(1462 - 982 480 years of 1 Kings 6:1)
D. From Kadesh-Barnea to crossing of Jordan ~ cont.
a. Balak seeks curse - Numbers 22:2-21
b. Baalam's ass talks - Numbers 22:22-41
c. Baalam's prophecy - Numbers 23:1-30; 24:1-25
{pages 270-275}
Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. (Numbers 22:6)
I made a note on by verses 5 and 6, "known to be a prophet?" Browsing and sharing Gill's commentary:
for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed; so high an opinion had the king of Moab of this soothsayer and diviner, from the report he had had of the mighty feats done by him; as, that those for whom he asked for blessings from heaven had them, and those on whom he imprecated evils, they came upon them; and this was a prevailing custom among the Heathens in later times, and particularly the Romans; not only to endeavour to get the gods of the people from them they were at war with, and whose cities they besieged, praying that they would leave such places, cities, and their temples; but also wished evils to cities and armies, and prayed the gods to fill them with flight, fear, and terror, and that such evils might come upon them, which had on others (d).
(d) Vid. Macrob. Saturnal. l. 3. c. 9.
Searching...I came across this article and thought this paragraph worth sharing:
Second, the story demonstrates that God's people are invincible. The forces of evil cannot bring to fruition their evil purpose against those blessed by the Lord. In Numbers God revealed Himself as the military leader of His people, an army heading victoriously toward Canaan.
I need to be reminded that God is in control, HE has already won, we are HIS victors whether we perish or HE returns for us, not because of who we are or what we are doing (necessarily, we still need to be obedient), but because HE shows HIS power and strength in and through HIS body.
God spoke to him...
And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? (Numbers 22:9)
Again God spoke to him.
And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. (Numbers 22:20)
The next portion of text always perplexed me. Balaam gets up and goes with the men...and God is angry (verses 21-22). If I am perceiving it correctly Balaam was supposed to wait until they asked again?
JFB's commentary: God’s anger was kindled because he went — The displeasure arose partly from his neglecting the condition on which leave was granted him - namely, to wait till the princes of Moab “came to call him” [Num_22:20], and because, through desire for “the wages of unrighteousness” [2Pe_2:15], he entertained the secret purpose of acting in opposition to the solemn charge of God.
Still browsing and briefly previewed this article. I do not know if I agree with the author's interpretation that the messengers departed from Balaam, especially after he specifically requested them to tarry the night. Still, an interesting overview.
God puts a word in Balaam's mouth - Numbers 23:5 and 16, yet in Numbers 24:2 the spirit of God came upon him. A difference? Each time Balaam offered on seven altars a bullock and a ram, three times.
7 * 3 = 21 bullocks and 21 rams. Quite a lot of animal offerings.
I noted with inquisitiveness that in Numbers 23:21 - 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.
Major question mark with the word, WHAT?! After all that murmuring and complaining. God slaying the rebellious over and over again?
Gill's commentary:
He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel,.... Not that there was no sin in them, nor any observed by the Lord; yet not so as to mark it in strict justice, and punish for it; but he forgave it, hid his face from it, and did not impute it to them; all the three Targums restrain it to idolatry, that there were none among them that worshipped idols, which was the reason why the Lord could not be prevailed upon to curse them: and Aben Ezra observes, that from hence Balak learnt to send women to the Israelites, to entice them to lewdness, and so to idolatry, that he might be able to carry his point: this is true of the spiritual Israel of God; for though there is sin in them, and which is continually done by them, yet their sins are removed from them, and have been laid on Christ, and he has bore them, and made reconciliation for them, and made an end of them, and has redeemed and saved them from them; and God, by imputing his righteousness to them, has justified them from all their sins, has forgiven all their iniquities, and blotted out all their transgressions, and has cast them behind his back, and into the depths of the sea, and has removed them as far from them as the east is from the west: and when God is said not to see or behold iniquity in his people, it is to be understood, not of his eye of Omniscience, with which he sees not only the sins of all men, but those of his own people also, and takes notice of them in a providential way, and chastises them for them; but of his eye of avenging justice, and purity regards the article of justification, which is a full discharge from all sin, and a perfect covering of it from the justice of God, see Jer_50:20,
Which I particularly found interesting as it related sin = to idolatry. For all their murmuring and complaining, questioning of authority, lamentation about God's provision, it does not appear that they delved into idolatry (such as they did with the golden calf).
Balaam, was obviously not a prophet who sought to honor the Lord, but gave into filthy lucre and instructed Balak on the best method for causing Israel to sin and thus bring them into condemnation of the Lord.
Is there anyway that I am causing God's name to be blasphemed? or causes someone to question the integrity of HIS character? Is there such a distinct difference in my life that it is clearly manifest that I have or am spending time in the presence of the Most High God? Do I desire to give a proper estimate of HIM in all that I say, do or think? How about you?
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