How far are we willing to go in obeying God?

I think most of us would immediately answer, "All the way." We would probably even say, "Even unto death." However, if we are completely honest with ourselves, good intentions do not always translate into faithful obedience. There is often a gap between what we say we would do and what we actually do when obedience becomes costly.

Perhaps the better question is not simply how far we are willing to go, but what will keep us faithful when following God becomes difficult.

As I read the Scriptures, I am always challenged by those servants of God who chose to stand for Him with remarkable courage. They refused to compromise, even when they stood alone. They were willing to confront sin, defend God's truth, and remain faithful regardless of the cost. This week's Torah portion and Haftarah place two such men side by side: Pinchas and Elijah.

At first glance, the connection between them seems obvious. Both remained faithful to God during times of widespread compromise. Both confronted idolatry. Both stood against overwhelming opposition. Both were willing to obey God regardless of the personal cost.

However, as I spent time reading these passages together, I became convinced that their connection goes even deeper. Both men stood when God's covenant with Israel was being openly rejected. Their obedience was expressed through zeal because they cared deeply about God's holiness and desired to see His covenant honored by His people.

Following Israel's sin with the women of Moab and the worship of Baal Peor, we read:

Pinchas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites because he was zealous with My zeal among them.
Numbers 25:11

Notice how God describes Pinchas. God does not simply describe Pinchas as zealous. He says that Pinchas was zealous with His zeal. Pinchas was not defending his own reputation or acting out of personal anger. He was motivated by a desire to uphold God's holiness and protect the covenant between God and His people.

God then says:

Therefore say, 'Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the children of Israel.'
Numbers 25:12–13

What I find especially interesting is that the reward God gives Pinchas is not another battle, but a covenant of peace. God's desire was never conflict. The confrontation became necessary because Israel's relationship with Him had been broken. The goal was always restoration. Sometimes obedience requires us to stand firmly for what is right, not because we enjoy confrontation, but because we long to see what has been broken restored.

When we turn to the Haftarah, we meet another man whose life was marked by extraordinary courage. After the dramatic confrontation on Mount Carmel, Elijah stood before hundreds of the prophets of Baal and witnessed God answer with fire from heaven. It was one of the greatest demonstrations of God's power recorded in Scripture.

Yet within a short time, everything changed. Queen Jezebel threatened Elijah's life, and he fled into the wilderness. Standing before the Lord, Elijah declared:

I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.
1 Kings 19:10

Like Pinchas, Elijah defended God's honor. He confronted idolatry and remained faithful while much of Israel had turned away from the Lord and followed Baal.

What I find especially interesting is that Elijah does not begin by speaking about Baal. He begins by speaking about God's covenant. That is exactly what we find in the story of Pinchas.

Pinchas was not motivated by personal anger. He acted because Israel had violated its covenant relationship with God. Elijah looked at his own generation and reached the same conclusion. The covenant had once again been abandoned, and God's people had turned away from Him.

I believe this is the real connection between the Torah portion and the Haftarah. Both men were willing to stand when God's covenant was being rejected. Their zeal was rooted in their love for God and their desire to see His covenant honored by His people.

What also strikes me is how quickly Elijah's circumstances changed. After witnessing one of the greatest demonstrations of God's power in Scripture, he found himself running for his life. This reminds us that even the most faithful servants of God experience moments of exhaustion, discouragement, and fear. Elijah was not a superhuman prophet. He was a man who trusted God and yet still struggled like the rest of us.

Twice Elijah told God, "I alone am left." Instead of rebuking Elijah, God reminded him that His covenant had never depended upon one man. He revealed that He had preserved seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed to Baal. Elijah could only see what was happening around him, but God saw the entire picture.

Perhaps that was the lesson Elijah needed to learn. Obedience never means carrying the weight of God's purposes. It means remaining faithful while trusting Him to accomplish what only He can accomplish. I often think about this as I watch current events unfold.

Many believers today are passionate about defending God's Word. Many feel called to speak against antisemitism, stand with Israel, and challenge the growing distortion of biblical truth. There is certainly a place for doing so. We should never be ashamed of God's Word or of standing with Israel.

However, we should also remember that our calling is the same as that of Pinchas and Elijah. God has not called us to win every battle or change every heart. He has called us to remain faithful to Him and to His Word. Obedience has always been our responsibility. The outcome has always belonged to Him.

If we are not careful, we can become so consumed by the battles around us that we begin to believe everything rests on our shoulders. We become discouraged as opposition increases. Like Elijah, we may begin to think that we are standing alone.

The truth is that we are not alone.

Just as God had preserved seven thousand faithful Israelites during Elijah's day, He continues to accomplish His purposes today, often in ways we cannot yet see. His covenant with Israel remains secure because it rests upon His faithfulness, not ours. His promises are not sustained by public opinion, political alliances, or human strength. They are sustained by the God who never breaks His word.

Perhaps that is the answer to the question we asked at the beginning. How far are we willing to go in obeying God? The answer is not found in the strength of our commitment alone because our commitment will rise and fall. Our courage will have moments of weakness. Even faithful servants such as Elijah experienced fear and discouragement.

What keeps us faithful is knowing that God's faithfulness never changes. God has never asked us to carry the weight of His purposes on our shoulders. He has simply called us to obey Him faithfully and trust Him with the outcome.

Like Pinchas, may we never shrink back when obedience requires courage. Like Elijah, may we never forget that God is always accomplishing His purposes even when we cannot see them. The God who preserved a faithful remnant in Elijah's day continues to preserve His people, keep His covenant, and accomplish His purposes today. Our confidence has never been in our ability to change the world. Our confidence rests in the God who remains faithful to His Word.

Shabbat Shalom,

Moran