Pinchas (dark skinned)

Numbers 25:10-30:1
1 Kings 18:46–19:21

“Consuming Zeal”

POSTED 18 JULY, 2008

by Mark Huey
mhuey@outreachisrael.net

“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”’” (Numbers 25:10-13).

Pinchas is entitled for the son of the high priest Eleazar, whose actions are actually more fully detailed in the closing verses of Balak, the previous Torah portion. As you begin your study, you might wonder why the incident regarding Phinheas was separated into these two different weekly readings. After all, the episode is described in detail in the first nine verses of Numbers 25 that conclude Balak, with the recognition and rewards detailed in the opening verses of Pinchas. Is it possible that the Lord is giving Torah students the opportunity to consider—twice a year—the righteous dealings of a zealous saint whose exploits are duly recorded?

The balance of Pinchas deals with another census of the people of Israel after the plague, resulting from the corporate transgression that kills man people. This is followed by instructions about inheritance and additional reiteration of how the Lord desires Israel to celebrate the moedim or appointed times with commensurate sacrifices and offerings. Although these are encouraging and instructional passages, the focus this week has been on the righteous work performed by Phinehas as he dealt with the sin in the camp.

Balaam’s Advice

In order to have the proper context to understand the actions of Phinehas, it is important to read the opening verses of Numbers 25. If you will recall from Balak, Balaam, the prophet-for-hire, declares three blessings over Israel that are not well received by his benefactor, King Balak. Finally, after being dismissed for declaring blessings rather than curses, Balaam is then led to prophecy about how Israel will treat its neighbors in the Last Days. The recorded prophecies are concluded and it appears that the prophet and the king return to their respective dwellings.

It is not until centuries later that we have documented proof that Balaam did indeed give some damaging advice to Balak. According to Yeshua’s admonition to the assembly at Pergamum in the Book of Revelation, more understanding comes to light regarding how Balaam advised the king of Moab. Because he was not permitted to utter curses over Israel, Balaam communicated to Balak in a more clandestine way to destroy the people of Israel:

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality” (Revelation 2:14).

Balaam’s advice was simple. He instructed Balak to encourage the young Moabite women to become sexually involved with the males of Israel. This was a classic stumbling block, and by doing so, the inevitable curses one will incur do take place. Within a short period of time, the men of Israel will be involved in eating things sacrificed to idols and committing acts of sexual immorality. Then, the curses that are incumbent with disobedience will naturally fall upon the Israelites.

As a result of this advice and the initial merging of the cultures, it did not take long for the sin to commence. This is where the episode involving Phinehas comes into focus. To refresh your memory, here are some of the concluding verses from the previous portion:

“While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel. 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.’ So Moses said to the judges of Israel, ‘Each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor.’ 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. 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, 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. Those who died by the plague were 24,000” (Numbers 25:1-9).

As you can read, it did not take long for the males of Israel to eat meat sacrificed to idols and bow down to Baal. At these festivities the desires of the flesh were inflamed. The Moabite women were enticing the Israelite men with sexual favors. These acts of flagrant disobedience infuriated the Lord, and the punishment communicated to Moses was to be very swift and severe. The judges of Israel were to take the leaders, who succumbed to the Moabite women and joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and slay them. This direct judgment was to take place immediately, because the “the Lord's anger burned against them” (NIV) in the form of a plague that would ravage Israel.

As this command was being given to the weeping judges at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, the epitome of blatant sin was exhibited right before their eyes. One of the young princes of Israel, from the tribe of Simeon, flagrantly brought a young Midianite woman right in front of Moses and those assembled at the Tent of Meeting. Then in an act of total disregard for his elders and the instructions of God, he took her to a nearby tent to enjoin in sexual intercourse.

At this point, our hero Phinehas jumps into action. He grabs a spear and walks over to the tent where the sin is taking place, goes inside, and impales both bodies while they are in the act. This dramatic execution astonished the crowd, but most importantly, it pleased God greatly. Almost immediately, the plague was stopped and only a limited number  Israelites died from the Divine fury.

Phinehas’ Reward

Now as we pick up this week’s portion, the reward to Phinehas for his actions to terminate the vile behavior is articulated:

“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”’” (Numbers 25:10-13).

The Lord is greatly pleased with Phinehas. He states that Phinehas was “jealous with My jealousy,” which elevated the execution to the level that He required for perfect justice to be delivered. As a result of responding correctly to the sin in the camp, Phinehas received an eternal reward from God. He and his descendants after him would have a covenant of peace and be made a perpetual priesthood for the generations to come. Apparently, the Lord is very moved when He witnesses those who have the passion and zeal to operate on a level of righteousness that is consistent with His Word. Years later, one of the psalmists makes it clear that Phinehas’ action was “reckoned to him for righteousness” and to all his generations forever:

“Then Phinehas stood up and interposed, and so the plague was stayed. And it was reckoned to him for righteousness, to all generations forever” (Psalm 106:30-31).

This is an interesting use of words, because it reminds one of the same expressions used in regard to Abraham’s faith about producing his own seed from his own loins:

“Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

The statement, “credited it to him as righteousness” (NIV), has become one of the important themes of our faith in Yeshua. Obviously, the Apostle Paul used it frequently when he was making his faith arguments to the Galatians, and later the Romans:

“Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:6).

“For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness’” (Romans 4:3).

Even James refers to Genesis 15:6 when he is trying to describe the faith proven by works that is required for salvation:

“[A]nd the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,’ and he was called the friend of God” (James 2:23).

In many respects, the father of faith, Abraham, because he believed with a whole and zealous heart in God’s promises to him, had his faith accounted to him for righteousness. Notably, Abraham was considered a friend of God.

Apparently, Phinehas’ action to execute the fornicator not only halted the plague, but also was considered just and righteous behavior. It appears that God is greatly pleased when zealous people perform righteous acts with righteous motives.

Consuming Zeal

Of course, when we think about zeal and zealousness for the Lord, we are reminded of the very characteristics evidencing themselves in Yeshua and saints depicted in the Scriptures. We can recall that the Psalmist indicates that this righteous characteristic will be a part of the Messiah Himself:

“For zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me” (Psalm 69:9).

Apparently, it was this very verse, written centuries before by the Psalmist, that the witnesses to Yeshua’s outrage with the Temple moneychangers thought of when His altercation with them took place:

“The Passover of the Jews was near, and Yeshua went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, ‘Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a place of business.’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house will consume Me’” (John 2:13-17).

In this readily remembered incident, Yeshua is having a serious problem with the Temple moneychangers making the House of God into a house of merchandising and shortchanging. From reading the different accounts, you can see that Yeshua probably identified with Phinehas in some major respects. He discerned the motives of the enterprise that was being conducted, and without a great deal of warning, takes up the righteous judgment on His own accord. Apparently, it was totally acceptable in the eyes of the Father, because the attempt to clean the Temple grounds did not disqualify Yeshua from being the perfect sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world.

Two other followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob come to mind when you think of zealousness for His ways. Elijah, and John the Immerser who came in the “spirit of Elijah” (Luke 1:17), also exuded zeal that reminds one of zeal that Phinehas exhibited. But each had a different mission that he performed righteously.

Elijah was a powerful prophet who took on the prophets of Baal and Ashteroth (1 Kings 18:19-40) and prevailed. As a result, he was known as a prophet who exhibited a considerable amount of zeal for the Lord. It would not be difficult to understand how Elijah probably identified with Phinehas.

In a similar but different manner, the cousin of Yeshua, John the Immerser was also a man with a considerable amount of zeal for God. He was set-apart before his birth and used by the Most High to announce the arrival of the Messiah. From the statements we have about John as he confronted the religious authorities of his day, we can conclude that his zeal was also exceptionally fervent:

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, “We have Abraham for our father”; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire’” (Matthew 3:7-12).

Modern-Day Zeal

As one contemplates these great ancient examples of zealousness for the Lord, it is important to consider one’s own level of passion for righteousness. Perhaps our Heavenly Father has included this Torah portion as a reminder each year of the level of zealousness that He desires for His people to attain.

By our faith, like Abraham’s, and our actions like Phinehas’, have we been “reckoned the righteousness” that will result in an eternal covenant of peace with the Holy One?

Just what are we doing when we see flagrant sin in the camp of the redeemed? Are we ignoring the sin, or are we actively seeking to remove it? Elijah did not back down from the false prophets. John the Immerser was not intimidated by the religious authorities of his day. Yeshua took the appropriate action when confronted with the shortchanging in the Temple.

How about you in your walk with the Messiah? How are you dealing with any personal sin that impedes with your walk? Are you pursuing righteousness on a level with the saints described? Do you exhibit the zeal of a Phinehas or any of the other examples I have given? Are you yearning for righteousness in your own personal walk and seeking it in the circles in which you worship and fellowship?

Well, perhaps the example of Phinehas can be an inspiration to you as you seek to please Him in the remaining days of your life. Perhaps at the end of your days, you can have the privilege of having an epithet that describes your life as the following: “His zeal for the Lord consumed him!” With that as an epithet, you would not have to be concerned about an covenant of peace—for surely, at the end of your life you would enter into His rest!

Mark Huey (B.A., Vanderbilt University in History and Graduate Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) is the Director of Outreach Israel Ministries (www.outreachisrael.net). He is the author of several books, including: TorahScope, Volumes I & II, and Counting the Omer: A Daily Devotional Toward Shavuot. He is also co-author of Hebraic Roots: An Introductory Study.