SCRIPTURE: Numbers 25
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
If he can’t get us one way, he will try another. Satan doesn’t care how he brings us down, he just keeps at it. He tries to defeat Israel with a curse [Numbers 23-24], but when that doesn’t work, he entices them with sexual pleasure – and succeeds.
Jesus was tempted in the wilderness too. The devil came at Him with 3 different temptations, but Jesus stood firm [Luke 4:1-13]. But notice that the devil didn’t quit: “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.” [Luke 4:13]. His rationale is, ‘give it time, I’ll find His weakness’. But we know the whole story, Jesus stood firm to the very end, and defeated the devil.
If only we were so strong. Like Israel in the wilderness, we may resist the outright attacks against our faith, but what about the subtle temptations to lie, to lust, to covet, to gossip, to steal, to cheat, etc. The devil knows our weakness… do we?
We may not fully appreciate what is happening in this story. This is not just a sad story of an angry, violent God (and His followers) attacking and killing an innocent couple for an inappropriate dating relationship. This was an outright attempt by the leaders of Moab to infiltrate and annihilate the people of Israel. These arranged ‘marriages’ were ploys, also used in Solomon’s time to forge alliances and strengthen positions. We know that Solomon’s relationships undermined the kingdom of Israel. And this was Satan’s intent.
What are the subtle ways that Satan gets us to compromise, to forge alliances with sin, to weaken our commitment? What is the opportune moment or situation that Satan uses against us? Now we can see why Jesus taught us to pray, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” [Matthew 6:13] We are fools if we think we are not vulnerable to his schemes. We can defeat him with the Lord’s help, but only if we resist him. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” [James 4:7] “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” [1 Corinthians 10:13]
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to recognize the devil’s schemes, and help me to resist them. Show me the way of escape, and help me to take it!
Be holy for I am holy says Gods to His people. Be a separate people. Do not intermarry, but the people did not have the ears to listen with but the eyes to lust with and followed the desires of what they saw. They also worshipped the foreign gods. As gold is refined by fire, so God’s people must be purified – putting to death the sinful ways. The sin must be purged from among the people.
God taught us to stay away from the edge = lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. In His power we are able – as long as we follow His leading. Focus our eyes on Jesus. Just as the people of Israel had to see the ‘snakes on the pole’ to be healed we need to see God always and listen to His voice and say – Here I am Lord, use me in Your service. Bless me on my way this day as I follow the voice saying Follow me. This is the way. Walk in it.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise, and all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk, till traveling days are done.