A blessing instead of a curse. Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but here you have [thoroughly] blessed them instead!” Balaam answered, “Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?” Num 23:11-12
INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT13
The Experiences in the Wilderness
III. IN THE PLAINS OF MOAB, Numbers 22:2-36
1. Balak and Balaam, Numbers 22-24
34. How did the man who was sent for to curse the Israelites bless them instead?
BALAAM’S FIRST ORACLE
Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams here.”
Balak did just as Balaam had said, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Then 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.” So he went to a desolate hill.
Now God met Balaam, who said to Him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”
Then the LORD put a speech in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus.”
Balaam returned to Balak, and behold, he was standing by his burnt sacrifice, he and all the leaders of Moab.
Balaam took up his [first] discourse (oracle) and said: “Balak, the king of Moab, has brought me from Aram (Syria), from the mountains of the east, [saying,] ‘Come, curse [the descendants of] Jacob for me; And come, [violently] denounce Israel.’
“How shall I curse those whom God has not cursed? Or how can I [violently] denounce those the LORD has not denounced?
“For from the top of the rocks I see Israel, And from the hills I look at him. Behold, the people [of Israel] shall dwell alone And will not be reckoned among the nations.
“Who can count the dust (the descendants) of Jacob And the number of even the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God], And let my end be like his!” [Psa_37:37; Rev_14:13]
Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but here you have [thoroughly] blessed them instead!”
Balaam answered, “Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?”
Comments by
F.B.Meyer
On
Numbers 23:1-12
A BLESSING INSTEAD OF A CURSE
Notice the position of these chapters, preceding the awful story of Baal-peor. Presently the Israelites will be perpetrating such terrible sins that it might seem impossible for God to continue to acknowledge them; yet here God stands for them and restrains the spirit of evil. He will take their chastisement, when needed, into his own hands.
With all his might Balaam strove to earn the royal gifts. Ah, thought he, that I could really feel that I was the organ of the divine malediction! But he could not feel in his heart that God’s spirit was urging him in the direction that Balak wished. The stream of destiny was not running that way. On the contrary, he could forge no weapon against Israel that could prosper, and when he tried to raise his tongue in judgment against the people of God he was condemned. It was as if God said, “Touch not mine anointed.” Psa_105:15; Isa_54:17; Rom_8:31.
DONATIONS FOR BIBLE DISTRUBUTION — Quovadisworld
On MeWe join our group at Friends in Jesus
We also have a Page about Creation Ministries International.
See also Young Earth Creationists
On Facebook;
Join our closed group at : Quo Vadis Christian Community Group to read and partake in the Bible study to learn to know Jesus Christ. To know Him is to Love Him.
We also have an open Page at Quo Vadis Christian Community you might want to know more about.
Please ad yourself to our Messenger group to receive notification and chat to other members of the group.
You may however wish to disable notification and look at post when you have the time.
Join our messenger group at Friends in Jesus.
If you want a Bible please contact: Please let me have a Bible.
If you want a Bible in Pakistan.
You may also want to join Creation Ministries International.
Find more Study topics at Quo Vadis World
DONATIONS FOR BIBLE DISTRUBUTION — Quovadisworld
We give thanks and acknowledgement to Rick Meyers from e-Sword.
P.O. Box 1626
Franklin, TN 37065
United States of America
www.e-sword.net
