Numbers 31:1-24

God said in Deuteronomy 32:35:

“It is mine to avenge; I will repay."

God doesn't want us to take revenge on our enemies. He reserves that action for Himself. But in Numbers 31 the LORD told Israel to take vengeance on Midian. They were to punish them because their women seduced the men of Israel, causing 24,000 of them to perish (Numbers 25:9). God was using Israel as His instrument of justice, and that is considerably different than taking personal revenge.

The Israelites succeeded in their campaign against Midian. They also killed Balaam who had given evil advice to King Balak, leading to sexual immorality and the worship of Baal of Peor. This tells us that people will give an account for their words. Remember what Jesus said:

“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36)

The men returned with the spoils of war, but when Moses saw that they had spared the Midianite women, he was angry. These were the women who had caused so many of the Israelites to sin! Isn’t this a picture of man’s tendency to hold on to the old life? Moses allowed them to spare the Midianite virgins, but wasn’t this a compromise? Wouldn’t their pagan practices be a snare?

God wants us to make a clean break with the old life of sin. He tells us to come out and be separate, touching no unclean thing (2 Corinthians 6:17-18). This may not be easy, but it will keep us from much trouble later on. And it is the only way to experience the deeper life in Christ.