While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
Numbers 25:1-3 (ESV)
Moab’s attempt to have Balaam curse Israel had failed (Num. 22-24). So, at Balaam’s suggestion (Num. 31:15-16, Rev. 2:14), they tried another approach. Moab enlisted their women to do what the men could not.
The women went into the camp of Israel and enticed the Israelite men into sexual immorality and the worship of the gods of Moab. And so, Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And God’s anger burned against them, resulting in a plague that killed 24,000 of the Israelites. Yet another sad chapter in Israel’s history.
The expression “Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor” is an interesting one. To be yoked implies a close connection. It is generally used with two animals that are tied together with a beam across their necks to pull a plow.
The Danger of Being Unequally Yoked
In 2 Corinthians 6:14, Paul used similar terminology, instructing us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. We often understand Paul’s admonition in relation to marriage or other individual partnerships we might enter into. And that application is valid. But what about the church at a corporate level?
There are many opportunities for us to profitably cooperate with secular organizations, such as providing for disaster relief or caring for the homeless and hungry. But we need to guard against finding ourselves yoked to them in a way that would compromise our faith and witness to the world. We also need to guard against yoking ourselves to those whose goals are at odds with the mission of the church. The advantages of that would be fleeting and harmful to us in the end.
How much better to put our trust in God alone. We are his, and he is better able to care for us than any other person or organization.
