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Scripture Reading: Num. 25:1-18; 31:2; Rev. 2:14b
In this message we will consider Israel's fall into fornication and idolatry. However, I would first like to review the crucial matters, the intrinsic elements, in chapters twenty through twenty-four of Numbers.
In typology, these five chapters present us a picture of Christ and the church. Chapter twenty shows us Christ as the smitten rock who, in resurrection, is flowing out living water to meet our need (v. 8). Christ has been smitten, crucified, and there is no need for Him to be smitten again. Now He is in resurrection flowing with living water to quench people's thirst. The crucified and resurrected Christ is here to meet us in our need. As long as we have Him, God has no problem with us and we have no problem with God.
In chapter twenty-one we have further aspects of Christ. First, as the bronze serpent, Christ is our replacement (vv. 8-9). He became the same as we in nature with the exception that in Him there was no sin. He was in the likeness of the flesh of sin (Rom. 8:3), but He did not have the sinful nature, just as the bronze serpent had the form of a serpent without having the poisonous nature of a serpent. Because Christ came in the likeness of the flesh of sin, He could be our replacement, bearing God's judgment and accomplishing redemption. As our replacement, Christ has solved not only the outward problem of sins but also the inward problem of our sinful nature. Having solved these problems through His crucifixion, in resurrection this One has become a fountain, a well (Num. 21:17), springing up with living water, which is the consummated Spirit of the processed Triune God. In our experience we need to dig this well (v. 18). If we dig the well, we will become nobles and leaders. Furthermore, as Numbers 33 indicates, Christ is our destination, our land of rest. Therefore, Christ is our replacement, our well, and our land of rest. When we enjoy Him as our land of rest, we do not have any lack or shortage.
In Numbers 23 and 24 we have four parables spoken by Balaam, a Gentile prophet. These parables reveal much concerning the church, with the fourth parable revealing something concerning Christ.
Let us first consider what these parables show us concerning the church. "Behold, a people that will dwell alone, /And will not reckon themselves among the nations!" (23:9b). This indicates that the church is composed of a separate people, a particular people, a people sanctified to God. The church is not mixed with the nations but stands alone. "He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob;/Nor has He seen trouble in Israel" (23:21a). This indicates that, in the sight of God, the church is perfect, having no iniquity. The church is perfect because the church is in Christ. "How fair are your tents, O Jacob,/Your dwelling places, O Israel!" (24:5). This indicates that in appearance the church is beautiful. In summary, we see in the first parable that the church has a particular standing; in the second parable, that the church is perfect in the sight of God; and in the third parable, that the appearance of the church is fair, beautiful.
Balaam's fourth parable contains a prophecy concerning Christ (24:17). A church that is sanctified, perfect, and beautiful is a church that is full of Christ. The church can be holy, perfect, and beautiful because the church has Christ. Christ is the content of the church. Christ is the constituent of the church and every part of the church. In the church as the new man Christ is all and in all (Col. 3:10-11).
The Christ prophesied in Numbers 24:17 is not an earthly Christ but a heavenly Christ. He is the Star that comes forth out of Jacob and the Scepter that arises out of Israel. Out of the church comes forth the Christ who is the Star, and this Star is the Scepter. This means that the heavenly Christ is the authority in the universe. Today Christ is our Star, but in the future He will be the Scepter, the One with universal authority.
In Balaam's prophetic parables we see not only certain aspects of Christ and the church but also many of the riches related to the church. The church "has as it were the horns of the wild ox" (23:22; 24:8). This indicates that the church is victorious. The church is also likened to a lion and a lioness (23:24; 24:9). This is a further indication that the church is victorious. Numbers 24:6 and 7 speak of "valleys that stretch afar," "gardens beside a river," and water that flows from buckets. This reveals that the church is like a garden, that the church has valleys, and that in the church there is an abundance of water.
Ephesians is a heavenly book on the church, but we do not find in Ephesians the aspects of the church presented in Balaam's parables in Numbers 23 and 24. Ephesians does not tell us that the church is a garden by a river or that in the church water flows from buckets. Moreover, Ephesians does not reveal that the church has valleys or that we in the church are lions and lionesses. In the church there are lions that can devour the enemy. Even Moab realized that God's people are like an ox that licks up the grass of the field (Num. 22:4). If we see the church as it is revealed in Numbers, we will not despise the church or look down on the church.
Seemingly Numbers is merely a book of history concerning Israel's journey in the wilderness. However, the intrinsic contents, the intrinsic constituents, of this history are nothing other than Christ and the church.
Having seen the picture of Christ and the church presented in Numbers 20—24, let us now go on to consider 25:1-18.
Numbers 23:21 says that God has not beheld iniquity in Jacob. In Numbers 25, however, we have a record of Israel's iniquity. This iniquity comprises two ugly things: fornication, which destroys the person of the God-created man, and idolatry, which insults the divine person of God. According to the record of the Bible, fornication and idolatry go together. Where there is fornication, there is idolatry. The Roman Catholic Church is an illustration of this. In the New Testament the Catholic Church is likened to Jezebel, a woman of fornication (Rev. 2:20). Furthermore, in the Catholic Church there is idolatry. For example, in his book The Great Prophecies, G. H. Pember points out that even Buddha, under the name of Saint Josaphat, has entered into Catholicism. In the Catholic calendar there is a saint named Josaphat, whose story is actually that of Buddha.
Balak was unable to defeat Israel militarily or politically. Neither could he defeat Israel through the use of religion. Therefore, under the influence of Balaam (Rev. 2:14), he induced Israel to fall into fornication and idolatry. It is likely that Balak and Balaam joined in a conspiracy and plotted against Israel, with Balaam being Balak's counselor and advisor, teaching Balak how to stumble God's holy, perfect, and beautiful people. The plot was initiated by Balaam, and it was put into practice by Balak. Israel's positive characteristics were annulled by the fall into fornication and idolatry. Instead of being holy, perfect, and beautiful, they became a people of fornication and idolatry.
"While Israel dwelt in Shittim, the people began to commit fornication with the daughters of Moab. And these invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. Thus Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor" (Num. 25:1-3a). These verses indicate that those who committed fornication became yoked to Baal, the god of fornication. Hence, there was a combination of fornication and idolatry. The worshippers of Baal were fornicators, and they induced others to commit fornication with them and to worship the idol of fornication. This was the evil counsel of Balaam (31:16).
Revelation 2:14 speaks of "the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol sacrifices and to commit fornication." Balaam taught Balak how to use idolatry and fornication to stumble Israel.
"The anger of Jehovah burned against Israel" (Num. 25:3b). He commanded Moses to take all the leaders of the people and hang them in the sun (v. 4). To be hanged in the sun was a great public shame. Moses then commanded the judges of Israel to slay every Israelite male who had yoked himself to Baal of Peor (v. 5). Moreover, twenty-four thousand people were killed by a plague (v. 9).
Numbers 25:6-15 tells us of the sin of Zimri and the holy jealousy of Phinehas. Zimri committed fornication with a Midianite woman (vv. 6, 14-15). The priest Phinehas, who had a holy jealousy for God, killed them both (vv. 7-8). This was not murder, a killing forbidden by the law. On the contrary, it was a sanctified killing, a killing sanctified by God. In verses 10 through 13 we see that Jehovah rewarded Phinehas for this sanctified killing. The reward was the covenant of a perpetual priesthood to Phinehas and to his seed.
In 25:16-18 and 31:2 we see the revenge of Jehovah on the Midianites because of the deceits with which they deceived the Israelites.
In Balaam's prophecies all the points concerning Israel are very positive. Immediately after these prophecies we have a chapter showing us what kind of people the children of Israel actually were according to their nature. God's view of Israel, revealed in Balaam's parables, is altogether positive. But the actual situation and condition of Israel were extremely negative. In actuality, the children of Israel were a people of fornication and idolatry.
The Bible presents a full record of the aspects and statuses of God's people, revealing what we are in Adam and what we are in Christ. Numbers 25 exposes what we are in our Adamic nature — people of fornication and idolatry. According to our Adamic nature, we are worthy only of being slain and hanged in the sun. God is jealous, and His jealousy burns upon us. In His burning jealousy He will not spare anything of the Adamic nature.
Chapters twenty-two through twenty-five give us a clear view of Israel. In the sight of God, the people were heavenly, but according to their real nature, they were fallen and sinful. The situation is the same with the believers today. On the one hand, in Christ we are wonderful; on the other hand, in ourselves we are people of fornication and idolatry whose fate is to be judged by God.
