The Daily Word: Tuesday, March 16th, 2021
Numbers 24:1-25:18
Luke 2:1-35
Psalm 59:1-17
Proverbs 11:14
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
“Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’ ” – Num. 25:12-13
Phinehas was zealous for God. Zealous means “filled with or showing a strong and energetic desire to get something done or see something succeed.”[1] Israel was mourning because some of their people were worshipping foreign gods. The men of Israel were taking wives from the women of Moab, which was something God had forbidden them to do! A plague broke out in Israel. God’s hand of protection had been removed because of their sin.
As Israel mourned because of the plague and their sin, a man of Israel brought a Moabite woman back to his tent. But Phinehas leapt into action. He “rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body” (vv 7-8). Phinehas stopped the plague in its tracks with his zeal! And the result was that both he and his descendants would be forever blessed.
Your zeal will mark the generations that come after you. When you love the things God loves, and spring into action when God wants you to move, the destiny of every one of your descendants will be permanently altered for the better. Phinehas’ children’s children would be blessed! All because Phinehas was “zealous for his God” (v 13).
Your life is not just about you. There are future generations that need the fruit of your zeal. Are you ready to be zealous for God?
Prayer:
Father, I pray that the things that excite You would excite me. Lord, make me zealous for You! I want to spring into action to accomplish Your purpose, in Jesus’ name!
© Michael D. White, 2021. All rights reserved.
[1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zealous#:~:text=1%20%3A%20filled%20with%20or%20showing,or%20ideal%20a%20zealous%20fan