Numbers 25:6
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
The verse pictures Israel's apostasy at Baal-peor on the borders of Canaan, when a luxurious idol feast laid as a snare at Balaam's suggestion drew the people into licentiousness through Midianite women, while Moses and the congregation wept in mourning before the tabernacle under plague and judgment, and one man brazenly brought a Midianite woman past them to his tent until Phinehas followed and slew them both, staying the plague and receiving a covenant of peace and everlasting priesthood for making atonement. Twenty-four thousand died in the plague before it was stayed, while those who held the other reckoning teach that twenty-three thousand fell in one day for this fornication by the sword at Moses' command. The destruction was both judgment on disobedience and mercy to keep the corruption from spreading as Israel stood at the threshold of Canaan, and Midian's success in the seduction filled up its iniquity and ended its probation so that Israel was commanded to vex and smite them as God's instruments without malice or revenge. The history happened as ensamples and is written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, warning against lusting after evil things, idolatry and fornication, so that whoever thinks he stands takes heed lest he fall and looks to God's faithful way of escape from common temptation. Though all shared great privilege under the cloud and through the sea, eating the same spiritual meat and drinking from the spiritual Rock that followed them, which was Christ, many were overthrown because they did not live by the light, showing that the same satanic snares laid just before Canaan are laid for God's people now and that they must remain separate and worship God alone.
The Open Sin Described
The verse belongs to Israel's national apostasy at Baal-peor, when joining Baal-peor brought the people down from God's commandments to the level of idolatrous nations and kindled the Lord's anger to command execution of the guilty heads and men. It took place near the close of the wilderness wandering on the very borders of the promised land, where the sin had spread into the camp itself. The brazen public character of the apostasy is shown in that an Israelite openly brought a Midianite woman before Moses and the weeping congregation gathered at the tabernacle.
The sin came through a feast connected with the worship of Baal-peor that led into licentiousness and grievous sin, a luxurious feast that brought God's anger upon the people. It was a snare laid for Israel at Balaam's suggestion and through his counsel, by which Midian through deceitful wiles enticed Israel to sin. It was one of Satan's snares laid for Israel just before entering Canaan.
The Midianite women who enticed Israel were idolatrous and licentious, seeking by every evil art to accomplish Israel's destruction. They were the principal criminals who caused Israel to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, bringing wrath and plague among the congregation.
While this was happening Moses and the whole congregation were weeping in mourning and confession before the door of the tabernacle because enticed to sin and thus bringing the wrath of God upon themselves. The plague was still killing people and the magistrates were carrying out judgment, and Moses looked on the enticement with grief and indignation.
Against that grief one Israelite, Zimri, openly and brazenly defied Moses, the grieving leaders, the judges, and the whole congregation by bringing a Midianite woman to his brethren in their sight. He escorted her to his tent, flaunting his sin before the congregation. The episode shows Israel's sexual sin becoming an open, defiant act in the camp while the people wept before the tabernacle, a stark contrast between their grief and his public defiance, illustrating how impurity and crime had advanced among Israel as they stood on the borders of Canaan.
Phinehas followed them and thrust both the man and the woman through, stopping the open sin. The plague was then stayed, his zeal turned away wrath so Israel was not consumed, because he was zealous for God and made an atonement. He received a covenant of peace, even an everlasting priesthood for him and his seed after him and his descendants.
Judgment and Enduring Warning
The plague was not stayed until twenty-four thousand had died. Twenty-three thousand fell in one day for this fornication, by the sword at the command of Moses. The transgression brought disease and death, with signal judgments following close upon the heinous sin of fornication when thousands fell and their polluted bodies were left in the wilderness, while those who cleaved to the Lord and remained faithful stayed alive and renewed their vows of allegiance.
The destruction of the followers of Baal-peor was both judgment on disobedience and mercy, since their continued influence would have corrupted all Israel. Severe punishment was needed to stop the advance of impurity and crime, for the flagrant rebellion had entered the camp openly while Israel stood at the threshold of Canaan. Midian's success in leading Israel into sin filled up the measure of Midianite iniquity, ended their day of probation, and closed the door of mercy to them, so God commanded Israel to vex, smite, and make war upon them.
That command to destroy Midian was just retribution upon a guilty people and also mercy to give Israel victory over a people bent on their ruin. Israel was to act as God's instruments from zeal for the divine glory and not to gratify malice or revenge. Sparing the women as captives was lack of thoroughness in executing the command, because their presence would constantly endanger Israel's morals, so sympathy that spares such transgressors is contrary to God's will. The sin exposes the malignity of sin as a deadly leprosy contaminating all brought into contact with it, showing why God as Creator and owner must maintain His name and authority as ruler against idolatry, blasphemy, and rebellion.
Its offensive character 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. The history happened as ensamples and is written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, to be repeated lest it be forgotten. It warns against lusting after evil things, idolatry, and fornication, so that whoever thinks he stands takes heed lest he fall, knowing no temptation is beyond what is common to man and God is faithful to make a way of escape to bear it.
The wilderness people all had great privilege, being under the cloud and through the sea and baptized unto Moses and eating the same spiritual meat and drinking the same spiritual drink from the spiritual Rock that followed them, which was Christ, yet with many God was not well pleased and they were overthrown in the wilderness. So the verse warns that those who reject great spiritual light and fail to live by it face judgment. The same satanic snares laid for Israel just before entering Canaan are laid for God's people now because they are repeating that history, and there the conditions of the covenant were repeated with warning through Moses to remain separate from surrounding nations and worship God alone.
The event stands as a proved warning against departing from God and setting up separate worship, so that a new altar is suspected as the same rebellion bringing wrath upon the whole nation. Even after the judgments many still cherished the same sins, giving reason to fear that living surrounded by idol worshipers would lead to partaking again of that iniquity. Its fearful results at Beth-peor were still fresh when Israel faced Jericho and made them look with disgust and horror on Jericho and its idolatry.