Balaam's Further Oracles: God's Blessings and Curses

Text Numbers 23:25-24:25 Time 24/02/13 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church

We have begun to look at the fascinating story of Balaam and his oracles. You remember that it is Balak King of Moab who decides that to protect himself from the power of Israel he needs to have a curse put on them. And so with great difficulty he hires Balaam son of Beor to do this. However, although Balaam is willing to do this for money all the prophecies he gives are genuine God given prophecies and so he finds himself unable to curse Israel. To Balak's great frustration every time Balaam opens his mouth to curse Israel he blesses them instead. In 23:25, after the first two oracles have been given, we find Balak saying to Balaam Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all! In his defence Balaam says Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?

One would think that Balak and Balaam would have seen there was no way forward and given up but no. Like Satan himself, they press on hoping against hope that somehow they can inflict damage on Israel. Yet the very opposite happens. It is worth noting that God's enemies will stop at nothing. They are so determined to oppose him that even common sense is not enough to make them stop. They blindly go on in their evil ways and continually seek to oppose the Lord … but to no avail.

What I want us to do tonight then is to look at Balaam's final oracles. First, we have two further oracles regarding Israel and then a short series of oracles regarding other peoples whose history would have an effect on Israel.

1. Consider Balaam's third oracle and his confidence that God will bless his people

Balaam has made clear the situation but Balak is not willing to give in. Perhaps he thinks that the problem is location. If they just try it from another angle, all will be well. So we read (27-30)

Then Balak said to Balaam, Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there. And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor.

We do not know where this was again but it is likely that the place was connected with the god Baal and his worship. It was a place

overlooking the wasteland. Balaam said, as before Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

At the beginning of Chapter 24 we read

Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned his face toward the desert. When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his oracle:

So instead of going apart as he had previously this time Balaam stays where he is. Previously he used his divination tricks but God had over-ruled and spoken nevertheless. This time God speaks directly through Balaam. Also, for the first time he is in a position where he can see all the Israelites.

What he says can be divided in to three parts

1. The introduction (3, 4)

The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

He emphasises that he is not speaking is own words but the very words of God. That is why they must be listened to.

2. The statement of abundant blessing (5-7)

How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. Their king will be greater than Agag; (Agag is an Amalekite name and the Amalekites are one of their great enemies at this time) their kingdom will be exalted.

The language is very poetic then and it speaks of great blessing on Israel and how they will one day have a great king to lead them. They are in the desert now but all the imagery of fertility and abundance and blessing.

3. The conclusion (8, 9)

In the closing verses of the oracle he speaks of their past, present and future. In the past

God brought them out of Egypt; and now they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them. Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness - who dares to rouse them?

As for the future, he says May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed! This latter part reflects what God had earlier promised to Abraham their forefather.

There is no question then that God will bless his people, as we have seen. Nothing can stop that blessing.

All this while Balak has been getting angrier and angrier with Balaam, just as Balaam got angrier and angrier with his donkey, you remember, the donkey that God spoke through. So we read (10, 11)

Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded. He refuses to give him the promised money.

Balaam replies (12, 13)

Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord - and I must say only what the Lord says?

As bad as he undoubtedly was there has been an integrity about Balaam that we do not see in Balak. It is often the way.

The main thing to take in once again here, however, is the inevitably of God's blessing on his people , which will go on down through the ages.

2. Consider Balaam's fourth oracle and the promise of Messiah

In verse 14 Balaam says

Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.

And then Balaam gives a fourth oracle. This is different to the previous ones in that it is not requested but given spontaneously. He begins mush as he did in the previous oracle (15, 16)

The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

It is again directly from God then and this time is prophetic in the more obvious sense in that it speaks of the future.

Balaam says (17-19)

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a sceptre will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.

Who is this him that Balaam sees? A future person who is called A star ... out of Jacob; a sceptre ... out of Israel. It is predicted that for all Balak's efforts this one will crush the foreheads of Moab, not only that but the skulls of all the sons of Sheth too (a reference to nomadic tribes of the area) and Edom or Seir. The prophecy is that Israel is not only strong now but will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city. This points quite clearly to David who did know victories like those described here. It points further than that to David's Son Jesus, the one who speaks of himself in Revelation 22:16 in these terms - I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.

So here on the lips of this pagan we have these wonderful words about the coming Lord Jesus. It foreshadows the way that when Jesus did eventually come, his death seemed to signal the end but the tables were again gloriously turned for good.

3. Consider Balaam’s final oracles regarding others associated with Israel's history

Having spoken of the crushing of the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth and of Edom being conquered while Israel would continue to grow strong Balaam adds prophesies about three other people groups.

1. The Amalekites

We read next (20) Then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered his oracle: Amalek was first among the nations, but he will come to ruin at last. Amalek was first perhaps in being the first to attack the Israelites as they came into the Promised Land. Their ruin is predicted, a ruin that came to completion in the time of Saul and David who knew great victories over this people.

2. The Kenites

This is another of the nomadic tribes linked with other nations including Israel itself at times. In verses 21, 22 we read Then he saw the Kenites and uttered his oracle: Your dwelling place is secure, your nest is set in a rock; yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive. The Assyrians would one day destroy these Kenites.

3. Others

23, 24 Then he uttered his oracle: Ah, who can live when God does this? Ships will come from the shores of Kittim; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin. This may refer to the Philistines but may be to others who knew victories over Assyrians and Hebrews but who themselves would be subdued in the end.

All these words remind us that God is the Lord of history. He is in charge of what happens to nations. All of them are entirely in his hands. God not only brings his blessings on his people as he chooses but he also brings curses on nations when and where he chooses.

25 Then Balaam got up and returned home and Balak went his own way. This was the end of the relationship but not the end of the story. In the chapter that follows we read how despite their blessed state Israel was eventually worn down by the Devil's strategy on the plains of Moab.