Numbers 25:14-18: a reflection

14Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers’ house among the Simeonites. 15The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur. He was head of the people of a fathers’ house in Midian. 16The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 17“Harass the Midianites, and strike them; 18for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the incident regarding Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.”

After Israel had been seduced into idolatry and immorality at Peor, drawn into sin by the deceptive influence of the Midianites, God commands that the Midianites be dealt with, and names why: for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor. The Midianites had used deceptive influence, wiles, to draw Israel into the sin that brought a plague upon them. The danger had come not by open assault, but by seductive deception, drawing Israel away from God into sin.

Notice the nature of the danger: seductive deception that drew Israel into sin. The Midianites had not attacked Israel openly in battle; they had used wiles, deceptive and seductive influence, to draw Israel into idolatry and immorality, and so into sin against God. The deception was the danger; the seductive influence that drew them away from God was more harmful than any open assault. It was by being deceived, seduced, that Israel fell into the sin that brought disaster. The wiles that led them astray were the real threat.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too face seductive, deceptive influences that would draw us into sin. The dangers to our faithfulness often come not as open assaults, easily recognized and resisted, but as seductive deceptions, subtle influences that draw us gradually away from God into sin, as the Midianites' wiles drew Israel. Be on guard against the deceptive, seductive influences that would draw you away from God into sin; they are often more dangerous than open assaults, precisely because they deceive and seduce rather than openly attacking. Watch against the wiles that would lead you astray, the subtle, seductive influences that draw the heart from God into sin, rather than being deceived by them as Israel was deceived at Peor; guard yourself against the seductive deceptions that would draw you into sin, more wary of the subtle influence that seduces than of the open assault, for it was by such wiles that Israel was led into the sin that brought them harm.

Lord, after Israel had been seduced into idolatry and immorality at Peor, drawn into sin by the deceptive influence of the Midianites, you command that the Midianites be dealt with, and name why: for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor. The Midianites had used deceptive influence, wiles, to draw Israel into the sin that brought a plague upon them. The danger had come not by open assault, but by seductive deception. Show me the nature of the danger: seductive deception that drew Israel into sin. The Midianites had not attacked Israel openly; they had used wiles, seductive influence, to draw Israel into sin against you. The deception was the danger; the seductive influence that drew them away from you was more harmful than any open assault. It was by being deceived that Israel fell. Take that to my heart, for I too face seductive, deceptive influences that would draw me into sin. The dangers to my faithfulness often come not as open assaults, easily recognized, but as seductive deceptions, subtle influences that draw me gradually away from you into sin. Help me be on guard against the deceptive, seductive influences that would draw me away from you into sin; they are often more dangerous than open assaults. Help me watch against the wiles that would lead me astray, Lord, the subtle influences that draw the heart from you, rather than being deceived by them as Israel was deceived at Peor.