Year 1, Week 18, Day 4 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 18, Day 4

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Numbers 23-25.

Today’s reading records the Words that Balaam spoke concerning Israel. Even though Balaam will prove to be no ally to Israel, the LORD permits only Words of blessing from his mouth. Numbers 23 notes the first and second oracles concerning Israel, while Numbers 24 notes the third and fourth oracles concerning Israel. These oracles all speak of a glorious future for Israel through the emergence of a conquering king. Numbers 25 describes Israel’s tragic unfaithfulness against the LORD resulting in God unleashing His wrath upon the Israelites. Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, a faithful priest, was raised up and “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” (Numbers 25:11).

What struck me from today’s reading was the LORD’s reassurance to Israel of His plans to raise them up among the nations: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed” (Psalm 2:1-2). While Balaam has been hired by Balak to curse Israel, the oracles that Balaam receives from the LORD are just the opposite of what Balak desired. Balaam’s opening words declare: “How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?” (Numbers 23:8). The oracles that Balaam delivers were full of promises that the LORD has already provided. For instance, in the first oracle when Balaam declares: “Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel?” (Numbers 23:10a); this is reminiscent of what the LORD promised to Abraham: “I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.” (Genesis 13:16). Or as Balaam declares: “behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations!” (Numbers 23:9b); this coincides with what the LORD has already declared concerning Israel: “you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5b-6a).

As the other oracles are revealed, the LORD declares through Balaam His protective work on behalf of Israel: “God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.” (Numbers 23:22). But the LORD also deploys Balaam to state truths concerning the king who will be raised up. A lion of a king will come from the tribe of Judah: “Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain.” (Numbers 23:24). This coincides with Jacob’s words “Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?” (Genesis 49:9).

Israel, as they are encamped around the Tabernacle, is described by Balaam with garden-like imagery: “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters.” (Numbers 24:5-6). Balaam declares that the LORD was with Israel just like He was with Adam in the Garden. And as the LORD was in the midst of His people He would raise up a king: “his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.” (Numbers 24:7b). This parallels with the LORD’s earlier promises: “I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.” (Genesis 17:6, see also Genesis 35:11).

While Balak dismisses Balaam because he has not received what he had hoped for, Balaam continues with more Words from the LORD: “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.” (Numbers 24:17). This oracle too harkens back to the LORD’s promises: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (Genesis 49:10). But Balaam’s words, with the language of head-crushing goes back to an even earlier promise: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15). Balaam’s words even recapture the original mandate upon Adam and Eve with the words: “And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!” (Numbers 24:19). The LORD had made it evident through Balaam’s oracles what Israel’s future consisted of.

But what the nations could not do Israel, Israel could do—destroy itself. Balaam, while he prophesied favorably concerning Israel, was no fan of Israel. Balaam leaves the scene, before what unfolded next: “While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab.” (Numbers 25:1). It appears that Balaam had a hand in what happened: “Behold, these, on Balaam's advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD in the incident of Peor” (Numbers 31:16). In a combination of spiritual and sexual unfaithfulness, Israel invokes the wrath of God: “So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.” (Numbers 25:3). When the rebellion became open defiance, Phinehas, took actions to turn back God’s wrath: “Phinehas…rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand 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.” (Numbers 25:7b-8). A faithful priest who turns away God’s wrath. We will need to keep this action in mind as Phinehas’ actions prove to be yet another preview of coming events.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe