No 6

(Phinehas)

There once lived a man who was zealous for God’s laws and proved it by doing an act of purification among his people. He found out that one of God’s children had committed a sin by bringing a Midianitish woman into his tent. He then took a javelin, proceeded to this sinner’s tent and thrust the javelin through both the Jewish man and the Midianitish woman; 24,000 Jews died during this period that the book of Numbers calls “a plague of whoredom with the daughters of Moab”.

At first glance, one could say that the penalty was harsh, but God saw it differently and praised the man who did the purification: Phinehas. The Bible says in Numbers 25:11 “Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.” The Psalmist also praised this man in Psalm 106 : 30 “Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.” Ought we be as zealous as Phineas? Should we judge people on what they do? Is it our duty to punish someone for disobeying God’s Word? I believe that if a true Christian delibertely persists in sin, yes we should punish him; maybe not as harshly as Phinehas, but at least apply the disciplinary measures as outlined in Matthew 18: 14-18 that say in the end “…let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a Publican.” Much harm can come to the Body of Christ if sin is tolerated – may we be as Phinehas.