Seder 122: Numbers 25---Phinehas as a Type of Messiah

 When some Israelites were guilty of sexual immorality and idolatry at Shittim, Phinehas the priest decisively intervened to stop the rebellion and the resulting plague.  

God declared that Phinehas "was jealous with my jealousy," embodying God's desire for an exclusive relationship with his people (Num 25:11).  He represented God well, in contrast to what Moses and Aaron had done at Meribah (Num 20:12).  

God reaffirmed with Phinehas the covenant he had made with the priesthood.  Not all of the high priests would be descendants of Phinehas, but priests from his line eventually would dominate the high priesthood.  Zadok, for example, was a high priest under Solomon (1 Chr 6:1-15; 49-53).  Ezra was a priest from this line (Ezra 7:1-5).  It is Zadokite priests who serve at the Temple in Ezekiel's vision (Ezek 44:15; 48:11).  

God calls his covenant with Phinehas a "covenant of peace" (Num 25:12).  Phinehas' zealous actions had brought peace between God and his people, making atonement for Israel's breach of the covenant (verse 13).  

Christians see Phinehas as a type of Jesus the Messiah.  The prophesied new covenant, under which Israel is ruled by the Messiah, is also called a covenant of peace (Ezek 34:23-25; 37:24-28), and Paul refers to Jesus as "our peace" (Eph 2:14).  While Phinehas the priest made atonement with a spear, Jesus was pierced to make atonement for us and serves now as the High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary (Heb 7:25). 

 In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on July 11, 2026, Kyle Kettering carried out a detailed comparison between Phinehas and Jesus, thinking in particular of Jesus' cleansing of the Temple in John 2:13-22.  

There are a number of parallels between the details of Numbers 25 and John 2.  In both cases 

• there is immorality in the sanctuary precincts.
• a public act of zeal is carried out.
• a weapon is used.
• the protagonist receives a priesthood.  
• the zealous action is criticized. 

The last point is not as obvious as the others.  We know that Jesus received criticism (Jn 2:18-22), but Phinehas is not criticized in the Bible.  However, a tradition recorded in Numbers Rabbah pictures Phinehas being attacked by Simeonites for his actions, with an angel intervening to protect Phinehas.  

There are also parallels in the outcomes of their zealous actions.  Both carried out atonement and acted self-sacrificially.  Their actions send the message that immorality associated with God's Name requires action.  The righteous must stand as lions before the wicked.  In this connection, Kyle quoted Proverbs 25:26:  "Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked."

Seder 74: Isaiah 32---The Spirit and the Messianic Age

 Isaiah 32 looks ahead to the messianic age, a time when "a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice" (verse 1).  During this reign the spiritual blindness and deafness that characterized the Judah of Isaiah's time will be reversed (compare verse 3 with 6:9-10).  The hearts of people will be transformed; they will desire to follow God and to teach others the right way (verse 4).  Other prophets---e.g., Jeremiah (31:33) and Ezekiel (36:26)---also spoke of this time.  

Too often in this age the foolish (Hebrew nabal), especially wealthy fools, are confused with the noble (Hebrew nadib).  But in the messianic age, the two will be clearly distinguished (verses 5-8).  

Another word that describes the Judah of Isaiah's time is insecurity.  A good harvest could bring temporary security, but the land was just one failed harvest away from hardship.  

The transformation and peace of the messianic age would result from an outpouring of the Spirit of God (verses 15-18).  The Spirit produces inner peace that can withstand trials and difficult circumstances (verses 19-20).  

Seder 158: Deuteronomy 29-30---Moses' Third Sermon

 Deuteronomy 29-30 presents Moses' third and final sermon in the book of Deuteronomy.  In it he alternates between addressing his immediate audience and looking far into the future.  

Many of those to whom Moses spoke had not themselves been in Egypt, but all had benefitted from the rescue of their parents and grandparents.  As part of the same covenant community, they had in some sense experienced the Exodus (verses 2-3), and they were renewing the covenant that had been made at Mount Sinai.  

Moses wanted them to understand the importance and purpose of the Exodus (v 4).  God had sustained the nation miraculously for 40 years.  Within the last few months they had defeated the Amorites and claimed some land on the east side of the Jordan, showing some measure of faith.  They would need to continue to walk in faith to succeed. (vv 5-9).    

All of the people were members of the covenant community (vv 10-13), as their descendants would be (vv 14-15).  It was important that all of them shun the detestable idolatry of the surrounding nations.  Commentator Daniel Block points out that in verse 17, the word for "idols" is gillulim, a word that literally means "round things" and refers to sheep feces.  (One proposed translation for the word is "shit gods.")  Despite Moses' disdain for these gods, he knew that the Israelites were attracted to them.  He warned them that each person's faithfulness mattered.  Unfaithfulness would lead to the covenant curses laid out in chapter 28.

Verse 26 raises questions with its reference to gods (elohim) whom God "had not allotted to them."  At Babel God had assigned elohim to supervise the various nations, with God concentrating on Israel (Deut 32:8-9).  It would not make sense for Israelites to forsake the King of the Universe for one or more of the lesser, created elohim.  

Verse 29 also raises questions:  "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."  A number of interpretations for the "secret things" have been proposed:

1. The "secret things" are hidden sins, as in Dt 27:15, 24 and Psalm 19:12-13.  With this interpretation verse 29 is a warning.
2. The "secret things" are an oral Torah.  The Qumran community saw the "secret things" as things previously hidden that had been revealed to them.
3. The "secret things" are wisdom, as in Job 28:20-21.
4. The "secret things" are the mystery of divine providence, by which God could renew the covenant with people so prone to apostasy.

Deuteronomy 30:1-10 is one of the most important passages in the Pentateuch, giving the good news beyond the bad news of a future apostasy and exile.  When in exile the Israelites turn toward God in repentance, then he will forgive them and restore them to the Promised Land.  The Hebrew phrase for "restore your fortunes" in verse 30 occurs 25 times in scripture, with this being the first one.  There is a lot of repetition in this passage, giving rise to interpretations that see Israel's restoration proceeding in several stages as their relationship with God grows closer.   

This passage follows up previous words of hope in Lev 26:40-45 and Dt 4:30-31.  With its reference to circumcision of the heart, it gives an early form of the promise of the new covenant (Jer 31:31-34; Eze 11:14-21; 36:22-32).