What are You Jealous For

"Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give him My covenant of peace; and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.'" -Numbers 25.11-13

Israel was living in sin, and the son of the high priest had had enough of it. He took a spear, and killed an Israelite man with a Midianite woman. We see that the man was named Zimri, the son of a leader in the tribe of Simeon. The example he was setting was one of arrogance, selfishness, and destruction. There was no love or respect for God, and Phinehas could not stand by as the son of a leader behaved in such a way. He was the son of the high priest, and it was part of his responsibility to point the people back to God. He wanted the people to be holy and righteous, and so he took a spear and killed a man who knew better, and should have helped set an example.

God is pleased because Phinehas was jealous, and angry, for the right reasons. Because of the motive behind the action, God decides not to destroy Israel. They are spared because of the actions of one man seeking to end sin. God gives him the covenant of peace for him and his descendants, as well as the covenant of an everlasting priesthood. His actions, and desire for a holiness and righteousness, brought atonement for Israel from the plague God had sent because of their sin.

Men, what are you jealous for? What makes you angry? Does sin make your blood boil? Dose the desire for people to be holy and righteous consume you? What are you doing about it? Are you taking action to help people find new life in Christ? Are you working to disciple others into Christlikeness? These are the things God desires, let us fight for them.

Let us be jealous for the things of God.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor