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Numbers 23:1-12 – The Blessing

Balaam and Balak plan to bribe God with altars and sacrifices. Ridiculous nonsense, to think that this will please God! Balaam’s way is still perverse, and God is still his enemy; but God will cause him to utter such a confession, to the honour of God and Israel, as will make those forever inexcusable who take up arms against them.

Balaam pronounces Israel safe and out of his reach. God’s Israel are owned and blessed of Him. He has not cursed them, for they are delivered from the curse of the law; He has not rejected or abandoned them. Those that have the goodwill of Heaven have the ill-will of Hell; Satan hates them. Though the enemies of God’s people may prevail against them, yet they cannot curse them; that is, they cannot do them any real harm, for they cannot separate them from the love of God. Balaam pronounces them happy in three things: [1.] Happy in being distinct from the rest of the nations. It is the duty and honour of those that are dedicated to God to be separate from the world, and not to walk according to the ways of it. God’s Israel shall not stand level with other nations, but be above them all, as a people near to God, and set apart for him. [2.] Happy in their numbers, an innumerable company, which makes them both honourable and formidable. God’s Israel is a very great body, and His spiritual Israel is even more so, and will appear to be so when they are all gathered together to Him in the last day. [3.] Happy in their end. It is taken for granted that death is the end of all men. Balaam pronounces the righteous truly blessed, not only while they live, but when they die. But Balaam himself is an example that there are many who desire to die the death of the righteous, but do not want to live the life of the righteous.

Question

  1. What do Balak and Balaam hope to do with the sacrifices?
  2. What does Balaam say about Israel?

Prayer Points

  1. Give thanks that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.
  2. Use prayer points from your congregation.
  3. Pray for family matters.