Numbers 22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the Arnon border, at the extreme end of the border. 37 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not urgently send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really unable to honor you?" 38 So Balaam said to Balak, "Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak." 39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent some to Balaam and the leaders who were with him. 41 Then it came about in the morning that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to the high places of Baal; and he saw from there a portion of the people. 23:1 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here." 2 And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you." So he went to a bare hill. 4 Now God met Balaam, and he said to Him, "I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar." 5 Then the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus." 6 So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab. 7 And he took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, Moab's king from the mountains of the East, 'Come curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!' 8 "How shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce, whom the LORD has not denounced? 9 "As I see him from the top of the rocks, And I look at him from the hills; Behold, a people who dwells apart, And shall not be reckoned among the nations. 10 "Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, And let my end be like his!" 11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!" 12 And he answered and said, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?" 13 Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from where you may see them, although you will only see the extreme end of them, and will not see all of them; and curse them for me from there." 14 So he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 And he said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I myself meet the Lord yonder." 16 Then the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak." 17 And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, "What has the LORD spoken?" 18 Then he took up his discourse and said, "Arise, O Balak, and hear; Give ear to me, O son of Zippor! 19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 20 "Behold, I have received a command to bless; When He has blessed, then I cannot revoke it. 21 "He has not observed misfortune in Jacob; Nor has He seen trouble in Israel; The LORD his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them. 22 "God brings them out of Egypt, He is for them like the horns of the wild ox. 23 "For there is no omen against Jacob, Nor is there any divination against Israel; At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob And to Israel, what God has done. 24 "Behold, a people rises like a lioness, And as a lion it lifts itself; It shall not lie down until it devours the prey, And drinks the blood of the slain." 25 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Do not curse them at all nor bless them at all!" 26 But Balaam answered and said to Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'Whatever the LORD speaks, that I must do '?" 27 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will be agreeable with God that you curse them for me from there." 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor which overlooks the wasteland. 29 And Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here." 30 And Balak did just as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.  24:1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he 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, And 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, yet having his eyes uncovered, 5 How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel! 6 "Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens beside the river, Like aloes planted by the LORD, Like cedars beside the waters. 7 "Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be by many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. 8 "God brings him out of Egypt, He is for him like the horns of the wild ox. He shall devour the nations who are his adversaries, And shall crush their bones in pieces, And shatter them with his arrows. 9 "He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, And cursed is everyone who curses you." 10 Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times! 11 "Therefore, flee to your place now. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the LORD has held you back from honor." 12 And Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying, 13 'Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak '? 14 "And now behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the days to come." 15 And he took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, And 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, yet having his eyes uncovered. 17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, And a scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth. 18 "And Edom shall be a possession, Seir, its enemies, also shall be a possession, While Israel performs valiantly. 19 "One from Jacob shall have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city." 20 And he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, But his end shall be destruction." 21 And he looked at the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, "Your dwelling place is enduring, And your nest is set in the cliff. 22 "Nevertheless Kain shall be consumed; How long shall Asshur keep you captive?" 23 And he took up his discourse and said, "Alas, who can live except God has ordained it? 24 "But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur and shall afflict Eber; So they also shall come to destruction." 25 Then Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.

Micah 6:5 "My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled And what Balaam son of Beor answered him, And from Shittim to Gilgal, In order that you might know the righteous acts of the LORD."

Introduction: We now come to the part of the account of Balaam that has probably caused the most confusion about the man - the accuracy of his prophecies. There is no question about the accuracy of Balaam's prophecies, but the problem is with the man. It's sort of like watching a "dubbed" foreign movie, where the lips and the words don't seem to match. This was the problem with Balaam, his actions didn't match his words. What we must keep in mind as we view these passages of prophecies is that if God can make a donkey talk, He can also make a Balaam say what He wants him to say. We must remember that it is God's message and not Balaam's. God only used Balaam as an instrument to communicate His word to those who would seek to destroy God's people, and as a reminder of God's sovereignty over the will and plans of man.

Transition: Now lets looks at God's message. . .

I. Balaam's God Given Oracles (Numbers 22:36-24:25).
1. Balaam's first oracle (22:36-23:12).

A. The sacrifices (22:36-41; 23:1-6).

1) Background (22:36-41).

A) Balaam finally arrives and is scolded by king Balak for his delay, to which Balaam only replied that he would only be able to say what God told him to say (vv.36-38).

B) The two then went to Kiriath Huzoth (location unknown: kihr'ee-ath-hyoo'zoth) where the divination rituals commenced (vv.39-41: BKC).

(1) Balak sacrifices oxen and sheep and sent "some" (probably the animals internal organs) to Balaam for a reading (v.40; as indicated in 24:1).

(A) A diviner was an expert in interpreting signs called omens (ZPBD).

(B) One ways they would do this was by examining the entrails of animals to determine the will of the gods (EBCOT).

(2) The following morning they ascended Bamoth Baal ("the heights of Baal": bay'moth-bay'uhl) from where they could see a part of the people of Israel (v.41).

(A) Bamoth Baal was probably a mountaintop overlooking the plains of Moab.

(B) Its association with Baal suggests that it was a high place where Canaanite cultic functions were carried out.

2) The sacrifices of Balaam (23:1-6).

A) Balaam instructs Balak to build 7 altars and to prepare 7 bulls and rams for a sacrifice (vv.1-2).

(1) While this may look like an act of worship or reverence to the God of Israel, it is actually nothing more than a pagan attempt to gain God's favor.

- There is no biblical instruction or precedent for what Balaam did, so presumably the sacrifices were part of a pagan ritual (BKC).

(2) The use of the number seven is significant in this section (EBCOT).

(A) Seven bulls and seven rams on seven altars.

(B) The number seven was held in high regard among Semitic peoples in general; the many animals would provide abundant liver and organ materials for the diviner from the east.

B) Despite the pagan and unsavory actions of this ungodly man, the Lord decides to meet with him and to speak through him (vv.3-6: EBCOT).

(1) It becomes clear in this text who's message it is, and who is doing the speaking (vv.3-5).

(A) "God met with him" (v.4).

(B) "the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth" (v.5).

(2) The account is dramatic as Balaam returns to those who had sent for him and the king is standing by the altar, hoping for a word from heaven that would destroy his presumed enemy.

B. God's message: the blessing of Israel is irrevocable (vv.7-10).

1) God had especially blessed the people of Israel and they could not be cursed (vv.7-8).

A) The Hebrew word mashal [maw-shawl'] is more usually translated as "proverb" (KJV), "oracle" (NIV) and "discourse" (NASB).

B) Here the translation "oracle" is appropriate because by this word the distinctive nature of the prophecies of Balaam is established (EBCOT).

- Note: NONE of the prophecies of the true prophets of Israel are described by this term.

2) God had chosen Israel and set them apart from all the other nations (v.9).

3) God had caused the nation of Israel to grow into a great nation just as He had promised Abraham (v.10: Gen.13:16; 28:14).

- Balaam ironically ends his oracle by almost seeming to wish that he were one of God's people so he could share in their blessing.

C. The results (vv.11-12).

1) Balak is besides himself, Balaam has done the total opposite of what he was employed to do (v.11).

2) Balaam simply replies that he must say what the God of Israel tells him to say (v.12).

    The second point is, God is faithful to this Word and to His promises - even when the nation of Israel isn't. God promised Abraham to make his offspring a great nation and a blessings to the other nations of the world; Genesis 12:1-3, "Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'" And God has faithfully preserved Israel throughout the ages, even when other nations have sought to destroy them. Warren Wiersbe points out that God has judged every ruler and nation that has caused His people to suffer, including Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and Nazi Germany (BC). This should serve to remind, not only our country, but also many Christians today that God is still the God of Israel and blesses those who bless Israel and curses those who seek to do harm to Israel.

Transition: But neither Balak or Balaam were ready to give up. . .

2. Balaam's second oracle (23:13-26).

A. The sacrifices (vv.13-17).

1) Balak attempted to reduce the power of the people by selecting a point where their immense numbers would be obscured (vv.13-14a: EBCOT).

A) We sense the idea of numbers in this text, because there is a power in numbers in the ancient world.

B) If one is confronted only with a small percentage of the whole, Balak reasoned, then the enormity of the nation will not cause the gods to bless when they were requested to curse Israel.

2) Again, offerings were made and God answered Balaam (vv.14b-17).

B. God's message: the source of Israel's unique blessing (vv.18-24).

1) Balak was told directly that the immutable God of Israel had promised to bless His people Israel and would not change His mind (vv.18-20: EBCOT).

A) Israel's unique blessing issues from her unique God (v.19).

(1) He is unlike man in his person.

(2) He is unlike man in his word.

B) Israel's unique blessing is irrevocable in her God (v.20).

(1) Balaam is commanded to bless.

(2) Balaam is powerless to curse.

2) Israel's unique blessing is explained by the presence of her God (vv.21-23).

A) God permits no cursing of Israel (v.21a).

B) God is present with Israel (v.21b).

C) God is the protector of Israel (v.22).

D) God is the power effective in Israel (v.23).

3) Israel's unique blessing is to be exhibited in her power in battle (v.24).

A) As a lion she rises for the kill.

B) As a lion she feasts on the slain.

C. The results (vv.25-26).

1) In abject dismay, Balak pleaded with Balaam to speak neither cursing nor blessing (v.25: BKC).

2) Balaam reminded Balak that he was powerless in the hand of the Lord, and that he could do only as he was told (v.26: BKC).

    As Christians this passage reminds us that we too have the same God who is unchanging and unfailing, and that we can put our total trust in Him because of who He is and what He is able to do.

Transition: But once again Balak is not ready to give up. . .

3. Balaam's third oracle (23:27-24:14).

A. The sacrifices (23:27-24:2).

1) For a third and final time Balak set the stage for Balaam to curse Israel by moving to a new location in hopes that it might create the proper environment for the cursing to take place (vv.27-30: BKC).

A) Superstitiously Balak felt that a move to a new location might create the proper environment for the cursing to take place (v.27).

B) They arrived at the top of Peor [pee'or], a mountain near the town of Beth Peor (Deut. 3:29; 4:46), close to Israel's encampment in the plains of Moab (v.28).

- Mt. Peor is identified with the pagan god Baal (25:3, 5: Deut.4:3; Psa.106:28-29).

C) Once more they prepared the seven altars and sacrifices necessary for the ritual of divination (vv.29-30).

2) Balaam, having understood by now the futility of sorcery against the people God had determined to bless, forsook his usual techniques and looked out over the host of Israel arranged in its prescribed tribal order (24:1-2: BKC).

A) This coming of the Spirit no more proves that Balaam was a true prophet than the coming of the Spirit on Saul (1 Sam.10:6, 10-11).

B) There is a difference between the Spirit's coming on individuals to empower them supernaturally and His coming into them to abide (John 7:39).

B. God's message: the beauty and strength of Israel (24:3-9).

1) Balaam, empowered by the Holy Spirit, speaks in a new way of the source of his revelation. (vv.3-4: EBCOT).

2) The blessings of Israel will be demonstrated in the land (vv.5-7: EBCOT).

A) Israel's dwellings will be beautiful (v.5).

B) Israel's productivity will be bountiful (v.6).

C) Israel's resources will be plentiful (v.7a).

D) Israel's king and kingdom will be powerful (v.7b).

3) The blessings of Israel are in her God (v.8: EBCOT).

A) Israel's God is her deliverer (v.8a).

B) Israel's God is her protector (v.8b).

C) Israel's God makes her victorious (v.8c).

4) The blessings of Israel are absolute (v.9: EBCOT).

A) Israel is like a lion, sovereign and grand (v.9a).

B) Israel's blessing is given by the promise of God (v.9b).

C. The results (24:10-13).

1) Balak finally understands that Balaam was not or could not curse Israel, so Balak dismissed (fired) Balaam without payment for his services (vv.10-11: BKC).

2) Balaam expressed no surprise at this and in fact said again that no amount of money could have made a difference in undoing the will of God (vv.12-13: BKC).

4. Balaam's final oracle (24:14-25).

A. The unsolicited message (v.14).

1) Balaam now offers some free advise to king Balak before they depart company.

2) In the phrase "in days to come" we recognize the signal in biblical literature for the distant future (EBCOT).

3) Unlike the preceding oracles there is no set up or sacrifices, the only importance is the oracle itself.

B. God's message: the coming Messiah (vv.15-19).

1) With a recognition that true understanding comes only from God, caused Balaam to fall prostrate and opened his spiritual eyes to God's truth (vv.15-16).

2) Israel has a coming deliverer (v.17: EBCOT).

A) The deliverer will come in the future (v.17a).

B) The deliverer will be like a star and a scepter (v.17b).

(1) Since poetically the star is parallel to the scepter, the star must also refer to royalty (BKC).

(2) The prophecy of the star out of Jacob and the scepter out of Israel is a specific prophecy of the coming messianic Ruler, the Lord Jesus Christ (EBCOT).

(A) Israel's future Deliverer will be like a star and a scepter in his royalty and will bring victory over the enemies of his people (v.19).

(B) That this prophecy was given through the improbable prophet Balaam is remarkable, reminding us of the unexpectedness of the thoughts of God (Isa.55:8).

C) The deliverer will bring victory over his enemies (v.17c).

3) Israel has a coming dominion (vv.18-19).

A) Her enemies will be destroyed (v.18).

- Seir [see'uhr] was another name for Edom [ee'duhm] (BKC).

B) Her people will have dominion (v.19).

(1) Fulfillment of these prophecies about Moab and Edom have already come to pass in some respects (1 Kings 11:15-18) but they still have prophetic overtones (BKC).

(2) Moab and Edom must yet suffer the judgment of the King of Israel, Jesus Christ (Isa. 15-16; 21:11-12; Jer. 48; 49:7-11; Obad. 15-18, 21: BKC).

C. God's message: the future of other nations (vv.20-24).

1) The fall of the Amalekites [uh-mal'uh-kit] (v.20).

2) The fall of the Kenites [ken'it] (vv.21-22).

3) The general direction of nations (vv.23-24: EBCOT).

A) The predictions given in these verses are very difficult to interpret who they are talking about specifically.

B) The general application here is that one nation will rise and supplant another, only to face its own doom.

C) In contrast there is the implied ongoing blessing on the people of Israel and their sure promise of a future deliverer who will have the final victory.

D. The results (v.25).

1) Balaam and Balak soon depart company now.

2) But we will see later on that Balaam must have given Balak some advise on how to conquer Israel before leaving (31:16).

Transition: Why did God use a person like Balaam to proclaim His Holy Word? The prophet Micah gives us the answer. . .

II. Balaam's Reminder (Micah 6:5).
1. Of God's sovereignty over the plans of men (v.5a).

A. Micah reminded God's people of their forefathers' experience in the wilderness when Balak tried to get Balaam to prophesy against the Israel, but instead he blessed them (BKC).

1) "remember," ("zakar" {zaw-kar': qal imper}); to remember, recall, call to mind.

2) "counseled," ("ya' ats" {yaw-ats': qal perf}); to advise, consult, give counsel, devise, deliberate. (KJV = consulted)

3) "answered," ("'anah" {aw-naw': qal perf}); to answer, respond, testify, witness.

B. God's sovereignty was evident in that no matter how many times Balak tried to get Balaam to curse the Israelite's, he could not.

C. God's sovereignty was evident in that no matter how hard Balaam tried to get around God's instructions, in the end he could not go against God's will.

2. Of God's righteousness and not Balaam's (v.5b).

A. Balaam's prophecies were another evidence of God's goodness to them (BKC).

1) "know," ("yada'" (yaw-dah': qal inf}); to know, learn to know, to recognize, acknowledge.

2) "righteous acts," ("tsedaqah" {tsed-aw-kaw'}); justice, righteousness, truthfulness, righteous acts (KJV = righteousness).

B. God was Israel's righteous Protector and Defender, giving them grace over and over.

1) Balaam's obedience to declare God's Word wasn't an act of good will, but was done because of God's divine will.

2) It was God who blessed and brought blessings to Israel, and not some pagan diviner.

Truths To Ponder:
1. Those nations who choose to curse Israel will be cursed by God, and those nations who are a blessing to Israel
    will also be blessed by God.

- This promise has never changed, and neither has God.

A. This means His will and plans will be accomplished, regardless of the desires of man.

B. This means He can and does even use the unsaved sometimes to communicate the truth of His word.

- Sometimes hearing a non-believer saying something biblical gets our attention more than hearing another Christian say it!

A. Getting close may count for something in horseshoes and hand grenades but it doesn't get you any points with God!

B. It still takes the faith to open the door of your heart to let the Savior in so that He can save you!

- Romans 10:9-10, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (KJV).

Note: Pronunciation breakdown for proper names and geographical locations are based upon "Harper's Bible Pronunciation Guide," by William O. Walker, Jr., General Editor, Harper & Row Publishers, San Francisco CA., 1989.
 

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. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, by E. Brown, S. Driver, and C. Briggs,
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. Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament, by H.W.F. Gesenius, Baker Books,
   Grand Rapids MI, 1994

. Nelson's Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament, Merrill Unger and William White Editors,
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. The New Englishman's Hebrew Concordance, by Wigram, Hendrickson Publishers, 1984.

. New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology, Willem VanGemeran, General Editor,
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   Publishers, Nashville TN, 2000.

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   Chicago IL, 1980.

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