Numbers 24:20-25 Spiritual Strength

 20Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying:

“Amalek was first among the nations,

but his end is destruction.”

21Next he saw the Kenites and lifted up an oracle, saying:

“Your dwelling place is secure,

and your nest is set in a cliff.

22Yet Kain will be destroyed

when Asshurd takes you captive.”

23Once more Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying:

“Ah, who can live

unless God has ordained it?

24Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus;e

they will subdue Asshur and Eber,

but they too will perish forever.”

25Then Balaam arose and returned to his homeland, and Balak also went on his way.

Spiritual Strength 

“We must credit Balak for one thing; he knew where the strength of Israel was. He did not seek to defeat Israel through military strategy or new weapons. He knew it was a spiritual battle, and if Israel won the spiritual battle, they would certainly win the military battle.” (Guzik)

“We should walk in the same awareness. If we did, we would give more time and attention to building our spiritual strength, in having a close walk with Jesus. We should not allow Balak to be more perceptive about spiritual things than we are.” (Guzik)

Are you building your spiritual strength?

Blessings 

Numbers 24:14-19 Beautiful Prophecy

 14And now, look, I am going to my people; come, I will advise you as to what this people [Israel] will do to your people [Moab] in the days to come.”

15He took up his [fourth] discourse (oracle) and said:

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

The oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

16The oracle of him who hears the words of God

And knows the knowledge of the [c]Most High,

Who sees the vision of the [d]Almighty,

Falling down, but having his eyes open and uncovered:

17I see Him, but not now;

I behold Him, but not near.

A star shall come forth from [the descendants of] Jacob,

A scepter shall rise out of [the descendants of] Israel

And shall crush the forehead of Moab

And destroy all the sons of Sheth.

18“Edom shall be [taken as] a possession,

[Mount] Seir, Israel’s enemies, also will be a possession,

While Israel performs valiantly.

19“One from [the descendants of] Jacob shall have dominion

And will destroy the remnant from the city.”

Beautiful Prophecy 
Balaam wasn’t going to be paid and he spoke a beautiful prophecy of the coming Messiah.

“Jesus is here prophetically called a Star and a Scepter; He is glorious like a star, and has all authority to rule, as pictured by a scepter.” (Guzik)

“The Messiah will eventually rule over all nations that surround Israel. Here God spoke about the neighboring nations of Israel (Moab, Edom, Amalek, and the Kenites) and their future through Balaam.” (Guzik)

Blessings 

Numbers 24:10-13 Balak’s anger, Balaam’s excuse!

 10Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have done nothing but bless them these three times. 11Therefore now flee to your place! I had intended to honor you greatly, but behold, the LORD has held you back from honor.” 12Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, 13‘Even if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak?’ 

Balak’s anger, Balaam’s excuse!

Balaam realizes he’s not going to get paid and blames the blessings on the Lord!

“Perhaps at that moment Balaam saw the greater wisdom of God in telling him not to go, because now it seemed the whole trip was a big waste, and Balaam would not get his money.” (Guzik)

Just because you have knowledge doesn’t mean you have wisdom.

Did Balaam have 20/20 hindsight?

Blessings 

Numbers 24:1-9 Blessed and Cursed!

 Balaam’s Third Oracle

1And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness. 2When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him, 3and he lifted up an oracle, saying:

“This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,

the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,

4the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,

who sees a vision from the Almighty,

who bows down with eyes wide open:

5How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,

your dwellings, O Israel!

6They spread out like palm groves,

like gardens beside a stream,

like aloes the LORD has planted,

like cedars beside the waters.

7Water will flow from his buckets,

and his seed will have abundant water.

His king will be greater than Agag,

and his kingdom will be exalted.

8God brought him out of Egypt

with strength like a wild ox,

to devour hostile nations and crush their bones,

to pierce them with arrows.

9He crouches, he lies down like a lion;

like a lioness, who dares to rouse him?

Blessed are those who bless you

and cursed are those who curse you.”

Blessed and Cursed!

“Blessed are those who bless you

and cursed are those who curse you.” Poor Balak!

“Each of the first three prophecies, it has gotten worse for Balak. In the first one, Balaam fails to curse Israel; in the second, he blesses Israel, and in the third, he curses Balak! How much worse can it get for the king of Moab?” (Guzik)

Blessings 

Numbers 23:27-30 Try, Try Again!

 27“Please come,” said Balak, “I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.”

28And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.

29Then Balaam said, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”

30So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Try, Try Again!

“At the suggestion of Balaam, Balak offered seven bulls and seven rams. By now, he had offered 21 bulls and rams, plus Balaam’s pay. This means Balak had a substantial investment in seeing Israel cursed. This third time, they selected another place to make the prophecy again.”

What do you think the Lord would have done if Balak’s request was to bless the Israelites?

Matthew 5: 44But I say to you, [o]love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him].

Do you have anyone that is persecuting you, are you praying for them?

Blessings 

Numbers 23:18-26 Balaam’s Second Oracle

 18Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying:

“Arise, O Balak, and listen;

give ear to me, O son of Zippor.

19God is not a man, that He should lie,

or a son of man, that He should change His mind.

Does He speak and not act?

Does He promise and not fulfill?

20I have indeed received a command to bless;

He has blessed, and I cannot change it.

21He considers no disaster for Jacob;

He sees no trouble for Israel.

The LORD their God is with them,

and the shout of the King is among them.

22God brought them out of Egypt

with strength like a wild ox.

23For there is no spell against Jacob

and no divination against Israel.

It will now be said of Jacob and Israel,

‘What great things God has done!’

24Behold, the people rise like a lioness;

they rouse themselves like a lion,

not resting until they devour their prey

and drink the blood of the slain.”

25Now Balak said to Balaam, “Then neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

26But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”

“God rebuked Balak, and taught him about the Divine nature, that He is not a man, that He does not lie or change His mind, that He always performs His word, and that He has all strength.” (Guzik)

I am reminded that Balaam is flirting with disaster, he wants the riches from Balak 

but he knows the Lord has blessed the Israelites.

Blessings 

Numbers 23:13-17 Here We Go Again!

 13Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp—not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.”

14So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.”

16And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”

17So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab.

 Here We Go Again!

Let’s try cursing them from another location! 

Balak had his answer and Balaam knows full well that the Lord will not curse the Israelites! But acting like children they keep needing their Father to change His mind.

“Balak tried to think of another place he could bring Balaam, so Balaam could see how desperate the situation was. So he took Balaam to the top of Mount Pisgah. More costly sacrifices, more divination,” (graceandpeacejoanne.com)

What will the Lord tell Balaam to say to Balak?

Stay tuned!

Blessings