A Mighty Man Of God

Numbers 22-24 records a detailed conversation between Balak, the King of Moab, and Balaam, a mighty man of God. Balak and the Moabites had become fearful of the size and strength of the Israelites since coming out of Egypt. Balak met with Balaam and asked him to curse the Israelites. Balaam responded, "Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak." He also responded with the following four oracles.

First Oracle Of Balaam 

Balak said to Balaam,  "Come, curse Jacob or me, and come, denounce Israel and what have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!"

Balaam responded, "Must I not take heed to speak what The Lord  has put in my mouth?"

Second Oracle Of Balaam

The Lord said to Balaam, "Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak." 

Balaam speaks to Balak, "God is not a man, that He should lie, behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it."

Third Oracle Of Balaam

Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes and said, "How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel! Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you."

Fourth Oracle Of Balaam

Balaam speaks to Balak, "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. 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."

This is an uplifting and encouraging example of the importance of obeying our Lord God and speaking when He provides guidance and direction. We hear daily of anti-semitism and terror attacks against the Jewish people. We also hear of Christians being persecuted throughout the world. This all raises the question - will each of us be as bold as Balaam and speak out and take the actions necessary to see our enemies defeated?

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Each Day,

Frank