In today’s opening chapter, we see the Lord send an army to take vengeance on Midian. It is declaration of a holy war.
The Midianites were nomadic tribes that inhabited the land on the fringe of Canaan (the promised land) and were associated with other groups such as the Ishmaelites, Amalekites, and Moabites. (See ESV Study note on chapter 31) The Moabite Midianites were targeted in this military campaign because of what happened back at Peor (chapter 25). Remember, after Balaam had pronounced multiple blessings on Israel (instead of the requested curses), Israel began “to whore with the daughters of Moab”. And because of this, they began worshipping the false idols of those people, making sacrifices and bowing down to Baal. As the Lord pronounced judgment on them for their idolatry, and the people of Israel were weeping at the tent of meeting – one of the men of Israel brought a Moabite woman into his tent in front of everyone. Phinehas proceeded to put both of them to death, and 24,000 Israelites were struck down that day.
What is revealed in chapter 31 today is that Balaam advised Balak to send the Moabite women to the men of Israel. (Numbers 31:16) We see this come out when Moses is rebuking the army for not killing all of the Moabites, including the women they brought back with them. And then somewhat alarmingly, commands all of the women who had known a man to be killed, along with all of the male children.
So, what are we to make of this?
What do verses like this, where we see “seemingly innocent” people being put to death?
God’s justice and his holy intolerance of idolatry. He has a holy and perfect hatred of sin.
We will see more of this as we move through the Old Testament. This holy war we just witnessed is a picture of God’s hatred of sin. Sin deserves punishment – it requires punishment. We may in our humanity see things like this and think in our hearts that it isn’t fair. But what we must always remember is that God is just. We don’t want him to be “fair” – because if he acted in fairness and gave to all what they deserve – there wouldn’t be a single person alive drawing breath. As we read these hard things, we must read them through the lens of understanding that sin is the reason for the punishment. If we believe that God is who he says he is – that he is holy, perfect, just, and sovereign, then we read all things of Scripture through that truth.
Even as those whose hope and trust are in Christ; our hearts are still prone to wander. We still are tempted to worship other things and other people in place of God. We still have sin dwelling in us. Thanks be to God that through Christ, we are forgiven and not condemned. Though we still face the natural consequences of sin, and we will be disciplined by our loving Father – we no longer face the condemnation of his wrath. For, Jesus Christ took all of our sin upon himself and bore the full wrath of God in our place.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2
But one day, those who reject Christ and continue the path of evil will face judgment. He will not leave evil unpunished. And this should drive us to our knees in prayer for those who are lost.
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