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Category: Pinchas

The Last Remaining Faithful

Bamidbar (Numbers) 25:10–30:1 | Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 1:1–2:3

This haftarah is another story taken from the lively series of episodes in the life and ministry of the famous prophet Elijah. Geographically, the story begins in the Galilee with Elijah fleeing for his life from Jezebel. Then, the bulk of the haftarah takes place in the Negev around Beersheva and even as far south as Mt. Horeb in the Sinai. Here Elijah more or less bemoans his life situation, thinking he is the only one left who is faithful to the Lord. In this state, an angel who virtually ignores his emotional strain prepares him for the next assignment from the Holy One and ministers to him. Finally, the haftarah concludes with Elijah returning to the Galilee after taking a short jaunt to anoint a king in Damascus. Upon his return to the Galilee, God instructs him to choose his successor, Elisha.

Parashat Pinchas, found in Numbers 25:10–30:1, begins with the story of how God commended Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron, for slaying an Israelite man for engaging in idolatrous fertility rites with a Moabite woman. Pinchas was exonerated for this killing because he was trying to safeguard the holiness of God and the holiness of God’s people. In like manner, Elijah the prophet courageously slew the Israelite prophets of Baal. The haftarah recounts how he had to flee from the wrath of Jezebel who wanted to kill him for his zealous act. In some well known (and chronologically confused) midrashim, Elijah is said to actually be Pinchas. This legend may have had an influence on the choice this particular reading.

Back to Mount Sinai

Why did Elijah go to Sinai? Because he believed he was the only one still keeping the covenant originally given there. His retreat to Sinai was his way of saying, “I give up. The covenant is over. No one keeps the Torah You gave here.”

Upon his arrival, God asked Elijah a penetrating question, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (I Kings 19:9) Elijah’s answers, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (I Kings 19:10)

The Lord corrected Elijah saying, “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (I Kings 19:18)

The Lord told Elijah to stand on the mountain before the Lord. After he did so, the following event took place:

And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; [but] the Lord [was] not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, [but] the Lord [was] not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, [but] the Lord [was] not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. (I Kings 19:11–12)

The Covenant

Perhaps the Holy One was teaching Elijah a lesson on covenants. We are told in verse 19:9 that God brought him to a cave. However, the Hebrew text inserts a definite article before the word translated “cave,” (hama’arah). This means Elijah went to a very specific cave. The cave may well have been the specific “cleft of the rock” where God appeared to Moses.

In addition, it seems that the supernatural displays of God’s power in verse eleven (the great and strong wind, the earthquake, and the fire) were intended to remind Elijah of the phenomena that occurred on Mount Sinai when Moshe received the Torah. Furthermore, as these things were happening on the mountain, the Lord passed by Elijah, just as He did for Moses. Finally, this was a place where the Lord came to both of those mighty prophets and spoke to them. Mount Sinai was a place where God spoke to His people amidst fabulous displays of His glory and power.

By bringing him to the place of the covenant, God was, in so many words, expressing to Elijah that despite the widespread abuse and unfaithfulness to His covenant that existed in Israel during those days, God was nevertheless fully intent on keeping His part of the covenant. His covenant faithfulness was not always readily apparent. It would not always be expressed in grandiose displays of power. Sometimes God’s voice was the subtle and quiet Spirit, the quiet work that often goes unobserved and unnoticed. Elijah had failed to notice 7,000 that were steadfastly faithful to the Torah. He had to learn that, despite his frustration, he was not alone. God was working among people in ways he had not realized.

The message is the same for us. As we see how the Torah of God has been disparaged and the ways of the Master have been neglected, we are tempted to regard ourselves as the last remaining faithful. But we need to be calm and listen for the quiet ways in which God moves subtly among His people. We are not alone.

© 2009 First Fruits of Zion. All rights reserved. We encourage you to share this material with your friends for further personal study. However, This material may not be republished, in print, electronically, or any other form without our prior permission.

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