Dr Clifford Denton.
Balak: Numbers 22:2-25:9.
20th July 2024/14 Tammuz.
I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Sceptre shall rise out of Israel. (Numbers 24:17)
Picture by Helen McNeill
The spiritual power to bless or to curse is shown through the Torah portion this week. In an earlier study, we have considered this in relationship to the blessings that can be imparted to our families. Now we extend this to the entire nation of Israel.
We see how even a potentially false prophet can be used to bless Israel, and learn something of the Hand of God over a nation. It was within the ability of Balaam to follow up Balak’s request and curse Israel, but God ensured, first by His own instructions, then by the miraculous way a donkey spoke and then through an Angel that the fear of God was put into Balaam, the sorcerer, to bless and not curse. Balaam even spoke prophetically, concerning the coming Messiah (Numbers 24:17).
We constantly learn that God’s ways are beyond our understanding and expectation. Here was Israel after an eventful forty years of pilgrimage, much of which included times of discipline by God, and sometimes much loss of life due to plagues caused by disobedience. Yet, when it came to the way other nations must consider God’s chosen people, they were to be very careful of their motives. Balak, through fear of his own safety against such a large nation and with such a reputation following their exit from Egypt, was not allowed to be an agent of harm to Israel.
It is important that we have an account of this episode on the border of Canaan. It should be read by leaders of every nation throughout history, including those in our day, as pressure is mounting again on Israel, and end-time prophecies are being fulfilled.
For our family Bible study this week, we can study carefully what happened in Moab when Israel was camped east of the Jordan river prior to entry into Canaan. We might then go on to study some of the Scriptures that concern God’s end-time plans for Israel, including Daniel 12, Ezekiel 37-39 and parts of Revelation.
But what perspective shall we take as we study this? Balak took Balaam up on mountaintops to look down on Israel’s encampment. Balak sought to curse but Balaam was moved to bless Israel. We will perceive the foolishness of Balak and be glad of Balaam’s disobeying Balak. Then, we can turn our attention to modern-day Israel, perceiving them from afar as it were through the news we read of the current conflict and our knowledge of the history of the persecution of the Jews over many centuries. We can perceive that God will continue to discipline Israel, but woe to those who seek to bring cursing like Balak would have done.
We can turn to the Scriptures that encourage us to bless Israel. For example, Isaiah 40 says: “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” says your God. Even Balaam remembered God’s promise to Abraham, “Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.” (Numbers 24:9, Genesis 12:3)
But do we consider Israel from afar, as it were, even in our desire to bless Israel, especially as the nations gather more and more against them? We know that God will continue to discipline Israel in the end times, but it is for us to bless and not curse. Blessings from afar, obedient, theologically correct, but without relationship, are no better than those spoken by Balaam from the mountaintop.
There is, therefore, even more that we should consider. When God promised blessing to Abraham’s offspring, He added a sentence that extends the blessings to all nations. The fuller version of Genesis 12:3 is: I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. In Galatians Chapter 3, we learn that it was God’s intention through the New Covenant to include those who come to Him through faith from among the Gentiles of any nation – that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:14)
Again, in Psalm 122:6-9, we find the injunction: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.
Intercessory prayer is much more a place of identification with God’s purposes for His people than a blessing spoken from a distant mountaintop. Those who are called into the family of faith with believing Israel are not like the nations who seek to destroy. In the coming days, indeed, we too may be persecuted, as Israel is, by modern-day Balaks. These are the days for the preparation of the family of God from among all nations, knowing this great truth that, ultimately, blessing and not cursing of the Israel of God is forever in God’s purposes. We and our family will be wise to seek God’s wisdom for the days ahead, and we can be thankful for what has been highlighted to us through the interaction of Balak and Balaam.
To ponder, therefore: how close do we consider ourselves to be to those of Israel whom God seeks to bless?