Joshua and Judges: Push to the Promised Land: The beauty of Israel blessed by God. Num 23:25-24:9.

Title: Joshua and Judges: Push to the Promised Land: The beauty of Israel blessed by God. NUM 23:25-24:9.  

 

Announcements opening prayer:

 

 

NUM 23:25 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Do not curse them at all nor bless them at all!"

 

NUM 23:26 But Balaam answered and said to Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'Whatever the Lord speaks, that I must do'?"

 

NUM 23:27 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will be agreeable with God that you curse them for me from there."

 

NUM 23:28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor which overlooks the wasteland.

 

This peak is somewhat farther north and even closer to the camp of Israel.

 

Again we see the thinking of the heathen, which he holds on to very, very tightly. Rather than contemplate that what Balaam is saying about Israel could be true, he again imagines that another location will do the trick. In other words, the ritual has to be modified again since it is the ritual that matters most.

 

NUM 23:29 And Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here."

 

NUM 23:30 And Balak did just as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

 

NUM 24:1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness.

 

Balaam understands that the Lord is pleased to bless Israel and so that's all Jehovah is going to do, so why bother with the divination practices of seeking omens, but rather set his face towards the wilderness.

 

NUM 24:2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

 

NUM 24:3 And he took up his discourse and said,

 

He is thrown into an ecstatic state by the Holy Spirit. His physical eyes are closed but the eyes of his mind are opened by the Holy Spirit.

 

NUM 24:3 "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened [closed];

 

NUM 24:4 The oracle of him who hears the words of God,

Who sees the vision of the Almighty,

Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered,

 

In his ecstatic experience he saw the beauty of an Israel blessed by God.

 

God sees you blessed. He sees you beloved. You don't always see yourself that way, but God always does, for you are His and in His Son.

 

NUM 24:5 How fair are your tents, O Jacob,

Your dwellings, O Israel!

 

NUM 24:6 "Like valleys that stretch out,

Like gardens beside the river,

Like aloes planted by the Lord,

Like cedars beside the waters.

 

The description starts from the time then present, but it embraces the whole future of Israel. In the blessed land of Canaan the dwellings of Israel will spread out like watered valleys in which beautiful gardens grow.

 

The Hebrew paints a picture of watered valleys which spread out far and wide in which beautiful gardens grow. There are planted aloe trees, valued for the fragrance of its wood and the soothing and healing applications of its sap, and cedars, valued for its wood and its magnificent size. All planted by streams means that they are superior to other trees not so situated.

 

NUM 24:7 "Water shall flow from his buckets,

And his seed shall be by many waters,

And his king shall be higher than Agag,

And his kingdom shall be exalted.

 

And not only its dwellings, but Israel itself would also prosper abundantly. It would have an abundance of water, that leading source of all blessing and prosperity in the burning East.

 

The nation is personified as a man carrying two pails overflowing with water.

 

His seed is his posterity and not a reference to grain. His seed by many waters is an expression of the great prosperity of the children of Israel - they enjoy a richness of blessings.

 

Agag is a general name for the Amalekite kings. It is like the term Pharaoh to the Egyptians.

 

The reason for mentioning the king of the Amalekites was, that he was selected as the impersonation of the enmity of the world against the kingdom of God.

 

This is often done in the Bible. Egypt is used as a depiction of the world system as well as sin and death that God delivered His people from. Babylon represents the city that is against God's city Jerusalem. Here the Amalekites represents the enmity of the world against the kingdom of God. They were the first to attack Israel in the wilderness, just a few months into the exodus journey.

 

This culminated in the kings of the heathen; the Amalekites having been the first heathen tribe that attacked the Israelites on their journey to Canaan (EXO 17:8).

 

NUM 24:8 "God brings him out of Egypt,

He is for him like the horns of the wild ox.

He shall devour the nations who are his adversaries,

And shall crush their bones in pieces,

And shatter them with his arrows.

 

NUM 24:9 "He couches, he lies down as a lion,

And as a lion, who dares rouse him?

Blessed is everyone who blesses you,

And cursed is everyone who curses you."

 

The Jews have to mix this beautiful promise with faith if they are to sanctify God in their heart before they move into the land and separate it from the heathen nations that now possess it. Sanctification occurs in the heart through faith in the doctrine learned before it can manifest itself overtly.

 

God brought His people out of Egypt with power and this power will show itself upon its foes in time to come.

 

The fullness of power that dwelt in the people of Israel was apparent in the force and prowess with which their God brought them out of Egypt. This fact Balaam repeats from the previous saying and connects that fact with the power that the nation would show upon its foes in time to come. Again we have the image of the lion, the Lion of Judah, in words taken from Jacob's blessing and prophecy in Gen 49. Who dares rouse him? Blessed is all who bless her and cursed is all who curse her through the history of mankind.

 

I hope you continue to apply these things to yourself. Where you see Jacob, Israel, etc. you must substitute your own name and recall the promises of God to the Church age believer.

 

Balaam closes with words of the Abrahamic covenant which was spoken upon Jacob when his father Isaac blessed him.

 

GEN 27:29

May peoples serve you,

And nations bow down to you;

Be master of your brothers,

And may your mother's sons bow down to you.

Cursed be those who curse you,

And blessed be those who bless you."

 

So many believers do not understand their position in Christ as saints. They mostly don't know it. They approach God with a preconceived notion that they expect to hear and when they don't hear it, but rather hear the truth, they reject the truth as impossible or improbable.

 

NUM 24:10 Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together [violent rage]; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times!

 

NUM 24:11 "Therefore, flee to your place now. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the Lord has held you back from honor."

 

Third time's a charm.

 

True honor is in the Lord, is a gift from the Lord, and cherished by those who follow the Lord.

 

To Balak, the only honor is in riches and earthly power, which he claims Jehovah has held Balaam back from.

 

For he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High and loves Him:

 

PSA 91:15

"He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him, and honor him.

 

NUM 24:12 And Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying,

 

NUM 24:13 'Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the Lord, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the Lord speaks, that I will speak'?

 

NUM 24:14 "And now behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the days to come."

 

Parting words: The future of Israel and Moab as well as the attitude of all kings who will bring a blessing upon their people or a curse.

 

Before he leaves he has some parting words for Balak concerning what Israel would do to the Moabites in the future and what attitude he should assume towards Israel, if this people was to bring a blessing upon his own people and not a curse.

 

Still under the influence of the Holy Spirit….

 

NUM 24:15 And he took up his discourse and said,

"The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

 

NUM 24:16 The oracle of him who hears the words of God,

And knows the knowledge of the Most High,

Who sees the vision of the Almighty,

Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered.

 

Balaam's last prophecy is broken up into four parts. It is unique to the last three as it is only concerned with the future in the supremacy of Israel over all her foes and the destruction of all the powers of the world. 

 

The first regards Edom and Moab. Neither of them would allow Israel to pass through their land and did not help Israel with food or water or comfort in any way.  

 

NUM 24:17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near;

A star shall come forth from Jacob,

And a scepter shall rise from Israel,

And shall crush through the forehead of Moab,

And tear down all the sons of Sheth [an unknown group].

 

Balaam sees the star who will come forth from Jacob in the distant future.

 

A star is so natural an image and symbol of imperial greatness and splendor, that it has been employed in this sense in almost every nation. And the fact that this figure and symbol are so natural, may serve to explain the belief of the ancient world, that the birth and accession of great kings was announced by the appearance of stars.

 

Holding a scepter the star is obviously a king.

 

The Star of Israel is none other than the Ancient of Days, the King of kings and Lord of lords. The future Ruler of Israel would destroy all of her enemies.

 

GEN 49:9 "Judah is a lion's whelp;

From the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He couches, he lies down as a lion,

And as a lion, who dares rouse him up?

 

GEN 49:10 "The scepter shall not depart from Judah,

Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,

Until Shiloh comes,

And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

 

GEN 49:11 "He ties his foal to the vine,

And his donkey's colt to the choice vine;

He washes his garments in wine,

And his robes in the blood of grapes.

 

Keep verse 11 in mind:

 

 GEN 49:11

"He ties his foal to the vine,

And his donkey's colt to the choice vine;

He washes his garments in wine,

And his robes in the blood of grapes.

 

Isaiah sees the coming of Christ who lands in Edom. The brother nation to Israel, descendents of Esau, and who hated Israel, and who wouldn't let them pass through on their journey to Canaan.  

 

ISA 63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom,

With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah,

This One who is majestic in His apparel,

Marching in the greatness of His strength?

"It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save."

 

ISA 63:2 Why is Your apparel red,

And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?

 

ISA 63:3 "I have trodden the wine trough alone,

And from the peoples there was no man with Me.

I also trod them in My anger,

And trampled them in My wrath;

And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments,

And I stained all My raiment.

 

ISA 63:4 "For the day of vengeance was in My heart,

And My year of redemption has come.

 

ISA 63:5 "And I looked, and there was no one to help [the nations did not repent],

And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold;

So My own arm brought salvation to Me;

And My wrath upheld Me.

 

ISA 63:6 "And I trod down the peoples in My anger,

And made them drunk in My wrath,

And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."

 

REV 22:16

I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star."

 

This name is used of an honor given to the believer who keeps His deeds until the end.

 

REV 2:26-28

'And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;  and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.

 

NUM 24:17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near;

A star shall come forth from Jacob,

And a scepter shall rise from Israel,

And shall crush through the forehead of Moab,

And tear down all the sons of Sheth [an unknown group].

 

And now to Moab's southern neighbor, the descendents of Esau, Edom.

 

NUM 24:18 "And Edom shall be a possession,

Seir [mountain region in Edom], its enemies, also shall be a possession,

While Israel performs valiantly.

 

Edom refers to the people and Seir to the country they inhabited.

 

Israel was told not to fight with them even though Edom refused to let them pass through their country, but the Ruler of Israel would possess them and destroy them.

 

David began this work about 400 years later, but he did not defeat them fully.

 

2SA 8:14

And he put garrisons in Edom. In all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David.

 

1KI 11:15

For it came about, when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the slain, and had struck down every male in Edom

 

Yet this is but a temporary destruction of the enemies of the Star of Israel. It will be fully accomplished in the end when all His enemies shall be made a footstool for His feet.

 

The Edomites remain as a hostile nation against Israel up until the captivity and continue to be a nuisance after the rebuilding of Jerusalem. They do not disappear from history with the destruction of the Jewish state by the Romans in 70 AD.

 

NUM 24:19 "One from Jacob shall have dominion [over Edom],

And shall destroy the remnant from the city."

 

The last sentence means that every city, in which there is a remnant of Edom, will be destroyed. Fighting God and fighting His people eventually comes under vengeance and judgment by the Lord.