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| (God has Balaam bless Israel. Click for source.) |
The Bible is full of riches and great treasure. (See Proverbs 3:13-15 and all of Proverbs 3). It is unfathomable wealth set before us and all we have to do is look to God to guide us in understanding and receiving it. The Holy Bible is full of awesome truth which will set us free from the devil's lies. The books of Proverbs and Psalms speak of how rich and priceless God's Word and God's wisdom are. God wants us to depend on Him to understand what we should do, and where we should go, and what God's Word is telling us. The Holy Spirit works through the Holy Bible to reveal awesome truths to us, if we want Him to.
In the book of Numbers, chapters 23 and 24, we read how a prophet called Balaam was told to prophecy destruction and call curses down on Israel, but he sought what God would have him say, and Balaam's words were inspired by the Spirit of God. They speak of how God will bless those who trust in Him, and how God will bless the nation of Israel. We Christians are en-grafted into the blessings of Israel by the blood of Jesus (Romans 11). So, these promises also apply to us, as they do to the nation of Israel. We Christians can personalize these promises for us and even speak of them out loud. Of course, sin that we refuse to forsake will keep these promises from being fulfilled, until we repent of the sin.
Let's now look at Numbers chapter 23, verses 4 through 10.
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Scripture: Numbers 23:4-10
NUMBERS 23:4-10
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| (The Kingdom of Moab. Click for source.) |
"[4.] And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
5. And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
6. And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
7. And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
8. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
9. For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
10. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!"
Commentary
Numbers 23
Vs. 7-8: No curse can fall on the people who trust in God and obey Him.
Vs. 9: God's people are not counted up among the nations and they are separate and set apart to God.
Vs. 10: The Gentile Church will be large and multiplied, and so will the believers of Israel (Messianic Jews). Their end will be Heaven.
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Scripture: Numbers 23:16-24
Scripture: Numbers 23:16-24
NUMBERS 23:16-24
"[16.] And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
17. And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?
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| (Tabernacle. Click for source.) |
18. And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
19. God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
20. Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
22. God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
23. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!
24. Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain."
Commentary
Numbers 23
Vs. 19: God fulfills His promises and fulfills His Holy Word (the Bible). He does not change and He cannot lie. He shall fully restore Israel (Jewish people) to the land of Israel. God shall bless His Church too as they put their trust in Him (Proverbs 14:26-27).
Vs. 20: Prophecies cannot be reversed by the prophet. If the people have been given a prophecy of judgment, and if they repent, the prophecy may be delayed so that it will reach the nation in the future. But, if the people don't repent, the judgment will fall soon. Also, prophecies of blessing will bring blessing, unless the nation quickly turns after wickedness and refuses to repent. Then, the prophecy will apply to those who do repent, but not to the whole nation.
Vs. 21: God doesn't see sin in Israel or in those who put their trust in Him and who choose to repent from sin. At this time, Israel had come through most of the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and were more humble before God. They were putting their trust in God to save them from sin through the blood of the Messiah, who was foreshadowed (by the system of animal sacrifices) to take away our sins.
Once the Messiah came, He was the true sacrifice for sins and He fulfilled the law of sacrifices, and of the observance of religious feasts, and such. Jesus Christ (the Messiah) fulfilled the law and brought us to God through His blood. Salvation is not by works but by trusting in Jesus Christ alone to save us from sin and to give us a home in Heaven.
God is with those who trust in Him and they can shout because He is their King.
Vs. 22: God brought us (the Church) out of spiritual Egypt, which is the world and its ungodly ways. And, God has great strength which He puts to work for the believers. God gives us a picture of His strength in a Christian by comparing it to a powerful animal which has a single horn on its head. This was not a fictional animal.
The Hebrew word for unicorn is reem (Strong's #7214). It was translated as a rhinoceros, in Latin. Many believe it is a wild ox. But, wild oxen do not have a single horn. The scientific name of a species of rhinoceros is Rhinoceros unicornis. Unicornis refers to its single horn.
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| (Elasmotherium [a type of woolly rhinoceros]. Click for source.) |
Woolly rhinoceroses were very large animals and would have impressed the people of ancient times with their great strength even more than an ox would. It was a powerful animal and it was strong enough to impress ancient people in the Middle East, who had plenty of oxen in their herds.
God is giving us a picture of His great power in a believer and that it was by His power alone that Israel was brought out of Egypt and it was by God's power alone that Israel was able to conquer its enemies. (Many miracles happened in Egypt as judgments on them for oppressing God's people.)
Vs. 23: Sorcery or spells cast against God's people will accomplish nothing and will not touch the children of God, unless they turn away from God and rebel against Him. What God has done through His people and in His people is wonderful.
Vs. 24: The righteous are as bold as a lion, and through God's power they conquer the wicked. Proverbs 28:1 says: "[1] The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion." Through the power of Jesus and His blood, and by obeying God's Word (the Bible), the righteous shall overcome the devil.
In Revelation 12:11, we read: "[11] And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
The Church overcomes the devil by the blood of Jesus Christ, who was the sacrificial Lamb who died in our place. We also overcome by testifying of God's power and by not loving our lives in this world. We love that Christ's Kingdom is more important than our own lives. Christ's Kingdom is more important than what the world has to say because God is our life (Deuteronomy 30:20) and our inheritance (Deuternomy 10:9).
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Scripture: Numbers 24:2-9
Scripture: Numbers 24:2-9
NUMBERS 24:2-9
"[2.] And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
3. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
4. He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
5. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
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| (A lion. Click for source.) |
6. As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
7. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8. God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
9. He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee."
Commentary
Numbers 24
Vs. 5-6: Psalm chapter 1 fits perfectly with Numbers 24:5-6. As we meditate in God's Word and delight in it, we will grow and produce good fruit like a tree planted by rivers of water. We will never wither and whatever we do (if it is in agreement with God's Word), will prosper. But, this cannot happen for those who continue in sin (see Psalm 1:4-6).
Vs. 7: Numbers 24:7 matches with John 7:37-38, which says: "[37.] In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. [38.] He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [39.] (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)"
Ephesians 6:11-13
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| (Roman soldier armor. Click for source.) |
"[11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
Vs. 9: This is similar to the scripture about the lion of the tribe of Judah. We believers are as bold as a lion, as we trust in God (Proverbs 28:1). And, by trusting in God, we will overcome our enemies, including the devil and his snares (Psalm 37:3 and Jeremiah 17:7).
Psalm 37:3-4
"[3] Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
[4] Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
Jeremiah 17:7 says: "[7] Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is."
The Results of Blessing Israel Versus Cursing Israel
Those who curse the Jewish people will be cursed, and those who bless the Jewish people will be blessed, to a degree. Likewise, those who bless a believer in Jesus will be blessed, to a degree, and those who curse a believer in Jesus will be cursed. That is what the scripture teaches. Romans 11 shows how we Christians are en-grafted into the tree of Israel's spiritual blessings and place of fellowship with God.
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Scripture: Numbers 24:14-25
Scripture: Numbers 24:14-25
NUMBERS 24:14-25
"[14.] And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
15. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
16. He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
17. I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
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| (The Kingdom of Edom. Click for source.) |
18. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
20. And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
21. And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
22. Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23. And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
24. And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
25. And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way."
Commentary
Numbers 24
Vs. 17: Regarding this phrase "...Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel...", the Star and the Sceptre are symbols representing Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus shall have to judge the wicked people of all the countries mentioned in verses 17 to 24. Countries near Israel's borders, which had not been given to Israel earlier, will be given to Israel in the latter days. That is what the Bible teaches.
And, spiritually, the Church shall possess what the devil has been trying to keep from them all along: God's blessings and peace. It says in James 4:7: "[7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Jesus Christ said these words in Matthew 12:28-30:
"[28] But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. [29] Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. [30] He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."
Through Jesus Christ we can bind the strong man (the demons oppressing us or other people) and cast the strong man out in Jesus Christ's name. Then, we will be able to take from the devil what he stole from us: God's promises and peace.
Vs. 19: The phrase "...he that shall have dominion..." refers to Jesus Christ coming to destroy the wicked, but it has more applications than just this.
Vs. 24: Chittim is the Hebrew word Kittiyyi (Strong's #3794). It refers to Greece and the island of Cyprus.
The Greeks and Macedonians, under the leadership of Alexander the Great, invaded the Middle East and conquered the Persian Empire. They conquered the descendants of Eber and Asshur (who came from Shem, a son of Noah) and who dwelt in the Middle East. The prophecy of God says that Eber shall perish forever.
Some commentators think Eber was a region or country near or part of ancient Assyria, which now exists in parts of modern Iraq and Iran. These people (Eber) were conquered and dispersed among the middle-eastern nations.
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CONCLUSION
All these promises apply to the Gentile Church as they do to those who are Messianic Jews (Jewish people who follow Jesus) (Romans 11 and Galatians 3:26-29). By the blood of Jesus Christ, we Gentile Christians are brought into fellowship with the believing Jews (Messianic Jews) and are brought into fellowship with God the Father, who dearly loves all of us with unchanging love. Let us seek to know Him intimately and personally and meditate on His Holy Word, the Bible to grow. Let us rest in Him, knowing that we are resting in His love and promises found in His Word. God will greatly bless us with deep fellowship as we rest in Him, and look to Him, and seek His will (as opposed to our own).
Psalm 37:4 says: "[4] Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
Psalm 37:7 says: "[7] Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass."
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