Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 30.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+30&version=NASB 

I quote the following verses. 

“1 Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the word which the Lord has commanded.  2 If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word;  he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 

3 “Also if a woman makes a vow to the Lord, and binds herself by an obligation in her father’s house in her youth, 4 and her father hears her vow and her obligation by which she has bound herself, and her father says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand and every obligation by which she has bound herself shall stand.  5 But if her father should forbid her on the day he hears of it, none of her vows or her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand;  and the Lord will forgive her because her father had forbidden her. 

6 “However, if she should marry while under her vows or the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day he hears it, then her vows shall stand and her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand.  8 But if on the day her husband hears of it, he forbids her, then he shall annul her vow which she is under and the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself; and the Lord will forgive her.”  Numbers 30:1-8. 

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Vows tend to be rash.  Vows tend to be prideful.  Vows tend to be presumptuous.  Vows tend to be broken. 

But, what about wedding vows?  What about vows to tell the truth? 

Whatever vows are in nature or in emotion, Jesus gets the last word.  “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’  But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’;  anything beyond these is of evil.”  Matthew 5:33-37.    

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 29.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+29&version=NASB 

I quote the following verses. 

“17 ‘Then on the second day:  twelve bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect;  18 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance;  19 and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings. 

20 ‘Then on the third day:  eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect;  21 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance;  22 and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.”  Numbers Chapter 29:  Verses 17-22.    

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Worship is not about what interests us.  Worship is about what God wants. 

We may think that the elements of worship are boring.  But, we remember Numbers 28:1:  “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be careful to present My offering, My food for My offerings by fire, of a soothing aroma to Me, at their appointed time.’”  

And so, Reformed Doctrine adheres to the Regulative Principle of Worship.  “The regulative principle of worship is the principle that God in His Word tells us how to worship Him. What God commands in worship must be done, and what He does not command in worship is forbidden.”  “The Regulative Principle of Worship (1)”  By Griess Cory, in O Come Let Us Worship Volume 88/2012 Issue: 14, 4/15/2012 of the Standard Bearer.  Here is a link to this article – http://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/regulative-principle-worship-1  

“Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools;  for they do not know they are doing evil.  Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God.  For God is in heaven and you are on the earth;  therefore let your words be few.”  Ecclesiastes 5:1-2. 

“Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I am speaking today in your hearing, that you may learn them and observe them carefully.”  Deuteronomy 5:1. 

“It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us.”  Deuteronomy 6:25. 

“Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do;  you shall not add to nor take away from it.”  Deuteronomy 12:32.  

“This day the Lord your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances.  You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.”  Deuteronomy 26:16. 

“Only be strong and very courageous;  be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you;  do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.  This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it;  for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”  Joshua 1:7-8.  

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 28:11-35.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+28&version=NASB 

I quote the following verses. 

“11  ‘Then at the beginning of each of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the Lord:  two bulls and one ram, seven male lambs one year old without defect;  12 and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, for each bull;  and two-tenths of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, for the one ram;  13 and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering for each lamb, for a burnt offering of a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.  … 

16 ‘Then on the fourteenth day of the first month shall be the Lord’s Passover.  17 On the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast, unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.  18 On the first day shall be a holy convocation;  you shall do no laborious work.  19 You shall present an offering by fire, a burnt offering to the Lord:  two bulls and one ram and seven male lambs one year old, having them without defect.  … 

26 ‘Also on the day of the first fruits, when you present a new grain offering to the Lord in your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation;  you shall do no laborious work.  27 You shall offer a burnt offering for a soothing aroma to the Lord:  two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs one year old;  28 and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil:  three-tenths of an ephah for each bull, two-tenths for the one ram, 29 a tenth for each of the seven lambs;  30 also one male goat to make atonement for you.  31 Besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, you shall present them with their drink offerings.  They shall be without defect.”  Numbers Chapter 28:  Verses 11-13 and 16-19  and 26-31. 

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The animals to be used for the offerings shall be “without defect”.  They point to Christ Who offered Himself like a “lamb unblemished and spotless” as a perfect sacrifice to take away our sins.  

“For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”  Hebrews 9:13-14. 

“knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”  1 Peter 1:18-19. 

But, God’s concern was not only for the offering.  God’s concern was also for whom the offering was made, His church.  

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  …”  Ephesians 1:3-4.  

“… Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing;  but that she would be holy and blameless.”  Ephesians 5:25-27. 

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 28:1-10. 

“1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be careful to present My offering, My food for My offerings by fire, of a soothing aroma to Me, at their appointed time.’  3 You shall say to them, ‘This is the offering by fire which you shall offer to the Lord:  two male lambs one year old without defect as a continual burnt offering every day . 4 You shall offer the one lamb in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight;  5 also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil.  6 It is a continual burnt offering which was ordained in Mount Sinai as a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.  7 Then the drink offering with it shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb, in the holy place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the Lord . 8 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight; as the grain offering of the morning and as its drink offering, you shall offer it, an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to the Lord. 

9 ‘Then on the sabbath day two male lambs one year old without defect, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and its drink offering:  10 This is the burnt offering of every sabbath in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.”  Numbers 28:1-10. 

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“16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”  Psalm 61:16-17.  

“1 Thus says the Lord,

“Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.
Where then is a house you could build for Me?
And where is a place that I may rest?
2 “For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord.
“But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”  Isaiah 66:1-2. 

“6 With what shall I come to the Lord
And bow myself before the God on high?
Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,
With yearling calves?
7 Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams,
In ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?”  Micah 6:6-8.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 27:12-23. 

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up to this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel.  When you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was;  for in the wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My command to treat Me as holy before their eyes at the water.”  (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) 

Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”  So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;  and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and commission him in their sight.  You shall put some of your authority on him, in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him.  Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord.  At his command they shall go out and at his command they shall come in, both he and the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”  Moses did just as the Lord commanded him;  and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.  Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the Lord had spoken through Moses.”   Numbers 27:12-23. 

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When the LORD informed Moses of his upcoming death and that he would see (but not go in) the Promised Land, Moses could have asked for something for himself or could have sulked in silence, but Moses only asked for the LORD to appoint a successor to shepherd Israel. 

We certainly should fulfill our ministry. 

“Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”  Colossians 4:17. 

“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,”  2 Thessalonians 1:11. 

“But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”  2 Timothy 4:5. 

But, there comes a time when we need to leave the ministry, because we die or retire or move on to a different ministry such as is the situation described in today’s Scripture.  When that occurs, we can trust God to appoint successors, and we can trust God to orchestrate everything to cause success. 

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.  This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’  The Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well.  I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”  Deuteronomy 18:15-18. 

Reformed Doctrine, which teaches God’s sovereignty and the total perfect triumph of God, helps us to rest in peace.  

“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other;  I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;  Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country.  Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 27:1-11. 

“Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph, came near;  and these are the names of his daughters:  Mahlah, Noah and Hoglah and Milcah and Tirzah. 2 They stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the leaders and all the congregation, at the doorway of the tent of meeting, saying, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness, yet he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah;  but he died in his own sin, and he had no sons.  4 Why should the name of our father be withdrawn from among his family because he had no son?  Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.”  5 So Moses brought their case before the Lord. 

6 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 7 “The daughters of Zelophehad are right in their statements.  You shall surely give them a hereditary possession among their father’s brothers, and you shall transfer the inheritance of their father to them.  8 Further, you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter.  9 If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers.  10 If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.  11 If his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his own family, and he shall possess it; and it shall be a statutory ordinance to the sons of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses.’”  Numbers 27:1-11. 

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Many complain and reject Reformed Doctrine (which includes predestination), because it seems unfair and unjust to them that God alone unconditionally elects whomever He wants to save.   

Today’s Scripture shows God’s concern for justice.  Not only did God specifically give justice to the daughters of Zelophehad, God generally provided justice to all in the form of establishing a law of inheritance. 

“He loves righteousness and justice;  The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.”  Psalm 33:5.   

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;  Lovingkindness and truth go before You.”  Psalm 89:14. 

“The works of His hands are truth and justice;  All His precepts are sure.”  Psalm 111:7. 

So, let us look a little closer at God’s work of predestination (“Unconditional Election” in “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation). 

Article 1.  As all men have sinned in Adam, lie under the curse, and are deserving of eternal death, God would have done no injustice by leaving them all to perish, and delivering them over to condemnation on account of sin, according to the words of the apostle, Romans 3:19, “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”   And verse 23:  “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”   And Romans 6:23:  “for the wages of sin is death.”  FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE  Of Divine Predestination of the Canons of Dordt. 

In other words, just because God saved some does not mean that God is unjust for not saving all or more.  God is concerned with both justice and mercy (lovingkindness).  

“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:23-24. 

God demonstrated His lovingkindness by saving His Elect.  

God demonstrated His justice both by punishing the reprobates by sending them to hell but by also sending His precious only begotten Son Jesus Christ to suffer and die on the cross, because Christ took on Himself the sins of the Elect.  If ever there was a time for God to refrain from justice, it was when Christ was on the cross.  But, God perfectly demonstrated His justice by even punishing Christ who took on the sins of the Elect.  

God demonstrated His righteousness by imputing the righteousness of Christ to the Elect and by sanctifying the Elect, causing them to be slaves of righteousness. 

God delights in lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, and God perfectly exercises them.  We exult in total perfect triumph in Christ. 

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”  2 Corinthians 2:14

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 26.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+26&version=NASB 

I quote the following verses. 

“Then it came about after the plague, that the Lord spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ households, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel.”  3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 4 “Take a census of the people from twenty years old and upward, as the Lord has commanded Moses.” 

Now the sons of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt were:  

5 Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;  6 of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.  7 These are the families of the Reubenites, and those who were numbered of them were 43,730.  … 

51 These are those who were numbered of the sons of Israel, 601,730. 

52 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 53 “Among these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. 54 To the larger group you shall increase their inheritance, and to the smaller group you shall diminish their inheritance;  each shall be given their inheritance according to those who were numbered of them.  55 But the land shall be divided by lot.  They shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.  56 According to the selection by lot, their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller groups.”  … 

63 These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.  64 But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.  65 For the Lord had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.”  And not a man was left of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.”  Numbers Chapter 26:  Verses 1-7 and 51-55 and 63-65. 

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At a very quick count (maybe slightly inaccurate), the word family or families appeared 93 times in Numbers Chapter 26.  Such repeated emphasis of the family deserves to be the subject of this devotion even though the format of this devotion only allows me to make a few points.  Hopefully, this devotion will at least whet the appetite of the reader to consider this subject and to search the Scripture and other good sources to study this subject.   

Why is there such the emphasis of family, not only in Numbers Chapter 26, but elsewhere in Scripture?  

Isn’t salvation granted individually?  

What about Romans Chapter 9 which sharply separates the two brothers.  “Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”  Romans 9:13?  

What about this Numbers Chapter 26 which reminded us that “To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.  But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered strange fire before the Lord.”  Numbers 26:60-61?   

And in this same chapter, what about the difference in what happened to Korah versus what happened to his sons:  “and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, so that they became a warning.  The sons of Korah, however, did not die.”  (Numbers 26:10-11)? 

In ESSENTIALS OF REFORMED DOCTRINE  A Guide in Catechetical Instruction by Rev. H. Hoeksema (revised by Prof. H. Hanko), Rev. Hoeksema shows us in his following “Lesson 18:  The Covenant of Grace” that God does establishes His covenant of grace “only with His elect people in the line of continued generations”.  There is that emphasis of family in Scripture.

Lesson 18: The Covenant of Grace

How does God save His people?
By means of a living faith in the Mediator of the covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ.

What is the fruit of the work of Christ?
That God maintains, restores, and perfects His covenant through Him. Jeremiah 31:33 .

What is the covenant?
It is the gracious relation of living fellowship and friendship between God and His people in Christ, wherein He is their God and they are His people. Genesis 17:7 ; Psalm 16:5 ; Psalm 33:22 .

How many covenants are there?
There is only one covenant in both the Old and New Testaments established with God’s people throughout all time.

Did not Adam stand in a covenant relationship to God?
Yes, but he violated the covenant through his sin so that the covenant must be restored through Christ.

How does God establish His covenant?
God establishes His covenant by His own work of grace whereby He takes His people into His own covenant fellowship. Ephesians 2:8 .

Does God establish His covenant with all men?
No, He establishes His covenant only with His elect people in the line of continued generations. Galatians 3:16, 29.

What does God do for His people in that covenant?
He forms them to be His people, makes them partakers of all the benefits of Christ, and leads them on to eternal glory. Ephesians 1:23 .

Through Whom does God make us partakers of all Christ’s benefits?
Through the Holy Spirit, Who dwells in Christ as the Head and in His people as members of His body. Ephesians 1:23 .

EXTRA WORK:

There are some who teach that the covenant is an agreement between God and man. How does an agreement differ from a bond of friendship and fellowship?

Some teach that, because the covenant is an agreement, it is bilateral (two-sided). Prove from Genesis 15:7-18 that the covenant is unilateral (one-sided).

Prove from Psalm 89:28-34 that God not only establishes His covenant, but that God also preserves it by His own work.

How is the protevangel in Genesis 3:15 a promise of the coming of Christ the Head of the covenant?

Prove from Psalm 25:14 that the covenant is a bond of friendship between God and His people.

Prove from Genesis 17:7 that God establishes His covenant in the line of continued generations.

Read the doctrinal part of the Baptism Form and explain from it what is our “part” of the covenant.   

In conclusion, neither Rev. Hoeksema, nor his Protestant Reformed Churches denomination nor most Reformed denominations maintain that everyone is necessarily saved in a family where most of the family members are Christian.  In other words, not everyone is elect in a family where most (or everyone else) in the family is elect.  But, as someone said (and I paraphrase), God likes to fish using the line of continued generations.  “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” Genesis 17:7 (KJV).  “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”  Acts 2:39.  There is that emphasis of family in Scripture.  There is that hope that encourages us to raise our children as covenant children in the Christian faith accordingly.    

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 25:10-18. 

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy.  Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give him My covenant of peace;  and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.’” 

Now the name of the slain man of Israel who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s household among the Simeonites.  The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was head of the people of a father’s household in Midian. 

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them;  for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was slain on the day of the plague because of Peor.”  Numbers 25:10-18. 

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What the LORD spoke to Moses about Phinehas makes us think of Christ.  Like Phinehas, Christ “has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel”.  Like Phinehas, Christ received “a perpetual priesthood”.  Like Phinehas, Christ “made atonement for the sons of Israel”. 

But, whereas Phinehas only received “a covenant of peace”, and Moses was commanded:  “Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them”, Christ reconciled and made peace for many, Jews and Gentiles:  “And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach”.  Colossians 1:21-22. 

Whereas Midianites and all other Gentiles had no hope and were without God in the world, Christ brought the elect Gentiles near to Himself and became their peace:  “remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.”  Ephesus 2:12-16.

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.

Today’s Scripture comes from Numbers 25:10-25. 

“10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together;  and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times!  11 Therefore, flee to your place now.  I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the Lord has held you back from honor.”  12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying, 13 ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the Lord, either good or bad, of my own accord.  What the Lord speaks, that I will speak’?  14 And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.” 

15 He took up his discourse and said, 

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 The oracle of him who hears the words of God,
And knows the knowledge of the Most High,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered.
17 “I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near;
A star shall come forth from Jacob,
A scepter shall rise from Israel,
And shall crush through the forehead of Moab,
And tear down all the sons of Sheth.
18 “Edom shall be a possession,
Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession,
While Israel performs valiantly.
19 “One from Jacob shall have dominion,
And will destroy the remnant from the city.”

20 And he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said, 

“Amalek was the first of the nations,
But his end shall be destruction.”

21 And he looked at the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, 

“Your dwelling place is enduring,
And your nest is set in the cliff.
22 “Nevertheless Kain will be consumed;
How long will Asshur keep you captive?”

23 Then he took up his discourse and said, 

“Alas, who can live except God has ordained it?
24 “But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim,
And they shall afflict Asshur and will afflict Eber;
So they also will come to destruction.”

25 Then Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.”  Numbers 25:10-25. 

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“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24. 

Although we don’t want to be like Balaam, we do want to be one who “who hears the words of God, And knows the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty”.  Verse 16.  

But, we should not think of this ability as some mystical gift that one receives it altogether at once.  Although there is nothing that we have, that we did not receive, (1 Corinthians 4:7), and although there are spiritual gifts such as knowledge and faith, (1 Corinthians 12:8-9), there usually is a progression in going from ignorance to hearing, and going from hearing to knowing, and going from knowing to seeing.  There is growth.  

“but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”  2 Peter 3:8. 

There is the example of Timothy.  “For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.  For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”  2 Timothy 1:5-7. 

And, we see the example of Christ.  “The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom;  and the grace of God was upon Him.”  Luke 2:40. 

“I will meditate on all Your work And muse on Your deeds.”  Psalm 77:12.

So, let us be diligent.  

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”  2 Timothy 2:15. 

“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.  Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you;  for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;  for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”  2 Peter 1:5-11. 

“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.  Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:12-14. 

But, even though there is the need to grow, to be diligent, to press on, let us not view it as some dreary duty, let us be eager to do these things.   

Let us be like the Bereans.  “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”  Acts 17:11. 

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”  Psalm 1:2.

“But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”  Romans 8:25. 

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;”  Philippians 3:20.  

In conclusion, the growth, diligence, pressing on, and eagerness is summarized in the following two parables of Jesus:  “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again;  and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  Matthew 13:44-46.