Balaam's Prophecy Numbers 23

 

Numbers 23   Balaam’s Prophecy

 

Balaam has now come to Balak, King of Moab.  Balak takes Balaam to the top of a mountain so that he can see the camp of Israel below.  He will take him to four different mountains on four different sides of the camp.  On each mountain, they offered burnt offerings and there the Lord put a word into Balaam’s mouth. Each time Balaam blessed the Israelites which displeased Balak.  He wanted Balaam to curse them.  God made it very clear to Balaam that he is not to curse Israel.

Balaam uses his own reasoning and rationalizing and concludes that God must condemn Israel.  There was evil in the camp.  Sin was evident and they failed miserably. He came to this conclusion because of the incident with the brazen serpent in the previous lesson.  The natural man always concludes that God must judge Israel because of their sin, and that God must judge the individual sinner. There is a higher righteousness than human righteousness and that is the righteousness of Christ.

God does not judge the sinner because He has already judged him in Christ Jesus when he came to God by baptism in Christ. The world does not understand that.   Balaam didn’t understand that. He thought that God would condemn Israel and that he would be permitted to get a handsome reward because of it.

When the believer sins, he comes under the disciplining hand of God, not under condemnation of God.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.