Phinehas Made an Atonement for Israel

Phinehas “hath turned My wrath away from the children of Israel,” was the divine message. “He was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.”EP 322.3

The judgments visited upon Israel destroyed the survivors of that vast company who, nearly forty years before, had incurred the sentence, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” During their encampment on the plains of Jordan, “of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai, ... there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.” Numbers 26:64, 65.EP 322.4

God had sent judgments upon Israel for yielding to the enticements of the Midianites, but the tempters were not to escape the wrath of divine justice. “Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites,” was the command of God to Moses; “afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.” One thousand men were chosen from each of the tribes and sent out under the leadership of Phinehas. “And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses... . And they slew ... five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.” Numbers 31:1-8.EP 322.5

Such was the end of them that devised mischief against God's people. When men “gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous,” the Lord “shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness.” Psalm 94:21, 23.EP 323.1