“Balaam and the Blessing of Israel (Part Two)”
Life in the Wilderness
June 24, 2007
Numbers 22:39-24:25
Do you remember who Balaam is?
The nation of Israel is camped just north of Moab.
They are just across the Jordan river from Jericho. And they have conquered the whole Transjordan Area north of Moab.
And that has gotten Moab very nervous. They think they are next. They’re not, but they think so.
And their King, Balak, has invested heavily in a Secret Weapon–a famous international pagan magician prophet named Balaam–from Mesopotamia.
Balak hopes to curse Israel so that he can defeat them.
And Balaam, who loves money, has tried to get permission from God to go and curse Israel for Balak.
Did he get it?
No way!
In fact, he was told that under no circumstances would he be allowed to curse Israel...because “they are blessed.”
But that didn’t keep him from trying. He thought he could pull a fast one over on the LORD.
But he learned from a talking donkey (!) And a sword-wielding angel of the LORD that (v.38) “[He] must speak only what God puts in [his] mouth.”
And that left us at a cliff-hanger, wondering what Balaam would actually say.
Remember all that?
Well, this week is just as funny as last week without a talking donkey!
And it’s just as seriously true!
“Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the princes who were with him. The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he saw part of the people. [Numbers 23, verse 1] Balaam said, ‘Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.’ Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Then Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.’ Then he went off to a barren height.”
Now, there are no “good guys” in this story.
Balak and Balaam were both bad eggs.
Balak hated Israel. And Balaam loved money.
And they are both working their pagan magic and godless sacrifices for all they are worth to try to curse Israel.
Balaam knows that his life is in danger if he says anything that the LORD does not put in his mouth. But, strangely enough, that doesn’t stop him from setting everything up and hoping that he’ll get a chance to curse Israel.
I think this is because Balaam loves money so much.
Whenever the rest of the Bible talks about Balaam it talks about his great love of money–which is the root of all kinds of evil.
So you’ve got an Israel-hater and a money-lover twisting themselves into knots to try to curse Israel.
It’s kind of funny, in a sad way!
Balak makes all of these offerings. And Balaam goes off hoping against hope that God will show up.
And God did show up! But He didn’t say what Baalam and Balak hoped He would! V.4
“God met with him, and Balaam said, ‘I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.’ [Which means absolutely nothing to the LORD without a heart of faith and worship!] The LORD put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, ‘Go back to Balak and give him this message.’
“So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the princes of Moab. Then Balaam uttered his oracle: ‘Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. 'Come,' he said, 'curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.' How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!’”
Point #1 of 4 this morning:
#1. GOD WILL NOT CURSE HIS PEOPLE! V.8
“How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?”
God Will Not Curse His People!
Balaam was not allowed curse Israel because God had not cursed Israel.
Balaam was not allowed denounce Israel because God had not denounced Israel.
God’s people are blessed and they will not be cursed.
God is for His people, and He is not against them.
Isn’t that good news?
In sounds pretty simple, but it’s a profound truth!
God will not curse His people.
There will be trials. There will be difficulties. There will be discipline and even a limited kind of disciplinary cursing (Deut 28).
But ultimately, God has only good plans for His people and will not curse them.
Have you ever been around Christians who think that God is against them?
“God won’t give me a break.”
“I can’t seem to get God on my side.”
“God has destroyed my life. He is acting like my enemy.”
Or simply, “I don’t know what God is thinking!”
Well, in those cases, God may be opposing some direction that they are heading. Some pride, or sin, or foolishness.
But, we can rest assured that God is working things to their (and our) good. He is not cursing them! He is for them.
We need the truth of Romans 8:31. “God is for us, who can be against us?”
Do you need to hear that truth this morning?
If you belong to God through Jesus Christ, God is for you.
God is for you.
God is for you.
God is for you.
Now, that means that we will live a different way than other people do. In v.9, Balaam can’t help but notice that these people “live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations.” That is, they are different. They are holy. They are separate.
They belong to a Holy God, and so, they are holy.
And that makes them curse-proof and blessed. V.10
“Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? [That’s saying that the Abrahamic covenant is being fulfilled. They are like [Genesis 13:16] the dust of the earth.] Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!’”
Balaam can see how blessed they are. And He wishes that his life could end like theirs.
Of course it could, if He would put His faith in the God of Israel and join them. Will Balaam become a member of the covenant community?
At this second, he can see that God Will Not Curse His People.
And how do you think that made Balak feel? V.11
“Balak said to Balaam, ‘What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!’ [This isn’t what I paid for!]”
“He answered, ‘Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?’”
And at this point, the story should be over! But he’s actually just getting warmed up! V.13
“Then Balak said to him, ‘Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will see only a part but not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.’” [Maybe geography is the problem!] So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there.’”
“Balaam Cursing Israel: Take Two.” V.16
“The LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, ‘Go back to Balak and give him this message.’ So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the princes of Moab. Balak asked him, ‘What did the LORD say?’”
You’re not going to like it!
Do you get the idea that God is having fun with these two guys?
I do. They are like a couple of characters from a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Like Wile E Coyote trying to catch the Road Runner. It’s not going to happen. They’re going to get more and more worked up and it’s going to turn against them more and more.
The anvil is going to fall on their heads. V.18
“Then he uttered his oracle: ‘Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor. God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it. No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!' The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims.’”
Point #2 of 4 this morning:
#2. GOD WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND!
If the first oracle was about Israel, the second oracle is about God. V.19 again.
“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
God Will Not Change His Mind.
God is not moody. He is not capricious. He is not changeable in His character.
God does not wake up on the wrong side of the bed somedays and take it out on those whom He has promised to care for!
In other words, He is not like us!
He doesn’t lie. He doesn’t break promises. He doesn’t change His mind!
He is utterly trustworthy and faithful!
God always keeps His promises because He never changes His mind.
Now, that does not mean that God never changes His policy or His stance towards someone. When there is genuine repentance and/or heartfelt intercession, on a certain level, God does change His policy or stance towards someone.
But that’s because of a deeper policy in the deepest places in God’s character.
At His heart, God is unchanging and perfectly faithful.
The big word for it is IMMUTABLE.
I remember when I learned that word for the first time. I was part of a group that was supposed to come up with a list of God’s perfections (His attributes, what He is like).
And I knew some of them: omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, etc.
But a new friend of mine named Mike suggested this one: Immutable. God is immutable–unchanging.
And I thought, that’s a great word! God is a Rock!
He doesn’t move. He doesn’t change with the shifting sands.
He is utterly trustworthy because He doesn’t change His mind!
“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? [No way!] Does he promise and not fulfill? [No way!]”
Balak and Balaam thought that they could manipulate God. But (v.20):
“No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. [I love that! God is there King and He’s shouting over them!] God brought them out of Egypt [Red Sea Rescue!]; they have the strength of a wild ox. There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel. [There are no tricks that will be successful against them!] It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!' The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims.’”
God Will Not Curse His People, And He Will Not Change His Mind!
He is immutable.
Isn’t that good news?
Have you wondered if God has changed His mind about you?
Have you wondered if you are still the apple of His eye?
Have you wondered if God can still be trusted–even when it hurts.
Take courage! God is with you and for you. The shout of the King is among us!
And He Will Not Change His Mind!
Boy, did that bug Balak! V.25
“Then Balak said to Balaam, ‘Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!’ [Stop! Don’t say anything more. This is working against me!] Balaam answered, ‘Did I not tell you I must do whatever the LORD says?’ Then Balak said to Balaam, ‘Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.’”
I don’t think he gets it, do you?!
“And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland. Balaam said, ‘Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.’ Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. [Numbers 24.] Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned his face toward the desert.”
Something big is coming! Balaam doesn’t even try sorcery now. And he just lets God speak through him.
“ When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his oracle: ‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: ‘How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. ‘Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them. Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness– who dares to rouse them? May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!’”
#3. GOD WILL BLESS HIS PEOPLE!
It’s not just that God will NOT curse His people.
He will be good to them.
He will bless them. Guaranteed.
Balaam can see how blessed they are. V.5
“How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel!”
And he can see how blessed they will be!
Don’t you just love the beautiful description of Israel’s blessing in verses 6 and 7?
It remind us of the Garden of Eden!
“Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. ‘Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.”
Balaam sees clearly that God has good things in store for His people. Including victory. V.8
“God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them. Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness–who dares to rouse them? May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!”
God Will Bless His People.
And we should expect His blessing.
If we are part of the people of God, then we should expect His blessing.
If you don’t know if you are part of the people of God, you don’t know whether or not you’ll be blessed.
So make sure you know you are in the people of God. There is either in or out. Not both/and but either/or.
But if you are a part of the people of God, then you can expect His blessing.
Like I said last week, Don’t Be Afraid!
It’s funny that Israel, at this point in the story, doesn’t know that Balak and Balaam are conspiring against them.
They might have been scared if they did know.
But they didn’t need to be! And especially after hearing the pagan magician prophet who was supposed to be the Secret Weapon against them proclaim this!
God Will Bless Them. And there is no need to fear.
Now, don’t get me wrong. This is not a health and wealth prosperity gospel.
This does not mean that there won’t be trials, tribulations, difficulties, setbacks, and suffering.
There will be those. In spades.
But, we, the people of God, can count on this unchanging fact: God Will Not Curse Us, God Will Not Change His Mind, in fact, God Will Bless Us!
We can take that to the bank.
“I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
God Will Bless His People.
Make this personal. Don’t just say “Amen” to that this Sunday morning. Look at the week ahead of you with all of its pitfalls and problems, and remind yourself of the immutable purpose of God–to bless you because of His Son.
God Will Bless His People.
God Will Bless You.
V.10. Balak’s done.
“Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, ‘I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded.’”
Ouch! I’ll bet Balaam didn’t like the sound of that! V.12
“Balaam answered Balak, ‘Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 'Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD–and I must say only what the LORD says'?”
A donkey taught me that!
“‘Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.’ Then he uttered his oracle: ‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.’”
Last point this morning, and greatest of them all.
#4. GOD WILL SEND HIS KING!
Did you see how Balaam prophesies of a coming king? V.17 again.
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. [v.19] A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”
There is a King coming! God is going to send a great King to lead Israel.
And that king is going to lead His people to their greatest victories and give them their greatest blessings.
“He will crush the foreheads of Moab.” Right now, Moab isn’t on the radar for Israel, but one day, they will be crushed. He will also conquer Edom.
All of Israel’s foes will be crushed. V.20
“Then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered his oracle: ‘Amalek was first among the nations, but he will come to ruin at last.’ Then he saw the Kenites [probably related to the Midianites] and uttered his oracle: ‘Your dwelling place is secure, your nest is set in a rock; yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive.’ [What about Asshur?] Then he uttered his oracle: ‘Ah, who can live when God does this? Ships will come from the shores of Kittim; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin.’ Then Balaam got up and returned home and Balak went his own way.”
Many nations will rise and fall.
But this King will make sure that Israel will never fall.
God Will Send His King!
And that king is going to lead His people to their greatest victories and give them their greatest blessings.
I believe that King David was the first fulfillment of this prophecy.
But with Christians throughout the centuries, I also believe that the fullest fulfilment of this prophecy was great David’s greatest Son–King Jesus!
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel...A ruler will come out of Jacob...”
And I believe His name is King Jesus.
Revelation 22:16, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."
God Will Send His King!
And He has sent Him!
And He will send Him again.
“What a day of rejoicing that will be!”
Are you trusting in Jesus Christ as the King of Your life?
He died on the Cross as the perfect sacrifice for sin, and He came back to life to give us new life.
He is the King that leads His people to their greatest victories and gives them their greatest blessings!
Balaam could only see Jesus from afar.
And he never trust Him.
But we know Jesus from this side of the Cross.
And He calls all of us to turn and to put all of our faith and trust in His Kingship forever.
Brothers and Sisters, I have the greatest news for you this morning.
Take heart!
God Will Not Curse His People! [He is for us.]
And God Will Not Change His Mind! [He is immutable.]
In Fact, God Will Bless His People! [Unimaginably]
And He Will Do it Through His King!
Praise His Name!
Life in the Wilderness
June 24, 2007
Numbers 22:39-24:25
Do you remember who Balaam is?
The nation of Israel is camped just north of Moab.
They are just across the Jordan river from Jericho. And they have conquered the whole Transjordan Area north of Moab.
And that has gotten Moab very nervous. They think they are next. They’re not, but they think so.
And their King, Balak, has invested heavily in a Secret Weapon–a famous international pagan magician prophet named Balaam–from Mesopotamia.
Balak hopes to curse Israel so that he can defeat them.
And Balaam, who loves money, has tried to get permission from God to go and curse Israel for Balak.
Did he get it?
No way!
In fact, he was told that under no circumstances would he be allowed to curse Israel...because “they are blessed.”
But that didn’t keep him from trying. He thought he could pull a fast one over on the LORD.
But he learned from a talking donkey (!) And a sword-wielding angel of the LORD that (v.38) “[He] must speak only what God puts in [his] mouth.”
And that left us at a cliff-hanger, wondering what Balaam would actually say.
Remember all that?
Well, this week is just as funny as last week without a talking donkey!
And it’s just as seriously true!
“Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the princes who were with him. The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he saw part of the people. [Numbers 23, verse 1] Balaam said, ‘Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.’ Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Then Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.’ Then he went off to a barren height.”
Now, there are no “good guys” in this story.
Balak and Balaam were both bad eggs.
Balak hated Israel. And Balaam loved money.
And they are both working their pagan magic and godless sacrifices for all they are worth to try to curse Israel.
Balaam knows that his life is in danger if he says anything that the LORD does not put in his mouth. But, strangely enough, that doesn’t stop him from setting everything up and hoping that he’ll get a chance to curse Israel.
I think this is because Balaam loves money so much.
Whenever the rest of the Bible talks about Balaam it talks about his great love of money–which is the root of all kinds of evil.
So you’ve got an Israel-hater and a money-lover twisting themselves into knots to try to curse Israel.
It’s kind of funny, in a sad way!
Balak makes all of these offerings. And Balaam goes off hoping against hope that God will show up.
And God did show up! But He didn’t say what Baalam and Balak hoped He would! V.4
“God met with him, and Balaam said, ‘I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.’ [Which means absolutely nothing to the LORD without a heart of faith and worship!] The LORD put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, ‘Go back to Balak and give him this message.’
“So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the princes of Moab. Then Balaam uttered his oracle: ‘Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. 'Come,' he said, 'curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.' How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!’”
Point #1 of 4 this morning:
#1. GOD WILL NOT CURSE HIS PEOPLE! V.8
“How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?”
God Will Not Curse His People!
Balaam was not allowed curse Israel because God had not cursed Israel.
Balaam was not allowed denounce Israel because God had not denounced Israel.
God’s people are blessed and they will not be cursed.
God is for His people, and He is not against them.
Isn’t that good news?
In sounds pretty simple, but it’s a profound truth!
God will not curse His people.
There will be trials. There will be difficulties. There will be discipline and even a limited kind of disciplinary cursing (Deut 28).
But ultimately, God has only good plans for His people and will not curse them.
Have you ever been around Christians who think that God is against them?
“God won’t give me a break.”
“I can’t seem to get God on my side.”
“God has destroyed my life. He is acting like my enemy.”
Or simply, “I don’t know what God is thinking!”
Well, in those cases, God may be opposing some direction that they are heading. Some pride, or sin, or foolishness.
But, we can rest assured that God is working things to their (and our) good. He is not cursing them! He is for them.
We need the truth of Romans 8:31. “God is for us, who can be against us?”
Do you need to hear that truth this morning?
If you belong to God through Jesus Christ, God is for you.
God is for you.
God is for you.
God is for you.
Now, that means that we will live a different way than other people do. In v.9, Balaam can’t help but notice that these people “live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations.” That is, they are different. They are holy. They are separate.
They belong to a Holy God, and so, they are holy.
And that makes them curse-proof and blessed. V.10
“Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? [That’s saying that the Abrahamic covenant is being fulfilled. They are like [Genesis 13:16] the dust of the earth.] Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!’”
Balaam can see how blessed they are. And He wishes that his life could end like theirs.
Of course it could, if He would put His faith in the God of Israel and join them. Will Balaam become a member of the covenant community?
At this second, he can see that God Will Not Curse His People.
And how do you think that made Balak feel? V.11
“Balak said to Balaam, ‘What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!’ [This isn’t what I paid for!]”
“He answered, ‘Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?’”
And at this point, the story should be over! But he’s actually just getting warmed up! V.13
“Then Balak said to him, ‘Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will see only a part but not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.’” [Maybe geography is the problem!] So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there.’”
“Balaam Cursing Israel: Take Two.” V.16
“The LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, ‘Go back to Balak and give him this message.’ So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the princes of Moab. Balak asked him, ‘What did the LORD say?’”
You’re not going to like it!
Do you get the idea that God is having fun with these two guys?
I do. They are like a couple of characters from a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Like Wile E Coyote trying to catch the Road Runner. It’s not going to happen. They’re going to get more and more worked up and it’s going to turn against them more and more.
The anvil is going to fall on their heads. V.18
“Then he uttered his oracle: ‘Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor. God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it. No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!' The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims.’”
Point #2 of 4 this morning:
#2. GOD WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND!
If the first oracle was about Israel, the second oracle is about God. V.19 again.
“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
God Will Not Change His Mind.
God is not moody. He is not capricious. He is not changeable in His character.
God does not wake up on the wrong side of the bed somedays and take it out on those whom He has promised to care for!
In other words, He is not like us!
He doesn’t lie. He doesn’t break promises. He doesn’t change His mind!
He is utterly trustworthy and faithful!
God always keeps His promises because He never changes His mind.
Now, that does not mean that God never changes His policy or His stance towards someone. When there is genuine repentance and/or heartfelt intercession, on a certain level, God does change His policy or stance towards someone.
But that’s because of a deeper policy in the deepest places in God’s character.
At His heart, God is unchanging and perfectly faithful.
The big word for it is IMMUTABLE.
I remember when I learned that word for the first time. I was part of a group that was supposed to come up with a list of God’s perfections (His attributes, what He is like).
And I knew some of them: omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, etc.
But a new friend of mine named Mike suggested this one: Immutable. God is immutable–unchanging.
And I thought, that’s a great word! God is a Rock!
He doesn’t move. He doesn’t change with the shifting sands.
He is utterly trustworthy because He doesn’t change His mind!
“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? [No way!] Does he promise and not fulfill? [No way!]”
Balak and Balaam thought that they could manipulate God. But (v.20):
“No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. [I love that! God is there King and He’s shouting over them!] God brought them out of Egypt [Red Sea Rescue!]; they have the strength of a wild ox. There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel. [There are no tricks that will be successful against them!] It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!' The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims.’”
God Will Not Curse His People, And He Will Not Change His Mind!
He is immutable.
Isn’t that good news?
Have you wondered if God has changed His mind about you?
Have you wondered if you are still the apple of His eye?
Have you wondered if God can still be trusted–even when it hurts.
Take courage! God is with you and for you. The shout of the King is among us!
And He Will Not Change His Mind!
Boy, did that bug Balak! V.25
“Then Balak said to Balaam, ‘Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!’ [Stop! Don’t say anything more. This is working against me!] Balaam answered, ‘Did I not tell you I must do whatever the LORD says?’ Then Balak said to Balaam, ‘Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.’”
I don’t think he gets it, do you?!
“And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland. Balaam said, ‘Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.’ Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. [Numbers 24.] Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned his face toward the desert.”
Something big is coming! Balaam doesn’t even try sorcery now. And he just lets God speak through him.
“ When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his oracle: ‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: ‘How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. ‘Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them. Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness– who dares to rouse them? May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!’”
#3. GOD WILL BLESS HIS PEOPLE!
It’s not just that God will NOT curse His people.
He will be good to them.
He will bless them. Guaranteed.
Balaam can see how blessed they are. V.5
“How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel!”
And he can see how blessed they will be!
Don’t you just love the beautiful description of Israel’s blessing in verses 6 and 7?
It remind us of the Garden of Eden!
“Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. ‘Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.”
Balaam sees clearly that God has good things in store for His people. Including victory. V.8
“God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them. Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness–who dares to rouse them? May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!”
God Will Bless His People.
And we should expect His blessing.
If we are part of the people of God, then we should expect His blessing.
If you don’t know if you are part of the people of God, you don’t know whether or not you’ll be blessed.
So make sure you know you are in the people of God. There is either in or out. Not both/and but either/or.
But if you are a part of the people of God, then you can expect His blessing.
Like I said last week, Don’t Be Afraid!
It’s funny that Israel, at this point in the story, doesn’t know that Balak and Balaam are conspiring against them.
They might have been scared if they did know.
But they didn’t need to be! And especially after hearing the pagan magician prophet who was supposed to be the Secret Weapon against them proclaim this!
God Will Bless Them. And there is no need to fear.
Now, don’t get me wrong. This is not a health and wealth prosperity gospel.
This does not mean that there won’t be trials, tribulations, difficulties, setbacks, and suffering.
There will be those. In spades.
But, we, the people of God, can count on this unchanging fact: God Will Not Curse Us, God Will Not Change His Mind, in fact, God Will Bless Us!
We can take that to the bank.
“I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
God Will Bless His People.
Make this personal. Don’t just say “Amen” to that this Sunday morning. Look at the week ahead of you with all of its pitfalls and problems, and remind yourself of the immutable purpose of God–to bless you because of His Son.
God Will Bless His People.
God Will Bless You.
V.10. Balak’s done.
“Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, ‘I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded.’”
Ouch! I’ll bet Balaam didn’t like the sound of that! V.12
“Balaam answered Balak, ‘Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 'Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD–and I must say only what the LORD says'?”
A donkey taught me that!
“‘Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.’ Then he uttered his oracle: ‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.’”
Last point this morning, and greatest of them all.
#4. GOD WILL SEND HIS KING!
Did you see how Balaam prophesies of a coming king? V.17 again.
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. [v.19] A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”
There is a King coming! God is going to send a great King to lead Israel.
And that king is going to lead His people to their greatest victories and give them their greatest blessings.
“He will crush the foreheads of Moab.” Right now, Moab isn’t on the radar for Israel, but one day, they will be crushed. He will also conquer Edom.
All of Israel’s foes will be crushed. V.20
“Then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered his oracle: ‘Amalek was first among the nations, but he will come to ruin at last.’ Then he saw the Kenites [probably related to the Midianites] and uttered his oracle: ‘Your dwelling place is secure, your nest is set in a rock; yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive.’ [What about Asshur?] Then he uttered his oracle: ‘Ah, who can live when God does this? Ships will come from the shores of Kittim; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin.’ Then Balaam got up and returned home and Balak went his own way.”
Many nations will rise and fall.
But this King will make sure that Israel will never fall.
God Will Send His King!
And that king is going to lead His people to their greatest victories and give them their greatest blessings.
I believe that King David was the first fulfillment of this prophecy.
But with Christians throughout the centuries, I also believe that the fullest fulfilment of this prophecy was great David’s greatest Son–King Jesus!
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel...A ruler will come out of Jacob...”
And I believe His name is King Jesus.
Revelation 22:16, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."
God Will Send His King!
And He has sent Him!
And He will send Him again.
“What a day of rejoicing that will be!”
Are you trusting in Jesus Christ as the King of Your life?
He died on the Cross as the perfect sacrifice for sin, and He came back to life to give us new life.
He is the King that leads His people to their greatest victories and gives them their greatest blessings!
Balaam could only see Jesus from afar.
And he never trust Him.
But we know Jesus from this side of the Cross.
And He calls all of us to turn and to put all of our faith and trust in His Kingship forever.
Brothers and Sisters, I have the greatest news for you this morning.
Take heart!
God Will Not Curse His People! [He is for us.]
And God Will Not Change His Mind! [He is immutable.]
In Fact, God Will Bless His People! [Unimaginably]
And He Will Do it Through His King!
Praise His Name!
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