The story of Pastor Dudley Tyng is a sad one. Although he inspired one of Christianity’s greatest hymns, he never heard it sung. Pastor Tyng shepherded the Church of the Covenant in Philadelphia. He had a reputation as a popular preacher, and his rallies drew huge crowds, especially those aimed at Christian husbands and fathers. On March 30, 1858, he addressed a gathering of over five thousand men at a local YMCA. He said, “I would rather that my right arm was cut off, than I should refrain from sharing God’s Word with you.” Little did he realize that three days later while working in his barn, his sleeve would get caught in the wheels of a machine for shelling corn. Within a few days, his right arm was amputated, and on April 19, he died from the injury. His fleeting words to those standing at his bedside were, “Stand up for Jesus. Tell my brothers in the ministry to stand up for Jesus.”
Those words caused Reverend George Duffield, Jr. to write a poem for his sermon the following Sunday. It began with the famous words, “Stand up, Stand up for Jesus.”
The Israelites were camped in the wilderness at Shittim. There the men of Israel began to indulge in sexual relations with the Moabite women and worship their god Baal. This angered the Lord and caused a plague among the Israelites. The Lord came to Moses and commanded, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel” (Numbers 25:4).
While Moses was in the act of telling the Israelites God’s command, “an Israelite man [Zimri by name] brought to his family a Midianite woman [Cozbi] right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly” (Numbers 25:6). The assembly was shocked at Zimri’s blatant show of wicked arrogance. They were speechless!
But there was one Israelite who decided to stand up and stop this sinful act. His name was Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, the high priest. His anger burned as he witnessed his Lord being dishonored. Phinehas “left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite and into the woman’s body” (Numbers 25:7,8).
Immediately, the Lord turned his anger away from his people and removed the plague that had already claimed 24,000 lives. The Lord praised Phinehas, saying, “He was zealous as I am for my honor” (Numbers 25:11).
Phinehas was zealous for the honor of God. What an example for us to follow. Although we won’t drive a spear through willful sinners, how zealous are we in protecting the honor of God? Are we willing to stand up for the Lord? In a culture that freely takes God’s name in vain, defies God’s commands, and openly mocks our Lord and Savior, are we willing to take a stand like Phinehas did, even if other Christians stand idly by? Are we prepared for whatever consequences might come as a result of standing up for the God we love?
God had a special blessing for Phinehas, “Tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants will have a covenant of lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God” (Numbers 25:12,13).
Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict in this his glorious day.
Ye that are brave, now serve him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger and strength to strength oppose.
Prayer thought: Pray for strength that you might show the same resolve for God’s honor as did Phinehas.
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