Numbers 25
You may recall that God had previously told the Israelites that they were not to walk in the statutes of those who live in the land of Canaan, as many of those practices were an abomination to Him (Leviticus 18). You most certainly will also remember how God told the nation of Israel that they shall not have any gods before Him in the provision of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3). Unfortunately for Israel, on the way to the Promised Land, they found it difficult to submit themselves to God’s design, and it was their sensual appetites that served as the catalyst to their disobedience. Specifically, “the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor” (vv. 1-3). Two thoughts before we move on to the latter half of today’s reading:
· First, notice how the unchecked sexual desires of the Israelite men spiraled out of control quickly, snowballing into deeper levels of debauchery. For us, a manifestation of the Holy Spirit is self-control, and we would be wise to yield our fleshly desires to God so that this fruit can blossom. Otherwise, we (and often others) will endure the consequences of gratifying our lust. Let me give you an example. My wife makes the best homemade cinnamon rolls. My mouth waters thinking about them even now. But there is an ingredient in those delightful delicacies that does not sit well with my stomach. I know I don’t need to eat them, but when that tray comes out of the oven, my appetite overwhelms me, and I hurriedly scarf one (or two) down. Hours later, and for the next several days, I experience constant nausea. Why? Because I refused to deny my flesh to partake of something I know is not good for me. The same is true with sin. We wouldn’t intentionally disobey God if it didn’t satisfy one or more of our senses, but we must have the wisdom to look beyond our impassioned behavior to recognize the mighty wake we will leave in our path. (By the way, now that my wife knows about this particular insensitivity, she will be making the cinnamon rolls without that ingredient moving forward.)
· Secondly, Paul cautions us in 2 Corinthians 6:14 to “not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” What is the reason for this warning? Perhaps he (inspired by the Holy Spirit) knew that when we closely associate with those who do not know God, we shouldn’t be surprised when we find ourselves adopting their worldviews. God desires for His people to be set apart, but conformity to the patterns of this fallen world is in stark contrast to the abundant life God offers to those who follow His commands. I’ve said this many times already, but God’s laws are for our good!
God’s anger “was kindled against Israel” (v. 3), and in His wrath, He sends a plague among the camp, killing 24,000 people (v. 9). This number could have been much higher if it weren’t for the courageous and zealous actions of one man, Phineas:
And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly (vv. 6-8; emphasis added).
Phineas wasn’t willing to tolerate Israel’s direct defiance of God’s commands, and he took a bold stand. God’s anger subsided, and He gave to Phineas His covenant of peace and perpetual priesthood (vv. 11-13). As Matthew Henry notes, “So much does God delight in showing mercy that he is well pleased with those that are instrumental in turning away his wrath.”[i]
What’s the application for us, brothers and sisters in Christ? We, as a royal priesthood, ought to be zealous for God’s name, honor, and glory, showing a willingness and ability to righteously stand for the truth, especially when those who profess to know God are living outside of His holy, perfect, very good design.
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Journal responses to the following prompts:
· Think about a time when you refused to deny your flesh to partake of something you knew was not good for you. What was the outcome (not just externally, not inside your heart)?
· Are you willing to righteously stand for God’s truth among your brothers and sisters in Christ?
Numbers 26-27
Today’s reading begins with God instructing Moses and Eleazar to take a second census of the people, “all in Israel who are able to go to war” (26:2). As you read through these records, you will notice that some tribes dramatically grew in number since the first census was taken, others took a sharp decline, while others remained close to their initial tally. All told, 601,730 fighting men were counted (26:51), down from 603,550 from the first time God ordered a census to be taken (Numbers 1:46). One would have thought, after close to 40 years between the two censuses, the nation of Israel’s population would have increased considerably, but keep in mind that “not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai” was numbered in this most recent census, as all but Caleb and Joshua had died (26:64-65). We see it with Israel, and we know to be true in our lives, that stagnation often occurs when people are disobedient to God’s commands or unwilling to, in faith, take hold of His promises. However, God’s hand of favor and blessing is upon those who joyfully delight in submitting their lives to Him.
After hearing God outline how the Promised Land would be distributed among the tribes of Israel, the daughters of Zelophehad approached Moses and Eleazar, contending that they should not be excluded from receiving a portion of the land that was due to their father now that he had died and had no sons. David Guzik notes, “the daughters of Zelophehad [showed] they were real women of faith, concerned about dividing up what they did not yet have in their hands, but knew they would possess by faith.”[ii] Unsure of how to respond, Moses seeks God’s counsel (a great example for us to emulate), to which the LORD replied, “The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them” (27:7). Of course, we don’t know the motive of God here, but I have to wonder if He was rewarding the faith of these women (as we see that tendency numerous times elsewhere in Scripture).
Numbers 27 closes with a pivotal moment for Israel and its leadership. God instructs Moses to go up Mount Abarim to see the land that the Israelites would enter, but also informs him that when he does, he will “be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes” (27:13-14). Instead of pleading for God to reconsider, Moses prays that the LORD would appoint a new leader to shepherd the congregation. “So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey’” (27:18-20). Moses did as God commanded, and soon the transition in leadership would be complete. I would love to offer you a few takeaways from this passage before we move into a time of reflection:
· Moses submitted his ministry of Israel to God’s timeline. Similarly, those tasked with leading in the Church should be sensitive to God’s voice regarding the length of time they are to remain in their roles.
· Moses asked for, and God ensured, a smooth transition in leadership for those entrusted to his care. Likewise, individual churches would be wise to proactively plan for—with God’s counsel—changes in leadership.
· Moses did not want the nation of Israel to “be as sheep that have no shepherd” (27:17). So, God immediately identifies Joshua (whose name translated from the Hebrew text means “the LORD is salvation”[iii]) to take the reins to lead the people into the Promised Land. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus (the Good Shepherd with the same Hebrew name as Joshua) will be the One to lead God’s people into the promised new heaven and new earth? Perhaps God was foreshadowing in Joshua’s assigned ministry what we will experience with our Lord and Savior.
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Journal responses to the following prompts:
· Have you experienced spiritual stagnation after disobeying God’s commands or showing an unwillingness to, in faith, take hold of His promises?
· How can a smooth, proactive, God-led transition in leadership be a blessing to a congregation (or organization)?
[i] Henry, M. (2014). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible. (Vol. 1). Hendrickson Publishers. p. 465.
[ii] Study Guide for Numbers 27. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved May 20, 2026, from
https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/numbers/numbers-27.cfm
[iii] Bible introductions – Joshua. (n.d.) Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved May 20, 2026, from
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/macarthur_john/bible-introductions/joshua-intro.cfm