(Numbers 25:1-25) 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 [n 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.”
The Israelites were told the following commandments very often, because obviously they needed this constant reminder...
(Numbers 33:50-56) Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, 51 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images and demolish all their high places; 53 and you shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. 54 You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the larger you shall give more inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to anyone, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers. 55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live. 56 And as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you.’”
From this we see:
- "loving" (lusting after) people who are not believers will lead you astray
Personal experience: I have seen this far too often with family, friends and acquaintances. The believers start (intimately) hanging out and/or dating someone who is an unbeliever, thinking that they will influence them into becoming a believer, but instead the opposite results occur.
Or the Christian will use the excuse that "they are good people - better than most Christians!" And even thought(sadly) this might be true, an unbeliever will not (necessarily) understand the devotion of putting God first in your life; of saving oneself for marriage; the benefits of tithing...
Among my acquaintances who were unbelievers before marrying another unbeliever, and then they became Christians afterwards, they are very forthcoming about the challenges in their marriages while their spouses still remained unbelievers.
My mom had many great words of wisdom for me (while growing up and still single):
- the person you date is the person you will fall in love with, so be careful who you date or closely hang out with
- sex is awesome and will be REALLY awesome if you respect it and save it for marriage, since God created sex, He knows how it works the best
- never fight to start a relationship, but once you are married, this is when you fight to keep the relationship
- marriage is not easy at the best of times, so why add extra challenges; pray for and wait for that Christian who is living in God's will
A single's seminar gave me these great words of wisdom:
- you are single right now, be content with this
- work at becoming the Christian you should be, so you will be prepared as a worthy spouse you will need to be
- pray for your (potential) future spouse that they are doing the same
- it is better to be happy as a single, than desperately rush into something and be miserable and married
And after taking all of this advice, I came up with my own words of advice:
- have a checklist of MUST-HAVES for your future spouse; if a person doesn't have ALL those things, then don't even start dating (it's easier to say "no" right at the onset)
- fall in love using your mind, enjoy it with your heart
Today's takeaway: asking to be empowered by the Holy Spirit will help us be bolder in proclaiming Jesus and standing firm in our faith. Here is an amazing testimony of a woman who became a believer, even though it meant that her marriage was going to fall apart - she decided to be bold and honor God, no matter what.
This testimony also brings into focus the main topic of spiritual warfare. Just the fact that this woman wasn't going to let anything stop her from giving her testimony in church - including the big branch that "happened" to fall and block her car from leaving the driveway on this particular morning.
Her testimony/interview begins around the 16 minute mark (you will have to copy-paste this address into your internet address box)...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1983&v=GjUTpshG1OY
This is not to say that if a person becomes a believer and their spouse is still not a believer that one should leave the marriage. The Bible actually addresses that - about how the believing spouse needs to honor their spouse (quietly) - to be an example of God's love to them. And in this way they might become believers. But if the unbelieving spouse wants to leave - let them leave peacefully. ( 1 Corinthians 7:12-16)
Aside from marriage, we have to make decisions about who we are going to hang out with. If we are around people whose influence is going to lead us astray, we should not be hanging out with them...
(2 Timothy 2:20-22) Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
(1 Corinthians 15:33-34) Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 Become sober-minded [j]as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
(2 Corinthians 6:12-18) You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. 13 Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
“I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you.
18 “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.
17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you.
18 “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.
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