Introduction and Reading of Psalm 106:28-31

Weaver introduces the passage and notes that the message will span two Sundays, with the latter part focusing on Phinehas.

Alright, let's open our Bibles to Psalm 106. Psalm 106. And the message I start today, I will not finish until next Lord's Day. And let me tell you, in advance, I sure want you to hear next Lord's Day. Because I'm going to be dealing with the latter part of this passage, and we'll be dealing with Phinehas. And if you don't know who Phinehas was, you need to find out, because Phinehas is the priest who took a javelin and killed two people. But let's look in Psalm 106, and we're going to begin reading with verse 28. Psalm 106, verse 28.

They joined themselves also unto Baal Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions, and the plague brake in upon them. Then stood up Phinehas and executed judgment, so the plague was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations forevermore.

The Progression and Desensitization of Sin

Sin always leads to more intense sin, desensitizing individuals and nations, as seen in Israel's escalating idolatry and modern examples like abortion and sodomy.

Now, I'm not going to take the time today to review everything in Psalm 106 as I have in time past, but it should be duly noted and impressed upon your minds by this time that one sin always leads to another sin. And as sin progresses, it always becomes more intense and more wicked. For instance, if you look in verse 19, the Bible says they made a calf in Horeb and worshipped the molten image. Thus, they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. And those two verses I dealt with idolatry and insolence. Because here Israel made themselves a golden calf and they said, 'These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'

Now, certainly that is wicked, vile and wrong. However, as wicked and as vile and as wrong as the sin of verses 19 and 20 were, those sins were almost a Sunday school picnic as compared to the sins of verse 28 and 29 where they joined themselves unto Baal Peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Now, while verse 28 could also be classified as idolatry, it is more than idolatry. It is a sin of a darker hue and a deeper dye. The sins of verse 19 brought forth threats from God, and of course, the rebellion of the people brought about the deaths of 3,000 men by the hands of the Levites. However, the sins of verse 28 brought forth a plague directly from God Himself, in which 24,000 people died. Now, let me remind you that continued sin not only desensitizes individuals, but it also desensitizes nations.

For instance, you'll remember in January of 1973, when the Supreme Court ruled on Roe versus Wade, there was a huge gasp across the nation. And everybody understood that abortion was murder and abortion is wicked and ungodly. And there was a great deal of protest in the years following concerning abortion. And although there is some protest today, yet it is what? Very small and insignificant by comparison. Why? Because we as a nation have become desensitized and we just put up with it.

The same thing could be said with sodomy. The same thing could be said with Marxism and socialism. And so sin, then, desensitizes not only an individual, but a nation as well. So I want you to see how far Israel went in verse 28. Look, if you would please. The Bible says they joined themselves unto Baal Peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Now the historical background for this passage is Numbers, chapters 22 through 25, and I want you to turn back there, hold Psalm 106. We're not going to read all of those chapters very obviously, but I do want to read some out of each chapter just to give you the historical background and so that you can have a continuity of thought. So let's look in Numbers chapter 22. Overall, this is where Balak, the king of Moab, has summoned Balaam, the false prophet, and asked him to come and curse Israel.

Historical Background: Balaam and Balak (Numbers 22-24)

Weaver recounts how Balak hired Balaam to curse Israel, but God turned the curses into blessings because Israel was judicially clean through the sacrificial system.

Now, you know the story how the dumb ass spoke. In this instance, the donkey was smarter than the man. The donkey saw the angel of God, and of course, Balaam did not. But here it is, Numbers chapter 22, beginning with verse 1. 'And the children of Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was sore afraid of the people because they were many. And Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. He sent messengers, therefore, unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt.

Behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me. Come now, therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people, for they are too mighty for me. Peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and whom thou cursest is cursed.' And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand, and they came unto Balaam and spake unto him the words of Balak. Now, you know the story how God told Balaam not to go. But the children of Moab came back with greater rewards. He said, 'I'm going to check with God again.' God says, 'Don't go.' And anyhow, the third time they came back, he went.

Now, look in chapter 23, beginning there with verse 1. 'And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. And Balak did as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go, peradventure the Lord will come to meet me, and whatsoever he showeth me, I will tell thee. And he went to a high place, and God met Balaam, and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. And the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shalt thou speak. And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt offerings, he and all the princes of Moab. And he took up this parable, and said, Balak, the king of Moab, hath brought me from Aram out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me, Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

Look what he says. 'How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him, lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.' And Balak said to Balaam, 'What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse my enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.' And he answered and said, 'Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord has placed in my mouth?' Now, I'm not going to read verses 13 through 26, but that is the second time that Balak tried to get Balaam to curse Israel and God put a blessing in his mouth.

Now look in chapter 24, beginning with verse 2. Here's the third time. 'And he lifted up his eyes and he saw Israel abiding in his tents, according to their tribes and the Spirit of God came upon him and he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, the man whose eyes are open hath said, he hath said, who heard the words of God, who saw the vision of the Almighty falling into a trance, but his eyes were open. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleys are they spread forth as gardens by the riverside, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, as the cedar trees beside the water. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

Now, skip down, if you would please, to verse 10. He's blessing Israel again. 'And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together, and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee thou to thy place. I thought to promote thee unto great honor, but lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor.' And Balaam said unto Balak, 'Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or bad of my own mind, but what the Lord said that will I speak?' I not also my messengers who now sent us to me saying if they like would give me his house full of silver and gold. I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or bad of my own mind, but what the Lord said that will also speak.

Now if you look very quickly at Numbers chapter 25, we're going to come to this passage not only a little while today, but next Sunday as well. 'And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods, and the people did eat and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor, and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.' Now, in order to comprehend the magnitude of Israel's sin, we must know who Baal Peor was. The Bible says, not only in Numbers 25, but in Psalm 106, that the children of Israel joined themselves unto Baal Peor and they ate the sacrifices of the dead. Now the word Baal just simply means Lord or Master. The forms under which Baal was worshipped were necessarily as numerous as the communities who worshipped him. Each locality had its own divine Baal or divine Lord who frequently took the place of the city or the mountain or the town to which he belonged.

The Identity of Baal Peor

Baal Peor was Chemosh, the god of the Moabites, worshipped on Mount Peor. Every biblical mention of Baal Peor refers back to the incident in Numbers 25.

There are numerous Baals in the Bible. For instance, there was Baal-azor or Baal of Tyre. There was Baal-hermon or Baal of Hermon. There was Baal-lebanon. There was Baal-peor or Baal of Peor. And other times there were proper names, for instance there was Baal-merodach, the Lord Merodach, or Baal-meon of Tyre. Baal-gad, which was just north of Palestine. There was Baal-zebub, which you find in 2 Kings 1, which means Lord of the Filth or Lord of the Flies. There was Baal-hammon, which meant Baal of the Heat or Baal of the Sun Pillar. Now, the word Baal, as I pointed out, just simply means Lord. It was the name ascribed to numerous local gods. Baal-peor was simply Baal of Mount Peor. For instance, look back in your Bibles to Numbers chapter 23. Numbers 23 and let's begin reading there with verse 28. Look carefully, Numbers 23 verse 28: 'And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.' So they were on the top of Mount Peor. So Baal Peor

then just simply refers to the Baal of Mount Peor. Now who in the world was Baal of Peor? Now, the Baal of the Ammonites was Molech. The Baal of the Moabites, which we're reading about here, was Chemosh. In fact, in the Bible, the Moabites are oftentimes called the people of Chemosh. Go back in your Bibles to the book of Numbers, chapter 21, and look at verse 29. Numbers 21, verse 29. Look what is said. 'Woe to thee, Moab.' So we're talking about the people of Moab. 'Woe to thee, Moab. Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh.' Now Chemosh was the false god. He was the false Baal of Moab. Look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 48. Jeremiah 48 and verse 46, 'Woe be unto thee, O Moab, the people of Chemosh perisheth, for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives.' But once again, the Moabites are referred to as the people of Chemosh. And if you would turn back to 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 11.

Unhappily, it was King Solomon who introduced the worship of Chemosh into the land of Israel. 1 Kings 11. And notice, if you would please, verse 7. 'Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.' So the Baal of Mount Peor was nothing more than Chemosh. He was the god of Chemosh, or the God of the Moabites.

Now, let me just show you something about Baal Peor, and I want you to look with me very quickly at four passages. I want you to understand that every time you see the words Baal Peor in the Bible, it refers to this single incident that is reported in Numbers chapter 25. For instance, go, if you would, back to Numbers 25 to begin with. Numbers 25. Look in verse 3 and then verse 5. Look at verse 3 and verse 5. We'll look at these verses a little bit later, so be sure to hold them. 'And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor, and the anger of the Lord was kindled against him.' Now, verse 5. 'And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, slay ye every one of his men that were joined unto Baal Peor.' Now, the second passage is Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 3, Deuteronomy 4. Look at verse 3. 'Your eyes have seen that which the Lord did because of Baal Peor. For all the men that followed Baal Peor, the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among you.'

Note he calls it Baal Peor. Then the next passage, which we don't have to read, we've already read Psalm 106 verse 28. The Bible says they joined themselves unto Baal Peor and the next passage is Hosea chapter 9 and verse 10. I do want you to turn there because I want you to hold this passage. We're going to come back to this passage a little bit later. Hosea 9 verse 10. Look what God says. Hosea 9 verse 10. God says, 'I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness.

I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at her first time, but they went to Baal Peor. And separated themselves unto that shame. And their abominations were according as they loved.' So every time you read Baal Peor in the Bible, it refers back to the incident of Numbers 25. Now listen to me, Numbers 25 is the first time that Israel worshipped foreign gods. Now, it's not the first time she committed idolatry, but it's the first time she worshipped foreign gods, and certainly it would not be the last time.

The Meaning of 'Joined' and 'Separated'

The Hebrew words for 'joined' (samad) and 'separated' (nazar) indicate a covenant or vow. Israel entered into a binding agreement with Chemosh, akin to a Nazarite vow but unto shame.

Now, I want to call your attention to Psalm 106, verse 28, and then I want you to turn back to Numbers chapter 25. Look in Psalm 106, verse 28. The Bible says, '...they joined themselves unto Baal Peor.' Look at the word, joined. Then if you'll go back in your Bibles to Numbers 25, verse 3, '...and Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor.' Verse 5. 'And Moses said unto the judges of Israel slay ye every one of his men that were joined unto Baal Peor.' Now the word joined is very significant. The Hebrew word is the word Samad, which literally means to bind together or to join. This same word is used in 2 Samuel chapter 20 in verse 8 to the fastening of a sheath that contained a sword around someone's waist or loins. Now, I want you to turn to two passages. We've already read them, but look back to Deuteronomy 4 and Hosea chapter 9. Let's go to Deuteronomy chapter 4 first. And look at verse 3 again. Now the Bible says that Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor.

In Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 3. 'But your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal Peor. For all the men that followed Baal Peor, the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among you.' Now here is the word followed. It's a very easy word, it's a light word, and you and I, when we understand it, it just simply means to go on the way of it. They followed the way of Baal Peor. Now, I want you to go in your Bibles to Hosea chapter 9, because when the Bible says that Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor, what in the world does that mean? Let me go ahead and whet your appetite, your curiosity with this question. Is it possible for Christians today to join themselves unto Baal Peor? What would be classified as joining yourselves unto Baal Peor? Well, look in Hosea 9 in verse 10 again. God says, 'I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at her first time, but they went to Baal Peor. And separated themselves unto that shame.

And their abominations were according as they loved.' Now, verse 10 here does not say that they merely followed. Here the Bible says they separated themselves unto that shame. Now listen to me. I'm going to show you something in just a moment. When the Bible said that Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor, even the very word joined indicates an agreement, a covenant, an oath. I joined myself to my wife. We understand there was a covenant and an oath involved, using the word joined. But when you come to Hosea 9 verse 10, it is not just simply indicated, it is outright stated. Because the Bible says, in verse 10, that they separated themselves unto that shame. Now, I'm going to tell you the Hebrew word for separate.

And then I want you to turn back in your Bibles to Numbers chapter 6. And let's see if we can figure out what really happened. The Hebrew word for separated is Nazar. Now let's go back to Numbers chapter 6 and see if we can find out what is involved in Nazar. I hope some of you will put this together. Numbers chapter 6 and let's begin with verse 1. 'And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of the vow of his separation, there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.

All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall come at no dead body.' Now, the word separated and separateth in verses one through six of Numbers chapter 6 is exactly the same Hebrew word as in Hosea 9 verse 10. So what does the word separated mean then in Numbers chapter 6? Someone tell me. Janet, go ahead and say it. You said it earlier. When they talk about a Nazarite vow, they vow to separate themselves. That's exactly right. Nazar is where we get the word Nazarite from. What did the Nazarite do? He vowed a vow to God. He entered into an agreement with God. He said, 'God, here is what I'm going to do. I'm separating myself unto you.' So the Bible says in Hosea 9 and verse 10, they separated themselves unto that shame. That is, they entered into a covenant. They entered into an oath. They entered into a vow with Chemosh of Baal Peor.

Initiation into Mystery Religion

The Septuagint's use of teleo and Hosea 9:10 show Israel was initiated into a mystery religion, forsaking God's covenant for secret knowledge and ritual prostitution.

Now, does anybody in here remember, and you should because I've told you numerous times, what LXX means when you see it in a theological book or in some type of commentary or encyclopedia? LXX. It's the Roman numerals for 70. What does it mean? What does it refer to? Huh? No? No? Anybody remember? Tony? Let's say it again. The Septuagint. What in the world is the Septuagint? It was translated by 70 scholars in Alexandria, Egypt. The Septuagint, by the way, is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. Christ quoted from the Septuagint. The apostles used the Septuagint. They quoted from it as well. So, the Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. And the interesting thing is this, since we're talking about joining oneself unto, being separated unto that shame, Herodotus, who was an early Greek historian, said that the word teleo, which is used in join in Psalm 106 verse 28. That's the Greek word. If you go to the Septuagint, Herodotus, the early Greek historian, used the word and said it meant this.

To initiate into the mysteries. To initiate into the mysteries. What in the world was happening when Israel joined, covenanted, vowed at Baal Peor? They were being initiated into a mystery religion. Now listen to me. In Baal Peor, what Israel was actually doing was this. They were forsaking the One True and the Living God and His Word to be initiated into the mystery religion of the Moabites. You say, 'Brother Weaver, how in the world did Israel get hooked or seduced into doing something so absolutely stupid. How did they get involved in a mystery religion?'

How did they fall into that trap? Well, look back in your Bibles to Numbers chapter 24 and verse 10. Remember now that every time Balaam was to curse Israel, God turned the curse into a blessing. God refused to allow Balaam to curse Israel. And in Numbers 24 and verse 10, 'Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together, and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.'

Now the question you've got to ask yourself is this. Why would God not allow Balaam to curse Israel? As you and I can tell just from a study of Psalm 106, they had a sufficient number of sins. Their rebellion was pretty well known. But why would God not allow Balaam to curse Israel? He did not refuse to allow Balaam to curse Israel because Balak, the king of Moab, was wicked and his people were more wicked. He did not refuse to allow Balaam to curse Israel because Balaam was simply a false prophet, although Balaam was that. Why would God not allow Balaam to curse Israel? Well, look if you would please, in Numbers chapter 23 in verse 21 and look at what Balaam says, this is amazing. In Numbers chapter 23 in verse 21. In fact, let's begin reading with verse 20. Balaam says, 'Behold, I have received commandment to bless and he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.'

Balaam's Doctrine and the Seduction of Israel

Unable to curse Israel directly, Balaam taught Balak to seduce Israel into sin through idolatry and fornication, a strategy still warned against in Revelation 2:14.

And then he makes his statement. 'He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob. Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.'

Now look at the first part of verse 21. 'He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob. Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel.' You'd have to ask yourself this question. Did God go blind temporarily? How could He say that God hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel? Certainly the individuals were sinful. The nation was sinful. Psalm 106 is full of the sins of Israel. How can it be said that God hath not seen iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel? How could that be true? While it could not be true individually, while it could not be true familially, while it could not be true nationally, it was true judicially.

What do I mean by that? Up until this point, all of the sacrifices that God had commanded were being fulfilled. God saw Israel as judicially clean, but not necessarily personally clean. It's just like you and I today. Let me ask you a question. Are you saved by the grace of God through faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ? The answer is yes. Here's my next question. Do you still sin? The answer is yes. While you are personally a sinner, you are still judicially clean because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

You follow what I'm saying? So what God had done was this. God had provided the sacrificial system, the system of cleansing, and the other boundaries, and the other areas of separation for Israel. And up until this time, Israel had stayed in those boundaries, but now, every time that Balaam tried to curse, God turned it into a blessing and said, 'You can't curse whom I have blessed. And I'm not seeing their sin because they are judicially clean.' These sacrifices are being offered. Balaam could not get Balak to curse Israel. But Balaam was a false prophet. And Balaam liked money. I want you to turn in your Bibles, first of all, to 2 Peter 2, verse 15. Let me show you some things about Balaam. 2 Peter 2, verse 15. And here God is talking about false prophets in general, and then he mentions Balaam particularly. 2 Peter 2 verse 15, he says, 'who have forsaken the right way and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.' Now, Balaam was a false prophet. He was a prophet for hire. Look in your Bible to the book of Jude, verse 11, right before the book of Revelation, the book of Jude, verse 11. Once again, here's a condemnation of the false prophets. God says, Jude, verse 11, 'Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward.

and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.' So once again, Balaam is singled out as a man who wanted reward. Now, Balak had offered Balaam all kinds of rewards to curse Israel. But guess what? God wouldn't let him curse. Now, do you think Balak was going to pay him money to come over and bless his enemies? No. Uh-uh. Balaam still wanted the money. And Balaam was smart enough to know this. Although God will not allow me to curse Israel, I know how to get God Himself to curse Israel. All we have to do, Balaam tells Balak, is to draw Israel away from covenantal obedience to God and get him into an alien covenant and an alien law system.

You say, 'Brother Weaver, did that really happen?' Oh, yes. Let me show you. Two passages. Look in Micah 6 and verse 5. Micah, minor prophet. Micah 6, verse 5. Right after the book of Jonah, you have Micah. Right before the book of Nahum. Look in Micah 6 and verse 5. You got it? Micah 6 and verse 5. God says, 'O my people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab, consulted, and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord.' Now, God says, you better remember what Balak consulted and what Balaam answered. And if you'll turn in your Bibles to the book of Revelation, chapter 2, and look at verse 14 and what God says. Revelation 2, verse 14. Watch carefully now. Revelation 2, verse 14, God says to the church, 'But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam.' Whoa! The doctrine of Balaam is still in existence? Well, Balaam was back in the Old Testament.

Yeah, here we are in the book of Revelation, the letters to the churches and Jesus Christ is saying, 'But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication.' Balaam, the false prophet, taught Balak, the wicked king, how to get Israel to sin so that God would curse Israel. Hmm. Well, how in the world could Balaam and Balak do that? The answer is by promising to the children of Israel knowledge, experience, satisfactions, rewards, fulfillment, and you can be a part of the inner circle. You can be initiated into this mystery religion. You can know what no one else knows. You can know what only a few chosen ones know. Moreover, if you'll look in Numbers chapter 25 and verse 1, you couple that with the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The Bible says in Numbers 25 and verse 1, 'And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.' So just think, here's a religion now where power, control, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life now reigns supreme. And you get initiated into this mystery religion through ritual prostitution. Wow. What is more appealing to flesh than to consider that you're one of the chosen ones? That you can have secret knowledge and secret power and all of your lusts satisfied and opened up.

Eating the Sacrifices of the Dead

Israel ate sacrifices to dead, worthless idols (Psalm 115), leaving the living God for a covenant with demonic powers (1 Corinthians 10:20).

Well, I want you to understand something. Listen carefully. What Baal Peor was to Israel in Numbers 25, the mystery religions are to Christians today. All mystery religions promise the same things. The inner circle, the chosen few, power, elite group, satisfaction, fulfillment of lust. I don't care. You can look at it from masonry to the occult. From the Illuminati to the New World Order, from Gnosticism to New Ageism, it is all the same. With one thing in common, in order to be a part of them, you must enter into a covenant. You must take an oath. You must take a vow. And what most people don't realize is that in doing so, they're disowning the one true and the living God and His truth. It is absolutely impossible to be a Christian and be obedient to the Word of God and be a member of a mystery religion. Because inevitably, invariably, you must turn your back upon God and upon the truth, and enter into a new covenant and a new agreement. As Solomon of old said, there's nothing new under the sun.

It's all the same. Now, what does it mean when it says that Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead? When you and I think of that, Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead. What does that mean? Were they celebrating dead people? Were they worshiping their ancestors? No. No. If you will turn in your Bibles to Psalm 115, I'll show you what it means. Psalm 115. Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor, got initiated in the mystery religion and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Here it is. Psalm 115, beginning there with verse 4. In fact, let's read verse 3. Verse 3 is one of my favorite verses, teaches the absolute sovereignty of the one true and the living God. The psalmist says, 'But our God is in the heavens.

He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.' Now there's a big distinction between our God and the gods of the heathens. Now, verse 4, 'Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not. Eyes have they, but they see not. They have ears, but they hear not. Noses have they, but they smell not. They have hands, but they handle not. Feet have they, but they walk not. Neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them, so is every one that trusteth in them.' They're dead. They're dumb. They're worthless.

And so what Israel was doing was this. They had left the one true and the living God and His covenant and entered into a covenant in a false mystery religion and now are eating sacrifices to a dead God who is worthless. Helpless and hopeless. Couldn't speak, couldn't hear.

Now let me show you one other thing in Psalm 106 before we make some applications. Look in verse 29. I'm going to pick up here, Lord willing, next Lord's Day, but look in verse 29. After he says they joined themselves unto Baal Peor and ate the sacrifice of the dead, 'Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions.' And that's an unusual word, with their inventions. Do you know what the Bible says in Ecclesiastes chapter 7 and verse 29? And that's a good verse to memorize. There the wise man says this, 'Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright.' In other words, he created him with original holiness, righteousness and knowledge. 'God made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions.' The word inventions does not have reference to mechanical progress.

Applications: Beware of Departing from God's Word

Any teaching or group that draws believers away from Scripture seeks to separate them unto a false god. Christians are separated unto the gospel (Romans 1:1) and cannot partake of both God's table and demons' table.

Now, let me make just three applications this morning. The first one is this. It is a trick and a seduction of the enemy to draw us away from the Word of God, which is the covenant of faith. Anything or anyone who seeks to draw us away from the Word of God is seeking to separate us into a false God and an apostate religion. Let me show you two passages. I want you to turn in your Bibles, first of all, to Romans 1 and verse 1. Book of Romans, chapter 1 and verse 1. And then we're going to 1st Corinthians chapter 10. So find both passages. Romans 1 and then 1st Corinthians chapter 10. Look at Romans 1 and verse 1. Look what the Apostle Paul says. 'Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.' Do you realize when you entered into a covenant of faith with the one true and the living God through Jesus Christ and his propitiatory sacrifice, you became separated unto God. You're His.

You belong to Him. Body, soul, spirit, mind, emotions, matter, blood, cells, whatever, you belong to Him. How in the world is it possible to be separated unto the one true living God and a false God at the same time? It is impossible. So in order to be separated unto a false God, you must leave the One True and the Living God. And how do you leave Him? By leaving His Word. By leaving His Law.

By ceasing to obey Him. Now, I want you to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Let me show you what the Apostle Paul says. It is true that idols are dead. But that does not mean that there is not a power behind that idol. A lot of false religions have power. Where do they get it? Here it is. 1 Corinthians 10, verse 20. The apostle writes, 'But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, that is the unsaved there, they sacrifice to devils and not to God. And I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and the table of devils.' What's he saying? The same thing. You're either going to worship one true and living God, or you're going to end up worshiping a dead God, which is backed by demonic powers.

So the very first application of this, beware of anyone, anything, any religion, any group that seeks to pull us away from the Word of God. Or that have their books in addition to the Word of God.

Applications: Blessing in Obedience, Cursing in Disobedience

Faithfulness to God's Word brings blessing; disobedience and unfaithfulness bring cursing. The greatest ability is dependability.

The place of blessing is the place of obedience and faithfulness. If you want to be blessed by God, you be obedient and you be faithful. Let me tell you something, folks. If I could drill this in to you today with an electric drill, I'd do it. But you know the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 4, 'Moreover, it is required of a steward that a man be found faithful.' Do you realize the greatest ability is dependability? And if you and I could learn to be faithful, consistent in tithing, in studying, in prayer, in attendance, in worship. If we could learn to be faithful in our lives to the Word of God, we would experience blessings like you would not imagine. I want to tell you something, folks. The place of blessing is the place of obedience and faithfulness. The place of cursing is disobedience and unfaithfulness. If you want to be cursed, just be disobedient. Just be unfaithful and turn from that which you know is true.

Applications: Reject Forbidden Knowledge

Mystery religions promise knowledge and power beyond Scripture, but God condemns divination and occult practices (Deuteronomy 18). The secret things belong to God; we are to obey what is revealed in Christ.

The third one is this. It is ever the place of a mystery religion to try to promise you knowledge and power and control over and above and beyond the Word of God. Let me tell you something, folks. I don't give a second's worth of time to someone telling me, 'Well, by this time next year, Jacksonville, Florida is going to be underwater three feet deep.' Will it make? But I got news for you. If it is, it's not because someone had a special revelation and someone who happened to be accurate in their judgment. No, no, no. If it is, it's that way because of their sin and the sovereign God of the universe has judged them and cursed them for their sin.

You see what I'm saying? Don't come to me saying, 'Well, now, wait a minute. Now, if you come over here, I can give you some special knowledge.' That's what witches and warlocks are all about. That's what fortune tellers are all about. That's what the occult is. It's an attempt to know things apart from God and His divine revelation. And it's all condemned in Scripture. Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 18. Deuteronomy 18. One of these days I'm going to come back and just preach on this. I've mentioned it in time past, but look at what he says. Deuteronomy 18, verse 9. 'When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.' God says, stay away from the heathen and their practices.

'There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer,' that's someone who talks to the dead. 'For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord. And because of these abominations, the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.' Now look what he says. Watch this carefully. After he condemns all of these erroneous ways of knowledge, why do people talk to the dead? They're trying to get knowledge. Why do they go to a wizard or fortune teller or witch? They're trying to get knowledge or power or control. So he says in verse 13, 'Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.' Now watch, 'For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times and diviners. But as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.' Now watch. 'The Lord thy God,' here's what Moses says, 'The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me, unto him ye shall hearken.' That's Jesus Christ. 'According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.'

'And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth. And he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.' God said, 'I'm going to give you my prophet. And my prophet is going to speak to you. And if you don't listen to him, I'll require it of you.' And the prophet is none other than Jesus Christ himself. Now here Jesus Christ stands in stark contrast.

To all the mystery religions. I want you to look in Deuteronomy 29 and verse 29 since you're there. Deuteronomy 29 verse 29. Deuteronomy 29 verse 29. Here's what it all boils down to, folks. Listen to me. Deuteronomy 29 verse 29. 'The secret things belong unto the Lord our God. But those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.' All I need to know and all you need to know is in the Word of God. And if it's not in the Word of God, if it's not revealed, then it is forbidden knowledge. It's the secret things that belong unto the Lord our God. And you better not pry into those things.

Your responsibility is to obey this book. It's kind of like my father, when he and my mother were walking hand in hand at a county fair many, many years ago, young, in love, recently married, as they walked by the fortune teller's booth, the fortune teller said, 'Come inside, and I'll tell you when you're going to get married.' My father said, 'If you knew anything at all, you'd know we already were,' and kept right on walking.

Conclusion and Prayer

Weaver urges contentment with God's revealed Word and a determination to be holy and faithful, praying for enablement.

I got news for you folks. Anything that's not in the Word of God, you don't need to know. And once you start trying to find out that which is over and above and beyond the Word of God, you're going to be getting into the mystery religions, which is the sin of Baal Peor. Let's pray. Father, help us today. Enable us, Lord, to determine we will be faithful unto Thee. We are separated unto Thee through Jesus Christ. We're separated unto Thy truth, Thy Word, Thy law. May we, Father, be content to master the Word that You've given us. In fact, Lord, there's more in this Bible than we will ever know and understand. And how can we reject truth and seek after error? Give us, Lord, a determination to be holy and to be faithful. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.