Numbers Chapter 23
Omniscient – You know everything. You know Balaam. You know who he is. You know Balak and You know who he is. You know what verse 1 means to You. You know what was meant. You know why Balaam know You will meet with him. You know he answered that he must be careful to speak what You put in his mouth. You know his heart. You know Balak would try again and again. You know me. You know my heart. You know how to teach me and how to protect me. You are all-knowing.
Omnipotent- You can do anything. You meet with Balaam. You put into his heart what he will do and You put into his mouth what You will say. You lead him. You know Balaam was leading Balak, using it to bless Israel. Balak is even more afraid of Israel. You know me. You know my heart. If You just want to You would grant it to me. You are all-powerful.
Omnipresent – You are everywhere. You are at Kiriath-huzoth. You are at the high places of Baal. You are at the field of Zuphim, the top of Pisgah. You are at the top of Peor. You are here with me. You are in my heart. You are in Your WORD. You are all-present.
Eternal – You are the cause of time. You are 3,000 years ago. You are now and You are forever. You are generations. You are time.
Immutable – You do not change. Balaam went to a bare hill. He returned to Balak, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, Balak and all the leaders of Moab. Balak took Balaam to the file of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland. You will never be made to change.
Self – Existent – You exist by Yourself. You will exist even when Your creation does not. It is Your creation who needs You in order to exist. You choose. You decide. You make up Balaam’s existence and Balak’s existence You make up Moab’s existence. You make up Your rituals for Yourself. You make up my existence.
Self-Sufficient – You do not need any of Your creation to bring about Your will or Your purpose. You choose to use Balaam and Balak and the leaders of Moab and Your Word because it is Your good pleasure, not Your need, that governs Your choice.
Infinite – There are no limits or bounds to Your person or dominion. You are forever and ever and beyond the universe. You are without limits.
Transcendent – You are apart from Your creation. You choose to teach Your creation about Yourself. Isa. 43:10 – You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD. I am Your witness, I declare. “And My Your servant whom I You have chosen, or order that you I may know and believe Me You, and understand that I am You are He. Before Me You there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me You. Balaam. And Balak are at Kiriath-huzoth at the high places of Baal. Balaam blesses Israel in front of Balak. Balak tries to curse Israel again by taking Balaam to another place. Balaam blesses Israel a second time. Balak takes Balaam to another place and Balak did just as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.
Perhaps the ram represents the kings of Media and Persia and a bull the body of Jesus Christ or perhaps PRAISE. What am I supposed to understand?
Sovereign – You send Balaam. You put Your words in his mouth. You put it into Balak’s heart to keep trying to curse Israel. You lead them. You bless Israel twice by Balaam in front of Balak and the leaders of Moab. You lead me. You are in complete control and You are doing Your foreknown plan!
Holy – You are a morally excellent, perfect being. You separate Balaam AND Balak to do Your Purpose.
Gracious – You show Israel You favor by having Balaam bless them twice in front of Balak and the leaders of Moab.
Merciful – You show Israel Your compassion by leading them and guiding them through Moab.
Longsuffering – You are patient with Balaam and Balak and the leaders of Moab and slow to anger. You turn his curse into a blessing.
Just – You are fair in all Your actions. You are not a man, that You should lie, nor a son of man, that You should repent; have You said, and will You not do it? Or have You spoken, and will You not make it good?
Loving – You love Israel and You bless them and take care of them.
Good – You have given Balaam the command to bless; when Balaam has blessed, then Balaam cannot revoke it.
Wise – Your wisdom is higher than my wisdom. Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Your wisdom causes You to do the things You do.
Righteous – You are always right. You teach the right way. The Rock! Your work is perfect, for all Your ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright are You.
Truthful – You are true. You speak the truth. You put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said “Return to Balak, and Balaam shall speak thus. Then You met Balaam again and put a word in his mouth and said to him to return to Balak, and thus Balaam shall speak. You are not a man, that You should lie, nor a son of man, that You should repent; have You said, and will You not do it? Or have You spoken, and will You not make it good? You are reality.
Faithful – You always do what You promise. You bless Israel twice. For Aram Balak has bought Balaam, Moab’s king from the mountains of the East, ‘Come curse Jacob (righteous angels) for Balaam, and come, denounce Israel (the nation of Your chosen angels)! How shall Balaam curse, whom You have not cursed? And how can Balaam denounce, whom you have not denounced? As Balaam sees Israel (the righteous angels) from the top of the rocks, and Balaam looks at Israel from the hills; behold a people who dwells apart, and shall not be reckoned among the nation. Who can Count the dust of Jacob (the righteous angels), or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me (Balaam) die the death of the upright, and let my (Balaam’s) end be like Israel’s! The second time, Balaam’s says You are truthful and just and that he must bless Israel. Israel is like a lion and drinks the blood of the slain. It will happen.
Wrathful – You will destroy all unrighteousness.
Jealous – You will not share Israel (Your righteous nation of angels) who are rightly and morally Yours with any other creature.
Incomprehensible – Bless - to make or declare holy by a spoken formula or a sign; hallow; consecrate 2. To ask divine favor for [the minister blessed the congregation 6. To praise or glorify [to bless the LORD] 8. To keep or protect from harm, evil, etc.
· Blessed – 1. Holy; sacred; consecrated
· Curse is the genera word for calling down evil or injury on someone or something.
· Corse (n) condemning oath – Gen 27:12; Deut 11:29; Is 65:15; Jer 44:12; Zech 14:11; Gal 3:13
Dear Jehovah God, please grant it to me. Please Open my eyes and give me knowledge. Through Jesus Christ’s name and through his ransom sacrifice. Amen.
Your WORD will go forth and accomplish Your will.
WORD: 1 Tim 4:5; 2 Tim 2:15; Titus 1:9; Heb 4:12; James 1:22; 1 Pet 2:2; 1 John 1:1; Rev 19:13
The Blessed are hidden – the cursed are not. Israel the humans today, are cursed. Jerusalem is torn apart.
How does this chapter relate to me? What am I supposed to learn? What am I supposed to know?
Who is Balaam? Satan – 2 Cor. 4:4; Matt 9:34; Mark 3:22; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11
Satan is the ruler of the demons. Satan is the ruler of this world. Satan has been judged.
Tempt – Mark 1:13; 1 Cor 7:5; 1 Cor 10:13; James 1:13
Tempted Jesus three times: If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. But He answered it is written, “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’
If You are the Son of God throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will give His angels charge concerning You’ and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.’ Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’”
All these thing will I give You, if You fall down and worship me. Jesus said to him, “Begone Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’”
Balaam – Josh 13:22; Rev 2:14
Balak – Mic 6:5
What is Just? What is Fair?
Just - 1) right or fair; equitable; impartial [a just decision] 2) righteous; upright [a just man] 3. Deserved; merited [just praise] 4. Legally right; lawful; rightful 5. Proper, fitting, etc. [a just balance of colors] 6. Well-founded; reasonable [ a just suspicion] 7. Correct or true [ a just report] 8. Accurate; exact [ a just measure]
Fair - 1) attractive; beautiful; lovely 2) unblemished; clean…6) just and honest; impartial [fair employment] 7) according to the rules [a fair blow]. Fair is in a general word, implies the treating of both or all sides alike, without reference to one’s own feelings or interests [ a fair exchange]; just implies adherence to a standard of righteousness or lawfulness without reference to one’s own inclinations [ a just decision].
What does being guilty mean? Guilt 1) the state of having done a wrong or committed an offense; culpability, legal or ethical
Guilty - 1) having guilt; deserving blame or punishment 2) having one’s guilt roved; legally judged an offender.
