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How Balaam Led Israel into Sin
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At Balaam’s suggestion, the king of Moab declared a grand
festival in honor of their gods. It was secretly arranged that Balaam
should persuade the Israelites to attend. They regarded him as a
prophet of God, and it was easy for him to accomplish his goal.
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Great numbers of the people joined him in by going to the festivities.
Drawn in with music and dancing, and charmed by the beauty of the
women dedicated to heathen worship, they cast off their loyalty to
the true God. Wine clouded their senses and broke down the barriers
of self-control. Having defiled their consciences by indecent acts,
they were persuaded to bow down to idols. They offered sacrifices
on heathen altars and participated in degrading rites.
The poison spread like a deadly infection through the camp of
Israel. Those who would have conquered in battle were overcome
by the tricky temptations of women. The people seemed to have lost
their judgment. The rulers and leading men were among the first to
sin, and so many of the people were guilty that the apostasy became
national. “Israel was joined to Baal of Peor.” When Moses became
aware of the evil, not only were the Israelites participating in the
sensuous worship at Mount Peor, but the heathen rites were carried
on in the camp of Israel. The aged leader was filled with indignation,
and the wrath of God was kindled.
Their evil practices did to Israel what all the magic spells of
Balaam could not do—they separated them from God. A terrible
plague broke out in the camp, in which tens of thousands died. God
commanded that those people who had led in this apostasy be put to
death, and this order was promptly obeyed. Then their bodies were
hung up in the sight of all Israel so that the congregation, seeing
the leaders so severely dealt with, might have a deep sense of God’s
hatred of their sin. Everyone felt that the punishment was fair, and
with tears and humiliation the people confessed their sin.
While they were weeping before God at the door of the taberna-
cle, Zimri, one of the nobles of Israel, came boldly into the camp
accompanied by a Midianite prostitute, whom he brought to his
tent. Never was wicked behavior more bold or stubborn. Zimri was
showing himself to be as sinful as Sodom, and he was proud of his
shameful acts.
The priests and leaders had bowed low in grief and humiliation,
pleading with the Lord to spare His people, while this prince in