Significance of Balaam's prophecy AND Balaam's error
Review by rereading something we read last week that I hadn't really prepared for.
We began Numbers 24
Num 24:1-9
Balaam/Balak's third sacrifice
On the top of Peor, Balaam finally recognizes that it pleases God to bless Israel. Finally!
Vs 1 Once he recognizes this, Balaam turns his face to the wilderness. As if he doesn't need to see them
Vs 2 He doesn't do the enchantments or divination to seek God. Why does God meet Balaam this way? Odd?
Vs 2 Balaam lifts eyes and notices Israel encamped according to their tribe. Did he never notice this before?
Vs 2-3 Gods spirit comes upon him and he speaks up a parable. Had the spirit of God come up him the before? He did speak Gods words the previous two times.
Num 24:4
4 He saith, who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
Who is Balaam speaking about?
Himself
Num 24:5-9
5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel! 6 As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river-side, As lign-aloes which Jehovah hath planted, As cedar-trees beside the waters. 7 Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. 8 God bringeth him forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall break their bones in pieces, And smite them through with his arrows. 9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one that curseth thee.
Who is Balaam talking about in these verses? Vs 5-6
Jacob Israel
-Who might these be?
Tents of Jacob; Tabernacles of Israel?
-Who might these be?
-certainly God people
Gardens by the riverside
Vs 6
-metaphor of God's people
-his branch shooteth forth in his green
-why is it by the riverside? It is watered
As an alternative spoken to transgressors and sinners:
Isa 1:30
For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
Trees of aloe
Vs 6
-metaphor of God's people (Ps 45:1)
-garments smell of myrrh, aloes and cassia (Ps 45:8)
Cedars beside waters
-metaphor of God's people
-wood used by Solomon in building temple (1 Kings 6)
Water flows out of his bucket
Vs 7
Either from God out toward his people or from Jacob/Israel outward to others
His seed shall be in many waters.
Vs 7
Who's seed? Seed shall be numerous...Good or bad?
Rev 1:15 Jesus voice as the "voice of many waters"
But in Rev 17:1, the harlot "sitteth on many waters"
Why?
His king shall be higher than Agag, and exalted?
Vs 7
Jesus
Agag (I will overtop)?
Vs 7
Not mentioned before this verse in the bible.
King who was spared by Saul but killed by Samuel despite God telling Saul to kill everyone/everything.
Septuagint has Gog instead of Agag. Who is Gog (mountain)?
From Ezk 38:1-4. Read
Eze 38:1-4
1 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, set thy face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal: 4 and I will turn thee about, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords;
From Rev 20:7-8 Read
Rev 20:7-8
7 And when the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
God brings Israel out of Egypt, with the strength of the wild-ox.
Vs 8
(Wild bull or unicorn) (maybe rhino?)
Break enemies bones in pieces
Vs 8
(Maybe like a lion)
Smite enemies with arrows
Vs 8
Who is shooting the arrows?
Psa 45:5
Thine arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under thee; They are in the heart of the king's enemies.
Who's arrows are being shot?
Psa 45:2
Thou art fairer than the children of men…
Psa 45:1 is set (written) to 'Shoshannim' (lilies)
(Gods peoples' are shooting the arrows in Balaam's prophecy)
So now Balaam is referring to God's people.
He crouched/lay down as a lion. As a lioness, who shall rouse him up?
It references this verse:
Gen 49:9
Judah is a lion's whelp (cub); From the prey, my son, thou art gone up: He stooped down, he couched as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?
Hidden Metaphor
Lions cub = Judah (Jacob's son)
My son art gone up, crouched down as lion = Jesus
As a lioness, who has caused him to arise? = Overcomers/Sons of God (us) (who eventually rise with power/authority via the Holy Spirit)
Jesus Lion of tribe of Judah
Rev 5:5
and one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book and the seven seals thereof.
Jesus overcame the world
Joh 16:33
These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
***But in Rev, the overcomes are given authority too:
To him that overcometh:
to eat of the tree of life
shall not be hurt of the second death
I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it.
to him will I give authority over the nations
shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels
I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name.
I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.
Blessed is everyone that blessed thee. Cursed is everyone that cursed thee
(Promises to the overcomers)
So we see that Balaam's prophecy was a hidden reference not only to Jesus but also to those sons that Jesus raises up in the future!
Jesus in His people. So technically it IS JESUS!
Num 24:10-14
10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honor; but, lo, Jehovah hath kept thee back from honor. 12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers that thou sentest unto me, saying, 13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what Jehovah speaketh, that will I speak? 14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
Later day prophecy
Num 24:15-19
15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith; 16 He saith, who heareth the words of God, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open: 17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corners of Moab, And break down all the sons of tumult. 18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, who were his enemies; While Israel doeth valiantly. 19 And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city.
Summary
Who is Balaam talking about in vs 15-16 Himself
Vs 17 there shall come a star out of Jacob. Who is this? Jesus (same as Gen 49:9-10)
Who is the sceptre that shall rise out of Israel? Overcoming Sons of God (us) (who eventually rise with power/authority) (just like the great lion/lioness mentioned in vs 9)
Jesus uses this sceptre (as a rod) in smiting the corners of Moab. And breaking down all the sons of tumult.
The same example is used again in Jer 48:43-46:
Jer 48:43-46
43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith Jehovah. 44 He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon him, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah. 45 They that fled stand without strength under the shadow of Heshbon (stronghold); for a fire is gone forth out of Heshbon (stronghold), and a flame from the midst of Sihon (warrior), and hath devoured the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones. 46 Woe unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh is undone; for thy sons are taken away captive, and thy daughters into captivity.
Pattern is the same:
Jesus raises up overcomes (great lions or lioness) that he uses as His rod against the wicked.
Remember:
Rev 2:26-27
26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father.
Back to Num 24:18, Edom and Seir will be a possession despite them being His enemies. What does it mean "Israel doeth valiantly?"
His overcomes/rod have done valiantly/bravely.
Out of Jacob shall one rule. Who? Jesus
Jesus destroys them that remaineth of the city. Which city? Not sure. Maybe Moab?
Another parable by Balaam
Num 24:20-25
20 And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; But his latter end shall come to destruction. 21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, And thy nest is set in the rock. 22 Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive. 23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this? 24 But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber; And he also shall come to destruction. 25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
Summary
Balaam looks up, then prophecies against the neighboring nations
Vs 20 Amalek was the first of the nations but shall be destroyed in his later day.
Saul destroys them in 1 Sam 15 altho he leaves their king alive, Agag. Samuel kills Agag himself because Saul disobeyed God.
Vs 21-22 Kenites (Cain?) are the tribe that Moses' father-in-law Jethro was part of. Jethro was a 'priest of Midian' so it could refer to Midian also. Remember, they helped to scheme with Balak to seek out Balaam's help.
Asshur = Assyria so maybe this refers to Assyria taking the Midianites captive to Assyria like Assyria did to Israel in 2 Kings 17?
Vs 23 Balaam speaks yet another parable.
Ships come from Kittim (Cyprus) which will afflict Assur (Assyria) and Eber (Hebrews?). And he (?) shall come to destruction.
Not certain what this represents? Maybe similar to Daniel 11?
Balaam rises up and leaves
Num 25:1-3
1 And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab: 2 for they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3 And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel.
Summary
Israel joined unto Baal Peor, the god of Moab seemingly from Num 23:28-30 when Balaam and Balak went to the top of Mt Peor. When Balaam saw that it:
-"pleased God to bless Israel"
-"didn't need enchantments when meeting with God"
-"when he turned his face to the wilderness."
When it seems he doesn't need to look at Israel, so he looked away.
Num 31:16
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Jehovah.
Targum of Jonathan
"come, I will counsel thee, go and prepare victualling houses, and place lewd women there to sell food and drink at a low price, and bring this people to eat, and drink, and be drunken; and let them lie with them, and deny their God, and they will be delivered into thine hands in a little time, and many of them will fall;''
John 2...best wine is last!
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