Numbers 31:17

Moses' anger flared at once, and he rebuked them sharply for sparing the women. He reminded them that it was the women of Midian who had seduced the men of Israel, following Balaam's advice (vs.14-16). Phinehas should have seen what this meant, for he had already killed the woman of Midian, and the man of Israel with her, for their corrupt relationship.

Moses commanded them to kill the young boys and all the women who had been intimate with a man. The other girls could stay alive and be brought into Israel (vs.17-18). Only in this way could Israel guard against contamination. How different is the truth of Christianity, which deals in grace to lead the ungodly to judge themselves and be saved!

But the evil had to be judged thoroughly. "Every male" had to be put to death — everyone in whom the energy of the evil was at work had to be completely wiped out.

This war was, we might say, out of the ordinary. By rights, the people should never have had to fight it at all. It was not one of the wars of Canaan. It was simply the result of their own unfaithfulness — the fruit of their own unholy dealings with the nations outside Israel. So although Joshua, the son of Nun, had been appointed to succeed Moses as leader of the congregation, we find no mention of him at all in this war. Instead, the command of the expedition goes to Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, and he sets out "with the holy instruments and the trumpets."

When Jehovah spoke, He told His servant to avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites; but when Moses spoke, he told them to avenge the LORD on Midian. How exactly Jehovah secures His own glory, and in grace to His people! Jehovah thought of the children of Israel, and the children of Israel would think of Jehovah. It was one common interest — Jehovah and Israel had at heart one and the same thing.

The women of Midian had trapped the people by their schemes, under the evil influence of Balaam the son of Peor. Now the people are called to clear themselves completely of all the defilement they had picked up by failing to keep watch. The sword must fall on the Midianites. All the spoil must pass either through the fire of judgement or through the water of purification. Not the smallest scrap of the evil thing may go unjudged.

Midian had been the means of corrupting Israel and leading them into idolatry, so that twenty-five thousand Israelites fell in the plague God sent. And it came about through the unspeakable wickedness of Balaam. When he could not curse Israel, he advised Balak to lead them into sin, and then God could not bless them. God punished them for this, and destroyed them as a settled nation there… The question is not one of history, but of the whole ways and dealings of God in judgment.

It was righteous vengeance on earth. It was not wrath from heaven, and still less was it grace reigning through righteousness as in the gospel… The vengeance was not Israel's but God's, and He chose to make His people the ones who carried out His judgment.

Our proper business is to pass through the world as pilgrims and strangers… But we fail to keep this clear separation. We let ourselves be drawn into alliance with the world, and so we get caught up in trouble and conflict that never belonged to us at all. War with Midian formed no part of Israel's proper work. They had to thank themselves for it. But God is gracious… God, in His infinite goodness, brings good out of evil.