(Numbers 25:1-18) While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 2 For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel. 4 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.” 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor.”
6 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. 7 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, 8 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. 9 Those who died by the plague were 24,000.
10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 11 “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. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give him My covenant of peace; 13 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.’”
14 Now the name of the slain man of Israel who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s household among the Simeonites. 15 The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was head of the people of a father’s household in Midian.
16 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them; 18 for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was slain on the day of the plague because of Peor.”
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
"Adultery" is not just cheating in one's marriage, but it also includes premarital sex. Basically - sex outside of marriage. Sex in itself is an emotional "marriage" as the two bodies become one. So for a believer to marry or "just" have sex with an unbeliever, one is aligning themselves with a person who is against God. If one isn't for God, then one is against God.
Adultery against God carries a greater weight. When we become believers, we become His children. And in the book of Revelation, the Church (all true believers) is even considered the bride of Christ, so we can see how personal of a relationship we have with the Lord! It is the most intimate, since God is all-knowing and knows absolutely every single thing about us, even every single thought we've ever had. Plus, we should know, the Lord is faithful and cares, and is looking out for us.
As we see how true and faithful God is, why would we go and give honor to another "god"??? The Lord came in flesh to die in our place to pay the price for our sin, and saves us and keeps us - so why - would we even consider looking to another thing or person??? Now, if a believer commits any sort of adultery (against their spouse or the Lord), they cannot lose their salvation, but one shouldn't be surprised if there are consequences here on earth! But why focus on that. Instead, we can focus on the love that God has for us! THIS - God's love - should be our inspiration and motivation in all things!
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