Numbers 23:21 says that God has not beheld iniquity in Jacob. In Numbers 25, however, we have a record of Israel's iniquity. This iniquity comprises two ugly things: fornication, which destroys the person of the God-created man, and idolatry, which insults the divine person of God. According to the record of the Bible, fornication and idolatry go together. Where there is fornication, there is idolatry. The Roman Catholic Church is an illustration of this. In the New Testament the Catholic Church is likened to Jezebel, a woman of fornication (Rev. 2:20). Furthermore, in the Catholic Church there is idolatry. For example, in his book The Great Prophecies, G. H. Pember points out that even Buddha, under the name of Saint Josaphat, has entered into Catholicism. In the Catholic calendar there is a saint named Josaphat, whose story is actually that of Buddha.
Balak was unable to defeat Israel militarily or politically. Neither could he defeat Israel through the use of religion. Therefore, under the influence of Balaam (Rev. 2:14), he induced Israel to fall into fornication and idolatry. It is likely that Balak and Balaam joined in a conspiracy and plotted against Israel, with Balaam being Balak's counselor and advisor, teaching Balak how to stumble God's holy, perfect, and beautiful people. The plot was initiated by Balaam, and it was put into practice by Balak. Israel's positive characteristics were annulled by the fall into fornication and idolatry. Instead of being holy, perfect, and beautiful, they became a people of fornication and idolatry.
"While Israel dwelt in Shittim, the people began to commit fornication with the daughters of Moab. And these invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. Thus Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor" (Num. 25:1-3a). These verses indicate that those who committed fornication became yoked to Baal, the god of fornication. Hence, there was a combination of fornication and idolatry. The worshippers of Baal were fornicators, and they induced others to commit fornication with them and to worship the idol of fornication. This was the evil counsel of Balaam (31:16).
Revelation 2:14 speaks of "the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol sacrifices and to commit fornication." Balaam taught Balak how to use idolatry and fornication to stumble Israel.
"The anger of Jehovah burned against Israel" (Num. 25:3b). He commanded Moses to take all the leaders of the people and hang them in the sun (v. 4). To be hanged in the sun was a great public shame. Moses then commanded the judges of Israel to slay every Israelite male who had yoked himself to Baal of Peor (v. 5). Moreover, twenty-four thousand people were killed by a plague (v. 9).