Be Jealous with God's Jealousy

Note from today’s Bible reading: Numbers 23-26

In the wilderness, the children of Israel were tempted by the people around them. While they “remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab” and joined them in their idolatrous worship (Numbers 25:1-3).

In order to try to stop this and deter any further sin, the leaders who allowed this and those who engaged in this idolatrous immorality were put to death (Numbers 25:4-5). Yet while this was happening, one of the Israelites brazenly brought a Midianite woman into his tent in the sight of everyone. When Phinehas the priest saw it, he followed them into the tent and “pierced both of them through” with his spear (Numbers 25:6-8).

This may seem extreme to us, but the Lord commended Phinehas because “he was jealous with My jealousy among them” (Numbers 25:11). This “jealousy” is God’s just expectation that He be honored by the people and that they do His will in His way. Phinehas was “jealous” for the Lord in the sense that he expected his brethren to honor the Lord and be holy as He called them to be. This principle applies to us also today.

So be jealous with God’s jealousy. Recognize that the Lord is worthy of our complete and total obedience. Rather than justifying or ignoring sin, let us encourage others to take seriously the responsibility we each have to faithfully serve the Lord and follow His will.