Numbers 31 TO THE WAR The last official act of Moses before his death was to lead, along with Eleazar and Phinehas, the army of Israel in a holy war against the Midianites. Joshua was not leading this campaign because it was the holy things of God that were at stake, not the conquering of the promised land of Canaan. The doctrine of Balaam had made inroads into the people of God, and the infection of sexual immorality in the name of false gods had been received. Those descendants of Abraham through Keturah, his second wife, had calculated by Balaam's influence, that they could not defeat Israel from without so had taken steps through their women to defeat them from within. Midianite women were the subtle warriors used to try to bring Israel down. The false gods of the Middle East in ancient times were inventions of Satan and used by men to control the people using their base instincts. Women were used as prostitutes to infect enemies morally and physically, and in the case of Israel, spiritually, in order to bring about defeat.
It is possible for the people of God to be defeated by the subtlety of immorality today, even more than by opposition or persecution. God's people historically have thrived under opposition and persecution. Now the inroads of immorality have invaded so-called Christendom until what the scriptures soundly condemns is now practiced, even by spiritual leaders. On the internet, on television programs, in literature and even by suggestions from unbelievers, there has been introduced into the minds of God's people things that will defeat them. The world has designed ways to attract the basest instincts of men to be consumed with that which will ultimately destroy them morally and spiritually. The doctrine of Balaam is still alive and flourishing to the extent that many will reject biblical principles and say they do not apply to us. Satan is using this to bring Christians back again into the bondage of sin.
Moses' wife and her family were from Midian, but this did not detract him from carrying out the purpose of God. How quickly a generation or two can turn to evil and accept it as normal living. By sexual immorality, Israelites got into the worship of Baal led astray by immoral people - and it happened almost instantly. How careful we must be to not allow even the visual temptation of a person or thing to dwell in our minds. To yield to temptation means I have ignored the provision of God who has provided a way of escape from the object of temptation. So much appeals to our flesh that we need to keep a constant watch on ourselves. The way we deal with sin and temptation is to avoid situations we know will lead us into places of temptation; to "flee youthful lusts;" to "bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Our human nature will deceive us in the things of everyday life, and it will deceive us in our spiritual activity if we are not careful. Obedience to Christ will make us stand out against that which is popular and acceptable to most people. We must separate ourselves from that which the scriptures condemn.
The battle with the Midianites was an actual holy war between the One True God and the false gods of the Midianites. People did the actual fighting but this was not just an encounter between two nations over power and property. This was a battle between right and wrong; between darkness and light; between the power of Satan and the power of God. Some people express outrage against God for exterminating an immoral nation of people whose beliefs and practices will ruin not just their own nation, but every nation that associates with it. The virgins were kept alive that they might be cleansed and preserved from the tragedy that befalls people sold out to sin. The reason for such serious judgment was the seriousness of their sin and the consequences that would result if it was left to flourish. The punishment of adultery was death. The damage cause by overlooking this sin and its spiritual connotations was the whole nation was being polluted. The very existence of wholesale adultery bring chaos to any nation and will someday bring its demise. Unchecked sin will bring people down, whether it be a family, a church or a society. Indifference to sin and its seriousness will ruin us as the people of God. We will lose our spiritual power because the Holy Spirit is grieved. We will lose out testimony in a community because people around us will see no difference between us and them.
Even though fascination with the world ensnares God's people, God in His goodness, can bring blessing from evil. The people of Israel were enriched by the conquest against Midian. In every thing we might claim or gain from in our life here in the world, God has His portion we must make sure He receives. All we have, comes from God and He has allowed us to use it in ways that are legitimate. The soldiers of Israel got their portion, the nation as a whole got its portion, and they made sure God got His portion. We need to learn from this principle lest we claim for ourselves what does not belong to us and thus become condemned because of covetousness. The soldiers of Israel and their "booty" had to be purified before it could come into the camp of God's people. It is incumbent on us to make sure anything and everything we allow among God's people is purified and does not bear the fleshly stamp of the world system on it.
Previous immoral activity of men with the Moabite and Midianite women was stopped by Eleazar with the incense and Phinehas with a spear thrust through an arrogant man and defiant woman who were engaged in sexual activity right in the camp. But still the men hadn't learned the lesson and brought back women for themselves. Moses last act of authority was to demand them to do what was right and eliminate the source of the problem. Balaam was dead but the effects of his doctrine continued on. God does not allow impurity to be ignored among His people. We may think something is alright because society around us accepts it, but that is not the criteria for the rightness or wrongness of a matter. There are absolutes that do not change and we must commit ourselves to maintaining holiness among God's people in spite of what others may say or do. When steps are taken to carry out God's revealed will, then God gives us ample reason to rejoice. Not one warrior died in the battle with the Midianites. God does not abandon us to our own devices when we commit ourselves to obedience to Him.
The work of God may not be understood by some people who think in worldly terms. But when we know what God wants from us or what work He wants to accomplish through us, our responsibility is to do it. We may not know the end result of an matter or event, but that is okay - God does. God takes care of that Himself. Any success we might think we have made is really a work of God through His servants who He has chosen as His tools to use. Our responsibility is to do it with our might and to give God all the glory, "for it is God who worketh in you to will and to do of His good pleasure." The benefits that follow any enterprise we are engaged in can be given to God and kept for a memorial for us at the same time. How wonderful a divine paradox is!!
It may not seem like much at first - After all, it is common-place. But man has by nature an inner thirst For something to fill each empty space. The problem comes when people yearn For what satisfies the natural man. From God's word is where we can learn God gives us what no man can.
The spiritual man knows when he faces a test That the Lord is his only recourse. When in body and soul, he finds himself pressed He knows where to find the resource To give him strength and motivation To leave ahead of time. His safety is in his separation Where he is delivered from ties that bind.
We dare not give an inch to temptation Because it will take a mile. It is up to us to avoid any situation Where the world looks on with a smile. Grace will bring us divine blessings - The world uses velvet chains. Faith will lead us to the Lord's name confessing Sin's results will bring us pain.
"O God of all grace, my heavenly Father: may this day be one in which I do not yield to temptation. May no compromise befall me; no worldly display attract me. May i by Thy grace be consistent in words and deeds. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."