Balaam will not stop blessing Israel, even when he is paid not to do so. But he finds a way to put a stumbling block before God’s people.
Numbers 24: Balaam's Third Oracle
1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness.
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him,
3 and he took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you."
10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times.
11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, 'I will certainly honour you,' but the LORD has held you back from honour."
12 And Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me,
13 'If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak'?
14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days."
Balaam's Final Oracle
15 And he took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:
17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly.
19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!"
20 Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, "Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction."
21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, "Enduring is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock.
22 Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned when Asshur takes you away captive."
23 And he took up his discourse and said, "Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from Kittim and shall afflict Asshur and Eber; and he too shall come to utter destruction."
25 Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way.
Numbers 25: Baal Worship at Peor
1 While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab.
2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.
3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
4 And the LORD said to Moses, "Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel."
5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor."
6 And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand
8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.
9 Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.
The Zeal of Phinehas
10 And the LORD said to Moses,
11 "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy.
12 Therefore say, 'Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace,
13 and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.'"
14 The name of the slain man of Israel, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, chief of a father's house belonging to the Simeonites.
15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a father's house in Midian.
16 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
17 "Harass the Midianites and strike them down,
18 for they have harassed you with their wiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague on account of Peor."
Things to think about…
1. Balaam tells Balak the Moabite that Israel will be blessed, Num 24:1-14. This is the third time. Surely Balaam would not be against the Lord himself if he has spoken on the Lord’s behalf. Can you think of other people in the scriptures who have prophesied in the Lord’s name and yet clearly not been His? Saul and Judas are two prominent examples. Both spoke the word of God and in Judas’s case, even cast out demons – yet is also called the ‘son of perdition’. Quoting the bible and performing miracles did not save anyone. Grace alone saves, through faith – the gift of God. The modern church must keep the true gospel central and not other ministries regardless of their influence or excitement.
2. It is interesting to note that Balaam speaking by the influence of the Spirit of the Lord quotes the prophecy given to Abraham in Gen 12:3. This time it refers to Israel, “Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you”, Num 24:9. Those whom God chooses will be blessed. That is all of us who are in Christ. What does it mean to bless Israel? Does it mean by providing bombs, guns and bullets? Surely their greatest need is the gospel, but they are the only true democratic influence in the middle east and that should be fostered by all countries that believe the same.
3. Balaam’s final prophesy is about Jesus Christ and His rule over the nations, Num 24:15-24. Note here that Jesus will rule the literal land area as the Star and Scepter of Israel. This will be fulfilled when he returns and rules from Jerusalem during the Millenium. Note also that Balaam also prophesies about Kain when Assur takes them away. This refers to Edom when they were subdued by the Assyrians under king Tiglath-pileser in the 8th Century BC.
4. The Moabites did not need Balaam to prophesy against them to weaken them, Num 25:1-9. All they needed was to allow their culture and idol worship to influence Israel. This happened with Balaam’s help, Num 25:18 so the NT also affirms, Rev 2:14. God slaughters 24, 000 people in Israel. God is holy and we are called to be the same. What a tragedy when the church starts to embrace and then look like the world in the way that it acts and speaks. Our conformity should be towards Christ, Rom 8:29.
5. In what ways can we honour the Lord in our day as Phinehas did in turning away God’s wrath from Israel Num 25:10-18? It starts with the Lord giving us zealous believers who desire to see the kingdom of God in Christ established on the earth. Pray for the next generation that they would stand firm in an age that desires to seduce them away from the Lord as the Moabites did to ancient Israel.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Prayer points
1. Pray for the local family that lost their 7yo daughter to drowning at Colleges Crossing recently. Pray as a church we might even be used as an instrument of healing and grace.
2. Pray for our Mother’s Day event
3. Pray for Iran and the overthrow of a wicked regime.
May the Iranian people see the prophesy of Jer 49:34-39 fulfilled over the coming weeks and months.
4. Pray for the Sacred Minds podcast – starting to come online.
5. Pray for One for Israel and their witness in this time of challenge and conflict.
6. Pray for the church in Australia that it focuses on Christ, His Word and holiness.
7. Pray for our leaders in Australia that they press in closer to Christ.
8. Pray the influence of Russia and China is minimised militarily.
9. The Royal Commission that the Jewish people will feel safe in Australia.
10. Pray for new people to step into ministries at CBC – eg worship, café, sound/technical, giving, podcast.
11. Reform and Revival over our city and country.
12. Finances to cover our needs
13. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to increase.
Praise Points
1. Praise the Lord for the encouragement the Word of God brought people over the weekend.
2. Praise God for ministries – Life Groups, Prayer meetings, Kids@Church
3. Café team every week. Thankyou to all those who serve and bring food. Especially Fiona, Maddie and Suzy and those who supply it every week Eg Ros - Milk.
4. Worship, Admin and Technical teams – Peter, Nita, Brendon, AJ, Suzy, Maddie, Mathys, Doug.
5. Kids Church teachers – Jacqueline, Maddie, Elise, Anastacia and Fiona
6. The Lord’s faithfulness this year to CBC and all who have served in ministries
7. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Ministries back - Prayer meeting Wed 5:30pm at church. Life group begins at 6:30pm. Going through the book of Romans.
2. All Life Groups - Wednesdays.
3. Kids@Church starts up this week.
4. Mother’s Day High tea celebration – Saturday morning, May 9th at Church.
5. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
6. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for April...
Q. 7. What is meant by the Atonement? A. Christ satisfying divine justice, by his sufferings and death, in the place of sinners.
