“And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.” Numbers 25:6-8

“In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was the official in charge of the gatekeepers, and the LORD was with him.” 1 Chronicles 9:20

I have often wondered how Phinehas knew it was appropriate to take such radical action, but after noticing this note in 1 Chronicles I realize he was ordained to the task of safeguarding God’s house. It has been my experience that one knows things when engaged in service to God’s people that one would second guess in everyday life. Ordination, it seems, conveys an anointing to the task.