This Is An Excerpt From The Unpublished Book Wielding The Spear Of Phineas
In every generation, some are born to do great exploits. But, usually, they grow up quite ordinary and seem to blend in with all of the other kids. There isn’t really anything exceptional about them except that they are destined to do something extraordinary and exciting.
Most likely, they have a seemingly normal childhood to everyone around them. But there is a parent, mentor, or even someone they may apprentice, who takes notice of their uniqueness. We often call them a ‘diamond in the rough’ because they just seem to shine amidst the rough and mundane around them.
A child with a great destiny is often keenly aware that they are unique, which can be a problem. Life can be a great tutor to root out pride. But if you are born into a family that inherits its vocation, then you have no choice of what you will be doing for the rest of your life.
But you do have a choice of how you discharge that duty. You can do it with half-heartedness and do an average job and be known for just good enough quality, or you can perform your duties with passion, zeal, and whole-heartedness every day. It’s a choice you make early own.
You may pick up good habits if you have a good teacher as you are trained. Or, you may be a scoundrel. Take our main character Phinehas. There were others before and after him who failed miserably. He had two selfish uncles who didn’t understand the family business.
If this story were about the “Godfather,” the uncles would be like Sonny and Alfredo, and Phinehas would be like Michael. Instead, the grandson of Aaron was raised in the tabernacle around offerings and sacrifices just as the rest of the male family members. What was it that made him different?
Perhaps he had an excellent spirit, good character or he was just committed to seeing a job through to the end. He learned the right way to do things, and that was all he knew.
Greater still is the fact that Phinehas understood the needs of the family’s one client. After all, this client created and funded the business.
You must understand what is going on here. It is like a business, but the family business of Aaron the Levite was more than that. It was perhaps the first non-profit, at least from the worldly standpoint. The entire family of Aaron, his sons, grandsons, and future generations would be fed and clothed by the shareholders and investors.
These investors were no ordinary stockholders. Instead, they were direct descendants of formerly enslaved people who left an Egyptian desert loaded down with the goods and chattel to do all that was necessary to please the one client. After all, it was by His hand that they were set free so that they could serve Him and no other client.
I guess you could really call it a sole proprietorship since the only client already owned everything. Thus, we can only conclude that He set all of this up because He wanted to have a relationship with these people. Aaron and his family were what we would call ‘middlemen.’ The other people, the stockholders, and investors were the recipients of all of the clients’ affection.
Everyone is always wanting to cut out the middle man but in this business, which is actually a kingdom, it survives by the actions of these middlemen. (Or middlewomen- the term middleman in my usage refers to male and female-all of humanity that has entered the kingdom of God)
The owner of the company, which is really a kingdom, sent His Son to make it possible for all people, everywhere, to become part of the family business. The Son became the ultimate middleman. A middleman is a mediator, which is a good description of an intercessor.
So, we see how our hero, Phinehas, was born into a family that served the one client, the God, and creator of the universe, and how he was trained just like all of the other priests. He would have also been one that taught the investors and stockholders, the rest of the people, what God expected and how to relate to Him.
But there was still something rather unique and extraordinary about the man Phinehas, grandson of Aaron. There was something about how he loved his job, he loved His God, and he wanted all of the people to enjoy life and enjoy God.
But, things shifted dramatically from the ‘usual life’ to a radically different one resulting in a plague that was wiping out the people. Yes, the investors and shareholders were dying, but then they were the ones that precipitated these events. Of course, there was the head of a competitor, Balak from the Moabite for-profit company who used one who was supposed to represent the same client that Phinehas’ family served.
The details will be poured over later, but my goal here is to establish the necessity of middlemen, mediators, and intercessors in every area of life. Intercession is not limited to just praying for the sick, the sinners’ salvation, the nations, leaders, and our co-workers. It is not just prayer.
As we will learn intercession requires action. Prayer, standing in the gap, and crying out for others is in itself work. However, prayer alone is often not enough. Sometimes we have to ‘put feet on our prayers.’ If we sit and do nothing then the turmoil around us will only get worse.
This book is a call to action from passivity in prayer and watching from the sidelines, to a lifestyle of prayer, fasting, and being ready to jump in and take a stand at a moment’s notice like Phinehas.
Psalm 106:30
But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked. NIV
But Phinehas had the courage to intervene, and the plague was stopped. NLT
Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. KJV
Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, And so the plague was brought to a halt. NASB
Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed. ESV
Then Phinehas [the priest] stood up and interceded, And so the plague was halted. AMP
As you can see Phinehas’ actions were sudden, unplanned, swift and had lasting results. These acts were considered righteous acts for all generations to come. The Book of Revelation speaks about ‘the righteous acts of the saints’ as the fine linen of the bride of Christ. (Revelation 19:8) Some translations render saints as God’s holy people. Either way, Phinehas and the Old Testament saints are considered saints for all time.
The New Covenant has made it possible for all people to be called saints through the blood of Jesus. My point is that we need to need to understand what intercession is. We need to quit sitting idly by and get into the contest as Phinehas did. Many of us have been taking a stand for years, and so it is time to step it up. We also need to enlist others to come out and stand up for righteousness.
I will be discussing intercession as relates to more than just prayer. I will delve into righteousness and what righteous acts are as well as look at reasons why we take a stand. Often there is no one else willing to take a stand, or there just isn’t anyone. Sometimes we are comfortable and lose heart, so we need courage.
Finally, everything we do should be done and led by the Holy Spirit. He represents the heart of God in every situation. Without him we can’t possibly please God. He gives us faith to believe and act. We take a stand for the honor and glory of our Father, righteous judge, and the one who owns it all.
May the Lord bless you and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you, amen.
Sound It Plain With Joseph Floyd 