Bamidbar (Numbers)
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Meaning
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Day Four
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Haftara
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B'rit Hadashah
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1 Our Father, we receive Your Words and hide Your commandments with us; 2 we incline our ear unto wisdom, and apply our hearts to understanding; 3 We cry after knowledge and lift up our voices for understanding; 4 we seek it as silver; and search for it as for hidden treasures; 5 We declare that we shall understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Declaration of Proverbs 2:1-5
Numbers 23:13-26 (NASB)1
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 over there." 16 Then the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak." 17 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 will 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 replied to Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'Whatever the LORD speaks, that I must do'?"
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 over there." 16 Then the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak." 17 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 will 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 replied to Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'Whatever the LORD speaks, that I must do'?"
The Markstay Monsoons have returned and I'm counting my blessings. I'm not complaining because the rains have done so much damage in three states. What we've had is a sprinkle compared to the amount that North Carolina and Central Texas have experienced of late. The flooding has redesigned their landscapes. Yesterday, the Rio Ruidoso topped its banks and twenty feet of water rolled down the mountainous regions of New Mexico with a mighty force that pulled houses off their foundations and took more lives. It is no coincidence that all three of these locations are considered “mountainous”. Last night before bed, I checked the news and the rains and thunderstorms were causing flash flood warnings in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin. Much prayer is uttered for all the folks involved in these weather anomalies. These news notes take our attention for a week or two and then we hear no more. The news changes for us, but for these folks, it may take years to recover normalcy in their lives. For those folks who lost loved ones in the waters, they bear the grief always.
Yesterday, we noted that the first round of games began and Balak was not a happy camper. He was all set for the results of the offerings and sacrifices to rain down curses on Israel and get them off his doorstep, as it were. He was surprised and unhappy at the result.
8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? Numbers 23:8.
Say what we might about the shady character named Balaam, he at least did what he was told in this instance. I have to wonder. Why would The Almighty have anything to do with this one anyway? Our Father can use any person or vehicle to deliver a message that He wishes. He is sovereign and by the way, He doesn’t bend to the will of anybody else, like humans will do.
19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19.
Whatever God will do there is no one or thing in this universe, or the ones beyond, as a matter of fact, that can change the will or “reverse” the acts of The Supreme Creator. Believe it or not, this was the way men believed that they could influence ALL gods and it makes me wonder then, if that was what they believed, then who were their gods—really? (My opinion: their gods were themselves. They were influenced by Satan to worship demon gods but at the same time were fooled into thinking that they actually could control these gods that they had set up themselves.) And here was game-player Balaam telling Balak that the God of Israel would not be coaxed or controlled.
23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! Numbers 23:23.
Witchcraft isn’t going to work against Israel! You can’t curse Israel when she’s being obedient and faithful to Yahweh. In fact, the curse you raise against this nation will be of no effect but it will return to YOU!
24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. Numbers 23:24.
Balak was so angered by the reply that came that he simply told Balaam to “shut up!”
20 My message was to bless: When He blesses, I cannot reverse it. Numbers 23:20.
Balaam seems to realize this much to the annoyance of Balak. Can you hear the God in the voice of Balaam here? Again, what God blesses, no man can curse! What God says He will do, He will do! These are not the rag-tag bunch that came out of Egypt—they’ve grown into a strong people. They are not under any kind of spell or divination, this is God’s doing and they shall gain the footing over their enemies and be victorious over those who come against them. They have cleaned up their act, have become obedient and confident, and no curse can stick to them! In effect, Balaam is echoing the words of Hebrew sages from the Midrash Rabah yet to come centuries away from Balak and Balaam.
“Everyone treads upon the dust, but in the end, the dust triumphs over them all... So it is with the Jewish people.”
When I was a very small child my mother firmly adjured me to “never make fun or say bad things about a Jew”. I don't think I even knew what a Jew was back then. I could not have been older than five! To this day, I marvel at her wisdom that came out of such chaos in those days. I don’t remember what was before or after this conversation that would be a clue as to why she would pull me aside to tell her five-year-old this message. The only thing I can consider is that my mother was made aware of her Jewish ancestry back in 1960. I took my mother’s imperative and went much further when I began researching the culture of our Messiah when I was preparing lessons for teaching an adult Sunday School class in 1988. Looking back now I see that I set on a course that would be unalterable. I find myself working out of my little home office which I whimsically call “ferretcentral”, poring over Torah each morning. When I think that this is the twenty-third year of keeping this routine, it amazes me. But I digress.
Now I sort of feel sad for Balaam. He had this fabulous opportunity to take the side of Israel and he didn’t take it. He mouthed it—“Let me die the death of the righteous, and let mine end be like his!” Maybe it was because he didn’t fully believe it himself. After all, the words that came out of his mouth were put there by God. Can you imagine the frenzy that must have come over Balak after hearing this for the second time?
25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. Numbers 23:25.
I can see the face of Balak now—all red with fury. “Don’t say anything at all—just shut your mouth!” His internal fright/rage monitor must have blown a gasket. Balak was already afraid of Israel because of the ease with which they took out the two most powerful rulers in the region. If there was any way he could get out of going to battle, he would do it and this pompous little wizard was his last resort! This poor little wizard again explains that he must say what God means for him to say.
26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do? Numbers 23:26.
I think that we can infer from this example today that when Yah’s followers are devoted, faithful, and keep their sin-lists short and confessed according to 1 John 1:9, no curses will land on us either. And please don’t think that in this day and age, people are so sophisticated that nobody issues curses these days! There are enough confessions from former followers of the occult who reveal just how believers are cursed every day through satanic prayer and Luciferian ritual. One notable personality who practiced just about every sort of witchcraft and occult is Bill Schnoebelen of http://www.withoneaccord.org/. He turned his life over to Jesus Christ and literally “switched sides” and has been revealing the “wiles (plans and strategies) of the enemy” ever since. I first heard his testimony on The Prophecy Club in the early nineties on short-wave radio. If you’ve never heard his testimony, hang on to your chair—it’s quite an ‘eye-opener'. I was once told by a smug clergyman that “The devil can only fool you as much as you let him.” Is this some sort of satanic circular reasoning? I prefer the command from Peter.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8.
I don’t equate being ‘sober’ with being ‘smug’. As Thomas Coke stated:
“Sobriety… conduces much to watchfulness and safety; whereas drunkards are apt to fall asleep, or to be secure, and off their guard; beasts of prey go about in the night, and creatures which are off their guard are in danger of being taken by them.”
Stay tuned for the next round.
Yesterday, we noted that the first round of games began and Balak was not a happy camper. He was all set for the results of the offerings and sacrifices to rain down curses on Israel and get them off his doorstep, as it were. He was surprised and unhappy at the result.
8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? Numbers 23:8.
Say what we might about the shady character named Balaam, he at least did what he was told in this instance. I have to wonder. Why would The Almighty have anything to do with this one anyway? Our Father can use any person or vehicle to deliver a message that He wishes. He is sovereign and by the way, He doesn’t bend to the will of anybody else, like humans will do.
19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19.
Whatever God will do there is no one or thing in this universe, or the ones beyond, as a matter of fact, that can change the will or “reverse” the acts of The Supreme Creator. Believe it or not, this was the way men believed that they could influence ALL gods and it makes me wonder then, if that was what they believed, then who were their gods—really? (My opinion: their gods were themselves. They were influenced by Satan to worship demon gods but at the same time were fooled into thinking that they actually could control these gods that they had set up themselves.) And here was game-player Balaam telling Balak that the God of Israel would not be coaxed or controlled.
23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! Numbers 23:23.
Witchcraft isn’t going to work against Israel! You can’t curse Israel when she’s being obedient and faithful to Yahweh. In fact, the curse you raise against this nation will be of no effect but it will return to YOU!
24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. Numbers 23:24.
Balak was so angered by the reply that came that he simply told Balaam to “shut up!”
20 My message was to bless: When He blesses, I cannot reverse it. Numbers 23:20.
Balaam seems to realize this much to the annoyance of Balak. Can you hear the God in the voice of Balaam here? Again, what God blesses, no man can curse! What God says He will do, He will do! These are not the rag-tag bunch that came out of Egypt—they’ve grown into a strong people. They are not under any kind of spell or divination, this is God’s doing and they shall gain the footing over their enemies and be victorious over those who come against them. They have cleaned up their act, have become obedient and confident, and no curse can stick to them! In effect, Balaam is echoing the words of Hebrew sages from the Midrash Rabah yet to come centuries away from Balak and Balaam.
“Everyone treads upon the dust, but in the end, the dust triumphs over them all... So it is with the Jewish people.”
When I was a very small child my mother firmly adjured me to “never make fun or say bad things about a Jew”. I don't think I even knew what a Jew was back then. I could not have been older than five! To this day, I marvel at her wisdom that came out of such chaos in those days. I don’t remember what was before or after this conversation that would be a clue as to why she would pull me aside to tell her five-year-old this message. The only thing I can consider is that my mother was made aware of her Jewish ancestry back in 1960. I took my mother’s imperative and went much further when I began researching the culture of our Messiah when I was preparing lessons for teaching an adult Sunday School class in 1988. Looking back now I see that I set on a course that would be unalterable. I find myself working out of my little home office which I whimsically call “ferretcentral”, poring over Torah each morning. When I think that this is the twenty-third year of keeping this routine, it amazes me. But I digress.
Now I sort of feel sad for Balaam. He had this fabulous opportunity to take the side of Israel and he didn’t take it. He mouthed it—“Let me die the death of the righteous, and let mine end be like his!” Maybe it was because he didn’t fully believe it himself. After all, the words that came out of his mouth were put there by God. Can you imagine the frenzy that must have come over Balak after hearing this for the second time?
25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. Numbers 23:25.
I can see the face of Balak now—all red with fury. “Don’t say anything at all—just shut your mouth!” His internal fright/rage monitor must have blown a gasket. Balak was already afraid of Israel because of the ease with which they took out the two most powerful rulers in the region. If there was any way he could get out of going to battle, he would do it and this pompous little wizard was his last resort! This poor little wizard again explains that he must say what God means for him to say.
26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do? Numbers 23:26.
I think that we can infer from this example today that when Yah’s followers are devoted, faithful, and keep their sin-lists short and confessed according to 1 John 1:9, no curses will land on us either. And please don’t think that in this day and age, people are so sophisticated that nobody issues curses these days! There are enough confessions from former followers of the occult who reveal just how believers are cursed every day through satanic prayer and Luciferian ritual. One notable personality who practiced just about every sort of witchcraft and occult is Bill Schnoebelen of http://www.withoneaccord.org/. He turned his life over to Jesus Christ and literally “switched sides” and has been revealing the “wiles (plans and strategies) of the enemy” ever since. I first heard his testimony on The Prophecy Club in the early nineties on short-wave radio. If you’ve never heard his testimony, hang on to your chair—it’s quite an ‘eye-opener'. I was once told by a smug clergyman that “The devil can only fool you as much as you let him.” Is this some sort of satanic circular reasoning? I prefer the command from Peter.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8.
I don’t equate being ‘sober’ with being ‘smug’. As Thomas Coke stated:
“Sobriety… conduces much to watchfulness and safety; whereas drunkards are apt to fall asleep, or to be secure, and off their guard; beasts of prey go about in the night, and creatures which are off their guard are in danger of being taken by them.”
Stay tuned for the next round.
26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do? Numbers 23:26.
1 NASB www.lockman.org for daily reading and KJV in commentary unless otherwise specified
*The Torah and Haftara chapter/verse numbering taken from the Hebrew Bible (Christian-published chapter/verse numbering indicated within parenthesis)
*The Torah and Haftara chapter/verse numbering taken from the Hebrew Bible (Christian-published chapter/verse numbering indicated within parenthesis)
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