the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 1 of 5
Numbers 25:1-18
We must refer to 31:16 to understand what happens next. In Balaam’s mind, having seen that the much desired reward has escaped him, a diabolical idea has germinated. He had himself declared that God did not see any iniquity or perverseness in Israel (Numbers 23:21). Let us change all that, said he to himself, by inducing these people to sin. As a result of this, the LORD will be obliged to curse them. Are they a nation that is to dwell alone? (Numbers 23:9). Let us incite them to mix with other nations. And Balaam taught Balak "to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication" (Revelation 2:14). From this dark scheming results the sad and humiliating affair of Baal-Peor. This goes to show that the invitations of the world are more to be feared than its curses! The people fall into the trap set by Moab and their ally Midian. It takes the zeal of Phinehas to turn away the LORD’S wrath and to stay the plague. His attitude at once receives its reward and we learn how pleasing to the Lord is a young man or a young woman who, surrounded by generally dissolute moral standards, has maintained a pure life, and has known how to stand his ground courageously for Him.
