Tag: Israel

“History of movements in the wilderness”

 

Num 33:1-5  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. Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the LORD, and these are their stages according to their starting places. 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, while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them. On their gods also the LORD executed judgments. So the people of Israel set out from Rameses and camped at Succoth.

Numbers 33:6-49 summarized: From Succoth to Ethan to Pi-hahiroth to March to Elim to Sin to Dophkah to Alush to Rephidim to Sinai to Kigroth-hattaavah to Rithmah to Libnah to Rissah to Kehelathah to Mount Shepher to Haradah, to Makheloth to Tahath to Terah to Mithkah to Hashmonah to Moseroth to Bene-jaakan to Hor-haggidgad to Jotbathah to Abronah, to Ezion-geber to Kadesh to Mount Hor (Aaron died here) to Zalmonah to Punon to Oboth to lye-abarim to Dibon-gad to Almon-diblathaim to mountains of Alarim to the plains by the Jordan at Jericho. 

Moses recorded every time God led them to another location over the forty years in the wilderness. During the first two years the 10 commandments, temple worship of God, Priestly service, and sacrifices for sin were given. During the forty years many miracles were performed starting with the parting of the Red Sea, death to all of the Egyptian army, God was a pillar of smoke by day and pillar of fire by night, water from a rock, mana from heaven, quail, plagues, serpents, and the earth opening up and swallowing those who defied God, all in judgment of sin, the budding of Aaron’s staff, clothes and sandals that did not wear out over the forty years, invading armies defeated, and much more. 

There is much in Numbers that is given to us as examples of both what is right in the eyes of God and what is wrong in His sight. We do well to take time to let them sink in and be remembered because they show God’s love, grace, and mercy, as well as His wrath, anger, and judgment.

48.u. Wilderness – 13. “Then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession”

 

Num 32:26  Our little ones, our wives, our livestock, and all our cattle shall remain there in the cities of Gilead, but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord orders.” 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. 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. However, if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben answered, “What the LORD has said to your servants, we will do. 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.” 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.

The possession of the land of Gilead was on the condition of their faithfulness to their promise. Moses told Eleazar to make sure they honored their promise before granting them Gilead. Numbers 32:33 introduces another tribe – actually, half the tribe of Manasseh – who were likewise content to settle on the lands east of the Jordan River. In total, two and one-half tribes received their possession of land east of the Jordan River. (Guzik)

Concerning the settlement of these tribes, observe, that they built the cities, that is, repaired them. They changed the names of them; probably they were idolatrous, therefore they should be forgotten. A spirit of selfishness, of seeking our own, not the things of Christ, when each one ought to assist others, is as dangerous as it is common. It is impossible to be sincere in the faith, sensible of the goodness of God, constrained by the love of Christ, sanctified by the power of the Holy Ghost, and yet be indifferent to the progress of religion, and the spiritual success of others, through love of ease, or fear of conflict. Let then your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Henry)

We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan,…. This is repeated again and again, for the confirmation of it, assuring that it should be strictly performed according to the true intent of it:

that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours; that is, that the possession and inheritance they desired, and which had been granted them, on conditions to be performed by them, might be ratified and confirmed unto them on their fulfilment of them. (Gill)

I really don’t know what to say about these tribes and their want to stay out of the promised land. Yet, then again I might. When we have an option for something less hard and more certain than the alternative we mostly choose the less hard and more certain. I wonder how many times God has set something before and we look ahead with all of the uncertainties and hard work and say: “I just make do here”.  

It is good for our hearts and minds to be ever-longing for the promised land – Eternity in Heaven! Being content with and having more desire for things of this world than eternity in heaven is not grasping hold of the promise. It is like saying I will help you get there but I personally want to stay on this side. 

Keep your eyes focused on Jesus and eternity in heaven and don’t let the things of this world entice you to forget it or put it aside.

48.q. “Wilderness” – 12.w. “Have you let all the women live?”

 

Num 31:14  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.

Num 31:15  Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live?

Num 31:16  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.

Num 31:17  Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him.

Num 31:18  But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves.

The sword of war should spare women and children; but the sword of justice should know no distinction, but that of guilty or not guilty. This war was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the worst criminals. The female children were spared, who, being brought up among the Israelites, would not tempt them to idolatry. The whole history shows the hatefulness of sin, and the guilt of tempting others; it teaches us to avoid all occasions of evil, and to give no quarter to inward lusts. The women and children were not kept for sinful purposes, but for slaves, a custom every where practised in former times, as to captives. In the course of providence, when famine and plagues visit a nation for sin, children suffer in the common calamity. (Henry)

Treatment of the Prisoners. – When Moses went out to the front of the camp with Eleazar and the princes of the congregation to meet the returning warriors, he was angry with the commanders, because they had left all the women alive, since it was they who had been the cause, at Balaam’s instigation, of the falling away of the Israelites from Jehovah to worship Peor; and he commanded all the male children to be slain, and every woman who had lain with a man, and only the young girls who had hitherto had no connection with a man to be left alive. (Brown)

Moses was angry because the children of Israel failed to see the great danger of sexual immorality and idolatry posed by these women who before had led the men of Israel into these exact sins.  God’s people may be deceived by things that were a threat, but do not seem to be a present danger. The Israelite officers of the army thought these women were safe, but they were more dangerous to Israel than an army of mighty warriors. Israel could overcome mighty warriors if they were spiritually strong; but if they were seduced into immorality and idolatry, they would certainly fall.  We often think of many things as dangerous to us as the people of God – hostile government, secular humanism, academic attack, and so forth. But when God’s people accept things among them that open the door to immorality and idolatry, this can be a much greater danger than any of those other things.

God has the right to judge not only individuals but also communities of all different sizes. Such judgments go beyond punishing individuals for their personal guilt; judgment comes upon the society as a whole, including those who may not be personally and individually guilty (such as children; the little ones). Sometimes God sends these judgments directly (as in the Genesis flood or with Sodom and Gomorrah), and sometimes God sends nations as instruments of His judgment (as with the Assyrians against the northern kingdom of Israel and the Babylonians against the southern kingdom of Judah). In the broader conquest of Canaan, God uniquely used His people (Israel) as that instrument of judgment.

This harsh judgment often makes us uncomfortable but is rooted in both God’s fundamental right to judge (Psalm 9:8, 50:6), and in His merciful granting of much time for people to repent (Genesis 15:16). We can trust that God is a righteous judge (Genesis 18:25, Psalm 7:11). (Guzik)

“For this action I account simply on the principle that God, who is the author and supporter of life, has a right to dispose of it when and how he thinks proper; and the Judge of all the earth can do nothing but what is right.” (Clarke)

 “The nations today are at risk from the judgment of God. This is true whether they acknowledge it or not. One day that judgment will come. At that time there will be no weeping over women and boys who died in ancient Midian three and a half millennia ago; at that time the judgment of God will transcend anything ever written in the harshest Scripture.” (Allen)

48.p. “Wilderness” – 12.v. “They warred against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses”

Num 31:7  They warred against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every male.

Num 31:8  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.

Num 31:9  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.

Num 31:10  All their cities in the places where they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire,

Num 31:11  and took all the spoil and all the plunder, both of man and of beast.

Num 31:12  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.

There was this material difference between the wars of other nations and those of the Jews, that the former followed the bent of their own passions; whereas the Jews were only the ministers or executioners of divine justice, most evidently appointed to this work by God himself, as he manifested by a train of miracles wrought among and for them, such as had never been known on the earth before. So that no consequence can be deduced from their conduct in their wars, to warrant the like conduct in other people. (Benson)

It is a terrible thing to fall under the vengeance of God. Can you imagine the wrath God has stored up in this time of grace and mercy towards those who have not only rejected God but have also rejected and denied the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their redemption? Through God’s grace, mercy, and love He has reached out to His creation with an offer of restitution, forgiveness, and salvation – to reject or deny His Son, Jesus Christ, is to say to God; “I don’t need you, I don’t believe in you, I will do as I please, I willfully reject and deny any need of your grace, mercy, and love”. And yet, God in all of His holiness, grace, mercy, and love, and not wanting any to perish and spend eternity in Hell, sent His Son to redeem all mankind if they would but, believe, trust, cling to, rely on, obey, and follow Jesus Christ for their salvation, redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life. 

Judgment, wrath, and anger are reserved but a time is coming when these will be unleashed on mankind. No one will be able to stand against the power and might of God.

48.l. “Wilderness” – 12.r. “Appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them”

 

Num 27:12-23  The LORD said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.” And Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him as the LORD directed through Moses.

Moses explained that he did – on some occasion – ask God to relent from His judgment that Moses would never set foot in the land of Canaan. God did not relent, and Moses made himself content with knowing he would see the land and be gathered to His God. God reminded Moses of the reason why he would not be allowed to enter Canaan, because of his sin of misrepresenting God at Meribah. After hearing of his coming fate, Moses did not try to change God’s mind, and he did not complain. His only concern was for the congregation of Israel, for the people, not for himself. (Guzik)

Envious spirits do not love their successors; but Moses was not one of these. We should concern ourselves, both in our prayers and in our endeavours, for the rising generation, that religion may be maintained and advanced, when we are in our graves. God appoints a successor, even Joshua; who had signalized himself by his courage in fighting Amalek, his humility in ministering to Moses, and his faith and sincerity in witnessing against the report of the evil spies. This man God appoints to succeed Moses; a man in whom is the Spirit, the Spirit of grace. He is a good man, fearing God and hating covetousness, and acting from principle. He has the spirit of government; he is fit to do the work and discharge the trusts of his place. He has a spirit of conduct and courage; he had also the Spirit of prophecy. That man is not fully qualified for any service in the church of Christ, who is destitute of the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, whatever human abilities he may possess. And in Joshua’s succession we are reminded that the law was given by Moses, who by reason of our transgression could not bring us to heaven; but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, for the salvation of every believer. (Henry)

48.j. “Wilderness” – 12.p. “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel”

 

Num 26:1-4  After the plague, the LORD said to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest, “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ houses, all in Israel who are able to go to war.” And Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, “Take a census of the people, from twenty years old and upward,” as the LORD commanded Moses. 

Num 26:53-55  “Among these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names. To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance in proportion to its list.  But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

Num 26:64-65  But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. For the LORD had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

Moses did not number the people but when God commanded him. We have here the families registered, as well as the tribes. The total was nearly the same as when numbered at mount Sinai. Notice is here taken of the children of Korah; they died not, as the children of Dathan and Abiram; they seem not to have joined even their own father in rebellion. If we partake not of the sins of sinners, we shall not partake of their plagues.  The execution of the sentence passed on the murmurers, chap. 14:29, is observable. There was not one man numbered now, who was numbered then, but Caleb and Joshua. Here appeared the righteousness of God, and his faithfulness to his threatenings. Especially observe the truth of God, in performing his promise to Caleb and Joshua. Death makes awful havoc of the human species, and causes surprising changes in families and nations; yet all is appointed in perfect wisdom, justice, and truth, by the Lord himself. This should stir us up to think upon the hateful nature of sin, the cause of all these devastations. We should renew our repentance, seek forgiveness, value the salvation of Christ, remember how frail we are, prepare for the summons of death, and fill up our days in serving our generation according to the will of God.(Henry)

Narrow is the gate that leads to righteousness and wide is the road that leads to destruction. Notice only two of the original generation made it to the promised land. Unbelief, grumbling, and rejecting God’s commands had consequences on those who were originally given the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey. They were given a promise but rejected the commands of the promise giver – God. They were given warnings and examples but failed to listen or obey God. 

Eternal life is a promise from God for all who would trust, rely upon, and cling to Jesus Christ for their forgiveness, salvation, and redemption. Likewise, eternal hell is promised for those who reject God’s plan of salvation. 

48.i. “Wilderness” – 12.o. “Because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel”

 

Num 25:10-18  And the LORD said to Moses, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’” The name of the slain man of Israel, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, chief of a father’s house belonging to the Simeonites. And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a father’s house in Midian. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Harass the Midianites and strike them down, for they have harassed you with their wiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague on account of Peor.”

Phinehas was passionate about the things God was passionate about. In this situation, Phinehas faithfully demonstrated the zeal of God against Israel’s unfaithfulness to their covenant with God. Zimri the son of Salu…. Cozbi the daughter of Zur: These were the names of the previously unnamed (Numbers 25:6, 8) Israelite man and Moabite woman who so publicly and offensively sinned. This naming was to their everlasting shame. Both of them came from fathers who were leaders.

God commanded Israel to show no tolerance towards the Midianites, who played a role in seducing Israel to these sins of immorality and idolatry. Israel was commanded to battle against the Midianites at every opportunity they had.

We read not that any Midianites died of the plague; God punished them with the sword of an enemy, not with the rod of a father. We must set ourselves against whatever is an occasion of sin to us, Mt 5:29,30. Whatever draws us to sin, should be a vexation to us, as a thorn in the flesh. And none will be more surely and severely punished than those who, after Satan’s example, and with his subtlety, tempt others to sin. (Henry)

The hearts and minds of those who reject and deny God are full of evil ideas that find their way into actions. Sometimes these are overt and other times they subtle nudges to get others to follow after their ungodly acts. Much of the time we do not see the evil intents that others have. They know their intents. They know what they are doing is wrong but have given their hearts and minds over to that which is wrong. It is wrong because God has called it wrong. It is wrong because it is fed by evil desires that result in thoughts, words, and actions that do not honor God or His holiness. There is a point of no return, where the hearts and minds of these people are hardened beyond redemption and god gives them over to the lusts of their hearts. We live in a time of mass communication availability. Literally a person can have a thought posted on social media and it can be sent and picked up by millions of views. Evil thoughts and ideas can be spewed out every second of every day. Some of these thoughts try to defend overt acts of unrighteousness and others try to convince with worldly wisdom that their acts are ok to do. Homosexuality, Abortion, Pornography, Transgenderism, Looting and Destruction, Rewriting or Denying Historical Events, Cancelling Opposition, ETC………… All have evil roots and hurt the souls of those who proclaim and defend them. People void of God and the Word of God will be led astray little by little until what would have been totally absurd 5-10 years ago is now defended and common place. It does not matter how many smooth words are used to convince and proclaim wrong thoughts, words, and actions, Wrong is wrong. When God is removed from the hearts and minds of people they will do what seems right in their own eyes to the eternal damning of their souls. God’s Word rightly says, “The fool says in their heart there is no God”. 

48.h. “Wilderness” – 12.n. “Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor”

 

Num 25:1  While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.” And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meetingWhen Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity; for none can prevail against God’s people if they are not overcome by their inbred lusts; nor can any enchantment hurt them, but the enticements of worldly interests and pleasures. Here is the sin of Israel, to which they are enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian. Those are our worst enemies who draw us to sin, for that is the greatest mischief any man can do us. Israel’s sin did that which all Balaam’s enchantments could not do; it set God against them. Diseases are the fruits of God’s anger, and the just punishments of prevailing sins; one infection follows the other. Ringleaders in sin ought to be made examples of justice. (Henry)

Moabites and Midianites found ways and means to become familiar with the Israelites, and to introduce their daughters into their company and conversation, and being ensnared and enamoured with them, they were drawn to commit lewdness with them, and hereby were led on to commit other abominations, which brought the divine displeasure upon them; so that what they dared not attempt by war, and could not effect by sorceries and divinations, they accomplished by those iniquitous arts, namely, bringing the wrath, the curse, and plague of God upon them. (Brown)

Neglect of God’s Word and complacency to Things of God will do harm to the soul. They will darken paths that honor and glorify God. They will deafen the ears to hear God’s leading. They will give sight and purpose to worldly things that dishonor God. They will harden the heart and things of God will become void in their heart. They will make what is clearly wrong seem right. They will allow you to be led astray by false words of hope. They will harm your soul, darken your mind, deafen your ears, and give you false beliefs. 

Guard your hearts and minds. Stay in His Word and seek to honor and glorify Him in all thoughts, words, and actions.

48.g. “Wilderness” – 12.m. “Balaam’s Final Oracle”

 

Num 24:15-25  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, 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: 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. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!” Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, “Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction.” And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, “Enduring is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock. Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned when Asshur takes you away captive.” And he took up his discourse and said, “Alas, who shall live when God does this? But ships shall come from Kittim and shall afflict Asshur and Eber; and he too shall come to utter destruction.” Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way.

The last four oracles of Balaam are curses – the kind of oracles that Balak wanted Balaam to deliver against Israel. Instead, they are spoken against Israel’s enemies. Previously Balaam prophesied of the beauty, strength, and blessedness of Israel; now God uses him to speak of the culmination of all Israel’s beauty, strength, and blessedness – the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Israel’s ultimate blessedness comes from Jesus, their Messiah. Martin Luther had a hard time seeing this as a messianic prophecy because Balaam was such an unworthy prophet of such a glorious message. Yet, “The truth of the Scripture could never be dependent on the worthiness of the writer or the personal piety of the speaker. Else we would have gradations in inspiration and shadings in trustworthiness. I say this reverently but strongly; the words of Balaam the pagan mantic, when he was speaking under the control of the Holy Spirit of God were as sure as the words of the Savior Jesus in a red-letter edition of the NT.” “A blind man may bear a torch in his hand, whereby others may receive benefit, though himself receive none; so here.”

The Messiah will eventually rule over all nations that surround Israel. Here, and in the following verses, God spoke about the neighboring nations of Israel (Moab, Edom, Amalek, and the Kenites) and their future through Balaam. Balak, the king of the Moabites, must have been both grieved and outraged to hear his paid-for prophet speak these words against Moab, cursing them instead of Israel. “This prediction of Moab’s total defeat at the hand of a future Israelite king is an appropriate point for Balaam to end. He had been called in so that through his curse Balak, king of Moab, might defeat Israel; Balaam declares that the reverse will be the case: Moab will be destroyed by a coming king of Israel.” (Guzik)

“Balak had not his will, nor Balaam his wages; God fooled them both, pulling the morsel out of their mouths, that they had well-nigh devoured.” (Trapp)

48.f. “Wilderness” – 12.l. “Balaam’s Third Oracle”

 

Num 24:1  When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 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, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. 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. 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. 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.” And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the LORD has held you back from honor.” And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak’? And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

Now Balaam spake not his own sense, but the language of the Spirit that came upon him. Many have their eyes open who have not their hearts open; are enlightened, but not sanctified. That knowledge which puffs men up with pride, will but serve to light them to hell, whither many go with their eyes open. The blessing is nearly the same as those given before. He admires in Israel, their beauty. The righteous, doubtless, is more excellent than his neighbour. Their fruitfulness and increase. Their honour and advancement. Their power and victory. He looks back upon what had been done for them. Their power and victory. He looks back upon what had been done for them. Their courage and security. The righteous are bold as a lion, not when assaulting others, but when at rest, because God maketh them to dwell in safety. Their influence upon their neighbours. God takes what is done to them, whether good or evil, as done to himself. (Henry)

Even after two unsuccessful attempts to cause Balaam to curse Israel, Balak was still willing to try again. This shows both his desperation and his thought that it was just a matter of persuading a reluctant deity to get what he wanted. Balak thought that maybe another place would give him the results he wanted. If Balak had not yet learned that God was for Israel and not against them, Balaam seems to have, at this point, been convinced of this truth. Because he was finally convinced God wanted to bless Israel and not curse them, Balaam did not use sorcery in the following oracle. Perhaps this means that in the first two oracles Balaam followed traditional customs of discerning the will of the gods through examining the entrails of the sacrificed animals. He stopped the false and artificial methods of the pagans, and just listened to the voice of the LORD. It may be that Balaam did use these pagan methods for the first two oracles, and God – in great mercy and willingness to meet sinful and superstitious humanity – still spoke His word to and through Balaam. This was God speaking despite such methods, not because of them.

This beautiful prophecy speaks of Israel’s blessed abundance, strength, and their dominance over neighboring nations God would give to Israel. Under God’s blessing, Israel has an abundance of water, stretching out all over the land and bringing fruitfulness. Most of all, this prophecy speaks of the abiding blessing of God on Israel, and directly rebukes Balak for trying to curse Israel. (Guzik)

 “At first the eyes of Balaam were shut, and so closely too that he could not see the angel who withstood him, till God opened his eyes; nor could he see the gracious intentions of God towards Israel, till the eyes of his understanding were opened by the power of the Divine Spirit.” (Clark)