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 

A Precious Commodity. Matthew 6:14-15

It’s something we all want but it’s so hard to give. There have been songs and books written about it. Hollywood has made movies about it and people spend hundreds of hours and dollars in therapy over it. If we don’t give it we become hard hearted, bitter, and angry. It will not only infect our life but destroy our relationship with those around us. With all this attention to to it, you would think mankind would focus more on giving it and less on keeping it all bottled up inside us. This elusive commodity that is so important to us and for those around us? Forgiveness. 

Matthew 6:14-15

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

https://youtu.be/n9J6xOT3Ldw

Numbers 23:11-12 Curses or Blessings?

 11Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!”

12But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Curses or Blessings?

Balak paid for curses but got blessings for the Israelites instead! He was 😡 

But examine Balaam’s response, it’s void of love ❤️ for God, it’s cold as ice!

Last night we watched a documentary on the exodus, the parting of the Red Sea. It appears they discovered the actual location as described in the Bible and they used a robotic submersible camera to examine the floor of the sea. The coral located there only grows on certain objects and it had wheel and axle patterns believed to be the chariots of the pharaoh’s army.

Imagine 2.2 million Israelites crossing through the Red Sea, now imagine Balak looking out over the plain and seeing 2.2 million Israelites.

Do you think Balak heard of the plight of the pharaoh’s army?

Can you see Balak’s concern?

Blessings 

Why you can believe the Bible - Voddie Baucham

 A reliable collection of historical documents written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses and they report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and they claim that their writings are divine rather than of human origin. 

3 different continents, 3 different languages, over 40 authors, from all walks of life, 66 volumes and written over a period of 1500 years. 25000 archeology digs pertaining to the Bible.

2 Peter 1:16-21 “Eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 16For we did not follow cleverly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”c 18And we ourselves heard this voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

19We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. 21For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:1-4 Traced & collected information from eye witnesses. 

1Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

1 John 1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life. 2And this is the life that was revealed; we have seen it and testified to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.

3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.

1 Corinthians 15: 1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and in which you stand firm. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that He appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve. 6After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8And last of all He appeared to me also,

The math: At least 301 eyewitnesses to the resurrection still alive when 1 Corinthians was written.

Appeared to the twelve, Judas hanged himself but was replaced in Acts 1:12-26 by Matthis who was an eyewitness to the resurrection.

Argument made:

Not reliable because it’s been translated so many times. 

The people are either ignorant, evil or both.

Sources of the Bible: Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic Manuscripts. 

New Testament documents dating back to 120 AD and contains over 6,000 documents.

No ancient document comes close to the New Testament and the Bible.

Matthew 17: The Transfiguration

(Mark 9:1–13; Luke 9:28–36; 2 Peter 1:16–21)

1After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

3Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Jesus. 4Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You wish, I will put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

5While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” 6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown in terror.

Prophesies 

Isaiah 53 The Suffering Servant: about Jesus 

Older, over 1000 years before Jesus was ever born.

Psalm 22: Jesus on the cross!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G1XJ7DeR5fc

Numbers 23:7-10 Longing for Righteousness

 7And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying:

“Balak brought me from Aram,

the king of Moab from the mountains of the east.

‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me;

come and denounce Israel!’

8How can I curse what God has not cursed?

How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced?

9For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs,

and I watch them from the hills.

Behold, a people dwelling apart,

not reckoning themselves among the nations.

10Who can count the dust of Jacob

or number even a fourth of Israel?

Let me die the death of the righteous;

let my end be like theirs!”

Longing for Righteousness 

Balak paid good money for a curse and instead Balaam’s oracle (prophecy) was a blessing!

Balaam longed to die the death of the righteous but he didn’t desire to live the life of the righteous! The two go hand and hand.

How do we obtain righteousness?

Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.

Faith in Christ!

Blessings