The Israelites Evil Behavior Defying Of The Holy One Of...

In these verses Paul details the specifics of the Israelites evil behavior in defying of the Holy One of Israel and His judgment. In verse 8 most scholars believe Paul to have summarized the events of Num25:1-9. Moses records acts of immorality and idol worship in verses 1 and 2 when he writes, while Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 2 For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. God s anger against them was turned by the brutal heroism of Phinehas (Num25:7-9). Psa106:30-31 records: Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed. 31 And that was counted to him as righteousness from†¦show more content†¦Paul has not exceeded the truth. There were at least twenty three thousand that fell, though there might have been more. Garland seems to understand that Paul got twenty three thousand from a deliberate mixture of Num25:9 and Ex32:28. Garland says, Paul appears to have chosen Exod.32:28 as the model for his wording, they fell, [in that] one day and three thousand and combined if with the twenty from the Numbers text. Since twenty four is a much more common multiple than twenty three in the OT, it (twenty four) would seem to be a deliberate choice. Nevertheless Paul s point and warning is quite clear. Take heed fellow saints God demonstrated His mighty vengeance against the sins of willful immorality and idol worship. Paul s next warning comes from the example of Israel s trying, tempting or testing (G1598 ÃŽ µÃŒâ€œÃŽ ºÃâ‚¬ÃŽ µÃŽ ¹Ã ÃŽ ±ÃŒ ÃŽ ¶Ãâ€°, ekpeirazoÌ„) the Lord (G5547 ÃŽ §Ã ÃŽ ¹ÃÆ'Ï„Î ¿ÃŒ Ãâ€š, Christos) meaning the anointed or Messiah or Jesus Christ. As he did in 10:4, Paul again makes OT reference to our Savior in the wilderness. Psa78:18 and 106:14 testify that the Israeli nation tempted (H5254 ×  Ã— ¡Ã—” naÌ‚saÌ‚h naw-saw ) God in the dessert. As the Israelites journeyed around the land of Edom by way of the Red Sea they became impatient and railed against God and Moses because they feared death in the wilderness for lack of food and water. (See Num21:4-5, Psa78:19) God s snake judgment is seen in Num21:6 The