and execute every one of his men who had joined themselves to Baal-peor. The order included the leaders of the apostasy. The command was carried out as punishment for transgression and for apostasy spreading through the camp.
Many thousands were slain by the sword at the divine command given through Moses. The heads of the transgressors were hung before the Lord and their bodies displayed before Israel, so the people would recognize abhorrence of the sin and the terror of the judgment and would fear to follow their example. With the sword came plague, with 23,000 dying in one day, and the polluted bodies of the guilty overthrown in the wilderness.
Justice and Mercy
By joining himself to Baal-peor Israel placed himself on a level with idolatrous nations in breach of allegiance to God. That joining kindled the fierce anger and wrath of the Lord against His people. Transgression brought disease and death and plague upon the nation, and idolatry brought the wrath of God upon the whole nation.
The slaying of the guilty was God's just judgment and righteous visitation, not harsh cruelty. It came after long mercy, added evidence, and clear light, including His compelling Balaam to bless Israel instead of cursing them. The command to the judges to execute those joined to Baal-peor was carried out as punishment for the spreading apostasy, and the public punishment was meant to make Israel fear to follow their example. It was commanded so that His anger might be turned away from Israel. It was merciful because their continued influence would have corrupted all Israel, while its warning taught others not to dishonor God.
The work required thoroughness and severity and faithful obedience as God's instruments. It was to be done from zeal for the divine glory and not to gratify malice or revenge. Those chosen as messengers to execute His doom must faithfully perform the appointed work however repugnant to natural feeling, since lack of faithfulness in executing His judgments brings reproof. Severe measures were necessary to stop brazen sexual impurity and boldly spreading crime in the camp. Through Balaam's counsel the Midianite women had caused Israel to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor and brought a plague among the congregation, making them the principal criminals. Sparing those idolatrous, licentious transgressors as captives would have constantly endangered the morals of Israel, so the sympathy that would spare them was contrary to the will of God.
Those who remained faithful to the Lord lived and were spared, while the Lord judged those who followed Baal-peor. Those who remained faithful renewed their vows of allegiance. The episode illustrates the distinction between obedience and disobedience to God's commandments. To the loyal His commandments were not an unendurable burden, but turning from God left the people exposed to disaster.
The execution teaches that in the future judgment retribution will surely come upon every evildoer according to deeds done in the body. Sin is a deadly leprosy, and God as Creator and owner has right to take abused blessings. His name and authority as ruler must be maintained against idolatry, blasphemy and rebellion. The offensive character of such sin is estimated only in the light of the cross, where Christ took upon Himself the guilt of the disobedient and suffered in the sinner's stead until the sword of justice was awakened against the Son of God.
Warning for Last Days
The facts of the slaying of those joined to Baal-peor were commanded to be repeated to Israel from time to time lest they be forgotten, for they are written as ensamples for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come, warning him that thinketh he standeth to take heed lest he fall. The command to the judges to slay every one of his men that were joined to Baal-peor, that the fierce anger of the Lord might be turned away, shows that Israel by joining himself to Baal-peor had placed himself on a level with idolatrous nations and kindled the anger of the Lord, experiencing the sure results of his own choice. Fornication prevailing among ancient Israel brought a signal manifestation of God's displeasure, with judgments following close upon the heinous sin when thousands fell and three and twenty thousand fell in one day and their polluted bodies were left overthrown in the wilderness. This happened even though all were under the cloud and all passed through the sea and were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual meat and all drank the same spiritual drink from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ, and it was written to teach not to lust after evil things as they lusted, not to be idolaters, and not to commit fornication.
What happened at Baal-peor was one of Satan's snares laid for Israel just before entrance into Canaan, near the close of the wilderness wandering on the very borders of the promised land, and the same snares are laid for God's people now. Israel's history just before entering Canaan is repeated in later times, and those living now on the borders of the heavenly Canaan are repeating that history. Through Moses Israel after Baal-peor 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. Those who remained faithful renewed their vows of allegiance, while rejecting the light and advantages given leads to guilt and judgment.
After a feast connected with Baal worship many fell into licentiousness, and God's judgment followed with terrible judgments upon the guilty, showing that indulgence and rebellion can lead to grievous sin and divine judgment. The order to the judges to punish the men who had joined in it illustrates the severe measures needed to stop brazen sexual impurity and crime in the camp. Though the guilty were slain, the sin was still cherished by many afterward, and idolatry brings the wrath of God upon the whole nation. Living surrounded by worshipers of idols brings danger of again partaking of their iniquity and departing from God.
Through the counsel of Balaam the Midianite women had caused Israel to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor and brought plague among the congregation, and they were the principal criminals whose sparing as captives would have constantly endangered the morals of Israel, so that sympathy that would spare idolatrous, licentious transgressors was contrary to the will of God. The same sympathy for sin and sinners that excuses wrong and shields the guilty is dangerous to the prosperity of the church at the present day. The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity, since none can prevail against the servants of the living God except by tempting them to disobedience.