Journal Through the Bible: Week 24 Tuesday

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Numbers 22:41-24:13

Today we read about three times that Balak sought to have Balaam pronounce a curse upon the Hebrews that were encamped near the border of his country. The first two times Balaam used enchantments and the third time he did not but each time 7 sacrifices were made and each time God appeared to Balaam and put words of blessing in his mouth.

Does God issue any commands in this passage?

• After Balaam and Balak, king of Moab, offer their first 7 burnt offerings God commands Balaam to tell a prophecy of the Children of Israel to Balak that pronounces a blessing upon the Hebrews and not the curse that Balak wanted. In fact, Balaam said that he wanted to die the death of the righteous and he wanted his last end to be like Israel's.
• After Balaam and Balak offer their second 7 burnt offerings the LORD puts words in Balaam's mouth and sends him back to Balak. 

Does God make any promises in this passage?

• The words that God puts into Balaam's mouth as a blessing upon Israel are full of promise both in that time and in times yet to come.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• The LORD met Balaam each time that Balaam offered burnt offerings to Him. This is probably the same person who was designated as the Angel of the LORD. (Hebrews 1:3 states that Jesus is the express image of the Father. Read in context with verses 1 and 2 of Hebrews chapter 1.)
• The second blessing by Balaam upon the Hebrews tells of undeserved merit (grace). Such grace only comes from the work of a redeemer, Jesus.
• In the second blessing Balaam states that the shout of a king is among them. This could be a prophetic reference to the future Davidic covenant that states that he will have a descendant upon his throne throughout eternity, which is the eternal reign of his descendant, Jesus, or it might mean that the Angel of the LORD present there is the king both then and forever. Even the reference to a lion is prophetic of Jesus, the Lion of Judah.
• The third vision of Balaam led to a blessing of Israel that included that of a warring lion destroying his enemies. That lion is Jesus, the future warrior/judge of everyone.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• If Balaam truly was counted among the righteous his last end (final death) is to be like Israel's, meaning there will be no second death which is eternal.
• The second blessing of Balaam speaks volume about future grace (undeserved merit; forgiven sins) because the rebellious Children of Israel and the deceitful Jacob/Israel are said to be seen by God as without iniquity or perverseness. Obviously Jacob the supplanter and his deceiving, rebellious descendants had no merit on their own, but their iniquity was put away by their redeemer and even in eternity it will be remembered no more.
• The third blessing spoke of the crouching lion that would conquer all of his enemies. Part of this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled when Christ rules and reigns after restraining his enemies, Satan and the rebellious demons and their human followers.