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From Eternity Past
At Balaam’s suggestion, a grand festival in honor of their gods
was appointed by the king of Moab. It was secretly arranged that
Balaam should induce the Israelites to attend. He was regarded as a
prophet of God, and had little difficulty in accomplishing his purpose.
Great numbers of the people joined him in witnessing the festivities.
Beguiled with music and dancing, and allured by the beauty of heathen
vestals, they cast off their fealty to Jehovah. Wine beclouded their
senses and broke down the barriers of self-control. Having defiled
their consciences by lewdness, they were persuaded to bow down to
idols. They offered sacrifice upon 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 wiles of women. The people seemed infatuated. The rulers and
leading men were among the first to transgress, and so many of the
people were guilty that the apostasy became national. “Israel joined
himself unto Baalpeor.” When Moses was aroused to perceive the evil,
not only were the Israelites participating in the licentious worship at
Mount Peor, but the heathen rites were observed in the camp of Israel.
The aged leader was filled with indignation, and the wrath of God was
kindled.
Their iniquitous practices did that for Israel which all the enchant-
ments of Balaam could not do—they separated them from God. A
terrible pestilence broke out in the camp, to which tens of thousands
fell prey. God commanded that the leaders in apostasy be put to death,
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and this order was promptly obeyed. Then their bodies were hung
up in sight of all Israel that the congregation, seeing the leaders so
severely dealt with, might have a deep sense of God’s abhorrence of
their sin. All felt that the punishment was just, and the people with
tears and humiliation confessed their sin.
While they were thus weeping before God at the door of the taber-
nacle, Zimri, one of the nobles of Israel, came boldly into the camp
accompanied by a Midianitish harlot, whom he escorted to his tent.
Never was vice bolder or more stubborn. Zimri “declared his sin as
Sodom” and gloried in his shame.
The priests and leaders had prostrated themselves in grief and
humiliation, entreating the Lord to spare His people, when this prince
in Israel flaunted his sin in the sight of the congregation, as if to defy