2BC BIBLE STUDY NOTES

Wednesday in the Word

Second Baptist Church

February 19, 2020

Numbers 22:36-41, 23, 24

1. Numbers 22:36-41. Picking up from last week, Balaam has been warned by God to only say what God tells him to say. God has shown Balaam how foolish he was by demonstrating to him that a stubborn donkey was smarter than him. We are reminded that often we too are determined to do the wrong thing and find ourselves more stubborn than a donkey. Our goal should be to stand on what God told us the first time and not seek ways to go around what God has told us so that we can do what we really desire. Now that Balaam realizes he can’t go around God, he meets with Balak and Balak questions him why he took so long arriving. Balak mentions the money as a reminder to Balaam that he is paying him good money to curse these people. Upon arrival Balaam tells Balak that he can only say what God has tells him to say. After sacrificing some cattle and sheep so they can feast, Balak takes Balaam to a high mountain that overlooks the Hebrews. Despite being warned by Balaam that he can only speak what God says, Balak is determined to have the people cursed. Balak is not used to a God that is sovereign. Sovereign meaning a God who doesn’t take orders but acts independently of man’s wishes and desires. Some people today are not aware that God doesn’t beckon to our every wish and command. God is sovereign.

2. Numbers 23:1-12. Balak is persistent in thinking that he can bribe a prophet and bribe God with money and sacrifices. Powerful people are often convinced that everyone has a price. Balak thinks that God can be bought with a sacrifice and a prophet can be bought with gold and silver. What Balak cannot grasp, and Balaam begins to understand, is that God’s relationship with Israel at this time is based upon His covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Unlike men, God will not break His promises. No matter what Balak offers, there is no way that Balaam or any other prophet can manipulate Him. This first prophecy is short and to the point. Balak has brought Balaam from Aram, instructing him to curse Israel (Numbers 23:7). It is impossible for Balaam to grant his request because, as a prophet, he can only echo what God has declared. God has not denounced Israel, so neither can Balaam denounce them (verse 8). This is a nation that stands apart from all other nations (verse 9), and they will become even greater in number and strength (verse 10a). Balaam cannot curse them; he even indicates that he wishes he could enter into their blessings, which include a hope that extends beyond the grave (10b). Balak tells Balaam that instead of cursing the Hebrews he has offered up a big time blessing. This is the exact opposite of what Balak wanted. Balak is furious with Balaam, but he is still convinced that he can get a curse out of Balaam so he takes him to another place.

3. Verses 13-26. Balak is a man who is accustomed to getting his way, and yet even though he has made it clear to Balaam that he wants no more prophecies like the first one (23:11-12), Balaam’s words become more pointed and forceful. Balak may be used to giving orders to men, and even to his “gods,” but the God of Israel is different. He is not a man. He does not lie, and He certainly does not break His promises. He does not take orders from men. If God has committed Himself to bless Israel, that is the way it will be (verse 19). Since God has commanded Balaam to bless Israel, he surely cannot reverse it (verse 20). Verse 21 is absolutely amazing. Behind this verse, there appears to be the assumption on Balak’s part that God’s blessings are based upon the merits of those who are blessed. Balak thus appears to be attempting to outdo Israel, by his sacrifices and by hiring Balaam. Balaam pulls the rug out from under Balak once again by informing this heathen king that God’s blessings are based upon the principle of grace. God has not made His covenant with Israel based upon Israel’s righteousness. Indeed, God does not look upon the (many) sins of Jacob. God’s kindness to Israel is rooted in His grace. This was the basis for His leading Israel out of Egypt. Balak should remember that God defended Israel against her enemies, so that they were invincible. There was no way that Balaam could reverse this to bring about Israel’s downfall. To oppose Israel is to oppose Israel’s God (verses 22-23). The final verse, Numbers 23:24, concludes with a powerful word of promise and warning. What God has done for Israel shows His faithfulness and power. But God is yet to do great things for His people in the future. He will cause Israel to rise up like a lion. Like a lion, Israel will not rest until it has destroyed and consumed its prey. This final verse of Balaam’s second prophecy is a very powerful word of warning that Israel will destroy their enemies. The point of all this is quite clear--no nation ought to become the enemy of God’s people. This is precisely what Balak is doing. The emphasis in this second oracle of Balaam is on the God of Israel, His nature, and His attributes. Based upon God’s covenant and His character, it is certain that the blessings of Israel are certain and secure. And based upon His covenant relationship with Israel, as evident in the exodus, if there is a curse to be pronounced, it must be pronounced upon God’s enemies. Balak is even more furious. This second prophecy is worse than the first one. He tells Balaam to neither curse nor bless the people. Balak is now looking for some intermediate prophecy that allows things to remain at status quo where the Hebrews are neither better nor worse than their current position. Balak seeks to get a status quo curse at this point.

4. Numbers 23:27-30-Numbers 24:1-14. Balaam has an ever-growing sense that he is speaking authoritatively for God. Verses 3 and 4 say it so forcefully. Balaam has claimed to speak for the “gods” before, but now he realizes that the revelation he has received is from the one True God, and that his words are therefore authoritative. In today’s terminology, Balaam has come to believe in the inspiration and authority of Scripture, and he sees that what he is speaking is the Word of God. It certainly affects the way Balaam deals with Balak, and it should also affect the way Balak responds to the Word of the Lord. The rest of Balaam’s third oracle pronounces a blessing on Israel. How this must have galled Balak. He was paying for cursing, not blessing! How different is the way God looks upon the Israelites, camped below. Balak sees them as a great threat to him and to his people. God sees them as beautiful. They are like gardens, planted by the river. God will faithfully water them, and as He does, they will grow stronger, so that they will utterly defeat their enemies (verses 5-9). The imagery of a lion devouring its prey introduced in the last oracle (23:24) is once again employed (24:9). And now the Abrahamic covenant is reiterated in a way that precisely reverses what Balak has sought! Balak is hot with anger. How dare Balaam turn the tables on him, blessing the very people he was paying him to curse, and cursing those whom he insisted that he bless! To make matters worse, Balaam has done this three times (24:10). Balak knows how to hurt a fellow like Balaam—he fires him and withholds his pay (24:11). Balaam tries to explain, but Balak is not listening (24:12-13). In spite of his anger, Balaam gives Balak a final, unsolicited word from the Lord in his fourth and final oracle.

5. Numbers 24:15-25. In verses 15 and 16, Balaam repeats what he has already declared in 23:2-3. Once again, the introduction makes it clear that the words which follow are inspired by God, and thus reliable and authoritative. Balak would do well to heed them, and so would we. Verses 17-19 are a sermon in and of themselves. This pagan prophet speaks the most beautiful and pointed words of prophecy yet. In fact, in this messianic prophecy, Balaam goes farther than many true prophets have done, or will do. Has God promised to bless Abraham and his offspring in the Abrahamic covenant? Balaam now tells us how this will take place. The blessings that will come to Israel come through the Messiah. Wonder of wonders, Balaam “sees” him, a true prophet for a few moments of his life, at least as far as his words are concerned. This Messiah will not only come to save Israel, He will destroy Israel’s enemies (verses 17b-18). Have the Midianites and the Moabites sought to form an alliance against Israel with the futile hope of defeating the people of God? It won’t work. In fact, these closing words of Balaam’s prophecy spell out defeat for all those who would join against the people of God. In spite of all their strengths and strongholds, nothing will prevent them from the defeat, which God has promised in the Abrahamic covenant, and now through Balaam. With these parting words, Balaam leaves.

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