Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned My wrath away. .. because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel
Godly zeal
We can lay no claim to saintship without zeal.
When wickedness increases, then zeal must be bold and daring.
I. The source of godly zeal The indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Grace in the heart must break forth.
II. Godly zeal has its seat in the heart.
III. Mark the object of holy zeal. Good works. It is the fervour of heavenly benevolence.
IV. True zeal is blended with knowledge. To enlighten ourselves, we must have light ourselves.
V. Zeal is forgetful of self. (The Study.)
The zeal of Phinehas
Phinehas appears as a rainbow on the bosom of a storm. He is as a flower on a wild heath, a fertile spot in a parched desert, pure ore in a rude quarry, a fragrant rose upon a thorny hedge, faithful among faithless.
1. “He was zealous for his God.” He could not fold his arms and see God’s law insulted, His rule defied, His will despised, His majesty and empire scorned. The servant’s heart blazed in one blaze of godly indignation. He must be up to vindicate his Lord. His fervent love, his bold resolve, fear nothing in a righteous cause.
2. Mark, next, the zeal of Phinehas is sound-minded. It is not as a courser without rein, a torrent unembanked, a hurricane let loose. Its steps are set in order’s path. It executes God’s own will in God’s own way. The mandate says, let the offenders die. He aims a death-blow, then, with obedient hand. The zeal, which heaven kindles, is always a submissive grace.
3. This zeal wrought wonders. It seemed to open heaven’s gates for blessing to rush forth. God testifies, “He hath turned My wrath away from the children of Israel.” He hath made atonement for them. My name is rescued from dishonour. The haughty sinner is laid low. Therefore I can restrain My vengeance. Men see that sin is not unpunished; mercy may now fly righteously to heal. Zeal is indeed a wonder-working grace. Who can conceive what countries, districts, cities, families, and men, have sprung to life, because zeal prayed?
4. Next mark how heavenly smiles beam on the zeal of Phinehas. Honour decks those who honour God. The priesthood shall be his. This lessen ends not here. Phinehas for ever stands a noble type. Yes, Christ is here. In Phinehas we see Christ’s heart, and zeal, and work, and mightily constraining impulse. In Phinehas we see Christ crowned, too, with the priesthood’s glory. (Dean Law.)
The circumstances which moved the zeal of Phinehas
I. There was the enormity of their sin. It included false doctrine and sinful practices, between which there is a closer connection than is always recognised.
II. There was the character of the instigator to the sin. Balaam, “a strange mixture of a man.”
III. There was the extent to which the sin prevailed. Among all classes.
IV. There was the misery occasioned by the sin. To the guilty, to their connections, to the community.
V. There was the dishonour done to God.
1. We should be zealous in religion.
2. Our zeal in contending against the sins of others should begin in zeal in contending against our own. (George Brooks.)
The zealous spirit
In fact, a zealous spirit is essential to eminent success in anything. Perhaps there is the more need to insist upon this because enthusiasm is out of fashion. It is bad form nowadays to admire anything very warmly. To be strenuously in earnest is almost vulgar. Especially is this so in regard to religion. “Our Joe is a very good young man,” said an old nurse the other day; “but he do go so mad on religion.” That was the fly in the ointment--which spoilt all. Did not Pope say long ago, “The worst of madness is a saint run mad”? And he only put in terse and pithy speech what other people say more clumsily.
1. And yet how can one be a Christian without being an enthusiast? Indifferent, half-hearted Christians are not true Christians at all. “I would thou weft either cold or hot,” says our Lord. Lukewarmness is his utter abhorrence. And the author of “ Ecce Homo “ cannot be said to exaggerate in his declaration that “Christianity is an enthusiasm, or it is nothing.”
2. And what good work has ever been wrought without enthusiasm? Said a great preacher, “If you want to drive a pointed piece of iron through a thick board, the surest way is to heat your skewer. It is always easier to burn our way than to bore it.” Only “a soul all flame” is likely to accomplish much in the teeth of the difficulties which beset every lofty enterprise. The great movements which have most widely blessed the world have been led by men of passionate earnestness and fervid zeal. It is not the cool, calculating votaries of prudence who have done the work. Was it not written of our Lord Himself, “The zeal of Thy house hath eaten me up”? (G. Howard James.)
The faithful bring a blessing upon their families
We have seen the zeal of Phinehas in executing judgment upon the evil-doers, which brought a grievous plague upon the people. His spirit was stirred within him, being first stirred by the Spirit of God, which moved him to take a spear, and to thrust through the adulterer and adulteress. Now we shall see the reward that was given unto him for that work which was acceptable unto God, and profitable unto His people. He hath a covenant of peace made with him, and the priesthood confirmed unto him and his posterity. God is so pleased with the obedience of His people that He will show mercy to such as belong to them. This is plentifully proved unto us in the Word of God. When God saw Noah righteous before Him in that corrupt age, He made all that belonged unto him partakers of a great deliverance, saying unto him, “Enter thou and all thine house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me in this age” (Genesis 7:1). This appeareth in the person of Abraham, when God had called him out of his country, and from his kindred, and made a covenant with him to bless him (Genesis 12:2-3). This is oftentimes remembered unto us in the Acts of the Apostles. When God had opened the heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which Paul delivered, “She was baptized and all her household” (Acts 16:15; Acts 16:33). The reasons to enforce this doctrine are evident, if we consider either the person of God or the condition of the faithful.
1. God hath in great mercy and goodness promised to show favour not only to the faithful themselves, but to the seed of the faithful that fear Him (Exodus 20:6; Exodus 34:6-7).
2. As the mercy of God is great, so the faith of the godly is effectual for themselves and their children. This is the tenor of the covenant that God hath made with all the faithful. God will be our God, and the God of our seed after us (Genesis 17:7). For as a father that purchaseth house or land, giveth thereby an interest unto his son therein; so he that layeth hold on the promise which God hath made to all godly parents, doth convey it unto his children; so that albeit they want faith by reason of their years, yet they are made partakers of Christ, and ingrafted into His body. The uses remain to be handled.
(1) We learn that the children of faithful parents have right to baptism, and are to receive the seal of the covenant. This the apostle teacheth (1 Corinthians 7:14).
(2) We are taught on the other side that evil parents bring the curse of God into their houses, and upon their posterity.
(3) It is required of us to repent and believe the gospel, that so we may procure a blessing upon ourselves and our children. (W. Attersoll.).