“And Israel stayed in Shittim, and the people began to commit prostitution with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.” (vv.1-3)
The women of Moab, coming among the men of Israel, seduced them to both sexual sin and idolatry (and bowed down to their gods). The two were commonly connected in perverse forms of idol worship in the ancient world. Israel's sin here did that which all Balaam's enchantments could not do; it set God against them.
Baal was the great Canaanite fertility god, and the worship of Baal was a constant enticement for the children of Israel. Baalam prophesied from the high places of Baal (Numbers 22:41), possibly from the same place mentioned in our text – Baal Peor.
Balak could never pay enough money to Balaam to make God curse Israel. In the previous chapter, Balaam tried to curse Israel and could not; but now, they are cursed because of their sin against the Lord. The anger of the Lord showed itself in a plague that began to strike down thousands among Israel and seemed as if it would continue until the whole nation was consumed.
What an enemy could never accomplish against Israel, Israel did to itself through disobedience. The same principle works among the people of God today. The mightiest attack of Satan against us can never do as much damage as our own sin and rebellion against the Lord.
Twenty and four thousand died in the plague for sinning against God (v.9), proving that Israel did not understand this basic command that, “Thou shall have no other God’s before Me.”
Today not much has changed, there are many that call themselves Christians and put other God’s (money, power, pleasure, etc) before Him. Open their eyes Lord before it is too late.
The Truth: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:24)
