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Pinchas

Phinehas
“Consuming Zeal”

Numbers 25:10-30:1[29:40]
1 Kings 18:46-19:21

excerpted from TorahScope, Volume I

Our Torah reading for this week, Pinchas, is titled for the son of the high priest Eleazar, whose actions were actually more fully detailed in the closing verses of Balak (Numbers 25:1-9). As you begin your study, you might wonder why the incident regarding Phinehas was separated into these two different readings. The episode is described in detail at the end of Balak, and the resultant blessings which ensued for Phinehas are described in the parashah which bears his name. I would simply say that those who follow the annual Torah cycle are given two opportunities to reflect upon Phinehas—both his righteously indignant actions, and how the Lord promised him perpetual favor:

“The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore say, “Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace. It shall be to him, and to his offspring after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel”’” (Numbers 25:10-13, WMB).

With Balak having concluded with Phinehas’ stoppage of a potentially wide sweeping plague, Pinchas records how a census of Israel was taken after the initial plague was stopped.[1] Following this are instructions regarding inheritance of property[2] and some of the specific offerings and sacrifices which were to be made during special days and the appointed times.[3] Although these are important passages, much of the focus for our parashah will understandably be considering the effects of the righteous deeds of Phinehas, by stopping the spread of sin in the camp of Israel.

Balaam’s Advice

In Balak, our Torah portion from last week, the prophet-for-hire Balaam declared three distinct blessings over Israel (Numbers 23:7-10, 18-24; 24:3-9)—which were not well received by his benefactor, King Balak. Later in Numbers 31:16, it is stated how the council of Balaam to Balak was to get the Israelite men to curse themselves, which did occur as many of them consorted with Moabite prostitutes. The scene of Numbers 25:1-9 plays a role for further instruction which Yeshua delivered to the assembly at Pergamum in the Book of Revelation. Apparently, there were teachers in Pergamum who taught things which would have the same negative effect of people cursing themselves, by cavorting in idolatrous places where sexual immorality was practiced:

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality” (Revelation 2:14, WMB).

Balaam’s advice was simple, as He instructed Balak to encourage Moabite prostitutes to present themselves to the males of Israel. Human nature and biology being what they are, many would fall into temptation. Within a short period of time, the men of Israel would fall into sexual sin and gross idolatry, cursing themselves by demonstrating extreme disloyalty to their God. Sadly, as Moabite prostitutes entered into the camp of Israel, they had a considerable amount of success. Phinehas came onto the scene, as an Israelite man and one of the prostitutes prepared to fornicate adjacent to the Tent of Meeting. He took action and executed them both with a spear:

“Israel stayed in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Moab; for they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods. Israel joined himself to Baal Peor, and the LORD’s anger burned against Israel. The LORD said to Moses, ‘Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to the LORD before the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.’ Moses said to the judges of Israel, ‘Everyone kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor.’ Behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting. When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the middle of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand. He went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand” (Numbers 25:1-9, WMB).

Reflecting on this scene, we see how the base desires and instincts of the flesh were inflamed. The Moabite women enticed the Israelite men with the promise of sexual pleasure. These acts of flagrant disobedience infuriated the Lord, and the punishment communicated to Moses was to be very swift and severe. The judges of Israel were to take the leaders, who succumbed to the Moabite women and joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and slay them. This direct judgment was to take place immediately, because the “the Lord’s anger burned against them” (NIV) in the form of a plague which would ravage Israel.

As this command was given to the weeping judges at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, the epitome of blatant sin was being exhibited right before their eyes. One of the young princes of Israel, from the tribe of Simeon, flagrantly brought a young Midianite woman right in front of Moses and those assembled at the Tent of Meeting. Then in an act of total disregard for his elders and the instructions of God, he took her aside to engage in sexual intercourse.

Our hero Phinehas jumped into action. He grabbed a spear and went over to the tent where the sin was taking place. He went inside and impaled both sinners. This dramatic execution astonished the crowd, but most importantly, it pleased God greatly. Almost immediately, the plague was stopped and only a limited number of Israelites died from the Divine fury.

Phinehas’ Reward

Now as we continue to this week’s Torah reading, the reward to Phinehas for his actions to terminate the vile behavior is articulated:

“The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace. It shall be to him, and to his offspring after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel’” (Numbers 25:10-13, WMB).

The Lord was greatly pleased with Phinehas. He stated that Phinehas was “jealous with my jealousy,” which elevated the execution of the two sinners to the level which He required for perfect justice to be delivered. As a result of responding with righteous indignation to the sin in the camp, Phinehas received an eternal reward from God. He and his descendants would have a covenant of peace and be made a perpetual priesthood. The Lord was very moved when witnessing an individual who had the passion and zeal to operate on a level where sin and unrighteousness would be promptly dealt with. Centuries later, the Psalmist would reflect on Phinehas’ actions:

“Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgment, so the plague was stopped. That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come” (Psalm 106:30-31, WMB).

This is an interesting use of words, because it might remind us of how Abraham’s faith in God was reckoned to him as righteousness:

“He believed in the LORD, who credited it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6, WMB).

The statement, “credited it to him as righteousness” (NIV), has become one of the most important themes seen throughout the Bible—most especially for those who have placed their trust in Messiah Yeshua. The Apostle Paul made use of Genesis 15:6 in his letters to the Galatians and the Romans:

“Even so, Abraham ‘believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness’” (Galatians 3:6, WMB).

“For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness’” (Romans 4:3, WMB).

James the Just, half-brother of Yeshua, also quoted Genesis 15:6, in trying to describe how faith in God and the right actions work together:

“You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,’ and he was called the friend of God” (James 2:22-23, WMB).

In many respects, the father of faith, Abraham, had his faith counted to him as righteousness because he fully believed in God’s promises to him and acted accordingly. In a similar manner, Phinehas’ actions to execute the fornicators not only halted a devastating plague upon Israel, but his actions were considered just and righteous. God is greatly pleased when zealous people stand up and do the right thing.

Consuming Zeal

When Believers often think about zeal and zealousness for holy and righteous living, we are rightly reminded of the life and ministry of Messiah Yeshua. The words of Psalm 69:9, “For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me” (WMB), may come to remembrance, as it embodies much of what guided Yeshua’s actions. This very verse gives a witness to Yeshua’s outrage with the Temple moneychangers, as they were often found to be shortchanging the people:

“The Passover in Judea was at hand, and Yeshua went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. He made a whip of cords and drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables. To those who sold the doves, he said, ‘Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will eat me up [Psalm 69:9]’” (John 2:13-17, WMB).

In this readily remembered incident, Yeshua was seen to have had a serious problem with the Temple moneychangers who made the House of God into a den of merchandising and business. We can see some definite parallels between Phinehas’ act of summary judgment, and Yeshua taking matters into His own hands with overturning the tables in the Temple complex. The Lord discerned the motives of the enterprise which was being conducted, and without a great deal of warning, took up righteous judgment on His own accord. Surely others had witnessed some of the hassling and intimidation of those who had come into the Temple to purchase animals for sacrifice, or exchange their foreign currency for Temple standard. Had there been those who had wanted to do something about it, but were too afraid? Yeshua was not afraid to take actions in the Holy Place.

Modern-Day Zeal

As one contemplates the examples of both Phinehas’ and Yeshua’s zeal, it is important for us to consider our own level of passion for righteousness. When we examine Balak and Pinchas every year in the Torah cycle, do we really reflect on what we might do, when confronted with scenes of unrighteousness? Will we take the necessary action, or will we be scared of potential harm which might come to us? Admittedly, what Phinehas and Yeshua both did was not popular with many of the people. Yet, Phinehas inherited an eternal covenant of peace!

Perhaps each of us should take a good look at ourselves, before we consider to take action in an assembly. How are you presently dealing with any personal sin which impedes with your walk? Are you pursuing righteousness? Do you ever think about overturning the tables of sinful thoughts and attitudes which might manifest themselves in your heart? Are you willing to impale and execute that old unrighteous person, which may manifest itself from time to time?

The example of Phinehas should be a great inspiration to you as you seek to please our Heavenly Father, serving Him with a pure heart and with honorable motives. Does a zeal for things of the Lord really consume your thoughts and actions, or a zeal for self-pleasure, self-interest, and aggrandizement? It is my hope and prayer that a zeal for Him occupies your every waking moment!