Balaam had told the King of Moab to
entice the children of Israel through sexual sin. The sexual sin
led to the men of Israel attending Moabite festivals to the honor
of their gods and it was not long before they started to worship
Baal of Peor. They did just that and soon enough they were led
astray. Israel was already worshipping other gods and they haven't
even entered into the Promised Land, filled with pagan gods as
yet.
Needless to say, God was very angry
with them.
"Seize all the ringleaders and
execute them before the Lord in broad daylight, so His fierce anger
will turn away from the people of Israel." So Moses ordered
Israel's judges to execute everyone who had joined in worshiping
Baal of Peor." Numbers 25:4,5
And even while this was going on,
an Israelite man had the audacity to bring a Moabite woman into the
camp and into his tent right in front of Moses and all the people.
Phinehas, the priest and grandson of Aaron, saw this and godly
anger rose up in him. He went into the man's tent, took a spear and
thrust it through both of them, killing them instantly. And God was
pleased with him:
"So tell him that I am making My
special covenant of peace with him. In this covenant, he and his
descendants will be priests for all time, because he was zealous
for his Lord and made atonement for the people of Israel." Numbers
25:12,13
Godly anger is justified it would
seem. Jesus also got very angry when He saw that His Father's
temple was used as a means of cheating the poor and of making money
out of law abiding citizens:
"In the temple area He saw
merchants selling cattle, sheep and doves for sacrifices; and He
saw money changers behind their counters. Jesus made a whip from
some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the
sheep and oxen, scattered the money changers' coins over the floor,
and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who
sold the doves, He told them, "Get these things out of here. Don't
turn My Father's house into a marketplace!" John 2:14-16
Jesus never sinned, so we can know
with certainty that His anger here was not sin either. He was
justified in getting angry that His Father's ways were being
manipulated and used for personal gain, instead of using it to
glorify His Name.
We can learn from Jesus and
Phinehas, not to justify murdering someone and turning over tables,
but that we are allowed to get angry when God is laughed at and
when His ways are scorned and not followed. We are allowed to get
angry at corruption, we are allowed to get angry when widows and
orphans are treated with contempt, we are allowed to get angry when
God's Name is used in vain, we are allowed to get angry if His Word
is twisted and turned to suit moneymaker's schemes. We are allowed
to get angry. And then we must do something about it and obviously
pray about it. We should expose corruption where we see it
manifesting, we should help orphans and widows where we can, we
should speak up when God's Name is used in vain etc. God is our
first priority and His glory and ways are to be strived after and
held in high esteem. Give God your all and live for His dreams in
our broken society.
Father, our hearts break when we
see all around us the shame and contempt with which Your ways and
Word are treated. Please help us Lord to stand up and make a
difference right there where we are. In Jesus Name. Amen