Standing Strong |
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Balak continued... |
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Isaiah 11:6 2 Thessalonians 2:15 |
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The protection that came while being a nation set apart and being righteous is removed because of their sin. G-d's anger results in a plague that is killing thousands. While G-d is telling Moses what to do and he assembles the judges to carry out G-d's orders, a man brings a Midianite woman into the tent of assembly for what can only be assumed to be harlotry and worship of the false G-d. The grandson of the first high priest Aaron is aroused to such passion that he follows them in and runs them both through with a spear, killing them both on the spot. His action results in the stopping of the plague with only 24,000 dead. Only? That is more dead than in the Korach rebellion. Only 3,000 died at the time of the sin of the Golden calf, Exodus 33:28. Were it not for the passion of Pinchas who knows how many would have been dead.
From this we see that the biggest threat to G-d's people is not the enemy that comes against us from outside but our own weakness. We have seen that G-d gave detailed instructions to Balaam, and when he didn't wait for the men to call on him, the angel was sent to stop him, even to kill him, were it not for the donkey.
When a person is walking as G-d directs, even the highest paid sorcerer is powerless to do anything but what G-d tells him to do. But, when we go after what our eyes see and we let ourselves be led astray to serve the G-ds of others….
G-d gave us signs with the Tzit tzit, mezzuzah, distinctive attire (headdresses), and many other visual images to be reminders of what we are to do and how we are to do it. Only by keeping within G-d's ways and G-d's commands are we safe. We cannot rely on ourselves. Our passion of G-d and His ways must be as hot as that of Phenehas to stop the evil in our midst when false G-ds are allowed in. And we must seek out the word of G-d in its truth to lead us.
Selah |