ZEALOUS WITH GOD’S ZEAL
Numbers 25:1-13 NLT
While the Israelites were camped at Acacia, some of the men defiled themselves by sleeping with the local Moabite women. These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, and soon the Israelites were feasting with them and worshiping the gods of Moab.
Before long Israel was joining in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the Lord’s anger to blaze against his people.
The Lord issued the following command to Moses: “Seize all the ringleaders and execute them before the Lord in broad daylight, so his fierce anger will turn away from the people of Israel.”
…Just then one of the Israelite men brought a Midianite woman into the camp, right before the eyes of Moses and all the people, as they were weeping at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
When Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest saw this, he jumped up and left the assembly. Then he took a spear and rushed after the man into his tent.
Phinehas thrust the spear all the way through the man’s body and into the woman’s stomach.
So the plague against the Israelites was stopped, but not before 24,000 people had died.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest has turned my anger away from the Israelites by displaying passionate zeal amongthem on my behalf. So I have stopped destroying all Israel as I had intended to do in my anger.
“So tell him that I am making my special covenant of peace with him. In this covenant, he and his descendants will be priests for all time, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.”
A Selfless Initiative, Pleasing to God
Phinehas was grieved by the unhealthy situation (of sinful acts) around him, and could not compromise his faith but took a step of remedy — he joined force with God — struck the newly offending couple.
And God was very pleased, that He made a salt covenant with Phinehas. God always appreciates and honours human selfless initiative that glorifies Him.
Explore for God and Humanity
Exploring for God and humanity is an act of entrepreneurship. More so, Christians are called and created for that, with the empowerment of the entrepreneurial (Holy) Spirit.
Presently in every society, there are diverse forms of evil acts at which we frown or complain about; but it shouldn’t end there. Action; corrective actions are needed. Though we pray for change; however, God’s workmanship is with men (Eph.2: 10).
Essentially, as Christians, we have to take on God’s zeal to put right the wrong in our communities or society. Your (and my) little faithful action can make a great change with God.
Every community or nation needs unknown Phinehas; therefore, make yourself available.
What evil grieves you most? Set your heart on it for a solution and cry to the Lord, “Send me, Lord, to glorify your Name.”
Certainly, the mighty LORD is waiting to raise the unsung persons to confound the proud.
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