The Blessings of God's People

Well after our Easter experience last week we are moving right back into the Gospel Project where we are looking at all of the Bible through the lens of the Gospel and this morning we have reached a section of the Bible that includes what I would say is one of... if not thee weirdest story in the Bible. It is not the most supernatural, or the most significant, or the most awe inspiring - like wow, I can’t believe God could do something like that...it is just the weirdest.

This morning we have reached a section of the Bible that includes one of what I would say is one of if not thee weirdest story in the Bible. It is not the most supernatural, or the most significant, or the most awe inspiring - it is just the weirdest.

We are going to move out from this weird story into some pretty applicable truths, but first we are going to look at this weird story so I am going to have you go ahead and open your Bibles up right away because the story that I am going to tell you is so weird that you might not believe me if you don’t read it for yourself right there in your own Bible. If you are visiting with us today or just didn’t remember to bring your Bible then please feel free to grab one of the Bibles in the chairs in front of you and turn to page 130 where we find Numbers chapter 22.

To give us a little context this mornin

Tension

Remember the Israelites were rescued from slavery in Egypt by the LORD YHWY and He led them to Mount Sinai where they were given the gift of the law. It was a gift because YHWY didn’t leave the people to try and figure out how to have a right relationship with Him. He gave them the gift of knowledge, as He told them exactly what they needed to do. No more or no less was needed. Then the LORD continued to lead them to the promised land, teaching them along the way that the law was good and that He was faithful.

Then they got to the promised land and they did not trust the LORD to bring them into the land. While it took only one night to get Israel out of Egypt, it took 40 years to get Egypt out of Israel. So for 40 years they wandered around bring trained and tested until all the adults had died off and the children of the children of Israel who left Egypt are now standing in that same situation again…but the questions remained, will they trust the LORD to take possession of the land that He promised or not.

Before Easter we saw that they did not, at first, and God sent serpents in as a consequence of their disobedience. But then they did something their parents never quite able to do - they wholeheartedly repented of their rebellion against the LORD and against Moses. So the LORD YHWY instructed Moses to put a serpent up on a pole and anyone who is bitten and looks to that snake would be saved. We pointed out how profound that image was as a foreshadowing of the curse of sin that Jesus wore on himself as He hung on the cross. And how our salvation is also wrapped up in our looking to Jesus.

So it seems that Israel is ready to take possession of the promise land, they have handled the obstacles from within, but there are still external obstacles in their way. The nations who are currently living in this land that God gave His people long ago are not so excited about giving it up. In between that experience with the serpent on the pole and the story we are going to look at today, Israel has defeated several Kings who waged war against them. They didn’t start these battles, but with the help of the LORD they did end them. Their victories were so definitive, that the neighboring nations are beginning to fear the Israelites as they prepare to do battle with them as well.

Numbers 21:16 ESV

16 And from there they continued to Beer; that is the well of which the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, so that I may give them water.”

Numbers 21:

One of the many weird aspects of our story today is that the Israelites are not at all a part of it. In these three chapters (22-24) the children of Israel play more of a background role, but YHWY is still the main character. This is certainly one of the applicable truths that we can take from this story.

I wonder how would our lives change if we rightly understood that we are not the main character in our story. Lets do something different this morning...

#1 WE ARE NOT THE MAIN CHARACTER IN OUR STORY Lets do something different this morning...

#1 I AM NOT THE MAIN CHARACTER IN MY STORY

Lets do something different this morning...

For the most part we don’t even think that the nation of Israel had any idea that these things were going up on the mountains around them as they camped peacefully in their tents in the valley below. Lets take a look at the story starting in Verse 1 of Chapter 22.

Numbers 22:1–7 ESV

1 Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. 2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. 4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. 6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” 7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.

Numbers 22:1–6 ESV

Numbers 22:1

An alliance is formed between these two rival nations and they decide to try and tip the scales in their favor by hiring a pagan seer from about 400 miles away. It appears that they believe the strength of the people of Israel is in their great numbers, because the comparison is made between the people and a domesticated ox eating grass in a field. I bring that up, because this image will reappear later in the story.

Something else that should ring familiar to us is the wording found in that last statement. They called on this Balaam because they believed that whoever he blessed would be blessed and whoever He cursed would be cursed. We have heard this before, in fact it was a part of the covenant of God to his people - and now someone else is being hired to make this a reality against these same people. We will see how well that goes...

So Balaam receives these messengers and then does his pagan seer thing, and the LORD YHWY speaks to him. Some of this is a little difficult to understand from this text alone. If you just read these couple of chapters it seems that Balaam might be a prophet in good standing with the LORD. That is not the case. In this story, Balaam did have an encounter with the one true God, but he did not build his career around calling on the name of the LORD. As a Midianite pagan seer He would call out to many of their gods, but this time YHWY decides to answer him because of who Balaam was hired to curse.

So as Balaam does his seer thing, the one true God YHWY responds

Numbers 22:12–14 ESV

12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” 13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” 14 So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

Numbers 22:

But King Balak is not giving up that easy, knowing the character of Balaam he decides that it must be a matter of money. He is operating under the common perspective that everyone has their price - we even saw that last weekend with Judas - so the King sends Balaam a more extravagant band of ambassadors to broker the deal. And despite YHWY being so clear on his instructions, Balaam decides to try God again to see if maybe he might change his mind and allow these people to be cursed.

This is a good example of how sometimes God allows us to have something that we are so desperately clamouring for, only to show us that it is not as great as we think it is. We only see the good aspects of our requests and so we pray and pray and ask God to give us what we ask for. Sometimes God does, even though from his infinite perspective He knows that it will not turn out to be the good thing we think it is. This brings us to a second applicable truth

#2 THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM

Let’s try something new this morning…in an effort to internalize these truths today, let me invite you to participate by saying this phrase back to me, So if you have the courage to…say: THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM

#2 THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM

So God allows Balaam his request, but gives him the instructions that he is only to say what God tells him to do. So Balaam goes, but he does not appear to have the commands of the LORD in mind for his trip - So the LORD YHWY gets his attention in an incredible way. An incredibly weird way.

I will read it right from the text so that you don’t think I am making this up.

Numbers 22:21–27 ESV

Numbers 22:28-

This is where it gets really weird...

Numbers 22:28 ESV

28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

Numbers 22:28

Numbers 22:21–35 ESV

21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. 22 But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” 30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” 31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. 32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” 34 Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” 35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

Unless y

Ok, that is weird. Unless they are palling around with a Ogre, we just don’t expect donkeys to be talking. But what even weirder is that Balaam talks back to the donkey as if they have these kind of conversations every day...

Numbers 22:8–21 ESV

8 And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’ ” 12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” 13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” 14 So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.” 15 Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, 17 for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’ ” 18 But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more. 19 So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.” 20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” 21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

(vs 28 again)

Numbers 22:28–29 ESV

Numbers 22:28-

Balaam is piping mad, and isn’t it interesting how he tells the donkey this, I mean considering the fact that the whole reason they are having this crazy little pow wow is there is someone with a sword very nearby. So the donkey continues…of course she does

Numbers 22:30–35 ESV

30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” 31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. 32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” 34 Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” 35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

Numbers 30–35 ESV

1 Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, “This is what the Lord has commanded. 2 If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 3 “If a woman vows a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father’s house in her youth, 4 and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. 5 But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the Lord will forgive her, because her father opposed her. 6 “If she marries a husband, while under her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. 8 But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he opposes her, then he makes void her vow that was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she bound herself. And the Lord will forgive her. 9 (But any vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, anything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her.) 10 And if she vowed in her husband’s house or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, 11 and her husband heard of it and said nothing to her and did not oppose her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. 12 But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning her pledge of herself shall not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will forgive her. 13 Any vow and any binding oath to afflict herself, her husband may establish, or her husband may make void. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows or all her pledges that are upon her. He has established them, because he said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them. 15 But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her iniquity.” 16 These are the statutes that the Lord commanded Moses about a man and his wife and about a father and his daughter while she is in her youth within her father’s house. 1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.” 3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian. 4 You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.” 5 So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7 They warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every male. 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. And they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9 And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods. 10 All their cities in the places where they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire, 11 and took all the spoil and all the plunder, both of man and of beast. 12 Then they brought the captives and the plunder and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 13 Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the chiefs of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp. 14 And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 15 Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live? 16 Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord. 17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. 18 But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves. 19 Encamp outside the camp seven days. Whoever of you has killed any person and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. 20 You shall purify every garment, every article of skin, all work of goats’ hair, and every article of wood.” 21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men in the army who had gone to battle: “This is the statute of the law that the Lord has commanded Moses: 22 only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23 everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless, it shall also be purified with the water for impurity. And whatever cannot stand the fire, you shall pass through the water. 24 You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean. And afterward you may come into the camp.” 25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “Take the count of the plunder that was taken, both of man and of beast, you and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the congregation, 27 and divide the plunder into two parts between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation. 28 And levy for the Lord a tribute from the men of war who went out to battle, one out of five hundred, of the people and of the oxen and of the donkeys and of the flocks. 29 Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as a contribution to the Lord. 30 And from the people of Israel’s half you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the people, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the cattle, and give them to the Levites who keep guard over the tabernacle of the Lord.” 31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses. 32 Now the plunder remaining of the spoil that the army took was 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys, 35 and 32,000 persons in all, women who had not known man by lying with him. 36 And the half, the portion of those who had gone out in the army, numbered 337,500 sheep, 37 and the Lord’s tribute of sheep was 675. 38 The cattle were 36,000, of which the Lord’s tribute was 72. 39 The donkeys were 30,500, of which the Lord’s tribute was 61. 40 The persons were 16,000, of which the Lord’s tribute was 32 persons. 41 And Moses gave the tribute, which was the contribution for the Lord, to Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses. 42 From the people of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from that of the men who had served in the army— 43 now the congregation’s half was 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 and 30,500 donkeys, 46 and 16,000 persons— 47 from the people of Israel’s half Moses took one of every 50, both of persons and of beasts, and gave them to the Levites who kept guard over the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses. 48 Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, came near to Moses 49 and said to Moses, “Your servants have counted the men of war who are under our command, and there is not a man missing from us. 50 And we have brought the Lord’s offering, what each man found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and beads, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.” 51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received from them the gold, all crafted articles. 52 And all the gold of the contribution that they presented to the Lord, from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, was 16,750 shekels. 53 (The men in the army had each taken plunder for himself.) 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, as a memorial for the people of Israel before the Lord. 1 Now the people of Reuben and the people of Gad had a very great number of livestock. And they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock. 2 So the people of Gad and the people of Reuben came and said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the chiefs of the congregation, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, 4 the land that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan.” 6 But Moses said to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to the war while you sit here? 7 Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that the Lord has given them? 8 Your fathers did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the Lord had given them. 10 And the Lord’s anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, 11 ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me, 12 none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the Lord.’ 13 And the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was gone. 14 And behold, you have risen in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the Lord against Israel! 15 For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people.” 16 Then they came near to him and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, 17 but we will take up arms, ready to go before the people of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. And our little ones shall live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each of the people of Israel has gained his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan to the east.” 20 So Moses said to them, “If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the Lord for the war, 21 and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the Lord, until he has driven out his enemies from before him 22 and the land is subdued before the Lord; then after that you shall return and be free of obligation to the Lord and to Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the Lord. 23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. 24 Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do what you have promised.” 25 And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our little ones, our wives, our livestock, and all our cattle shall remain there in the cities of Gilead, 27 but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord orders.” 28 So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the people of Israel. 29 And Moses said to them, “If the people of Gad and the people of Reuben, every man who is armed to battle before the Lord, will pass with you over the Jordan and the land shall be subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession. 30 However, if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” 31 And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben answered, “What the Lord has said to your servants, we will do. 32 We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.” 33 And Moses gave to them, to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land and its cities with their territories, the cities of the land throughout the country. 34 And the people of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, fortified cities, and folds for sheep. 37 And the people of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, and Baal-meon (their names were changed), and Sibmah. And they gave other names to the cities that they built. 39 And the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and captured it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. 40 And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he settled in it. 41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and captured their villages, and called them Havvoth-jair. 42 And Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name. 1 These are the stages of the people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their companies under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 2 Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the Lord, and these are their stages according to their starting places. 3 They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians, 4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had struck down among them. On their gods also the Lord executed judgments. 5 So the people of Israel set out from Rameses and camped at Succoth. 6 And they set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. 7 And they set out from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which is east of Baal-zephon, and they camped before Migdol. 8 And they set out from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and they went a three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah. 9 And they set out from Marah and came to Elim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there. 10 And they set out from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. 11 And they set out from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin. 12 And they set out from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. 13 And they set out from Dophkah and camped at Alush. 14 And they set out from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. 15 And they set out from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai. 16 And they set out from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah. 17 And they set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. 18 And they set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19 And they set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. 20 And they set out from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah. 21 And they set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22 And they set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. 23 And they set out from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24 And they set out from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25 And they set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26 And they set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27 And they set out from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28 And they set out from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29 And they set out from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30 And they set out from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. 31 And they set out from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan. 32 And they set out from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. 33 And they set out from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah. 34 And they set out from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35 And they set out from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber. 36 And they set out from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin (that is, Kadesh). 37 And they set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the edge of the land of Edom. 38 And Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at the command of the Lord and died there, in the fortieth year after the people of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. 39 And Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor. 40 And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the people of Israel. 41 And they set out from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. 42 And they set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. 43 And they set out from Punon and camped at Oboth. 44 And they set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the territory of Moab. 45 And they set out from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad. 46 And they set out from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim. 47 And they set out from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48 And they set out from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho; 49 they camped by the Jordan from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab. 50 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 51 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places. 53 And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. 54 You shall inherit the land by lot according to your clans. To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his. According to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit. 55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. 56 And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.” 1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel, and say to them, When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan as defined by its borders), 3 your south side shall be from the wilderness of Zin alongside Edom, and your southern border shall run from the end of the Salt Sea on the east. 4 And your border shall turn south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and cross to Zin, and its limit shall be south of Kadesh-barnea. Then it shall go on to Hazar-addar, and pass along to Azmon. 5 And the border shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and its limit shall be at the sea. 6 “For the western border, you shall have the Great Sea and its coast. This shall be your western border. 7 “This shall be your northern border: from the Great Sea you shall draw a line to Mount Hor. 8 From Mount Hor you shall draw a line to Lebo-hamath, and the limit of the border shall be at Zedad. 9 Then the border shall extend to Ziphron, and its limit shall be at Hazar-enan. This shall be your northern border. 10 “You shall draw a line for your eastern border from Hazar-enan to Shepham. 11 And the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain. And the border shall go down and reach to the shoulder of the Sea of Chinnereth on the east. 12 And the border shall go down to the Jordan, and its limit shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land as defined by its borders all around.” 13 Moses commanded the people of Israel, saying, “This is the land that you shall inherit by lot, which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe. 14 For the tribe of the people of Reuben by fathers’ houses and the tribe of the people of Gad by their fathers’ houses have received their inheritance, and also the half-tribe of Manasseh. 15 The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, toward the sunrise.” 16 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. 18 You shall take one chief from every tribe to divide the land for inheritance. 19 These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 20 Of the tribe of the people of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. 21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. 22 Of the tribe of the people of Dan a chief, Bukki the son of Jogli. 23 Of the people of Joseph: of the tribe of the people of Manasseh a chief, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 24 And of the tribe of the people of Ephraim a chief, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. 25 Of the tribe of the people of Zebulun a chief, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. 26 Of the tribe of the people of Issachar a chief, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 27 And of the tribe of the people of Asher a chief, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. 28 Of the tribe of the people of Naphtali a chief, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.” 29 These are the men whom the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance for the people of Israel in the land of Canaan. 1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites some of the inheritance of their possession as cities for them to dwell in. And you shall give to the Levites pasturelands around the cities. 3 The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle and for their livestock and for all their beasts. 4 The pasturelands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around. 5 And you shall measure, outside the city, on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall belong to them as pastureland for their cities. 6 “The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. 7 All the cities that you give to the Levites shall be forty-eight, with their pasturelands. 8 And as for the cities that you shall give from the possession of the people of Israel, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance that it inherits, shall give of its cities to the Levites.” 9 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. 12 The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. 13 And the cities that you give shall be your six cities of refuge. 14 You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills any person without intent may flee there. 16 “But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 17 And if he struck him down with a stone tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 18 Or if he struck him down with a wooden tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20 And if he pushed him out of hatred or hurled something at him, lying in wait, so that he died, 21 or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him. 22 “But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or hurled anything on him without lying in wait 23 or used a stone that could cause death, and without seeing him dropped it on him, so that he died, though he was not his enemy and did not seek his harm, 24 then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these rules. 25 And the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the boundaries of his city of refuge to which he fled, 27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the boundaries of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood. 28 For he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession. 29 And these things shall be for a statute and rule for you throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 30 “If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses. But no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. 31 Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death. 32 And you shall accept no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest. 33 You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.”

Numbers 22:28–35 ESV

28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” 30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” 31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. 32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” 34 Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” 35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

Numbers 22:

Numbers 22:29–35 ESV

29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” 30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” 31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. 32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” 34 Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” 35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

I don’t know what is more striking here, that God opened the mouth of a donkey or the eyes of a pagan seer. Remember Balaam is not an Israelite. He is not one of the Children of God. Culturally he is a Midianite pagan, but that does not stop God from using him to accomplish his will. If God can cause a donkey to speak, then certainly he can use use someone like Balaam to deliver his message.

Numbers 22:7

Numbers 22:7 ESV

7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.

Numbers 22:8-

I don’t know what is more striking here, that God opened the mouth of a donkey or the eyes of a pagan seer. Remember Balaam is not an Israelite. He is not one of the Children of God. Culturally he is a Midianite pagan, but that does not stop God from using him to accomplish his will. If God can speak through someone as outlandish as this beast of burden, certainly He can and will use someone like Balaam to deliver his message.

So what is it that God opens Balaam’s mouth to say? That is what we will focus on for the rest of our time this morning, but first lets stop for just a moment and pray, and then we will continue into the message of God through Balaam.

So what is it that God opens Balaam’s mouth to say? That is what we will focus on for the rest of our time this morning. Lets stop for just a moment and pray, and then we will continue into the message of God through Balaam.

Lets stop for just a moment and pray, and then we will continue into the message of God through Balaam.

in a mighty way.Either way, it is certain that God got his point across to Balaam. He was to speak only the words that the LORD gives him.

Donkey talks to a guy, Guy talks back to the donkey

more important than if a donkey can speak is whether or not GOd speaks. It is God who causes the donkey to speak - much like he can speak through a person today. (hopefully me each Sunday)

Israelites are only a background character in this story, not a single Isrealite is mentioned

Not sure were this Balaam guys stands - Pious or Pagan

Why does God talk to a pagan Prophet for hire?

God can use whoever He wants to speak His truth into our lives

God’s people have no reason to fear the divintaions of pagans - God is not moved by the divintaions of men, He moves as He wills, not as He is asked.

There is more written about the prophet Balaam than Mary the mother of Jesus or 10 of the 12 disciples combined.

Tension

Israelites are a background character in these chapters.

Truth

So Balaam is known as the “Prophet for Profit” and he was hired to do a specific job. He was to curse the people of Israel so that they would be weakened in order that the alliance between the Moabites and the Midianites could conquer them. King Balak is so exited that Balaam is coming that he doesn’t even wait for him to show up at his front door. He goes out and meets him on the outskirts of his kingdom and escorts him to his palace. On the way, the King questions Balaam on why he was so slow in coming and Balaam tells him that he has come only to speak what the LORD tells him. This doesn’t even seem to phase Balak, and the next morning they set out with very different expectations on how the day will go.

Numbers 23:1–12 ESV

1 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 3 And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height, 4 and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” 5 And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. 7 And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!’ 8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? 9 For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations! 10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!” 11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” 12 And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”

So this King is furious, He is not getting what he ordered at all - in fact he is getting the exact opposite. Because Balaam can only speak what the LORD tells him too, He pronouncing the LORD’s blessing on Israel. But Balak is not finished with Balaam yet. In his pagan mindset, He believes that a new perspective will help Balaam to do what He asks. Once again we see the system of polytheism at work, if you don’t get what you want from a god or goddess, just try somethign else. And that is what Balak lead Balaam to do. He brings Balaam to a new place and does the whole sacrificial ritual again and the LORD again opens the mouth of this pagan seer to speak his words:

Numbers 23:18–24 ESV

18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor: 19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? 20 Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it. 21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them. 22 God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox. 23 For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What has God wrought!’ 24 Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain.”

Numbers

We see in both of these prophecies of Balaam how...

God blesses His people by delivering them ()

Did you see the re-occurrence of the picture of the ox? Balak saw the ox calmly sitting on a hillside enjoying some grass - but God energizes that image by saying that He is for Israel like the horns of a wild ox. The LORD will powerfully fight for His people against any foe, like a lion He will - as he has already - devour any nation that comes against His people. Balaam was brought in to curse these people, but the LORD has already blessed them and He will defend them and deliver them from any enemy.

Remember, the Israelites have no idea that this is happening right now. The LORD is working behind the scenes, working through pagan people, beasts of burden and heavenly messenger to pave the way for the blessing that He intends for his people.

I don’t know about you, but this is encouraging to me. Sometimes it is hard to hold on to things that you can’t see, but one of the applicable truths of the story of Balaam is that God is always working upstream to bring his blessings down to us. We don’t always see it. We are not always directly involved in it. But we can trust that God is working so far beyond our little corner of the world to accomplish His will in our life.

Verse that point to God working upstream…?

Another truth to take with you today is that :

#3 GOD IS WORKING UPSTREAM

Of course we want to look upstream to see what He is up to, but He doesn’t always tells us what He is doing there, but we can trust that our God “who is for us like the horns of a wild ox” is working upstream for our good and for His glory.

So at this point in our story, Balaam has blessed Israel twice instead of cursing them like Balak hired him to do, but he is not giving up. Just as Balaam’s plan was thwarted by the words of a donkey, Balak’s plan will be thwarted three times by the words of Balaam. So once again Balak took them to a new spot. Once again He laid out the 7 alters and the 7 sacrifices. And once again the LORD speaks through Balaam, this prophecy rings with many words that should be familiar to us by now...

So back to our story...

At this point Balaam has blessed Israel twice instead of cursing them like Balak hired him to do, but he is not giving up. Just as Balaam’s plan was thwarted three times by the words of a donkey, Balak’s plan will be thwarted three times by the words of Balaam. So once again Balak took them to a new spot. Once again He laid out the 7 alters and the 7 sacrifices. And once again the LORD speaks through Balaam, this prophecy rings with words that should be familiar to us...

Numbers 24:2–9 ESV

2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, 4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: 5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! 6 Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. 7 Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. 8 God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows. 9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.”

Numbers 24:

Each time the Balaam keeps reaffirming that Israel has been blessed by the LORD, and this time it even reminds of us of the promises that the LORD gave to Abraham. A great reminder of our second theme for the week, that...

God blesses His people by keeping His covenant promises ()

Remember the promise that God made way back in when He said...

Genesis 12:3 ESV

3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Here Balaam’s words are even stronger as he says, “cursed are those who curse you”. Remember Balak hired Balaam because his reputation was that this was true about him, but against God’s people he was powerless to do anything but what the LORD told him to do. The LORD keeps his promises.

It is interesting to note how part of Balaam’s oracle here is used today around the world in both Christian Churches and Jewish Synagogues. Their is a well known hymn ______________________ that choirs often like to sing and as Jews around the world enter their house of worship each week they sing the “Ma Tovu” which is from the words of Balaam here. Balaam, a gentile and Pagan seer was used by God to deliver a message re-affirming His promises to bless His people. That gives us another Truth this morning that GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES.

If you are willing, say GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES.

Finally this morning we see how...

God blesses His people by providing a conquering King ()

We saw hints of this already in Balaam’s previous prophetic speaches

In his second speech he said that

Numbers 23:21 ESV

21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.

Which is interesting considering at this point they have no earthly king. Then in his third speech he said that

In his third speech he said that

Numbers 24:7 ESV

7 Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

Intersting,

The language of a King and Kingdom again…what is this all about?

Still

Well after three times of hearing the Israelites being blessed by Balaam instead of cursed, Balak the King of Moab is done. He basically tells Balaam to just “Stop talking!” “Don’t say another word” “You keep blessing the people I am trying to get cursed!”. Balak is just done…but God is not. So he opens up Balaam’s mouth one last time:

Numbers 24:15–19 ESV

15 And he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, 16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: 17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. 18 Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. 19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!”

Numbers 24:ing them like he

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.”

Gospel Application

The LORD gave Balaam, this pagan Seer a vision of future events beyond his own life time. The future reign of a King who would exercise complete dominion over his enemies. While this oracle did find it’s fulfillment in the earthly King David, it is also a messianic prophecy that will be ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The King of Kings.

Revelation 22:16 ESV

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Revelation 22:16

Many scholars believe that this oracle of Balaam may have been the passage that the Magi from the east were studying when they decided to begin their journey of following the star...

Matthew 2:2 ESV

2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

God blesses His people by delivering them, by keeping his covenant promises and most of all by providing a conquering King. That King is Jesus. He is the one who has been born King of the Jews, marked with the star and carry the scepter of dominsion over all of his enemies.

1 Corinthians 15:25–26 ESV

25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Gospel Application

Landing

When you look at the right way, everything in the Bible eventually ends up at Jesus. Even the weird stories. You might be thinking, yeah but why do we need weird stories like this. Why do we need the stories of Balaam and his talking donkey, or Jonah hanging out in the belly of a fish, or a bunch of bears mauling some diserespectful teenagers because they called someone “baldy”. If they are all just going to end up telling the New Testament story of Jesus, then why not just stick with the New Testament.

Well one of the reasons is that the New Testament writers didn’t stick to the New Testament. In fact you can find the story of Balaam referenced in three different books of the New Testament. All together the Bible talks more about this Balaam guy then it does Mary the mother of Jesus or 10 out of the 12 disciples of Jesus. That is a lot of play time for a donkey talker.

What the New Testament writers give us in principle, they illustrate with Old Testament stories. The first readers of the Bible knew the story of Balaam, probably at least in part because of how weird it was to hear about a talking donkey. And I hope that you have been able to see how there are truths in these stories that ring true for us even today.

We are not the main character in our story, God is.

JeGod still keeps his promises

God still

The reason is that

Things are not always the way they seem, from our perspective

New Testament references

God is still working upstream and often out of sight, for our good and His glory

2 Peter 2:15–16 ESV

15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

2 peter 2:

Jude 11 ESV

11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

God still keeps his promises, and the best one is that in Jesus Christ He has given us a conquering King.

Jude

Revelation 2:14 ESV

14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

Revelations 2:14

And in Jesus Christ He has given us a conquering King.

God is on the move in the lives of His people, sometimes we see it and sometimes we don’t.

God can use whoever He wants to speak His truth into our lives

God’s people have no reason to fear the divintaions of pagans - God is not moved by the divintaions of men, He moves as He wills, not as He is asked.

There is more written about the prophet Balaam than Mary the mother of Jesus or 10 of the 12 disciples combined.

Landing

As always the question is, are you living in a right relationship with King Jesus? Or are you living in rebellion against Him? He has conquered sin and death, so He has life to offer anyone who willingly comes under his rule and reign. But to anyone who remains an enemy of King Jesus, there is no hope of receiving any part of His Kingdom. The Bible is clear that every knee will bow to Jesus - either it will happen willingly now or forcibly latter. The first is the eternal hope of every believer, that latter is the eternal despair of all who dare to come against his rule.

Don’t let this be you. If you are here today and you wonder if you have a saving faith in Jesus Christ please come talk to me or someone else that you trust has this hope.

And if you have already bent your knee to Jesus then this story should bring you even greater hope. Because each one of us has been commissioned to share the good news of Jesus to those around us, and if God can use a talking donkey to share his message of hope then certainly He can use anyone of us.

gives me great hope, because I know then that He can even use words as feeble as mine. It was the LORD who opened the eyes of Balaam, maybe He is looking to open your eyes this morning.