A GOD LIKE NO OTHER

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

"Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.

Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the River, in his native land. Balak said: "A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed." The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said. "Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will bring you back the answer the Lord gives me." So the Moabite princes stayed with him. God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?" Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 'A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.' " But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed." The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's princes, "Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you." Numbers 22:1-13

This ends this reading from God’s holy word. Thanks be to God.

In Chapter 21 of Numbers, we see an Israel that is on the offensive and victorious. Their conquest began with Arad followed by the Amorites and Bashan. Word quickly began to spread about the people of Israel and how they weren’t relying so much on their own power but the power of a mighty god. And this is how the nations outside perceived God…seeing Him as just another god like the ones they worship. They didn’t understand that this God was not like any other god nor would any other God ever be before Him.

As Chapter 22 opens, Israel has advanced to "the plains of Moab", camping "along the Jordan across from Jericho". This brought more than a little anxiety on the people of Moab who saw themselves in being the next victims of the Israelite juggernaut. Scripture tells us that "Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites." What would Moab do to prevent being destroyed?

Well, back to the passage. For we read that the Moabites "said to the elders of Midian, "This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." And so to try and thwart Israel, "Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab…sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the River, in his native land." Balaam a renowned diviner who was thought to have a special gift: the power to communicate and manipulate gods. Balak didn’t understand that he was dealing with no ordinary god but God Himself.

Balak sent his messengers with the following message:

"A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed."

With this guidance, the "elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination." They went to Balaam and "told him what Balak had said" after which Balaam asked them to "Spend the night here and I will bring you back the answer the Lord gives me." So Balaam left them with the expectation that he would control the god of Israel, win the favor of King Balak and earn his fee of divination. Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 'A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.' " God, knowing Balak’s request was not only useless but foolish as well commands Balaam to "…not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed." They were blessed because they had THE God on their side…a God like no other.

After receiving the words from God, Balaam went to Balak’s men the next morning and told them, "Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you." Balaam had communicated many gods in his time but never the one and only real God…the God of Israel. Balaam may have thought he could manipulate gods but He met his match with this God of Israel and decided it would be best to obey Him and follow His commands.

Question: Do you truly acknowledge the awesome, almighty power of God in your life? Do you fully realize how much He has blessed you in your life? Do you understand that you are His child and just as a parent loves and nurtures their child so too does He love, nurture and care for us?

Friends, we don’t serve a series of gods who specialize in different parts of our worldly existence. No! We serve one God…the one and only God…the very God who was there at the very beginning creating the heavens and the earth…the light and the dark…the morning and the evening…the seas and the lands and then everything in and on them including man who He created in His own image. This God then went on to govern and reign over all He created…that is everything. And in His crowning moment of power, love, mercy and grace, He sent His one and only Son to earth to live and die for the very people He created…so that they might not die from their sinful nature but instead have an opportunity for eternal life through belief in His Son, Jesus…the Son who was crucified and resurrected…the Son who is our Savior. Indeed, there is one and only one God…a God like no other. What a blessing it is to know Him and serve Him each and every day! Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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