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.
When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his oracle:
"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:
"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; their kingdom will be exalted.
"God brought them out of Egypt; 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?
"May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!"
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."
Balaam answered Balak, "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'?
Numbers 24:3-13
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
In this passage, Balaam tells Balak the third oracle from the Lord. We see where it is very much like the first two as Israel is portrayed as blessed and powerful because of their God who is very much with them. This God that Balaam was supposed to manipulate instead transformed and manipulated Balaam. The diviner was divined by the Almighty Father.
We can see specific signs as to how Balaam was transformed in the words of this scripture.
First, we read where Balaam was "one whose eye sees clearly…whose eyes are opened". While Balak could not see the way and will of the Lord in the lives of Israel or in the matter at hand, Balaam did. He did because He believed and trusted in God, even if at first he really didn’t quite grasp this omnipotent, all powerful God of Israel…a God like no other god he had ever attempted to communicate before. This God fully opened Balaam’s eyes so that he could see how very blessed Israel was…so much so that he wished he could join them (Numbers 23:10).
Secondly, Balaam was one who "hears the words of God". Balaam’s eyes were opened only as he listened to the words that God planted in his heart and mind. Through God’s words, Balaam was able to understand Israel’s special relationship with them…and also begin to understand that he too had a special relationship with this God…a God like no other.
Third, Balaam was one who "sees a vision from the Almighty". In all of the three oracles, God painted a vivid picture of Israel and their power by using illustrations…providing the vision to the visions He provided. Note how Israel is compared to the lion or lioness and to the wild ox. Their situation is shown as being blessed complete with beautiful valleys and gardens…aloes and cedars. Their water will flow with abundance to their seed…and thus they will flourish and grow in and through Him. Truly, when we truly hear the word of God and open our eyes to what He is telling us…then we will clearly see His vision for us and may times, those around us by way of the Holy Spirit.
Finally, we see where Balaam was one "who falls prostrate" before God. Balaam came to acknowledge and respect God as being all powerful and Almighty. And he also realized that compare to this God, he was nothing. This was a God he had no control over. This God did not bow down to man. Rather, man was to bow down before this God…prostrate in humbleness and humility.
Indeed, Balaam had gained a great deal from God. In fact so rich was his reward for coming into a relationship with the Father, that Balaam felt that even if Balak gave him his palace filled with silver and gold, then Balaam still could not do anything of his own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord. No reward was greater than what he got from God. And there is no greater reward for us as well than to hear the word of the Lord, use it so we can see clearly, gather in God’s vision of what we see and fall prostrate before the God Almighty who wishes to partner with us for His glory.
Question: Where are you in your relationship with God? Are you listening for His word and will? Are you waiting for your eyes to be opened? Do you yearn to catch a glimpse of God’s vision? And do you see yourself as nothing in front of a God who is everything…falling prostrate before Him?
I’ll close with some words from Jesus that speak to the sense of discovery found by Balaam. Balaam found that in God, He gained something of far more value than any worldly riches that Balak could lavish upon him. Hear these words from Jesus:
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done." Matthew 16:24-27
Question: Have you traded in the world for Jesus yet? My prayer is you have and if you haven’t, don’t delay. Your very life now and forever depends upon your decision.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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