And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.
Twenty-four thousand Israelites died in a plague as God's wrathful judgment for national apostasy at Baal-peor at Shittim by the Jordan just before entering Canaan. They had joined themselves to Baal-peor in fornication, licentiousness and idolatrous worship after being enticed by Midianite women through deceitful wiles. That enticement came through Balaam's counsel to Balak's allies to seduce Israel into sin and thereby cause them to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor. The plague was still killing when Phinehas thrust through the Israelite man and the Midianitish woman, and it was stayed only after that act, while those who cleaved to the Lord and kept His commandments were kept alive. The destruction of the disobedient in contrast with the survival of the faithful proves that obedience brings life and transgression brings death, and stands as an ensample written for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come to warn him that thinketh he standeth to take heed lest he fall.
Setting at Baal-Peor
Israel's national apostasy at Baal-peor took place at Shittim by the Jordan, near the border of Canaan at the end of the wilderness journey just before entering the land. The snares that brought death by plague were laid for the camp when sexual immorality entered near that border, and the same history of Satan's ensnaring just before Canaan is set forth as the background of the twenty-four thousand dead. Many fell to temptation there, while those who remained faithful renewed allegiance and were urged to worship God alone.
Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor and departed from the Lord's commandments, placing themselves on a level with idolatrous nations. After a luxurious feast they took part in licentiousness, fornication and idolatrous worship, enticed by Midianite women through deceitful wiles and hellish arts to accomplish their destruction. That choice brought kindled anger, wrath and terrible judgment upon the guilty as the sure result of their own course.
The enticement came through the counsel of Balaam, who for Balak's reward and promotion sold Israel by advising the Moabites and Midianites to seduce them into fornication and idolatry. By that suggestion the Midianite women caused Israel to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and the snare brought destruction on many thousands. Balaam thus obtained the favor of the Midianites at the sacrifice of the twenty-four thousand.
Twenty-four thousand Israelites died in the resulting plague, pestilence, disease and death that fell as God's wrath and judgment for that sin. The swift pestilence awakened the people to the seriousness of sin, and the destruction of those led away by Baal-peor both judged their disregard of God's honor and breaking of His law and prevented their influence from corrupting the congregation. The execution and public display of the leaders of the apostasy showed God's abhorrence of sin and the terror of His wrath.
The plague was still killing people when Phinehas thrust through the Israelite man, Zimri, and the Midianitish woman in the tent, and it was stayed from the children of Israel only after that act. The facts are to be repeated from time to time lest they be forgotten.
Related statements speak of three and twenty thousand falling in one day and of twenty-three thousand slain by the sword at Moses' command after the luxurious feast and licentiousness brought God's anger, without explaining the figure of twenty-four thousand dead in the plague. The fornication in the wilderness when three and twenty thousand fell in one day belongs to the overthrow of those with whom God was not well pleased, though all were under the cloud, passed through the sea, were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ate the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
Those who cleaved to the Lord, remained faithful and kept His commandments were kept alive and no harm befell them, while the disobedient who turned from loyal service to idolatry were smitten with disease and death and laid under the curse. The contrast proves that obedience brings life and prosperity and transgression brings death.
After the plague God directed Israel as His instruments to vex and smite the Midianites and Moabites who had vexed Israel with their wiles, not to gratify malice or revenge but from zeal for the divine glory. By that act the Midianites filled up the measure of their iniquities, their probation ended, the door of mercy was closed, and the mandate went forth against them. In that war the Midianite women as principal criminals met just retribution, and Balaam himself, who had sought favor at the cost of the twenty-four thousand, perished with them when divine justice did not let the tempters escape.
What the Judgment Reveals
The twenty-four thousand died in the plague because Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor and departed from the commandments, placing themselves on a level with idolatrous nations and bringing kindled anger and destruction upon themselves as the sure result of their own choice, with wrath falling in terrible judgment on the guilty. The destruction of the disobedient contrasted with the survival of those who remained faithful, who cleaved to the Lord and kept His commandments and were kept alive with no harm befalling them, shows that God distinguishes between obedience and disobedience. Turning from loyal service to idolatry brought disaster and laid the nation under the curse, with the transgressors smitten with disease and death, proving that obedience brings life and prosperity and transgression brings death.
The command to make war on the Midianites shows both the justice of God in visiting judgment on the guilty and mercy in giving victory over a people seeking by every hellish art to accomplish destruction, to be fought not to gratify malice or revenge but as His instruments doing His bidding from zeal for the divine glory. The command for swift destruction after iniquity was filled up was not cruel or unjust but the perfect right of God who created men and owns them to take away blessings they have abused, and the right of the Maker, Owner and Ruler of the universe to maintain His name and authority against idolatry, blasphemy, rebellion and scorn of Himself and His righteous people. Balaam obtained the favor of the Midianites at the sacrifice of those twenty-four thousand, and he then perished with the Midianites when Israel was used as instruments of wrath to avenge and punish the wicked nation that had vexed and seduced them into idolatry.
The plague shows the malignity of sin as a deadly leprosy contaminating all brought in contact with it. Its offensive character can be 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, proving that God will not excuse willful transgression of His law but will punish transgressors. The swift judgment awakened the people to the seriousness of their sin, while the execution and public display of the apostasy's leaders showed God's abhorrence of sin and the terror of His wrath. The judgment on Israel and on the Midianites teaches that in the future Judgment retribution will surely come upon every soul that does evil according to the deeds done in the body, which those who love sin and have no keen sense of its exceeding sinfulness are unable to comprehend, questioning the justice of severely punishing the Amalekites, Canaanites and Midianites.
The severe punishment stopped the brazen and bold spread and advance of impurity and crime after licentiousness entered the camp near the border of Canaan. Their destruction was a judgment on those led away and a warning against disregarding God's honor and breaking His law, and by judging them it prevented their influence from corrupting the congregation. Sparing such idolatrous, licentious transgressors, on whom as principal criminals just retribution fell, would have been lack of thoroughness and contrary to the divine will, because their presence and the shielding of the guilty would constantly endanger morals.
Warning for the Last Days
The twenty-four thousand deaths in the plague are ensamples written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, to be repeated from time to time lest they be forgotten. They came because Israel joined himself to Baal-peor and departed from the commandments, placing themselves on the level of idolatrous nations, and the kindled anger and destruction that followed was the sure result of their own choice. The plague was stayed only after Phinehas thrust through the Israelite man and the Midianitish woman in the tent, and their polluted bodies left in the wilderness show judgments following close upon heinous fornication. The warning is to him that thinketh he standeth to take heed lest he fall, with the assurance that no temptation is beyond what is common to man and that God will make a way of escape that it may be borne.
The fornication in the wilderness, when three and twenty thousand fell in one day, was part of the overthrow of those with whom God was not well pleased. This happened even though all the fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual meat and all drank the same spiritual drink from that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. Lusting after evil things, idolatry, committing fornication, tempting Christ, and murmuring bring destruction, and these things happened as examples to the intent that later people should not lust after evil things as Israel lusted.
The history just before entering Canaan warns that the lightness, vanity, love of ease and pleasure, selfishness, and impurity that ensnared Israel through Satan's snares can recur among God's people. After a luxurious feast licentiousness in the worship of Baal-peor brought God's anger, showing that indulging sinful desires and pursuing ease and pleasure can lead to idolatry, sexual sin, and grievous sin bringing divine judgment. Those who hold this warning also speak of twenty-three thousand slain in one day by the sword at Moses' command alongside the twenty-four thousand dead in the plague.
Phinehas held up the wrath in terrible judgment on the guilty as proof to the tribes east of Jordan that rebellion brings wrath on the whole nation. A separate altar could lead away from the true faith into the same apostasy, and the danger remained because many still cherished the same sins. Those dwelling at a distance surrounded by worshipers of Baal-peor could again be led to partake of their iniquity. The memory of this fearful consequence of sin at Beth-peor was still fresh when Israel looked upon Jericho, filling them with disgust and horror at that Canaanite city and its idolatry.
The same snares laid for Israel just before entrance into Canaan, bringing death by plague through the trespass in the matter of Peor caused by the Midianite women as principal criminals, are laid for God's people now because they are repeating that history. Sparing such idolatrous, licentious transgressors was lack of thoroughness contrary to God's will, because their presence would constantly endanger morals. Sympathy for sin and sinners, and a charity that excuses wrong and shields the guilty, is dangerous to the prosperity of the church and is not the charity of the Bible. None can prevail against the servants of the living God except by tempting them to disobedience, and the friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity. The offensive character of the sin that brought the plague 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 will not excuse willful transgression but will punish transgressors.
Twenty-four thousand Israelites died in a plague as God's wrathful judgment for national apostasy at Baal-peor at Shittim by the Jordan just before entering Canaan. They had joined themselves to Baal-peor in fornication, licentiousness and idolatrous worship after being enticed by Midianite women through deceitful wiles. That enticement came through Balaam's counsel to Balak's allies to seduce Israel into sin and thereby cause them to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor. The plague was still killing when Phinehas thrust through the Israelite man and the Midianitish woman, and it was stayed only after that act, while those who cleaved to the Lord and kept His commandments were kept alive. The destruction of the disobedient in contrast with the survival of the faithful proves that obedience brings life and transgression brings death, and stands as an ensample written for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come to warn him that thinketh he standeth to take heed lest he fall.
Setting at Baal-Peor
Israel's national apostasy at Baal-peor took place at Shittim by the Jordan, near the border of Canaan at the end of the wilderness journey just before entering the land. The snares that brought death by plague were laid for the camp when sexual immorality entered near that border, and the same history of Satan's ensnaring just before Canaan is set forth as the background of the twenty-four thousand dead. Many fell to temptation there, while those who remained faithful renewed allegiance and were urged to worship God alone.
Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor and departed from the Lord's commandments, placing themselves on a level with idolatrous nations. After a luxurious feast they took part in licentiousness, fornication and idolatrous worship, enticed by Midianite women through deceitful wiles and hellish arts to accomplish their destruction. That choice brought kindled anger, wrath and terrible judgment upon the guilty as the sure result of their own course.
The enticement came through the counsel of Balaam, who for Balak's reward and promotion sold Israel by advising the Moabites and Midianites to seduce them into fornication and idolatry. By that suggestion the Midianite women caused Israel to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and the snare brought destruction on many thousands. Balaam thus obtained the favor of the Midianites at the sacrifice of the twenty-four thousand.
Twenty-four thousand Israelites died in the resulting plague, pestilence, disease and death that fell as God's wrath and judgment for that sin. The swift pestilence awakened the people to the seriousness of sin, and the destruction of those led away by Baal-peor both judged their disregard of God's honor and breaking of His law and prevented their influence from corrupting the congregation. The execution and public display of the leaders of the apostasy showed God's abhorrence of sin and the terror of His wrath.
The plague was still killing people when Phinehas thrust through the Israelite man, Zimri, and the Midianitish woman in the tent, and it was stayed from the children of Israel only after that act. The facts are to be repeated from time to time lest they be forgotten.
Related statements speak of three and twenty thousand falling in one day and of twenty-three thousand slain by the sword at Moses' command after the luxurious feast and licentiousness brought God's anger, without explaining the figure of twenty-four thousand dead in the plague. The fornication in the wilderness when three and twenty thousand fell in one day belongs to the overthrow of those with whom God was not well pleased, though all were under the cloud, passed through the sea, were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ate the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
Those who cleaved to the Lord, remained faithful and kept His commandments were kept alive and no harm befell them, while the disobedient who turned from loyal service to idolatry were smitten with disease and death and laid under the curse. The contrast proves that obedience brings life and prosperity and transgression brings death.
After the plague God directed Israel as His instruments to vex and smite the Midianites and Moabites who had vexed Israel with their wiles, not to gratify malice or revenge but from zeal for the divine glory. By that act the Midianites filled up the measure of their iniquities, their probation ended, the door of mercy was closed, and the mandate went forth against them. In that war the Midianite women as principal criminals met just retribution, and Balaam himself, who had sought favor at the cost of the twenty-four thousand, perished with them when divine justice did not let the tempters escape.
What the Judgment Reveals
The twenty-four thousand died in the plague because Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor and departed from the commandments, placing themselves on a level with idolatrous nations and bringing kindled anger and destruction upon themselves as the sure result of their own choice, with wrath falling in terrible judgment on the guilty. The destruction of the disobedient contrasted with the survival of those who remained faithful, who cleaved to the Lord and kept His commandments and were kept alive with no harm befalling them, shows that God distinguishes between obedience and disobedience. Turning from loyal service to idolatry brought disaster and laid the nation under the curse, with the transgressors smitten with disease and death, proving that obedience brings life and prosperity and transgression brings death.
The command to make war on the Midianites shows both the justice of God in visiting judgment on the guilty and mercy in giving victory over a people seeking by every hellish art to accomplish destruction, to be fought not to gratify malice or revenge but as His instruments doing His bidding from zeal for the divine glory. The command for swift destruction after iniquity was filled up was not cruel or unjust but the perfect right of God who created men and owns them to take away blessings they have abused, and the right of the Maker, Owner and Ruler of the universe to maintain His name and authority against idolatry, blasphemy, rebellion and scorn of Himself and His righteous people. Balaam obtained the favor of the Midianites at the sacrifice of those twenty-four thousand, and he then perished with the Midianites when Israel was used as instruments of wrath to avenge and punish the wicked nation that had vexed and seduced them into idolatry.
The plague shows the malignity of sin as a deadly leprosy contaminating all brought in contact with it. Its offensive character can be 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, proving that God will not excuse willful transgression of His law but will punish transgressors. The swift judgment awakened the people to the seriousness of their sin, while the execution and public display of the apostasy's leaders showed God's abhorrence of sin and the terror of His wrath. The judgment on Israel and on the Midianites teaches that in the future Judgment retribution will surely come upon every soul that does evil according to the deeds done in the body, which those who love sin and have no keen sense of its exceeding sinfulness are unable to comprehend, questioning the justice of severely punishing the Amalekites, Canaanites and Midianites.
The severe punishment stopped the brazen and bold spread and advance of impurity and crime after licentiousness entered the camp near the border of Canaan. Their destruction was a judgment on those led away and a warning against disregarding God's honor and breaking His law, and by judging them it prevented their influence from corrupting the congregation. Sparing such idolatrous, licentious transgressors, on whom as principal criminals just retribution fell, would have been lack of thoroughness and contrary to the divine will, because their presence and the shielding of the guilty would constantly endanger morals.
Warning for the Last Days
The twenty-four thousand deaths in the plague are ensamples written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, to be repeated from time to time lest they be forgotten. They came because Israel joined himself to Baal-peor and departed from the commandments, placing themselves on the level of idolatrous nations, and the kindled anger and destruction that followed was the sure result of their own choice. The plague was stayed only after Phinehas thrust through the Israelite man and the Midianitish woman in the tent, and their polluted bodies left in the wilderness show judgments following close upon heinous fornication. The warning is to him that thinketh he standeth to take heed lest he fall, with the assurance that no temptation is beyond what is common to man and that God will make a way of escape that it may be borne.
The fornication in the wilderness, when three and twenty thousand fell in one day, was part of the overthrow of those with whom God was not well pleased. This happened even though all the fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual meat and all drank the same spiritual drink from that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. Lusting after evil things, idolatry, committing fornication, tempting Christ, and murmuring bring destruction, and these things happened as examples to the intent that later people should not lust after evil things as Israel lusted.
The history just before entering Canaan warns that the lightness, vanity, love of ease and pleasure, selfishness, and impurity that ensnared Israel through Satan's snares can recur among God's people. After a luxurious feast licentiousness in the worship of Baal-peor brought God's anger, showing that indulging sinful desires and pursuing ease and pleasure can lead to idolatry, sexual sin, and grievous sin bringing divine judgment. Those who hold this warning also speak of twenty-three thousand slain in one day by the sword at Moses' command alongside the twenty-four thousand dead in the plague.
Phinehas held up the wrath in terrible judgment on the guilty as proof to the tribes east of Jordan that rebellion brings wrath on the whole nation. A separate altar could lead away from the true faith into the same apostasy, and the danger remained because many still cherished the same sins. Those dwelling at a distance surrounded by worshipers of Baal-peor could again be led to partake of their iniquity. The memory of this fearful consequence of sin at Beth-peor was still fresh when Israel looked upon Jericho, filling them with disgust and horror at that Canaanite city and its idolatry.
The same snares laid for Israel just before entrance into Canaan, bringing death by plague through the trespass in the matter of Peor caused by the Midianite women as principal criminals, are laid for God's people now because they are repeating that history. Sparing such idolatrous, licentious transgressors was lack of thoroughness contrary to God's will, because their presence would constantly endanger morals. Sympathy for sin and sinners, and a charity that excuses wrong and shields the guilty, is dangerous to the prosperity of the church and is not the charity of the Bible. None can prevail against the servants of the living God except by tempting them to disobedience, and the friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity. The offensive character of the sin that brought the plague 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 will not excuse willful transgression but will punish transgressors.