Numbers 25:3–4 (ESV): “3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. 4 And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.”
Bowing before any entity, false or otherwise, means committing your worship (service) to that entity. God commands us to worship Him thus we are to bow before Him alone. It is for our good that we bow before no other, amen?
The Lord would not allow Balaam to curse Israel. So Balaam counseled Balak to send Moabite women into their camp (Num 31:16) and God would curse them Himself. The plan worked! The men of Israel not only slept with the daughters of Moab, but they also bowed down to their false deity Baal, the Canaanite fertility god. Thus, the anger of the Lord burned Israel. The Lord instructed Moses to kill the chiefs of the people for tolerating this abomination. God doesn't let sin slide. He promised Israel He would judge her swiftly for such things (Ex 32:34).
Did you know God’s standards never change? He is as vehemently against sexual immorality and idolatry today as He was in the Old Testament. That is because they lead people away from the truth and provide false assurance. Those who tolerate such things are just as guilty as those who practice them. Christians have a responsibility to speak up if sin is in our camp. We have a responsibility to keep each other accountable. We are to abhor evil and stand fast to what is good (Rom 12:9).
Father, help us to lovingly call out compromise and never tolerate sin, in our own lives or the lives of others. Help us to gently restore (Gal 6:1) while keeping a watch on our hearts we pray in Jesus' name, amen.
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