Solomon - The Women of Midian and Baal-Peor

One of the sad stories in the Bible is that of the Israelites at Shittim. Israel was just about to cross over the Jordan River and enter into the experience of taking control of Canaan at the command of Jesus – The Son of God. During this preparation time Israel was slowly infiltrated by the women of Midian at the counsel of Balaam the prophet. Numbers 31:16. Apparently Balaam counseled the women to make friends among the Israelites and then invite them to their worship services. Apparently these invitations seemed innocent enough but the end product was to have them come to their worship services and offer sacrifices to the dead. Psalm 106:28. This act would indicate a violation of the covenant relationship with God and would indicate a change of loyalty to God. In addition this choice would violate the law in the sense of consulting with the dead and would be declared necromancy. Deuteronomy 18:9-14

God had declared to Balaam that as long as there was no iniquity in Israel that no curse would have an effect upon Israel. Numbers 23:7-23. So Balaam concluded that if he could lead Israel to sin against God that he could finally curse Israel at the bequest of Balak – the king of Moab. Balaam initiated this plan which was in harmony with Satan’s historical plan of attack against God’s people – introduce attractive women and lead God’s people to leave their position of loyalty to God. This plan has been very effective over time and has conquored many men of God.

The first example of this is of course in Eden itself when Eve is used by Satan to tempt Adam to be dis-loyal to God. Then in Genesis 6:1-5 we see the Sons of God – men who had chosen God as their Lord and Saviour – turning to the daughters of men – those women who had not chosen God as their Lord and Saviour. To unite with unconverted women, or men, is a violation of the principles expressed in II Corinthians 6:14-18

"14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

This uniting between the men of God and the daughters of men created the atmosphere wickedness continually. When the people would not change after 120 years then God soon commanded Noah to preach the destruction of the then known world, and this was followed by the flood.

This activity was again on display in the marriage of Samson to the woman of the Philistines (Judges 14) and then eventually with Delilah the type of all wicked women. (Judges 16). Thus a mighty judge of Israel was brought down.
Perhaps one of the greatest testimonies of this danger was that of Solomon when he violated the Lord God’s commands not to multiply women unto himself for they would surely turn away his heart from God. Deuteronomy 17:17. This prophecy was fulfilled in Solomon’s 700 wives and 300 concubines. I Kings 11:3. And as the prophecy had stated his wives surely induced Solomon into blasphemous worship services, and eventually turned away his heart after God.
By the time of Christ this same principle was still in effect with Herod wanting his brother’s wife – Herodius, and her daughter Salome. These two women convinced Herod to kill one of the greatest prophets of history.

At this time Israel displayed one of the greatest spiritual apostasies in history by uniting to the Pagan Roman church and claimed Caesar to be their king and officially rejected God as their Lord and King. Not only that but they crucified Jesus under the banner that he was interfering with their relationship with Rome by claiming to be the king of the Jews.

In the Revelation God declares that there would be a great woman at the end of time. She would be covered with sanctuary garments at the end of time but would have no blue garments – a symbol of dedication to the law of God. Numbers 15:37-40. This woman/church would be a symbol of all of the errors that have been brought into the church through fornication – unlawful intimate contact with one whom you were not married to - with the men of the world. This unlawful relationship with the world created the daughters of Babylon who were the harlots of the world. She makes all of the world drunk with the wine of error of fornication that she provides in her golden cup.

The interactions with this woman, and her daughters, are simply the end product of the ages of deception that satan has provided for mankind. Constantly satan seeks to get us caught up with illicit contact with the world and that this contact erodes our relationship with God.
God would warn us that seemingly innocent contact with the worldly churches will erode our understanding with God. Slowly, but surely the world will move the church away from its contact with God and the world will incorporate tradition into the worship services until there is clear contact with the dead and the cycle will have completed again.
This message is to alert all people, and all churches that they must obey every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. We as individuals, and we as a church, can not afford to participate in the confusion of the churches for they speak much about Jesus but tend to ignore God’s laws. One of the tests for false prophecy is by comparing a message with the law and the testimony of Isaiah 8:20. Any church, or any individual, that minimizes the law of God, is not of God. God wants strict obedience by faith in His power and His wisdom. It is our privilege to learn the lessons that God has been trying to teach through the history of Israel and through His church in the wilderness. Revelation 13:1-17. We can learn the lesson of not getting involved with doubters and skeptics. God will teach us what to look for and grant us power to not become unequally yoked with non-believers. II Corinthians 6:14. As we obey God He will lead us to the still waters of full surrender to Him.

O that Solomon would have remained steadfast to God what wonderful lessons he could have taught us. But we have the testimony of the Word of God, so let us press forward fully aware of the love, care, and protection of the Lord our Saviour, let us be fully surrendered to God’s wonderful care.