Bible Chapter: Numbers 25 & 26

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Seduction.  Not a common word.  But, something that happens frequently.  People are seduced into a variety of destructive and sinful behaviors.  Israel was being seduced by Moabite women to participate in worship to their false gods.  The men were being drawn to involvement in sexual immorality.  They were breaking God’s laws and that brought God’s wrath.  God’s judgement came down on the nation of Israel for their sin.  Thousands died from the plague that resulted.  Many people are ripe to the temptations around them.  There is a strong attraction to temptations to sin.  It is critical to recognize temptation and reject it.  The consequences of sin never travel with temptation.  The consequences are hidden, but they are real.  They always show up when it is too late to reject the temptation.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Some of the people at this time were very brazen and open with their sin.  One of these was a man named Zimri.  He openly brought a Midianite woman to his tent for sexual sin.  Phinehas saw what they were doing and he was outraged at their boldness and debauchery.  In seeing the plague and judgement that God was bringing on the nation, Phinehas drove a spear through the wall of the tent, killing both of them.
    I am not saying I need to go kill someone.  But, the disgust at sin and the necessity to do something to stop it is very essential in our modern world.  There needs to be more righteous indignation at sin.  There is a word that has little use - lascivious.  The general picture the word implies is a person who is sinful and proud of it.  It is a person who has gotten to the place where they don’t care what anyone thinks or knows about their behavior, especially immoral behavior.  As we see more lascivious behavior in our world, there must be more righteous indignation at the sin and responses to stop it.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see the destruction of sin and the blessings of obedience.  It is sad to see how often the pages of Israel’s history tell the same story of how quickly they have gotten themselves under the control of horrible sin.  It is sad to see how many people today have fallen to the same kind of destructive behavior.  The fun only lasts for a short time and then major issue come up.  Sin always had a large bill attached.