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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>N U M B E R S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XXV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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Israel, having escaped the curse of Balaam, here sustains a great deal
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of damage and reproach by the counsel of Balaam, who, it seems, before
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he left Balak, put him into a more effectual way than that which Balak
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thought of to separate between the Israelites and their God. "The Lord
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will not be prevailed with by Balaam's charms to ruin them; try if they
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will not be prevailed with by the charms of the daughters of Moab to
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ruin themselves." None are more fatally bewitched than those that are
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bewitched by their own lusts. Here is,
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I. The sin of Israel; they were enticed by the daughters of Moab both
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to whoredom and to idolatry,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:1-3">ver. 1-3</A>.
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II. The punishment of this sin by the hand of the magistrate
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:4,5">ver. 4, 5</A>)
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and by the immediate hand of God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:9">ver. 9</A>.
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III. The pious zeal of Phinehas in slaying Zimri and Cozbi, two
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impudent sinners,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:6,8,14,15">ver. 6, 8, 14, 15</A>.
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IV. God's commendation of the zeal of Phinehas,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:10-13">ver. 10-13</A>.
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V. Enmity put between the Israelites and the Midianites, their
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tempters, as at first between the woman and the serpent,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:16-18">ver. 16</A>,
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&c.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Nu25_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Sin of Israel.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1452.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit
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whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
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2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods:
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and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
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3 And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> was kindled against Israel.
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4 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the
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people, and hang them up before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> against the sun, that
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the fierce anger of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> may be turned away from Israel.
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5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one
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his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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I. The sin of Israel, to which they were enticed by the daughters of
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Moab and Midian; they were guilty both of corporal and spiritual
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whoredoms, for <I>Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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Not all, nor the most, but very many, were taken in this snare. Now
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concerning this observe,
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1. That Balak, by the advice of Balaam, <I>cast this stumbling-block
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before the children of Israel,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+2:14">Rev. ii. 14</A>.
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Note, Those are our worst enemies that draw us to sin, for that is the
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greatest mischief any man can do us. If Balak had drawn out his armed
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men against them to fight them, Israel had bravely resisted, and no
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doubt had been more than conquerors; but now that he sends his
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beautiful women among them, and invites them to his idolatrous feasts,
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the Israelites basely yield, and are shamefully overcome: those are
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smitten with this harlots that could not be smitten with his sword.
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Note, We are more endangered by the charms of a smiling world than by
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the terrors of a frowning world.
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2. That the daughters of Moab were their tempters and conquerors. Ever
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since Eve was first in the transgression the fairer sex, though the
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weaker, has been a snare to many; yea strong men have been wounded and
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slain by the lips of the strange woman
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+7:26">Prov. vii. 26</A>),
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witness Solomon, whose wives were shares and nets to him
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+7:26">Eccl. vii. 26</A>.
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3. That whoredom and idolatry went together. They first defiled and
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debauched their consciences, by committing lewdness with the women, and
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then were easily drawn, in complaisance to them, and in contempt of the
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God of Israel, to bow down to their idols. And they were more likely to
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do so if, as it is commonly supposed, and seems probable by the joining
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of them together, the uncleanness committed was a part of the worship
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and service performed to Baal-peor. Those that have broken the fences
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of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety, and those that
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have dishonoured themselves by fleshly lusts will not scruple to
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dishonour God by idolatrous worships, and for this they are justly
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given up yet further to vile affections.
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4. That by eating of the idolatrous sacrifices they <I>joined
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themselves to Baal-peor</I> to whom they were offered, which the
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apostle urges as a reason why Christians should not <I>eat things
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offered to idols,</I> because thereby they had fellowship with the
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devils to whom they were offered,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+10:20">1 Cor. x. 20</A>.
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It is called <I>eating the sacrifices of the dead</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+106:28">Ps. cvi. 28</A>),
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not only because the idol itself was a dead thing, but because the
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person represented by it was some great hero, who since his death was
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deified, as saints in the Roman church are canonized.
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5. It was great aggravation of the sin that <I>Israel abode in
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Shittim,</I> where they had the land of Canaan in view, and were just
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ready to enter and take possession of it. It was the highest degree of
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treachery and ingratitude to be false to their God, whom they had found
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so faithful to them, and to eat of idol-sacrifices when they were ready
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to be feasted so richly on God's favours.</P>
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<P>
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II. God's just displeasure against them for this sin. Israel's
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whoredoms did that which all Balaam's enchantments could not do, they
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set God against them; now he was <I>turned to be their enemy, and
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fought against them.</I> So many of the people, nay, so many of the
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princes, were guilty, that the sin became national, and for it God was
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wroth with the whole congregation.
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1. A plague immediately broke out, for we read of the staying of it
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>),
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and of the number that died of it
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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but no mention of the beginning of it, which therefore must be implied
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in those words
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
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<I>The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.</I> It is said
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expressly
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+106:29">Ps. cvi. 29</A>),
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<I>The plague broke in.</I> Note, Epidemical diseases are the fruits of
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God's anger, and the just punishments of epidemical sins; one infection
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follows the other. The plague, no doubt, fastened on those that were
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most guilty, who were soon made to pay dearly for their forbidden
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pleasures; and though now God does not always plague such sinners, as
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he did here, yet that word of God will be fulfilled, <I>If any man
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defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+3:17">1 Cor. iii. 17</A>.
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2. The ringleaders are ordered to be put to death by the hand of public
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justice, which will be the only way to stay the plague
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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<I>Take the heads of the people</I> (that is, of that part of the
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people that went out of the camp of Israel into the country of Moab, to
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join in their idolatries)--<I>take them and hang them up before the
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sun,</I> as sacrifices to God's justice, and for a terror to the rest
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of the people. The judges must first order them to be <I>slain with the
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sword</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>),
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and their dead bodies must be hanged up, that the stupid Israelites,
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seeing their leaders and princes so severely punished for their
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whoredom and idolatry, without any regard to their quality, might be
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possessed with a sense of the evil of the sin and the terror of God's
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wrath against them. Ringleaders in sin ought to be made examples of
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justice.</P>
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<A NAME="Nu25_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Zeal of Phinehas.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1452.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought
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unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and
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in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel,
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who <I>were</I> weeping <I>before</I> the door of the tabernacle of the
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congregation.
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7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the
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priest, saw <I>it,</I> he rose up from among the congregation, and
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took a javelin in his hand;
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8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust
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both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through
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her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
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9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four
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thousand.
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10 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> spake unto Moses, saying,
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11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest,
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hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he
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was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the
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children of Israel in my jealousy.
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12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
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13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, <I>even</I> the
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covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for
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his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.
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14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, <I>even</I> that
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was slain with the Midianitish woman, <I>was</I> Zimri, the son of
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Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.
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15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain <I>was</I>
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Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he <I>was</I> head over a people, <I>and</I> of
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a chief house in Midian.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is a remarkable contest between wickedness and righteousness,
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which shall be most bold and resolute; and righteousness carries the
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day, as no doubt it will at last.</P>
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<P>
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I. Never was vice more daring than it was in Zimri, <I>a prince of a
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chief house</I> in the tribe of Simeon. Such a degree of impudence in
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wickedness had he arrived at that he publicly appeared leading a
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Midianitish harlot (and a harlot of quality too like himself, a
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<I>daughter of a chief house in Midian</I>) in the sight of Moses, and
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all the good people of Israel. He did not think it enough to go out
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with his harlot to worship the gods of Moab, but, when he had done
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that, he brought her with him to dishonour the God of Israel. He not
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only owned her publicly as his friend, and higher in his favour then
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any of the daughters of Israel, but openly went with her <I>into the
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tent,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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The word signifies such a booth or place of retirement as was designed
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and fitted up for lewdness. Thus he <I>declared his sin as Sodom,</I>
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as was so far from blushing for it that he rather prided himself in it,
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and gloried in his shame. All the circumstances concurred to make it
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exceedingly sinful, exceedingly shameful.
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1. It was an affront to the justice of the nation, and bade defiance to
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that. The judges were ordered to put the criminals to death, but he
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thought himself too great for them to meddle with, and, in effect, bade
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them touch him if they durst. He had certainly cast off all fear of God
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who stood in no awe of the powers which he had ordained to be <I>a
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terror to evil-doers.</I>
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2. It was an affront to the religion of the nation, and put a contempt
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upon that. Moses, and the main body of the congregation, who kept their
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integrity, <I>were weeping at the door of the tabernacle,</I> lamenting
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the sin committed and deprecating the plague begun; they were
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<I>sanctifying a fast</I> in a solemn assembly, weeping <I>between the
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porch and the altar,</I> to turn away the wrath of God from the
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congregation. Then comes Zimri among them, with his harlot in his hand,
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to banter them, and, in effect, to tell them that he was resolved to
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fill the measure of sin as fast as they emptied it.</P>
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<P>
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II. Never was virtue more daring than it was in Phinehas. Being aware
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of the insolence of Zimri, which it is probable, all the congregation
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took notice of, in a holy indignation at the offenders he rises up from
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his prayers, takes his sword or half-pike, follows those impudent
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sinners into their tent, and stabs them both,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:7,8"><I>v.</I> 7, 8</A>.
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It is not at all difficult to justify Phinehas in what he did; for,
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being now heir-apparent to the high-priesthood, no doubt he was one of
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those judges of Israel whom Moses had ordered, by the divine
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appointment, to slay all those whom they knew to have joined themselves
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to Baal-peor, so that this gives no countenance at all to private
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persons, under pretence of zeal against sin, to put offenders to death,
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who ought to be prosecuted by due course of law. The civil magistrate
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is the avenger, to <I>execute wrath upon him that doeth evil,</I> and
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no private person may take his work out of his hand. Two ways God
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testified his acceptance of the pious zeal of Phinehas:--
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1. He immediately put a stop to the plague,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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Their weeping and praying prevailed not till this piece of necessary
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justice was done. If magistrates do not take care to punish sin, God
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will; but their justice will be the best prevention of his judgment, as
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in the case of Achan,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+7:13">Josh. vii. 13</A>.
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2. He put an honour upon Phinehas. Though he did no more than it was
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his duty to do as a judge, yet because he did it with extraordinary
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zeal against sin, and for the honour of God and Israel, and did it when
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the other judges, out of respect to Zimri's character as a prince, were
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afraid, and declined doing it, therefore God showed himself
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particularly well pleased with him, and it <I>was counted to him for
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righteousness,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+106:31">Ps. cvi. 31</A>.
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There is nothing lost by venturing for God. If Zimri's relations bore
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him a grudge for it, and his friends might censure him as indiscreet in
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this violent and hasty execution, what needed he care, while God
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accepted him? In a good thing we should be zealously affected.
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(1.) Phinehas, upon this occasion, though a young man, is pronounced
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his country's patriot and best friend,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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He has <I>turned away my wrath from the children of Israel.</I> So much
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does God delight in showing mercy that he is well pleased with those
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that are instrumental in turning away his wrath. This is the best
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|
service we can do to our people; and we may contribute something
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|
towards it by our prayers, and by our endeavours in our places to
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<I>bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end.</I>
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(2.) The priesthood is entailed by covenant upon his family. It was
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designed him before, but now it was confirmed to him, and, which added
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much to the comfort and honour of it, it was made the recompence of his
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pious zeal,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:12,13"><I>v.</I> 12, 13</A>.
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It is here called <I>an everlasting priesthood,</I> because it should
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continue to the period of the Old-Testament dispensation, and should
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then have its perfection and perpetuity in the unchangeable priesthood
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of Christ, who is <I>consecrated for evermore.</I> By the <I>covenant
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|
of peace</I> given him, some understand in general a promise of long
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|
life and prosperity, and all good; it seems rather to be meant
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|
particularly of the covenant of priesthood, for that is called the
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<I>covenant of life and peace</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mal+2:5">Mal. ii. 5</A>),
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and was made for the preservation of peace between God and his people.
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Observe how the reward answered the service. By executing justice he
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had <I>made an atonement for the children of Israel</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>),
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and therefore he and his shall henceforward be employed in making
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|
atonement by sacrifice. He <I>was zealous for his God,</I> and
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|
therefore he shall have the covenant of <I>an everlasting
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|
priesthood.</I> Note, It is requisite that ministers should be not only
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for God, but zealous for God. It is required of them that they do more
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|
than others for the support and advancement of the interests of God's
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|
kingdom among men.</P>
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<A NAME="Nu25_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu25_18"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>16 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> spake unto Moses, saying,
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17 Vex the Midianites, and smite them:
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|
18 For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have
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|
beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi,
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|
the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain
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|
in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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|
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God had punished the Israelites for their sin with a plague; as a
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Father he corrected his own children with a rod. But we read not that
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|
any of the Midianites died of the plague; God took another course with
|
|
them, and punished them with the sword of an enemy, not with the rod of
|
|
a father.
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1. Moses, though the meekest man, and far from a spirit of revenge, is
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|
ordered to <I>vex the Midianites and smite them,</I>
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>.
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|
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|
Note, We must set ourselves against that, whatever it is, which is an
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|
occasion of sin to us, though it be a right eye or a right hand that
|
|
thus offends us,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+5:29,30">Matt. v. 29, 30</A>.
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This is that holy indignation and revenge which godly sorrow worketh,
|
|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Co+7:11">2 Cor. vii. 11</A>.
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|
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2. The reason given for the meditating of this revenge is because they
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|
<I>vex you with their wiles,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+25:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>.
|
|
|
|
Note, Whatever draws us to sin should be a vexation to us, as a thorn
|
|
in the flesh. The mischief which the Midianites did to Israel by
|
|
enticing them to whoredom must be remembered and punished with as much
|
|
severity as that which the Amalekites did in fighting with them when
|
|
they came out of Egypt,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+17:14">Exod. xvii. 14</A>.
|
|
|
|
God will certainly reckon with those that do the devil's work in
|
|
tempting men to sin. See further orders given in this matter,
|
|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+31:2"><I>ch.</I> xxxi. 2</A>.</P>
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