Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

If a male makes an oath, he MUST keep to it. He has made a vow. This is serious stuff. Jesus said in Matthew 5:34-37. No one can annul a man’s vows. No one but God – the one you made the vow to. There are some very foolish oaths in the scriptures that show how vital it was to keep from oaths (Judges 11:30-40). The men were held responsible with no leeway. In the same way, there were no men as a covering for widows or divorced women. They were held to their vows in the same way that men were.

A daughter or a wife was protected by the authority system. A daughter is covered by their father – who was responsible for seeing the vow fulfilled. A wife is covered by her husband – who was responsible for seeing the vow fulfilled. The men who covered them could annul the vow on the day they heard it (when she said it, or when they learned of it), if it was a foolish vow or one that could not be fulfilled. They had to take these vows seriously and let the women make them when they were right and good. It is also symbolic of Jesus taking our sins, annulling them (1 Peter 2:24).

But if they were not right or good, they could cancel them with NO guilt and NO penalty to the woman (from humans or God). If they heard, said nothing, and then later tried to void it, the men bore the iniquity of not fulfilling the vow NOT the woman. If the men did not speak out when they heard about the vow, then the vow stood. Not speaking out was the same as consent. If they DIDN’T hear about it, they were not held responsible. They were only accountable for what they knew was happening.

This was not a way to keep women down or protect the property when they were reasonable vows. They were part of the authoritative system that God set up. Look at Adam and Eve. Humanity didn’t fall when Eve ate the fruit (Genesis 3:6). Only when Adam sinned did they fall (Genesis 3:7). Adam was given the command, not the woman (Genesis 2:6-7). It was through one MAN that sin entered the world (Romans 5:16-17). This was protection for women that men did not have – so they would be wise to consult their wives, those helpmeets which were given as equal partners to advise in situations like this.

It’s easy to look at this chapter and impune the wording to the priests and the male-dominated systems of the ancient world as being responsible for them. But these verses are the same as the rest of scripture. It is NOT humanity pooling ideas and making a system of thoughts and laws. It is NOT humanity adding mysticism to anything. This is GOD speaking the rules to HUMANITY. As such, look for shadows of the New Covenant. As such, take them seriously. Do not ascribe male views or female views to it (or ANY scripture). These are objective rules, objective thoughts, and a protective system of authority (chain of command) with children at the top, followed by wives, and foundationed by husbands. The only head is Jesus (God in the Old Covenant). Everyone is subject to Him in a chain of command.

“But I have a few things against you: that you have there those who hold fast to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat food sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.” (Revelation 2:14)

God told Moses to take out the Midianites. King Balak of Moab hired the Midianites to send their women to entice the Israelites into eating food from idols and bowing down to idols in order to weaken their allegiance to God and lose the Blessing (Numbers 22-24; 31:16; 2 Peter 2:15; Revelation 2:14; Joshua 13:22). God is the one who said that this action by the Midianites at the behest of the Moabites was an act of war: “Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Attack the Midianites and strike them because they were attacking you with their deception, with which they have deceived you on the matter of Peor and on the matter of Cozbi the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was struck on the day of the plague because of the matter of Peor.”” (Numbers 25:16-18). 24,000 men died in the matter of Peor (Numbers 25:9).

One thousand men from each tribe (including the Levites who would be in charge of the holy articles and signal trumpets – essentially heading to war to pray and worship during battle). Phinehas the priest was put in charge of them, having shown his zeal for the Lord in the matter of Peor (Luke 16:10). They went to war and dealt with the Midianites like a cancer. They had a BAD reputation in the region. They were a nomadic tribe largely known for their wandering lifestyle and the havoc they wreaked on other tribes. Every sin imaginable has been accounted to them. This is the majority of the nation, not the minority (Jethro’s people). These specifically stood AGAINST Israel (where Moses’ wife’s family had done the opposite – Exodus 18:9).

Israel attacked and killed the kings of Midian and Balaam himself fell in the war. They burnt the cities and the forts. They took all the spoils – people, goods, cattle, and flocks. Moses, Eleazar, and the princes of the tribes met the returning men outside the camp (they were unclean, having come into contact with the dead – Numbers 19:13; Leviticus 21:11). Of the 12,000 men who went to battle, all came back. They lost not a single man. That was good news, but in regards to the plunder, Moses was NOT thrilled. Even though we hadn’t been given a specific list of orders from Moses to Phinehas, Moses’ reaction here shows that he was incredulous that Phinehas would approve of the Israelites returning with the very women who had led the people astray. We aren’t talking a few, either, since 24,000 men had been led into idolatry (though some went of their free will to Moabite temple prostitutes).

Moses ordered all virgins were exempt from punishment, because they could not have been involved. All female children were exempt. The non-virgins were killed, because they could all have been involved. The male children were killed. Harsh? Cancer kills. These people could not be saved from demonic activities and worship. Jesus had not atoned yet. There was no cleansing from that. Also, the young men would grow up with two sacred responsibilities (like everywhere else in the ancient world): first, to avenge their fathers; and second, to perpetuate the culture of the Midianites. Neither outcome would have been merciful. You don’t let people in bondage stay in bondage if you love them. Again, this is OLD COVENANT reality. In the New Covenant, Jesus took our sins on Himself. He gave His life for us. He redeemed us. We have a way to be cleansed and released and renewed that the Old Covenant of judgment could NOT in ANY way provide (Romans 8:3-14). Acts 13:39 tells us “Therefore let it be known to you, men and brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all the things from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38).

All the men had to cleanse themselves and stay outside the camp seven days, purifying themselves and their captives on the third and seventh day. Everything that could withstand fire was cleansed by passing it through the fire, the rest was cleansed by water. The plunder was divided into two portions. The greater to the men who battled. The lesser to the rest of the men who stayed behind. A tithe of all was given to the tabernacle. In total 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys, and 32,000 virgins.

Summary

Key Players: God, Moses, Phinehas

Key Themes: Vows, Vengeance, Tithing

Key Verse(s): Numbers 30:1-2, 16; 31:1-2, 7, 19-20, 54