NUMBERS 25 - Moab seduces Israel 

OVERVIEW

The story of Balaam and Balak in Numbers 22–25 is one of the most ironic and haunting narratives in the Torah. It’s filled with drama, satire, and sobering lessons about obedience, temptation, and the cost of compromise. At the center of it all is one simple but difficult word: No.

Balak, the king of Moab, was terrified of the advancing Israelites. Instead of preparing for war, he hatched a spiritual scheme—hire the infamous prophet Balaam to curse God’s people. Balaam had a reputation. He wasn’t a fraud; he had legitimate spiritual insight. But he also had a greedy, self-serving heart, and that would be his undoing.

When Balak’s messengers arrive with their offer, Balaam does something that sounds spiritual—he seeks the LORD. And the LORD gives a clear, unmistakable answer: “You are not to go with them. You are not to curse the people because they are blessed” (Numbers 22:12). End of discussion, right? Not for Balaam. When a higher offer comes, he dares to ask God a second time—as if maybe God hadn’t thought it through the first time.

Balaam is blind to the spiritual reality until his donkey—yes, his donkey—starts prophesying better than he can. The entire scene would be comical if it weren’t so tragic. The prophet of nations can’t see the angel, but the beast of burden can.

God already said no. That should’ve been enough. But Balaam wasn’t looking for obedience—he was looking for a loophole. That made him vulnerable to flattery, money, and ultimately destruction. Even after his failed attempts to curse Israel—all turned to blessings by God—Balaam couldn’t resist finding a workaround. He advised Balak on how to make Israel fall, not through curses but through corruption. Invite them into Moabite worship. Seduce them with idolatry and immorality. And it worked—24,000 died under God’s judgment until Pincas the priest rose up in righteous zeal to stop the rot.

The lesson is sharp. God doesn’t waffle. He doesn’t change His mind to fit our desires. If He says “No,” it’s for our good. And when we try to negotiate with what He’s already made clear, we’re not being spiritual—we’re being rebellious.  <W212>

NOTES BY VERSE

Note: each ** comment in this document is listed in numerical order according to the verse(s) from this chapter

** The women of Moab seduced the Israelite men and they ended up worshiping foreign gods

• The Moabite women made themselves available on the edge of Israel’s camp and after seducing men ‘invited them to the sacrifices to their gods’  <R1795>

• The Israelites yoked themselves to the false god of the Moabites

• The Lord, in response, told Moses to kill the Israelite leaders

Numbers 25:1-3 NIV

[1] While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, [2] who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. [3] So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

Numbers 25:4-5 NIV

[4] The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel.” [5] So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”

** Spiritual immunity in the church allows Satan to camp within the church’s borders and prey on those easily seduced  <F60>

• When called on by Balak, Balaam could not curse Israel because God reminded him that Israel is favored

• Balaam tried to curse but ended up blessing Israel four times

• The Doctrine of Balaam taught Balak to seduce the Israelites with the Moabite women so the Israelites would commit sexual immorality

• The Israelites would then be defeated within their own camp as they started worshiping other gods

• Later, God chastised the Church in Pergamum for spiritual immaturity

• Unfortunately, this immaturity describes the condition of the church today

Numbers 22:9-13 NIV

[9] God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?” [10] Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: [11] 'A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.' ” [12] But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed. ” [13] The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

Numbers 25:1-3 NIV

[1] While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, [2] who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. [3] So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord's anger burned against them.

Revelation 2:12-14 NIV

[12] “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. [13] I know where you live---where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city---where Satan lives. [14] Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.

1 Timothy 4:1 NIV

[1] The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

** The plague against the Israelites that killed 24,000 stopped when the son of Aaron killed a perpetrator, defending the honor of God; a new covenant of peace was created securing the line of high priests through Phinehas  <M130>

Numbers 25:6-9 NIV

[6] Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting. [7] When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand [8] and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; [9] but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.

Numbers 25:10-11 NIV

[10] The Lord said to Moses, [11] “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites. Since he was as zealous for my honor among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal.

Numbers 25:12-13 NIV

[12] Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. [13] He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”

Psalm 106:30-31 NIV

[30] But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked. [31] This was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.

** We meet a man named Phinehas whose righteous zeal changed history  <W212>

• Phinehas (Pinchas), the grandson of Aaron, saw blatant sin and idolatry sweeping through Israel at Baal Peor

• This was a plague of lust and rebellion that had already claimed 24,000 lives

• In a single, daring act, he speared an Israelite leader and a Midianite woman caught in the act of fornication

• This was a holy intervention that deflected God’s wrath and ended the plague

• As a result, God granted Phinehas a 'covenant of peace' and a 'covenant of perpetual priesthood'

• Phinehas became a prototype of Messiah -- zealous, priestly, and intervening to save the people

Numbers 25:10-12 NIV

[10] The Lord said to Moses, [11] “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites. Since he was as zealous for my honor among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal. [12] Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him.

** Because Phinehas’ righteous act made things right before God, his is a foreshadow of the greater peace of the New Covenant (Jer 31:33)

• Jesus fulfilled all of the covenants through His blood, who left us, not with the world’s peace, but with his very own gift of “shalom” (John 14:27)

• God has made peace with mankind through the sacrifice of Jesus  <W212>

Numbers 25:10-12 NIV

[10] The Lord said to Moses, [11] “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites. Since he was as zealous for my honor among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal. [12] Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him.

Jeremiah 31:33 NIV

[33] “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

John 14:27 NIV

[27] Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.