Numbers 24:1-14--Balaam's Third Oracle

Numbers 24:1-14
English Standard Version

Balaam's Third Oracle
24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but 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 and he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
    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 with his eyes uncovered:
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
    your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves that stretch afar,
    like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the LORD has planted,
    like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
    and his seed shall be in many waters;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
    and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt
    and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;
he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
    and shall break their bones in pieces
    and pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion
    and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed are those who bless you,
    and cursed are those who curse you.”

​10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the LORD has held you back from honor.” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak’? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

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As mentioned at the end of yesterday's journaling, we see a shift in Balaam here (finally) where he understands that he should look for no other answer other than the answer which he has already been given--the words of that oracle were not just meant for Balak, but for Balaam as well.  God is not going to change his mind.  So, this time, Balaam didn't even bother with the sacrifices and inquiring what the LORD wanted him to say--he knew that the LORD wanted him to bless the people of Israel and he only needed to speak the blessings that the Lord put in his mouth.

This time we see the Spirit of God coming upon him to give him the words to say which is different than what we've seen in the past.  We also see Balaam refer to himself differently as he begins this oracle by talking about how his eyes have been opened.  He has not only heard the words of God, but has seen the vision of the Almighty--that's new (notice he's heard multiple words, but there is a singular vision).  It seems that God has actually shown Balaam what is going to happen in the future by way of a vision that the Spirit has given to him.

Once again he blesses Israel/Jacob which the oracles use interchangeably.  The tents of the people are blessed and are compared to palm groves, aloes, cedar trees, and many waters.  All of these are signs of life, comfort and healing in a desert place.  The cedars are also long-lasting and have deep roots and are strong and flexible so that they will not be topped by the wind or the storm--there is as much root beneath the ground as you see tree above the ground.  So it is with Israel that there is much going on below the surface.  God is doing much more behind the scenes and has a much larger plan which he has given Balaam a glimpse of.

Balaam makes a prophecy that Israel will have a king (for right now God is their king) and that the king of Israel would be higher than King Agag--the most feared king in that region at the time who God had just defeated and given victory to the Israelites.  This was the king whose nation fell that struck fear into the hearts of King Balak and the people of Moab (we'll see what they will do soon).  The LORD says that this king of Israel would be highly exalted--I think this is a prophecy about Jesus and how He is portrayed as the rightful King of Israel as He is the Son of David and we could look at all the places where it talks about His throne and His kingdom, but let's just look at one passage that I think points to Jesus being the fulfillment of this prophecy (and there are other more obvious Messianic prophecies to come):

Luke 1:31-33
English Standard Version

​31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

God has brought this people up out of Egypt (we've talked about how this is the story of all those who have been born again through Jesus Christ our Lord and adopted into the family of God) and has made them a nation when they were not a nation.  Once again the LORD says that Israel will be like the horns of a wild ox to the nations that try to be their enemies (a wild ox will gore you).  God promises great strength and military victories to Israel saying

​he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
    and shall break their bones in pieces
    and pierce them through with his arrows. (v. 8b)

Then comes the question, is the "he" being referred to in this verse a reference to the entire nation of Israel as if it were a single person, or is it referring to the King of Israel who is stronger than King Agag?  I think the answer is "Yes."  God calls Israel His "firstborn son" and uses language of Israel that tells us when He looks on them, He sees Jesus.  This is explained a little more for us in the New Testament but Jesus is the true Israel and all who are part of true Israel are in Christ.  So, the LORD is going to give the people of Israel this kind of victory in the here and now, but we know ultimately these verses will be fulfilled by Christ when we see Him return as King of Kings and Lord of Lord and the Judge of the Living and the Dead in Revelation 19:11-20:15.  He will have his vengeance on His enemies in the temporal and the eternal realms.  Again, the LORD says that messing with the nation of Israel is like messing with a sleeping lion--and we know that's because messing with God's people is messing with God and that Jesus will fight for His people, and no one is going to be able to stop Him.  By the word of His mouth all of his enemies will be defeated.


Hebrews 10:30
English Standard Version
​30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

Just in case the message wasn't made clear to Balak, God has Balaam repeat the Abrahamic covenant to him,
​
"Blessed are those who bless you,
    and cursed are those who curse you."

"Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam" is probably a great understatement.  Again, remember that Balak thought that he was in control and he could demand a particular word from the LORD and from His prophet.  God is not done with His message for King Balak though (though maybe Balak is done listening at this point).  Balak decides that he no longer has any more use for Balaam and he tells him to flee back to his home (a threat that Balak is making against Balaam equivalent to "I'd better never see you again after today.").  Balak thinks he's heard it all and that he's got something to be upset about because not only to God not curse Israel like he wanted, but He blessed Israel three times through the mouth of His prophet Balaam.  The king then says to Balaam that he could have had great honor and wealth if he just would have compromised but the LORD has kept him from that--this sounds not all the different from Jesus' temptation in the wilderness where Satan promised all the kingdoms of the world to Jesus if Jesus would only bow down and worship Satan.  This shows how in line with Satan King Balak is and how little he understands about God and His servants.

Balaam responds by telling Balak that he's only done what he promised he would do--speak the words that the LORD put in his mouth.  He also tells Balak that there's nothing that he has to offer him that is worth anything in comparison to the LORD and I can see Balaam singing, "I'd Rather Have Jesus" right here (I've embedded a version from YouTube at the end of this article). 

Balaam says even if Balak could give that house of silver and gold that was offered, it would not be enough to make him say anything more, anything less or anything else than the LORD put in his mouth--no matter if that message is interpreted as "good" or "bad" by Balak.  Balaam has heard what the LORD has had to say, but has Balak?  Probably not, and the LORD is not done with what He has to say to Balak yet.

Balak still thinks he's in charge and can just order Balaam to go away, but Balaam is going to tell Balak that he has one more oracle from the LORD before he goes home, and the king would be wise to listen to it, and Balaam even thrown in that Balak would be wise to come seek him out in the future if he wants to know what God is going to do to Balak's kingdom by way of the Israel and ultimately through Jesus.  We'll talk about this final oracle next time.