Idolatry And The Plague

I think one of the things 2020 will always be remembered for is the plague; known as Covid-19 and commonly called the Corona Virus. I’ve been searching the Scripture for causes of the plague, trying to see if the same catalyst has manifested itself in America today. Last week we looked at “The Census and the Plague.” We saw how taking a census apart from God’s direction with the motivation of relying on one’s own strength can make the Lord angry, and result in the plague. This morning, we’re going to see another possible cause of the plague, along with the remedy.

But before we get started looking at Numbers chapter 25, I want to share a detailed overview of the events leading up the scene that we’re about to see. The background information will help is make sense of the account. So, beginning back in Numbers 22, we read that while Israel wandered in the wilderness after leaving Egypt, they arrived on the plains of Moab; and on arrival, they faced an unexpected enemy, “one who was hidden in the mountain heights and able to call upon the forces of the evil one to assist him.”(1)

“Camping peacefully in the valley [below], the Israelites had no idea that Balaam was trying to curse them so that the Moabites and Midianites could defeat them.” Balaam was “a Gentile who lived at a place called Pethor near the Euphrates River. He had a reputation for success in divination (receiving hidden knowledge, especially about the future) and incantation (the use of occult power to grant blessing or cursing), and he was willing to sell his services to all who could pay his fee.”(2)

“The Moabites and Midianites became very frightened when they saw the magnitude of the camp of Israel and heard the reports of Israel’s military victories over the neighboring nations . . . [So] conventional warfare was out of the question. Moab and Midian needed help from the devil.”(3) Therefore, Balak, the king of the Moabites, sought help from Balaam; and “Balak depended on two things to influence Balaam to come and help him: 1.) the impressive delegation of important elders from both Midian and Moab, and 2.) the wealth they carried to pay his fee.”(4)

But before Balaam would help the Moabites and Midianties, he did something that may strike us as unusual. “In those days, people believed that each nation had its own god, and Balaam knew that [Yahweh] was the God of the Israelites. Therefore, he went to seek the Lord’s will about the summons from Balak . . . [but] the Lord wouldn’t allow him to accept the invitation. God made His will very clear [in Numbers 22:12]: ‘Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed’ (NIV).”(5)

“Balak [then] sent Balaam a larger and even more impressive delegation of princes with the promise of paying any fee Balaam asked, plus bestowing royal honors on him . . . [so], God came to Balaam and instructed him to go with the princes only if they came to call him the next morning (v. 20). But the next morning, Balaam didn’t wait for the men to come to him; he saddled his donkey and went to the place where the delegation was camped, determined to do his own will;”(6) which brings us to the well-known account of Balaam and his donkey, where an angel of the Lord was standing in his path to stop him, and the donkey kept balking until it supernaturally spoke to Balaam.

“In His permissive will, God allowed Balaam to continue on his journey, but He cautioned him to speak only the messages that God gave him.”(7) So, Balaam delivered to Balak four oracles from the Lord, and all four of them spoke of the Lord’s favor and blessing on Israel (Numbers 22:36-24:25). Numbers 24:25 says that afterwards, “Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place.” So, with this background information in mind, we can now begin looking at Numbers 25:1-11.

Cause and Remedy for the Plague (Numbers 25:1-11)

1 Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. 2 They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel. 4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the LORD, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.” 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor.”