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Okay, you can turn in your Bibles 
to Numbers chapter 24. Numbers 24, as we come to the 
end of the Balaam narrative, not to the end of Balaam, we'll 
see a reference to him later in the book of Numbers, but this 
is the end of his actual prophesying, or the oracles that he gives 
concerning Balak's request that he curse Israel. So I'll pick 
up reading in Numbers 23 at verse 27, then I'll read through chapter 
24. So beginning in Numbers 23 at 
verse 27, then Balaam said to Balaam, please come. I will take 
you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that 
you may curse them for me from there. So Balaam took Balaam 
to the top of Peor that overlooks the wasteland. Then Balaam said 
to Balaam, build for me here seven altars and prepare for 
me here seven bulls and seven rams. And Balaam did as Balaam 
had said and offered a bull and a ram on every altar. Now, when 
Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did 
not go, as at other times, to seek to use sorcery. But he set 
his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam raised his eyes and 
saw Israel encamped according to their tribes, and the Spirit 
of God came upon him. Then he took up his oracle and 
said, the utterance of Balaam, the son of Baor, the utterance 
of the man whose eyes are opened, the utterance of him who hears 
the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls 
down with eyes wide open. How lovely are your tents, O 
Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel, like valleys that stretch out, 
like gardens by the riverside, like aloes planted by the Lord, 
like cedars beside the waters. He shall pour water from his 
buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters. His king shall 
be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. God 
brings him out of Egypt. He has strength like a wild ox. He shall consume the nations, 
his enemies. He shall break their bones and 
pierce them with his arrows. He bows down. He lies down as 
a lion. And as a lion, who shall rouse 
him? Blessed is he who blesses you, 
and cursed is he who curses you. Then Balak's anger was aroused 
against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak 
said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and look, 
you have bountifully blessed them these three times. Now therefore, 
flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor 
you, but in fact, the Lord has kept you back from honor. So 
Balaam said to Balak, did I not also speak to your messengers 
whom you sent to me saying, if Balak were to give me his house 
full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the 
Lord to do good or bad of my own will. What the Lord says 
that I must speak. And now, indeed, I am going to 
my people. Come, I will advise you what 
this people will do to your people in the latter days.' So he took 
up his oracle and said, The utterance of Balaam the son of Baor, and 
the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened, the utterance 
of him who hears the words of God and has the knowledge of 
the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down 
with eyes wide open. I see him, but not now. I behold 
him, but not near. A star shall come out of Jacob, 
a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab, 
and destroy all the sons of Tumult. and Edom shall be a possession. 
Seir also, his enemy, shall be a possession, while Israel does 
valiantly. Out of Jacob one shall have dominion, 
and destroy the remains of the city.' Then he looked on Amalek, 
and he took up his oracle, and said, Amalek was first among 
the nations, but shall be last until he perishes. Then he looked 
on the Kenites, and he took up his oracle and said, firm is 
your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock. Nevertheless, 
Cain shall be burned. How long until Asher carries 
you away captive? Then he took up his oracle and 
said, alas, who shall live when God does this? But ships shall 
come from the coasts of Cyprus, and they shall afflict Asher, 
and afflict Eber, and so shall Amalek until he perishes. So 
Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place. Balak 
also went his way. Amen. Well, as we've moved through 
the book of Numbers, we have arrived at the plains of Moab 
and that's where they remain until the end of the book of 
Numbers. And that's where they will stay throughout the entirety 
of the book of Deuteronomy, which is a series of exhortations from 
Moses, prior to the entrance into the Promised Land to conquer 
the Promised Land under Joshua. And here specifically we have 
the concern of Balak, the king of the Moabites, with reference 
to Israel. He saw them as a formidable foe. He had heard of what they had 
done with reference to Sihon and with reference to Og, and 
certainly Balak does not want the same thing to happen to him. 
And so he hires this man, Balaam, who is called a soothsayer in 
the book of Joshua. And we see that he's a man that 
is given to sorcery and enchantments and those things that are anti-God, 
anti-Christ, things that were condemned in Israel. So Balak 
hires him, promises to honor him. in the return for which 
Balaam must curse Israel. Now, already Balaam has prophesied 
twice, and we see that God is purposed to not curse Israel, 
but to bless them. And so he tries again in Numbers 
chapter 24. There's a third prophecy, a fourth 
prophecy, and then several small prophecies at the end. So verses 
20 to 24 are basically three little or short oracles that 
ends the Balaam narratives. So we'll look first at the third 
prophecy and then secondly the fourth prophecy. Not all of the 
details are going to be clear tonight. I don't understand all 
of the details, I should just say at the outset, but I think 
the overarching concern reflects what we see specifically in verse 
seven, his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall 
be exalted. And then again in verse 14, come, 
I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the 
latter days. And then I think the reference 
in verse 17, the star that comes out of Jacob, the scepter that 
rises out of Israel, and then in verse 19, out of Jacob, one 
shall have dominion and destroy the remains of the city. I would 
suggest that there's certainly a historical referent in terms 
of Old Covenant Israel, but I think it transcends that and looks 
to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. So I think Balaam ultimately 
is preaching Christ. If you look at that phrase, those 
two words used in verse 14, latter days, you see that concept picked 
up in the prophets, and it typically refers, not always, but typically 
refers to the Messianic era, to the fullness of the time when 
God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 
to redeem those under the law. So for instance, in Isaiah chapter 
2, he refers to the latter days, when all the nations will come 
to Zion to be taught the law of the Lord. You see that duplicated 
in Micah chapter 4, which is basically a parallel passage 
Micah and Isaiah prophesied at the same time. You see that throughout 
the prophets, the promise that God will send his champion, will 
send that one promised in Genesis chapter 3 at verse 15, that one 
born of a woman who would ultimately crush the serpent himself. And 
so Balaam essentially is preaching Christ. Now that presents a few 
challenges because Balaam's not a Christian. Balaam's not converted. I know it says that the Spirit 
of God came upon him, but the Spirit of God came upon King 
Saul as well, and I don't think any of us would argue that King 
Saul is in heaven. As I said, after Balaam departs, 
according to verse 25, we don't hear of anything concerning Balaam 
until chapter 31 and verse 16. And there in chapter 31, and 
verse 16, we see that chapter 25 happened as a result of Balaam's 
counsel to the children of Israel. So Balaam was a bad guy. You 
see that in 2 Peter 2, you see it in Jude verse 11, and then 
in Revelation 2 in verse 14. Balaam was basically a prophet 
for profit. He was a soothsayer for hire. 
And if you look back to chapter 22, he was apparently good at 
it. Balak didn't want to spare any 
cost, he wanted to purchase the very best that would be able 
to render that curse upon what he perceived to be a foe in terms 
of Israel. If you notice in 22.6, Therefore 
please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too 
mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat 
them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom 
you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed." So 
as far as Balak was concerned, Balaam was the best that money 
could buy, and that through Balaam's efforts, Israel would in fact 
be cursed to the point where they would not be able to launch 
an offensive against Balak and the Moabites. So that's the overarching 
concern in this particular section of prophecy by Balaam. So let's 
look at the third prophecy. It begins actually at the end 
of chapter 23. We see something similar to the prophecies that 
preceded numbers 1 and 2. We see the desire of Balak. Again, 
he's threatened by the children of Israel, so he hires Balaam. In fact, if you look back in 
chapter 22, when we see this emphasis or this reference on 
honoring Balaam. It means to pay him. You see 
this in 1 Timothy 5. The church is to honor widows 
who are really widows. That doesn't mean just give them 
a good parking spot in the parking lot, but it means to give them 
money, and that's very clear in the context. 1 Timothy 5, 
verse 17, honor the elders who rule well, especially those who 
labor in the word and doctrine. Double honor, actually. for those 
who labor in the word and doctrine." And so that's what he means here 
by honoring. So notice in verse 7 in chapter 
22, the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with 
the diviner's fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke 
to him the words of Balak. And then again in verse 17, for 
I will certainly honor you greatly and I will do whatever you say 
to me. Therefore, please come curse this people for me. And 
then again in verse 37, Balak said to Balaam, did I not earnestly 
send to you calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am 
I not able to honor you? Now if you go to our chapter 
in chapter 24, specifically at verse 11, you see that theme 
picked up again. Verse 11, now therefore flee 
to your place. I said I would greatly honor 
you, but in fact the Lord has kept you back from honor. So 
he's blaming Yahweh for not paying Balaam. He reneged on that agreement. when Balaam was very clear that 
he must speak what God had commanded him. That time with the donkey 
had certainly underscored that lesson for Balaam, that he was 
under God and he was committed or had to commit to speaking 
only that which God had commanded. So the desire of Balak hasn't 
changed according to 2327. We've got the location, the top 
of Peor that overlooks the wasteland, and then you see a similar preparation 
in terms of the seven altars and the seven bulls and the seven 
rams. So Balak does as Balaam had said, and he offered a bull 
and a ram on every altar. So that brings us then to the 
content of the revelation involved in this third prophecy. Note 
that Balaam realizes that what he is doing is indeed a fool's 
errand. There's no way that God is going 
to change. There's no way that God is going 
to say, you know what, Balaam, this time I guess I will curse 
on behalf of Balak's desire. So notice in 24.1, now when Balaam 
saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go 
as at other times to seek to use sorcery, but he set his face 
toward the wilderness. So the obvious implication of 
the text is that he did use sorcery in the previous attempts. And 
I think an obvious application is that even a proven soothsayer 
of the caliber of Balaam with all of his enchantments and all 
of his sorcery and all of his divination is no match for the 
living and true God. He cannot prevail with Yahweh. 
He may prevail with the dunghill deities of the nations around 
them, but he does not prevail with the living and true God. 
So, Balaam recognizes that, Balaam realizes that. And the reference 
in Joshua 13, 22 is certain. It refers, or it says, the children 
of Israel also killed with the sword, Balaam the son of Baor, 
the soothsayer among those who were killed by them. If you turn 
for just a moment to the book of Deuteronomy, in Deuteronomy 
chapter 18, there's very specific instruction there concerning 
the priesthood and concerning the prophetic ministry in Old 
Covenant Israel. It was supposed to be markedly 
different than the priesthood and the prophetic ministry that 
obtained outside of Old Covenant Israel. It was very strictly 
defined. Notice, in chapter 18, after 
the provisions for priests in verses 1 to 8, you've got this 
prohibition against wicked customs in verses 9 to 14. So basically, 
Israel is cautioned against mixing up with those sorts of people 
like Balaam. So, notice in 18.9, when you 
come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, 
you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 
There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son 
or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices 
witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, 
or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, 
or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are 
an abomination to the Lord. It's very important to get that. 
Dale Ralph Davis makes a very valuable contribution with reference 
to statements or passages like these. God doesn't caution his 
people against being with these sorts of people because these 
sorts of things don't work. They do work, but they're not 
approved by or sanctioned by God. In fact, God says it's an 
abomination. He says, don't have truck with 
them. Again, not because it's futile, 
but because it's abominable. So in verse 12, all who do these 
things are an abomination to the Lord. And because of these 
abominations, the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 
You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, for these 
nations, which you will dispossess, listen to soothsayers and diviners. 
But as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for 
you. The Lord your God will raise 
up for you a prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren, 
him you shall hear. Now remember on the Mount of 
Transfiguration, God says, or the Father pronounces His approval 
upon His blessed Son, and it says, Him you shall hear, which 
hearkens back to this statement. Jesus is the prophet promised 
ultimately in chapter 15. I'm sorry, in verse 15. So verse 
15 establishes a school for the prophets in the nation of Israel 
that ultimately finds its terminus in our Lord Jesus Christ. So 
him you shall hear, according to all you desired of the Lord 
your God in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying, Let 
me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see 
this great fire any more, lest I die. So going back to chapter 
24, Balak wasn't under Deuteronomy 18. Doesn't make it right that 
he does what he does in employing Balaam. But nevertheless, Israel, 
Old Covenant Israel, is taught that they're not supposed to 
do likewise. but that God uses Balaam to communicate his truth 
or to express his revelation, he's perfectly guiltless in doing that. Just 
like he spoke through Balaam's ass, he can speak through Balaam 
the sure and true word. And we see that throughout scripture, 
and it underscores to us the absolute sovereignty of God Almighty. So then in chapter 24, verse 
2, it says, Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel encamped 
according to their tribes. Now the previous prophecies, 
we read that God put his words in the mouth of Balaam and speak 
these things. Here it says, specifically, the 
Spirit of God came upon him. So we've been moving our way 
through John's Gospel, specifically in the Upper Room Discourse. 
I've highlighted that what Jesus is talking about in the coming 
of the Spirit of Truth is specifically the day of Pentecost. I've tried 
to say, probably ad nauseum, that that doesn't mean there 
was no Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit obviously 
is in the Old Testament, but what the prophets announced concerning 
the Spirit comes to fruition on that day of Pentecost in accordance 
with Jesus' promise that He would send the Spirit of Truth, the 
other Comforter, the one just like Him. And so we see that 
in the book of Acts, that there's this anticipation, Jesus says, 
Terri in Jerusalem, until the promise of the Spirit comes upon 
you. So we see the Spirit come upon even a godless man like 
Balaam to communicate truth and to teach Balak and the Moabites 
that nothing can stop the hand of God. If he is purposed to 
bless Israel, then it doesn't matter how many false prophets 
It doesn't matter how many bad kings come against the true and 
living God, God is going to crush them. And that's the overarching 
emphasis, again, with specific reference to the Messiah in chapter 
24, in the third and fourth prophecies of Balaam. So then notice the 
announcement of his status in verses 3 and 4. He is the man 
whose eyes are open. He is the man who has the utterance 
because he's heard the words of God. He has seen the vision 
of the Almighty. He falls down with eyes wide 
open. Now in the fourth oracle, he 
says essentially the same thing, but with one added dimension 
or with one added element. So if you happen to have the 
Cambridge Wide Margin New King James, you have it almost side 
by side in terms of page structure. If you don't, you should probably 
go out and buy one of these wonderful Bibles, and I don't get kickbacks. But there is an addition in verse 
16. The utterance of him who hears 
the words of God and has the knowledge of the Most High. He 
has the knowledge of the Most High, not experientially because 
he's converted, not experientially because he's a believer, not 
experientially because he walks with the Most High, but he has 
the knowledge of the Most High given by the Most High so that 
he can speak that knowledge, that truth of the Most High to 
Balak and to any of the enemies of God that want to come against 
Yahweh. He has the knowledge of the Most High. He sees the 
vision of the Almighty who falls down with eyes wide open. The 
emphasis is not on his personal relationship to Jesus. The emphasis 
is upon the fact that he is a vehicle for the very revelation of God 
that comes to Balak specifically and to all of Israel's enemies 
in general. And then note specifically the 
revelation in terms of his prophecy. He speaks of the blessing of 
Israel in verse 5. How lovely are your tents, O 
Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel. As he looks upon them, as he's 
been given vision by God and prophecy by God, this is where 
he starts. And again, I think this answers 
the question, why is Balak so upset in verses 10 and 11? Because 
this does not sound like a curse, this does not sound like bad 
stuff, this sounds like a positive approval by God and a positive 
situation of Israel among the nations. He then gives a comparison 
with the created order in verse 6, like valleys that stretch 
out, like gardens by the riverside, like aloes planted by the Lord, 
like cedars beside the waters. We see that kind of imagery picked 
up in the prophets when they speak of blessing. They speak 
of God's blessing oftentimes, and they use the metaphor of 
the earth yielding its increase, of the earth yielding its fruit. 
God and His blessings are such that it's like these valleys 
that stretch out, like these gardens by the riverside, like 
aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. It 
goes on to say, "...he shall pour water from his buckets, 
and his seed shall be in many waters." Again, some of this 
stuff is a bit difficult in terms of the specifics, but I think 
the overarching emphasis is clear. He's clearly expressing the blessedness 
of Israel under the hand of their God. And I think the last reference 
in verse 7, as I mentioned previously, his king shall be higher than 
Agag and his kingdom shall be exalted. Now, why Agag? You probably 
remember that it's in 1 Samuel chapter 15 that Agag meets his 
demise. Saul is told to go and utterly 
destroy Agag and all the Amalekites. Saul doesn't do that. Saul reneges. Saul tries to blame the people. 
Saul does what every sinner always does. He passes the buck. Well, 
ultimately, he is found out by Samuel. Now, God is moving Samuel, 
to be sure. But ultimately, Agag is hacked 
to pieces under God. There, I think it's in Gilgal. 
So why Agag? Probably representative of those 
nations outside of Israel that were enemies. And I think Agag 
was one of the initial combatants that you see come against Israel 
in the book of Exodus, in Exodus chapter 17. Some suppose it's 
not necessarily Agag that you see in chapter 15 in 1 Samuel, 
but Agag may function like a title. Pharaoh was the name of the leader 
of Egypt. Caesar was the name of the leader 
in the Roman Empire. So Agag may have been that for 
the Amalekites. But either way, his king shall 
be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. In 
the Septuagint, you've got Gog there, which throws a huge wrench 
into the whole interpretative mechanism. So it's a bit of a 
difficult passage. And in fact, the modern commentaries 
often suggest that Numbers 24 is tough. At a textual level, 
a lexical level, there's just a lot of challenges here. So 
that's why a simple overview. And then in verse 8, it recalls 
something that we saw in that other prophecy. Same sort of 
a thing back in chapter 23 at verse 22. God brings them out 
of Egypt. He has strength like a wild ox. Well, here the same thing is 
emphasized. God brings him out of Egypt. 
He has strength like a wild ox. He shall consume the nations, 
his enemies. He shall break their bones and 
pierce them with his arrows. It's a great statement concerning 
the project that is underway here in the book of Numbers. 
Remember, God liberates or delivers his people out of bondage from 
Egypt, and he has promised to take them to the promised land, 
to Canaan. And so they're passing through 
this wilderness, and along the way there are skirmishes. I mentioned 
Sihon and Og. Well, in those skirmishes, they 
best the enemies of God. So that's why Balak is concerned. 
So this statement in Balak's hearing probably didn't encourage 
him. Well, we know it doesn't because 
in verses 10 and 11, he loses his mind with Bala. But this 
is a statement concerning God's purpose to bless Israel. He has 
brought him out of Egypt. He has strength like a wild ox. 
He shall consume the nations, his enemies. He shall break their 
bones and pierce them with his arrows. Then verse 9, I suggest 
the backdrop is probably the Shiloh prophecy in Genesis chapter 
49. It would take us a bit far afield 
to go dive into that, but in chapter 24 here in verse 9, he 
bows down, he lies down as a lion, and as a lion who shall rouse 
him? I think what we have at least an allusion to the prophecy concerning 
Judah being the royal tribe from whence the conqueror would come. I think that this language at 
least provides a tie or a link to that particular statement. In Genesis chapter 49, the entirety 
is verses 8 to 12, speaks of the royal preeminence of Judah. 
They would be the royal tribe. out of the tribes of Israel. 
It speaks concerning the duration of Messiah's reign in verse 10a 
in Genesis 49. It speaks of the royal scepter 
that would not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver from between his 
feet until Shiloh or Messiah comes. So I think that perhaps 
Balaam, if He doesn't have it in his mind because he probably 
doesn't care about Genesis 49. But God speaking through him 
is making that connection for us. It's a messianic connection 
that I think is conspicuous throughout Balaam's third and fourth prophecies. And then the nature of Messiah's 
reign is specified there in Genesis 49 as well. The obedience of 
the people shall be to him and the profuse blessings during 
his reign. There would be great things that 
came as a result of that one. And then in verse, at the end 
of verse 9, he rehearses Genesis 12, 3. Blessed is he who blesses 
you, and cursed is he who curses you. Remember, God says that 
to Abraham. Those who bless you, I will bless. Those who curse you, I will curse. 
And so that's the content of the revelation in that third 
prophecy. So that brings us then to the 
response. We see Balak's anger in verses 10 and 11, and then 
Balaam's resolve in verses 12 to 14. Bit of a spoiler alert, 
one of the concluding thoughts tonight is basically this. An 
unconverted, soothsaying wretch who functions as a prophet for 
profit handles the Word of God accurately. And we've got converted 
men all over the world who don't. That should cause us to pause 
in reflection upon who we ordain and who we bring in to pulpits. If Balaam the soothsayer gets 
it right, then I don't think it's a stretch for the church 
to demand that her ministers get it right. There's not supposed 
to be women in ministry. There's not supposed to be heretics 
in ministry. There's not supposed to be distorters 
and perverters of the Word of God in ministry. There's not 
supposed to be compromisers in ministry. The job is simple. 
You take what God has said and you expound it. I mean, it's 
simple, at least in principle. Practically, there's a few challenges 
along the way, but you get the point. You have one job. It's not to massage the Word, 
it's not to accommodate the Word, it's not to change the Word, 
it's not to make the Word more palatable for the ungodly masses. The preacher of the Gospel is 
to preach the Gospel. The preacher of the Word of God 
is to preach the Word of God. When the apostle comes to deal 
with Timothy, he charges him before God and the Lord Jesus 
Christ, who will judge the living and the dead. He tells him, preach 
the word, be ready in season and out of season, convince, 
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. He gives him then 
two reasons why he is to do that. The first is the defection that's 
going to take place in the church. For the time will come when people 
will not endure sound doctrine. They're going to heap up to themselves 
teachers that are going to scratch their itching ears. That's the 
emphasis. If they want that, here's what 
you're still supposed to do, Timothy. You're supposed to preach 
the Word. You don't kowtow to them, and 
you don't manipulate the Word to try to please them, but rather 
you preach it. So that's the first reason Paul 
gives there. The second is Paul's departure. You've got the defection of the 
Church and the departure of the Apostle Paul. It's in that section 
that Paul says, for the time of my departure is at hand. So 
what is important to Paul in terms of his last corporate command 
of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ? It's to preach the Word. That is absolutely, positively 
what Paul passes on in the 11th hour. Now, 2 Timothy continues. There's a series of other things 
that Paul says to Timothy, but they're individual. It's not 
the corporate command. It's 2 Timothy 4-2 with that 
emphasis on preach the word. So for the Apostle Paul, the 
thing that is most necessary in those successors of the Apostle 
Paul is that they preach the word, that they convince, they 
rebuke, they exhort, and they do so with all longsuffering 
and teaching. Why? Because there's going to 
be defection in the church. Why? Because there's going to 
be the departure of the Apostle Paul. He's passing on the baton 
to young Timothy, and he wants Timothy to handle that word accurately. So Balaam, in a strange and bizarre 
way, the soothsayer, is a great example of what it is to preach 
the Word. Balaam is insistent on only speaking 
that which God communicated to him. Now, God brought him by 
the hand to that conviction via the donkey, to be sure. I think 
that whole donkey episode was calculated to let Balaam know 
what his task was and that he was not to deviate. So Balaam 
represents a conviction that we ought to have in terms of 
accurately promoting the truth of God's holy word. But first 
Balak. Notice his anger is aroused. It's the same language that's 
used concerning Balaam when he's upset with the donkey. Balaam's 
anger was aroused when the donkey spoke the truth of God. So Balak's 
anger is aroused when Balaam speaks the truth of God. In fact, 
in some ways, the roles have been changed. Balaam is now his 
ass, speaking truth, and Balak is Balaam from chapter 22. So 
Balak's anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands 
together, some sort of a gesture that he was unhappy and angry, 
and Balak said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and 
look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times. Not only 
have you not cursed them, And not only have you not only blessed 
them, but you have bountifully blessed them. You have spoken 
profusely good things upon them. And so that brings in them to 
express that anger specifically and concretely in verse 11. Now 
therefore flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor 
you, but in fact the Lord has kept you back from honor. This 
guy's got some huge problems. I mean, there's just all kinds 
of stuff going on. With Balak, he'd be a wonderful 
instance of a character study in Holy Scripture, but he's, 
you know, blaming God. It's the God that you come in 
the name of, that's the one who's kept you from getting the payment 
that we agreed upon. It's all his fault. So Balaam 
says to Balak in verse 12, Did I not also speak to your messengers 
whom you sent to me, saying, If Balak were to give me his 
house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word 
of the Lord to do good or bad of my own will. What the Lord 
says that I must speak, didn't I tell you that? Wasn't that 
the terms of our particular deal? Isn't that what we agreed upon? 
Did you think I was lying about that? Again, the integrity of 
Balaam here, and I'm not trying to portray him as a converted 
man. I'm not trying to portray him as a justified, sanctified, 
glorified man. But boy, that's good integrity. 
At least he fares well in chapters 23 and 24. As I mentioned, the 
specific narratives, I think chapter 22 hints at or foreshadows 
some bad things to come with Balaam. But there's no commendation 
specifically and no condemnation of Balaam in numbers 22 to 24. 
There is in numbers 31, 16, 2 Peter 2, Jude 11, Revelation 2. So 
we have the great Vantage point of being able to 
say he was a wretch, he was a reprobate, he was a bad guy. But here he 
is functioning as the mouthpiece of God ought to function. So 
in verse 14, And now, indeed, I am going to my people, come, 
I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the 
latter days. Again, that reference picked 
up later in the Psalter and in the Prophets, the latter days 
being a specific identifier of the messianic reign. In fact, 
that language is used in the New Testament as well. You see, 
the apostles employ the words, last days. We typically refer 
that to the last days in the future. That's not how it's used 
in the New Testament. It's that time frame between 
the first and the second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. It 
is the messianic era. And so Balaam, under the Spirit, 
speaking forth the mouth or the words of the very God of heaven 
and earth, is preaching Christ. So that brings us to the fourth 
prophecy. We see that parallel already 
drew our attention to that in verses 15 and 16 with the added 
dimension of that knowledge of the Most High. It's not the experiential 
knowledge, but rather the one who sees the vision of the Almighty 
and then communicates that effectively in terms of what he speaks to 
Balak. And then in verse 17, I see him, but not now. I behold 
him, but not near. You see the New King James even 
picks up on the messianic interpretation. A star, capitalized, shall come 
out of Jacob, a scepter, capitalized, shall rise out of Israel, and 
batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of Tumult. So basically, we've got this 
one of whom this battle or this war or this victory is going 
to come. it's going to be through the 
Lord Jesus Christ. Now as he preaches or speaks this, it's 
not as clear as Isaiah 53, it's not as clear as Micah 5, it's 
not as clear as Daniel 9, but nevertheless he is speaking of 
something or someone rather that transcends the Davidic kingship 
that is going to happen in Judah that is going to see many victories, 
that is going to see, you know, boundary expansion under the 
blessing of God, especially under Solomon, it transcends that and 
ultimately focuses upon the Lord Jesus Christ. In the latter days, 
there is going to be triumph and victory through this star 
that comes out of Jacob, this scepter that rises out of Israel. 
And then he moves from the Moabites to the Edomites. The Edomites 
were a perennial enemy of the Israelites as well. And so Balak 
throws them in also. And I think that's what he's 
doing. He's using representative nations around Israel to demonstrate 
the power and the victory and the conquest of Messiah. So in 
verse 18, Edom shall be a possession. Seir also, his enemy, shall be 
a possession. Well, Israel does valiantly. Out of Jacob, one shall have 
dominion and destroy the remains of the city. This out of Jacob, 
one shall have dominion. You see that all through the 
prophets. You see it all through the Psalms. The dominion of that 
one promised by God to come into this world to save his people 
from their sins. It's the language of victory. It's the language of New Testament, 
New Covenant Christianity. Jesus says, I will build my church 
and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. That's 
what Balaam is saying in verse 19. And then he looks on Amalek, 
pronounces the fact that they're gonna fall in judgment. He looks 
upon Kenites and says that they're gonna have problems. And then 
he takes up his oracle in verse 23. Alas, who shall live when 
God does this, but ships shall come from the coasts of Cyprus 
and they shall afflict Asher and afflict Eber and so shall 
Amalek until he perishes. I'd refer you to Gil and pool 
for their discussions on the particulars and all that those 
things signify or mean. And even then, it's still a bit 
of a difficult piece of text to get one's mind wrapped around. 
But I think the ultimate emphasis is the Messiah that God will 
send will triumph over the enemies of Israel. Now, in the New Covenant, 
obviously, Israel is the Israel of God. It is the church of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus actually says that he is 
the true vine, according to John 15 verse 1. So Jesus is Israel. Jesus is what God purposed Adam 
to be, and what God purposed Israel to be. In fact, Israel 
basically is another type of Adam that goes into the wilderness. Adam's in the garden, Israel 
goes into the wilderness. We get to the gospel narratives, 
and gospel writers can make those connections. When you get to 
Matthew, what Matthew does is connects Jesus to Israel. Israel passes through the water. Israel is the firstborn called 
out of Egypt, passes through the water, goes into the desert. 
That's Jesus. We see that applied. Matthew 
2, out of Egypt, I have called my firstborn. It's applied to 
Jesus. We see Jesus pass through the 
waters of baptism. We see Jesus go out into the 
wilderness. Matthew is doing theology there. He's telling 
us that Jesus is the true Israel. And Luke connects Jesus to Adam 
the first, and shows us that Jesus is the one that has come 
to do what Adam failed to do. Now, there's lots of other texts 
and allusions to that. But what we have here is the 
blessing of God upon the Israel of God, and in this new covenant 
era, the Israel of God is not the ethnic Israeli state that 
currently exists, it is rather the church of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. Paul tells us that the true Jew 
is one who is circumcised inwardly, Romans chapter 2. Paul writing 
to a Gentile church in Philippians chapter 3 says, we are the circumcision. And so there's not this idea 
of a national theocratic state that continues into the New Covenant 
era that is somehow favored by the Most High. If that, not if, 
but the fact that we have the promise that God will bless His 
Israel, today that blessing finds its termination on the church 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, Galatians 6, Paul says, 
Peace be upon the Israel of God. He's writing to Gentile churches 
in southern Galatia, and he calls them the Israel of God. So brethren, 
when we see these messianic prophecies, they are definitely experienced 
by all nations to be sure, but the specific referent is to the 
church of the Lord Jesus Christ. So Balaam preaches Jesus. And then in verse 25, it says, 
Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place. Balak 
also went his way. There's some dispute as to return 
to his place. Did he go all the way back to 
his homeland or did he stick around? Well, according to 3116, 
he stuck around. So his place doesn't necessarily 
mean where he hailed from, but rather wherever he was staying 
during his sojourn there with Balak. So Balaam is instrumental 
in basically orchestrating what goes on in chapter 25, which 
is absolutely horrifying, and we'll see that, God willing, 
next week. But in conclusion, we see the presence of the Spirit 
of God. So when I mentioned that Pentecost manifests, or not manifests, 
but shows or demonstrates the power of the Spirit, it is a 
power of the Spirit promised in the Old Testament, but that 
was not absent from the Old Testament. God, the triune, is present in 
the Old Testament, and we see that here in the ministry of 
Balaam. Secondly, the response of the 
enemies of God. Balak is a fool. I mean, he's 
just a fool. His constant attempts to curse 
God's people are met with constant rebuff, and yet it doesn't deter 
him. He continues down this path. 
He doesn't realize that he's up against the wrong God. And 
brethren, that same sort of an idea is present today in this 
New Covenant arena. There are a lot of enemies out 
there that don't know who they're messing with, and we know who 
they are messing with, so we find contentment and joy and 
thankfulness and happiness and gratitude in the fact that our 
God is able to vindicate His cause to protect His bride, and 
to make sure that we are preserved. That doesn't mean we won't be 
battered, broken at times, and sometimes bruised, but God will 
see us through. As you look at the wilderness 
wanderings, you see this was a period of 40 years. It wasn't 
just, hey, God's given us this land, let's just jump on over 
there and set up a house. No! That wasn't it at all. They 
needed to learn some lessons. They needed to understand the 
hardships. They needed to understand dependence on God. Now, the first 
generation didn't understand that. The first generation is 
ultimately condemned. As we move on, we get to the 
second generation, represented by the second census in chapter 
26. It is this group, the second 
generation, gathered on the plains of Moab, that are going to be 
exhorted by Moses prior to going into the land to engage in the 
conquest. So it was a period of time for 
them where there were hardships and difficulties, and they didn't 
always depend upon the Lord God Most High. I would suggest a 
good summary statement of this chapter, or at least this fourth 
prophecy, is Revelation 11, 15, with reference to the glory of 
the messianic kingdom. Then the seventh angel sounded, 
and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms 
of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his 
Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. That's great commentary 
on Balaam's prophecy here in Numbers chapter 24. And since 
I already dealt with the preacher guy thing, we'll stop there. But remember, Balaam did his 
job. I'm not vindicating Balaam. Make sure everybody knows that. 
I'm not saying or arguing that Balaam's going to be at the marriage 
supper of the Lamb. He's not. But even though he's not, he 
did what he was supposed to do, at least for that particular 
time. I think as the church, we need to make sure, and we 
need to expect, and we need to pray for men that will do the 
job. They will be qualified according 
to 1 Timothy chapter 3, Titus chapter 1, they will be able 
handlers of God's Word, holding back nothing. Paul's able to 
say to the Ephesian elders, I have not shrunk back, I have not held 
back from declaring to you the entirety of God's Word. And there 
he says, my hands are clean. I think the backdrop is the prophet 
Ezekiel. God told Ezekiel, if you don't 
warn the people, that blood I will require from your hands. Paul 
is able to say, my hands are clean, I've done my job, I've 
done what I'm supposed to do. That's the caliber of ministers 
that we need in the church today. Well, let's pray. Our Father 
in heaven, thank you for your word. Thank you for the book 
of Numbers and all the great lessons that we see here. Thank 
you for the Lord Jesus Christ as promised in Numbers 24. We 
thank you that you sent him, the son of your love, that only 
begotten son, to take on our humanity, to live for us, to 
die for us, to be raised again for us. And we thank you that 
in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, that 
he shall have dominion from sea to sea, and we thank you that 
we get to live at this time in redemptive history, that we get 
to witness the glory of Jesus Christ as he builds his church, 
and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. We pray 
that you'd go with us now, watch over us in the remainder of this 
week, give us grace and help and strength and the presence 
and the power of the Spirit that we may live in a manner that 
is consistent with our calling in the gospel. And we ask in 
Jesus' name, amen. Well, any comments on...