This week’s Parashat we read how Moab seduced Israel to follow their gods. We read about Phinehas and his zeal for the Lord. His zeal saved the People after 24,000 died. After the Word of the Lord was given for the elders to kill all who were lead astray. A man blatantly brings a Moabite woman into his tent to sin against God. Phinehas takes a spear and runs the man and women through killing them both. God was pleased with Phinehas actions. God openly rewarded him and his descendants with the Priesthood.
Our reading from the prophets tells us that Elijah causes the land to have a drought. Now 3 and half years later God tells Elijah it is time for the rain to come. Now when we read this we see God never told Elijah to stop the rain. It was Elijah’s zeal that God honored.
We read in 1 Kings about Elijah’s showdown at Mount Carmel. We read how Elijah challenged the people to chose who they will serve. Elijah let the Prophets of Baal and Asterah, 850 Prophets, go first. They worshiped their gods by dancing, yelling, and cutting themselves. They did this all day with no results. Finally at the end of the day when it was time for the evening sacrifice Elijah says it is his turn. He prepared the alter and the bull. He set up 12 stones to represent the 12 tribes. He then tells the people to take 4 large jars full of water and pure it out over the sacrifice. He told them to do this 3 times totaling 12 jars of water again representing the 12 tribes. God shows up and fire falls from Heaven. The fire burns the offering and dries up all of the water. Elijah then has all of the false prophets killed.
Now Elijah goes to pray for the rain. He sends his servant out 7 times to see if any rain clouds appeared in the sky. After 7 times the servant said he sees a cloud the size of a man’s hand. The rain then came. Word made its way to Jezebel about all that had been done. She threatens Elijah’s life and he runs away in fear. Elijah then ask God to kill him. This mighty man who just cleansed Israel of all of the false prophets now is ready to die. God has an Angel come to Elijah and feed him bread and water. The Angel makes Elijah eat twice. God then had Elijah make a 40 day journey to the Mountain of God. Here God gives Elijah his orders and tells him to train Elisha his successor. Notice how Phinehas acted when the act of perversion was happening. He acted in the heat of the moment. Elijah acted on his own when he stopped the rain. No current event just happened when he stopped the rain. God never told him to stop the rain. God honored him though, because he was His Prophet. He was in God’s permissive will not His Perfect will.
What are you doing today? We are living in similar times with spiritual perversion like Phinehas and Elijah lived through. We have a choice, who are we going to serve? What are we going to stand for? Will we bow down to today’s false prophets? Will we stand up to our modern day Moabites who are trying to lead us astray? It is time to stand up let your voice be heard. It is time to be angry and sin not. Set the standard for those who are coming behind us. What will you do?
