God’s Word Is Alive

Will You Listen to Counsel?

HAVE you ever received counsel, as you see the young man here receiving? Perhaps you were told that certain associations were bad, or that a particular course of action could lead to trouble and could even make you displeasing to God. Did you listen? Something that happened to God’s people of ancient times shows how important it can be to pay attention to counsel.

After delivering the Israelites from Egypt, God instructed them to avoid association with worshipers of other gods. He said: “You are not to conclude a covenant [or, agreement] with them or their gods.” Nor were these worshipers of false gods to be allowed to stay in the land. The reason God gave was “that they may not cause you to sin against me.” (Exodus 23:32, 33) However, just before going into the Promised Land, many of the Israelites did not heed that counsel. What happened?

The false prophet Balaam had the women of Moab and Midian, whom you see here, invite the Israelites to a banquet of the best food and wine. Really, it was unwise for them to accept such an invitation from false worshipers. Probably many of them were advised not to go. But they did not listen to the counsel. They went anyway.

At the banquet the Israelites became relaxed as a result of eating and drinking. Also, there was probably sexy dancing by the Moabite and Midianite women, which aroused the passions of the men. They let down their guard, so that these women drew them into having sexual relations. They even got the Israelites to bow down to false gods. With what result?

Jehovah’s anger blazed against his people, and he sent a plague on them. Still, one of the Israelites brought Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite chieftain, right into the Israelite camp. He took her to his tent to have sexual relations with her. But Phinehas, the son of the Israelite high priest, rushed in and ran them both through with a spear. At that Jehovah stopped the plague. However, 24,000 Israelites died because they did not listen to counsel.​—Numbers 25:1-15; 31:16.

Can you see a similar situation today? There is one. (1 Corinthians 10:11) We are now right near God’s promised new system, ready to enter it as the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land. Judging from past examples, what would you expect Satan to attempt? Yes, to get God’s people into situations where they would commit sexual immorality, so that Jehovah would judge them as being unfit to enter his righteous new system.

So when you receive counsel to avoid situations that could lead to your committing fornication, what will you do? Be wise. Listen to the counsel!