Dec 24, 2018
Phinehas, not exactly a household name. But it’s a name that carries a great deal of significance with God. In chapters 24-25 of the book of Numbers, we are introduced to Phinehas and a pinnacle moment in the history of the people of Israel. They have returned to the border of the land of promise after a lengthy hiatus that left them wandering in the wilderness for 40 years – all because they had refused to enter the land the first time they had come to this place. News of giants in the land had caused them to fear and led them to doubt God’s promise that He would give them victory over their enemies. Now, four decades later, the people of Israel had another problem. This time, it wasn’t larger-than-life enemies, it was apostasy. The men of Israel had chosen to have sexual relations with the women of Moab and to worship their false god: Baal. As a result, God demanded that Moses and the leaders of Israel put to death all those who were guilty of apostasy and immorality. But it will be the actions of Phinehas that will earn the praise of God.