Ruthless Pursuit of Holiness

'Phinehas (Eleazar’s son and Priest Aaron’s grandson) has done well. He saved the Israelites. Because he was so zealous on My account, tolerating no compromise, I did not consume the people of Israel with My jealousy So I want you to declare this: “I, your God, do pledge to Phinehas a covenant of peace, not only for him but for his descendants too. I promise they will always be priests because in his jealousy for Me, Phinehas covered the wickedness of the Israelites.” Numbers 25:11-13 (TPT)

What a severe reaction to sin. The priests were given the commandment from God and the directive by Moses to kill anyone that had married someone of another race. God looked upon this matter as more than ethnic cleansing, it was sin. Sin and rebellion and idol worship could not be tolerated for those were the very things that would destroy His people if it went unchecked. When Phinehas saw the effects of it that is just what he did. He took a sword and ran it through the bellies of Zimri, the son of Salu a Simeonite, who had pledged himself to a false god and Cozbi a Midianite woman. That was Old Testament judgment. That was mercy killing. The jealousy of God was on display whenever His people would turn to idol worship. This one act by Phinehas appeased God's anger. God put a halt to the plague which had killed 24,000 of His people up to that point.

For the ruthless righteous act of Phinehas God found favor in him and pledged a covenant of peace on him and his descendants. God promised to always keep him and his descendants as priests. Phinehas tolerated no compromise from his people. He loved his God and was jealous for only Him and no other. He was willing to take action against those that were bringing evil into the camp and with it the judgment of God upon his people. Because of his love for God and his devotion to him Phinehas saved the Israelites.

What an incredible story. I am so glad to be living under Grace. Does God punish me for my sins by putting diseases and sickness upon me? Absolutely not. Does God tolerate sin? He is Holy. He cannot tolerate sin. That is why He sent His Son Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for me. My sins put Jesus on the cross. Thankfully, the blood of Jesus covers me. How amazing is that? Jesus offers such a better way to God and because of Him I have God's favor on me today.

Lord, I thank you for paying my sin debt with Your life. I thank You for the Old Testament stories. Make me more like Phinehas. Give me that Phinehas type zeal for You and let it burn in me like it did in him. Help me to stand up for You and to boldly take action against the sin that I see in my life. Help me to be jealous for only You. Help me to identify and to destroy all of the idols that I have built in my life that take me away from you. Lord, make Jesus known to everyone and spare Your people from the judgment that we deserve. Help me to continue to find favor through Christ who lives in me. Amen.
 
Source: ‘Drummingthemessagehome’, July 25, 2019.


  Numbers 25:11 WEB

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