Third Oracle by Balaam (Num. 23:27-24:14)

2/4/2009 11:14 PM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  The third oracle

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Numbers 23:27-24:14

            Message of the verses:  “27  Then Balak said to Balaam, "Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will be agreeable with God that you curse them for me from there."  28  So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor which overlooks the wasteland.  29  Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here."  30  Balak did just as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

            1 ¶  When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness.  2  And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.  3  He took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened; 4  The oracle of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered, 5  How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel!  6  "Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens beside the river, Like aloes planted by the LORD, Like cedars beside the waters.  7  "Water will flow from his buckets, And his seed will be by many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.  8  "God brings him out of Egypt, He is for him like the horns of the wild ox. He will devour the nations who are his adversaries, And will crush their bones in pieces, And shatter them with his arrows.  9  "He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, And cursed is everyone who curses you."

            10 ¶  Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times!  11  "Therefore, flee to your place now. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the LORD has held you back from honor."  12  Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying, 13  ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak’?

14  "And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.’”

            Dr. Wiersbe points out that this third oracle speaks of the contentment of God’s people in their own land, and it goes on to tell of a king which may refer to David, but surely points to Jesus Christ and His reign in the 1000 year kingdom.

            Balak did not get what he was going to pay Balaam for so he tells him to go on home and because God told him to bless Israel God would be the One who caused him not to get paid. 

            Balaam did not leave right away and before he did leave he taught Balak to engineer a seductive feast that would eventually lead to Israel’s defeat.  There was no curse but there was a temptation, which Israel succumbed to.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Those seductive temptations are still around today and are still causing trouble for me from time to time.  I need to trust the Lord and His wisdom to combat them.