Today’s Scripture comes from Numbers 25:1-9.
“1 While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 2 For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel. 4 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.” 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor.”
6 Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting . 7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, 8 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 on the sons of Israel was checked. 9 Those who died by the plague were 24,000.” Numbers 25:1-9.
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Today’s Scripture is summarized in the following Psalm 106:28-31.
“28 They joined themselves also to Baal-peor,
And ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
29 Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds,
And the plague broke out among them.
30 Then Phinehas stood up and interposed,
And so the plague was stayed.
31 And it was reckoned to him for righteousness,
To all generations forever.”
Phinehas hated evil and was praised for his bold decisive action. Faith is not just shown by quietly sitting in a church pew. “And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” Hebrews 11:32-34.
We are not only commanded to love good. We are also commanded to hate evil.
“Hate evil, love good,
And establish justice in the gate!
Perhaps the Lord God of hosts
May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.” Amos 5:15.
Phineas hated evil and took bold decisive action, and the LORD indeed was “gracious to the remnant of Joseph”, so to speak, by stopping the plague.
“Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;
He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 97:10.
As New Testament Christians, we are certainly not called to pierce anyone with a spear nor otherwise kill anyone. That should be understood without saying it. But, we are called to have and use proper church discipline and procedure by the elders to remove those heretics and other evildoers from within our churches.
“You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.” 1 Corinthians 5:2.
“But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” 1 Corinthians 5:2.
In conclusion, we see Christ evaluate the church in Ephesus by how they hated evil and could not tolerate evil men within their churches.
“‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’” Revelation 2:2-7.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 