It seems that these two were engaging in sexual immorality either in his own tent or within the tent of meeting. The text is unclear concerning this. It says that Phinehas having observed this from among the congregation makes me think it was an open act before where Moses and Phineas (the high priest) were seated. Phinehas is said t have rose up from his place. This action by Phinehas caused YHWH to stop the plague that was taking the lives of so many men in the camp.
YHWH commended Phinehas to Moses for his zeal for the honor of YHWH and for putting and end to these two flagrant idolaters. Phineas was given a covenant of peace and everlasting priesthood because by slaying the man and the woman he made atonement for the people. This was a shadow of Jesus, our High Priest, only the way of atonement is reversed; instead of slaying the guilty party as Phinehas did, Jesus, the sinless one was slain to make atonement and take away the wrath of God on sinners. This covenant with Phineas (and the house of Levi) was rescinded as Malachi 2:1-9 because of the corruption of the priesthood by the Levites. Jesus is the only SINLESS one who was zealous for God and made atonement. (vs. 13)
Both the name of the Israelite and the Midianite woman were named in this chapter. Perhaps they are so pointed out because maybe the Israelite thought that He could worship YHWH in the same manner as the Moabites worshipped Baal. God hated this severely. The Israelite was the prince (son) of the chief of the tribe of Simeon. The Midianite woman was the daughter of the head over the people of Midian, of a chief house of the Midianites. Both were people of prominence. They may have been involved at the first of this adultery/idolatry and led others to follow. They were bold and brazen in their outward display of such debauchery. So, God made a them an example before the people by stirring Phinehas to slay them both at once.
Cont.
It seems that these two were engaging in sexual immorality either in his own tent or within the tent of meeting. The text is unclear concerning this. It says that Phinehas having observed this from among the congregation makes me think it was an open act before where Moses and Phineas (the high priest) were seated. Phinehas is said t have rose up from his place. This action by Phinehas caused YHWH to stop the plague that was taking the lives of so many men in the camp.
YHWH commended Phinehas to Moses for his zeal for the honor of YHWH and for putting and end to these two flagrant idolaters. Phineas was given a covenant of peace and everlasting priesthood because by slaying the man and the woman he made atonement for the people. This was a shadow of Jesus, our High Priest, only the way of atonement is reversed; instead of slaying the guilty party as Phinehas did, Jesus, the sinless one was slain to make atonement and take away the wrath of God on sinners. This covenant with Phineas (and the house of Levi) was rescinded as Malachi 2:1-9 because of the corruption of the priesthood by the Levites. Jesus is the only SINLESS one who was zealous for God and made atonement. (vs. 13)
Both the name of the Israelite and the Midianite woman were named in this chapter. Perhaps they are so pointed out because maybe the Israelite thought that He could worship YHWH in the same manner as the Moabites worshipped Baal. God hated this severely. The Israelite was the prince (son) of the chief of the tribe of Simeon. The Midianite woman was the daughter of the head over the people of Midian, of a chief house of the Midianites. Both were people of prominence. They may have been involved at the first of this adultery/idolatry and led others to follow. They were bold and brazen in their outward display of such debauchery. So, God made a them an example before the people by stirring Phinehas to slay them both at once.
...cont.
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