…for they are blessed

Num. 22-24

The Israelites in the wilderness

The Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt into the vast wilderness. For the Israelites, it was a period of great sorrows, sufferings, hunger and difficulties. But, the Lord gave them whatever they needed. He gave them food when they were hungry, water when they thirst, and protected them from their enemies who were trying to harm them. They did not understand God’s deep love for them. In fact, they complained and grumbled all through their journey.

As we read Numbers 21:4&5, we see that the Israelites were greatly discouraged: “From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, but the people became discouraged on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.”

But then, God continued to lead them as they defeated their enemies one by one – the Canaanites, Sihon, Og king of Bashan, and the Amorites.

Now, they are almost there – the land of Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey. Numbers 22:1 tells us that they are now in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan from Jericho. This means that only the Jordan is now between the Israelites and the Promised Land.

Now, when the Moabites saw the Israelites camping in the plains, they were really afraid. They had also heard of what the Israelites had achieved on their way, and how they defeated everyone.

Balak was the king of Moab. As he was also in great dread of the Israelites, he sent messengers to Balaam so that he would curse the Israelites. Balak said, “Come now, curse this people for me, since they are stronger than I; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed” (Num. 22:6).

Balaam

Who is this man Balaam that the king of Moab would call him to curse the Israelites? He was a soothsayer, a prophet, but not the prophet of the Lord. However, he was to be used by the Lord for His glory.

As the messengers of Balak arrived, Balaam refused to follow them because the Lord had spoken to Balaam saying, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed” (Num. 22:12)

Balak sent another group, more numerous and more distinguished than before, to Balaam. Even then, Balaam said to them, “Although Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God, to do less or more” (Num. 22:18). But this time, Balaam went with them to Balak.

When they arrived, the first thing Balaam said to Balak is: “The word God puts in my mouth, that is what I must say” (Num. 22:38).

The next day, Balak took Balaam to an elevated place from where they could see a part of the people of Israel. There, they built seven altars and sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. When Balaam went to a bare height, the Lord put these words to Balaam (Num. 23:7-8):

7 “Balak has brought me from Aram,

    the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:

‘Come, curse Jacob for me.

    Come, denounce Israel!’

8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed?

    How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?

Balak became quite angry. He said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them” (Num. 23:11).

Balak then took Balaam to another spot where he sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams on seven altars again. Here again, God put His words in the mouth of Balaam, saying (Num. 23:1924):

19 God is not a human being, that he should lie,

    or a mortal, that he should change his mind.

Has he promised, and will he not do it?

    Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

20 See, I received a command to bless;

    he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.

21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,

    nor has he seen trouble in Israel.

The Lord their God is with them,

    acclaimed as a king among them.

22 God, who brings them out of Egypt,

    is like the horns of a wild ox for them.

23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob,

    no divination against Israel;

now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,

    ‘See what God has done!’

24 Look, a people rising up like a lioness

    and rousing itself like a lion!

It does not lie down until it has eaten the prey

    and drunk the blood of the slain.”

What wonderful words!

But for Balak, they were not wonderful words. He said in disgust, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all” (Num. 2325).

For the third time, Balak brought Balaam to another place, on the top of Peor that overlooks the wasteland. Here they had the same set up.

The spirit of God then came upon Balaam and Balaam said these oracles (Num. 23:5-9):

5 How fair are your tents, O Jacob,

    your encampments, O Israel!

6 Like palm groves that stretch far away,

    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 have abundant water;

his king shall be higher than Agag,

    and his kingdom shall be exalted.

8 God, who brings him out of Egypt,

    is like the horns of a wild ox for him;

he shall devour the nations that are his foes

    and break their bones.

    He shall strike with his arrows.

9 He crouched; he lay down like a lion

    and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?

Blessed is everyone who blesses you,

    and cursed is everyone who curses you.”

How wonderful it is to see God’s blessings and protection over his people.

Balak was incensed and said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but instead you have blessed them these three times. Now be off with you! Go home! I said, ‘I will reward you richly,’ but the Lord has denied you any reward” (Num. 23:10-11).

What a failure Balak was! He was hoping for Balaam to curse the Israelites so that he may defeat them. But, instead of cursing the Israelites, Balaam blessed the Israelites these three times, all because of the intervention of God.

Balaam was not finished, he also talked about the things to come (Num. 23:17):

a star shall come out of Jacob,

    and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;

it shall crush the foreheads of Moab

    and the heads of all the Shethites.

REMEMBER: All these things happened without the knowledge of the Israelites.

Some lessons and applications for us today

We know that the journey of the Israelites was not a very pleasant one. While they were wandering in the wilderness, they encountered countless enemies, dangers, hunger, thirst, diseases and other things. And so, they often grumbled and complained.

What they did not know, or overlooked was that they were a people who were blessed.

When they thirst, they were given water; when they hunger, they were given food; when they need help from their enemies, the Lord fought for them; when they need guidance, the Lord guided them night and day. They always had what they needed. God was always helping them with and without their knowledge. God had protected them from their enemies and other things, from the curse of Balaam and from the hateful plans of Balak and the Moabites.

Even then, they still complained and struggled.

Now, as we think about this, can you see your own self in the Israelites? I often see myself in this story.

As I live my dull and boring life, I often complain and grumble when I face hardships and difficulties, never knowing or remembering all that the Lord has done for me.

But now, let us remember the strength and power of our Lord Almighty. Instead of looking only at our problems and difficulties, and becoming more and more afraid and weary of our lives, let us look upon the Lord. We may not know what the future holds for us. But let us trust in the Lord who hold the future. Let us pray to him. Let us put our trust in him. Let us find our peace in him. He will never let us down. He will bless us, as he always had.

Corrie Ten Boom said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

We may not know it now, or today. But the Lord has been helping us. How many enemies, accidents, misfortunes have God saved us from? We do not know! How many mishaps have God saved us from, as we are happily sitting here this evening? We do not know!

The Israelites were also prevented from being cursed by Balaam even without their knowledge. How many Balaks and Balaams have God saved us from as we continue to live our lives? We do not know.

Let us give thanks to God for all his protection and for his love for us, even while we continue to sin.

I would like to conclude with three points:

Firstly, God looks after his people, even when they are unaware of it. He is also looking after us so that we are able to worship him today. The Psalmist wrote: “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me” (Ps. 3:5).

Secondly, But we often overlook God’s hands in our lives and burden ourselves only on the things we see and experience. Like the Israelites, the things that happens to us keeps us down in spirits and often brings us down. Because of this, we forget that we are blessed.

Thirdly, let us re-think of us being the blessed ones. When Balaam saw the Israelites, he knew how God loved them and he said that there can be no enchantment, divination or curse upon Israel. He looked again and exclaimed, “How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Like palm groves that stretch far away, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters.”

Today, if Balaam was to look at us from the hills above us, I am sure he would say the same things about us being blessed.

Yes, we are indeed blessed! Blessed because of the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We have eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Yet we still grumble and fail. But now, let us trust in him, because he will see us through until the end; and in the end, we will live with him forever.