DCLM Higher Everyday 14 February 2024 — Forbidden Friendships – Part 2
Topic: Forbidden Friendships – Part 2
Text: Numbers 25:6-15
6And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
9And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.
10And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
11Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
12Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
13And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.
14Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.
15And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.
Key Verse: “And behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation” (Numbers 25:6).
Message
In their journey to Canaan, Israel stopped over in Shittim. With time, many of them started befriending the people of Moab, accepting invitations to their idol worship celebrations; eating, drinking and enjoying various immoral acts. God was displeased and asked Moses for a summary execution of the offenders. God’s plague killed 24 thousand of the people. This caused a lot of sorrow and weeping among the people in front of God’s house of worship. While in this somber mood, a young Israelite called Zimri, came into the camp with a Moabite girlfriend for amorous affair in his tent. In holy anger, Phinehas, Aaron’s grandson, had to kill them and God’s wrath was turned away from Israel for his action. Flee immorality in the name of Valentine Day.
My friend, a wrong friendship easily leads to wrong acts. God seriously warns, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not” (Proverbs 1:10). Some youths are bold at committing sin because of the high status of their parents. Such was Zimri, the son of a prince, as well as Cozbi, his girlfriend, a leader’s daughter. No matter your position in life, avoid sin today and always.
Quote: Avoid sin today and always
Challenge: Stop following the multitude to do evil.
Prayer for today: Oh God, help me to be on your side always, in Jesus’ name.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
