AM Bible Study Group; September 1, 2010
Numbers 22:39 – 24:25
Theme: This chapter describes the way the ‘seer’ Balaam—who was hired by Balak to curse—ended up instead blessing the people of Israel.
In Numbers 22, we saw how God had permitted the ill-motivated Babylonian ‘seer’ Balaam to come at the request of Balak—king of the Moabites—to curse the people of Israel for him. But we also saw that God had warned Balaam that he was not to curse the people of Israel, “for they are blessed” (22:12). When Balaam finally arrived, he told Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak” (v. 38).
And now, in chapters 23-24, we’re told what it was that God would have him say. (And it certainly wasn’t what Balak hired him to say!)
I. THE FIRST BLESSING:
A Recognition of God’s Favor on Israel (22:39-23:12).
A. The story began with Balak offering oxen and sheep. This was not an offering approved by God according to the law, however; but instead was an offering from a pagan in accordance with the customs of his people. Along with him were the princes of Moab. Given the numbers of altars built and animals offered in the passage that follows, we’d have to assume that several dignitaries and their servants had accompanied Balak in his use of this famous soothsayer. Balak took Balaam to a vantage point so that he might “observe the extent of the people” of Israel—assuming a good view would result in an effective curse.
B. Balaam commanded Balak to offer seven bulls and seven rams on seven altars—again in accordance with paganistic customs. Then he went away to a desolate height hear what God would tell him. Though we’re not told how this happened, God indeed did meet with him; and it was then that He gave the soothsayer what it was that he was to tell Balak.
C. Balaam’s message from God was, “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?” They were a people “alone”—that is, dwelling as distinct from the nations (see Exodus 19:5-6); and he affirms the promise of God that their number would exceed the dust of the earth (see Genesis 13:16). In the end, he prayed that his own end may be like theirs (although, as we shall see, it most certainly wasn’t—see Numbers 31:8).
D. This greatly frustrated Balak. He had hired this ‘seer’ to curse; and instead he blessed bountifully! But Balaam affirmed that he could not but speak what God had put in his mouth.
II. THE SECOND BLESSING:
A Recognition of God’s Commitment to His Promises Concerning Israel (23:13-26).
A. Balak wondered that if perhaps Balaam only saw a portion of the people rather than the whole, he’d be more inclined to curse them. So, he again took him to another spot; and again the fourteen offerings on the seven altars were made. As we can see, this whole enterprise of cursing was becoming quite expensive!
B. And again, Balaam went a way to hear what the Lord would tell him. When he returned, he reported to Balak that God’s mind on the matter could not be changed: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken and will He not make it good? Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.” He says that God had not observed iniquity in Jacob—not that there was no iniquity to be observed; but simply that He did not count it against them (see Psalm 32:2; 103:10). He affirmed that “the shout of a King is among them”; which may have been a reference to King David, but was more likely reference—looking further into the future—to the coming of the Messiah. And he affirms that they are protected and made mighty by God Himself. “Oh”, he affirms, “what God has done!”
C. Balak grew increasingly frustrated; and urged Balaam to do nothing—neither to curse or bless. But Balaam affirmed again, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘All that the LORD speaks, that I must do’?”
III. THE THIRD BLESSING:
A Recognition of The Blessedness of Those Who Bless Israel (23:27-24:13).
A. Balak still seems to think that the location was the problem. So he took Balaam to another location; and once again, the fourteen offerings are made on the seven altars. But this time, Balaam didn’t—as he had apparently done before—go away to practice sorcery in order to hear from God.
B. From this new location, Balaam was able to see something that was—from the standpoint of Balak—inspiring rather than curse-provoking: the tribes of Israel in order (see Numbers 2) encamped around the tabernacle—with, no doubt, the cloud of the presence of the Lord above the tabernacle. And this time, the Spirit of God came upon Balaam directly. He uttered praise over the beauty of Israel’s encampment; and of how God Himself refreshes them. He affirms that Israel’s king will be higher than Agag— which is a reference to the Amalekite peoples (see 1 Samuel 15). He speaks very vividly of how God will strengthen and protect her; and he adds—in words very much like what God Himself said in Genesis 12:3—”Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.”
C. This is too much for Balak. He slaps his hands together, as if to bring Balaam out of a trance; and basically ‘fires’ the soothsayer. He had said he would have honored (that is, highly paid) Balaam; but that God has now kept him from honor. But Balaam reminds Balak that, no matter what the offer may have been, he still needed to say what the Lord said to say. He makes reference to Balak’s house full of silver and gold (see 24:13)— which he may have referred to in the past as a hint at how much he would like to be paid (see 22:18), but that he would now fear to accept so as not to violate the word that God had given him to speak.
IV. THE FOURTH BLESSING:
A Worship of The Conquering King Who Would Come from Israel (24:14-25).
A. Without Balak even asking (because, at this point, he wouldn’t dare), Balaam offers to tell him about what Israel would do to his people “in the latter days”.
B. He took up an oracle (that is a prophetic utterance), and said, “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob [see Matthew 2:2 where this is a reference to the birth of Christ; and note also that the wise men who came to inquire of the new-born King came from the very place that Balaam had come from!]; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel [see Genesis 49:10], and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy the sons of tumult.” This is a clear reference to the coming of Christ. Along with this promise came the foretold destruction of Edom, Seir, Amalek, the Kenites, Asshur and Eber. These names may not mean much to us; but the foretold destruction of them no- doubt caused Balak to tremble!
C. With this, Balaam arose and went to his place. We’d have to say that his departure wasn’t permanent, however, because he was later killed among the Moabites (Numbers 31:8). He apparently continued to bear some influence over the Moabites; because it was he who had persuaded them to defeat the people of Israel in the manner that’s described to us in the next chapter (see also 31:16). Balak also went his way—very bitter that his hired seer had let him down at such great expense.* * * * * * * * * *
This passage shows us how no one—not even an expert ‘curser’ like Balaak—can curse whom God blesses. It’s a vivid illustration of the truth the apostle Paul expressed with respect to we who are in Christ:
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39).