Here a new scene opens upon our view. We have been on the top of
Pisgah, hearkening to God’s testimony respecting Israel, and there, all
was bright and fair—without a cloud, without a spot; but now we find
ourselves in the plains of Moab, and all is changed. There, we had to do
with God and His thoughts; here, we have to do with the people and their
ways. What a contrast! It reminds us of the opening and the close of 2
Corinthians xii. In the former, we have the _positive standing_ of the
Christian; in the latter, the _possible state_ into which he may fall if
not watchful. That shows us “a man in Christ” capable of being caught
up into paradise at any moment; this shows us saints of God capable of
plunging into all manner of sin and folly.
Thus it is with Israel as seen from “the top of the rocks” in “the vision
of the Almighty,” and Israel as seen in the plains of Moab. In the one
case, we have their perfect standing; in the other, their imperfect
state. Balaam’s parables give us God’s estimate of the former; the
javelin of Phinehas, His judgment upon the latter. God will never reverse
His decision as to what His people are as to standing, but He must
judge and chasten them when their ways comport not with that standing.
It is His gracious will that their state should correspond with their
standing. But here is, alas! where failure comes in. Nature is allowed
to act in various ways, and our God is constrained to take down the rod
of discipline, in order that the evil thing which we have suffered to
manifest itself may be crushed and subdued.
Thus it is in Numbers xxv. Balaam, having failed in his attempt to curse
Israel, succeeds in seducing them, by his wiles, to commit sin, hoping
thereby to gain his end. “And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and
the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said unto
Moses, ‘Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the
Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned
away from Israel.’” (Ver. 3, 4.) Then we have the striking record of
the zeal and faithfulness of Phinehas.—“And the Lord spake unto Moses,
saying, ‘Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath
turned My wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous
for My sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in My
jealousy. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace:
and he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an
everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an
atonement for the children of Israel.’” (Ver. 10-13.)
God’s glory and Israel’s good were the objects that ruled the conduct
of the faithful Phinehas on this occasion. It was a critical moment. He
felt there was a demand for the most stern action. It was no time for
false tenderness. There are moments in the history of God’s people in the
which tenderness to man becomes unfaithfulness to God; and it is of the
utmost importance to be able to discern such moments. The prompt acting
of Phinehas saved the whole congregation, glorified Jehovah in the midst
of His people, and completely frustrated the enemy’s design. Balaam fell
among the judged Midianites, but Phinehas became the possessor of an
everlasting priesthood.
Thus much as to the solemn instruction contained in this brief section of
our book. May we profit by it. May God’s Spirit give us such an abiding
sense of the perfection of our standing in Christ that our practical ways
may be more in accordance with it.