Journal Through the Bible: Week 24 Monday

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Numbers 22:1-40

Balaam is a confusing Biblical personality because he claimed to be a follower of the God of Israel (see Numbers 22:18) but he most likely was an enchanter that used divination to tell fortunes (see verse 7) to discern the will of God, a practice strictly forbidden for His followers. Perhaps Balaam was a prophet of Jehovah and the king of Moab misunderstood the source of his prophetic power. It is clear though that Balaam expected to talk to God and not spirits when he told the messengers to wait for his answer. As I said, confusing, and yet perhaps not so different from many today who claim to believe in God and yet try to hedge their bets by dabbling in other religious practices.


Does God issue any commands in this passage?

• God commanded Balaam, the son of Beor, not to go with the messengers sent from the king of Moab and the Midianites who wanted to hire Balaam to curse the Children of Israel who were camped near the border of Moab.
• When Balaam asked permission the second time to go with the messengers sent from the king of Moab God told him to go with them but to only say the words that God gave him to say. Evidently God was not pleased that Balaam asked the second time, nor was God pleased that Balaam went so happily with the men, which surely speaks of Balaam's intent to disobey the command to ONLY speak the words God told him to speak. This becomes clear when Balaam was confronted by the angel of the LORD who then allowed him to continue his journey but with a stern warning to ONLY say the words that He would give him.

Does God make any promises in this passage?

• In speaking to Balaam concerning the king of Moab's plan to curse the Children of Israel God restated to him the promise given to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel to bless their descendants.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• The angel of the LORD stood in front of Balaam's donkey. In previous weeks it was mentioned that the Angel of the LORD was most likely a pre-incarnate Jesus otherwise known as a theophany or a christophany. The Angel of the LORD was sent to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt and into Canaan. Remember that the people were told not to provoke him (which they did numerous times anyway) because he would swiftly punish them (and he did). The fact that Balaam fell to his face and assumed a worshiping posture before the angel would suggest that the angel was Deity. Other angels in scripture rebuke men who fall down in worship but this one did not. Also, the angel of the LORD used the first person singular when warning Balaam what to say. (Verse 35: the angel said "but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak")

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• None that I identified.