Page 26 - Holyland Magazine - 2020 Edition

1. Balaam’s first oracle seems to capture and lovingkindness, has chosen to “… not
Israel’s history for thousands of years to come, observe iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen
saying, “How shall I curse whom God has wickedness in Israel.” He hides His face, as
not cursed? … For from the top of the it were, from our sin, and He chooses instead
rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold to extend mercy and grace.
him. There! A people dwelling alone, not 3. Balaam’s’ third prophecy really got the
reckoning itself among the nations...”
(Numbers 23:8-9). kings of Moab and Midian scratching their
heads, saying, “How lovely are your tents,
Some say that this effectively captures what it O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel! Like
means to be a nation chosen by God; to be valleys that stretch out, like gardens by
isolated, friendless, hated and often rejected the riverside, like aloes planted by the
others. Israel was called to reflect a divine LORD ... God brings him out of Egypt… He
message to a world lost in darkness; to point to shall consume the nations, his enemies;
a holy, loving, and perfectly good God who has he shall break their bones and pierce
a plan and a purpose for each of His children. them with his arrows… Blessed is he who
Israel was also called to serve as an object blesses you, and cursed is he who curses
lesson; a perpetual ‘case in point’ proving that you.” (Numbers 24:5-9).
humanity cannot, by its own strength, walk
back into a perfect fellowship with this great Can we imagine the shock of those kings
and beautiful God; the friendship that was long who were plotting Israel’s demise? For anyone
lost in the garden. who missed it, this was a reminder of God’s
unconditional covenant promise to Father
Even while being a tiny minority surrounded by Abraham from Genesis 12:1-2. God has
hostile cultures, Israel was called to keep the spoken, and He is not in the habit of changing
faith and hold to its identity at all costs in order His mind.
to keep the light shining and the lesson visible.
Most of all, Israel was called to prepare the way 4. However, it was Balaam’s fourth oracle
and to bring forth the Messiah. that is the prize of it all. Articulating what is
considered by both Jewish and Christian
Though scattered all over the world, speaking scholars one of Israel’s greatest Messianic
many languages and reflecting multiple prophecies, he said, “I see Him, but not
cultures, ethnicities, and ideologies, the Jewish now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star
nation, by God’s grace, kept itself unique and shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall
set apart for thousands of years; “a people rise out of Israel…” (Numbers 24:17).
dwelling alone, not reckoning itself among
the nations.” Balaam was correct. The Star and the Scepter were references to
Israel’s Messiah in various scriptures in Old
2. His second prophecy was even more and New Testament writings alike. From that
astonishing, saying, “… I have received a distant day, looking far into Israel’s future,
command to bless… and I cannot reverse Balaam saw Israel’s Messiah coming! Again,
it. He (God) has not observed iniquity in he was right.
Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in The end of Balaam’s tale was tragic as the
Israel. The LORD his God is with him, and motives of his heart were exposed (Numbers
the shout of a King is among them… For 25, Joshua 13:22, 2-Peter 2:15, and Jude
there is no sorcery against Jacob, nor
any divination against Israel ...” (Numbers 1:11). Yet, apparently it was important that
23:21-24). possibly the greatest prophetic blessings ever
spoken over Israel came through a stranger
This is a remarkable truth - no curse can and not a friend.
overcome what God has blessed! It is a never
changing principle that has followed God’s Balaam’s words came true, Israel dwelt apart
children everywhere for thousands of years. for millennia; the nation kept its unique identity;
Hardships and trials are inevitable, even the Messiah did rise as a “star out of Jacob;”
necessary, but God’s blessing and purpose is and we are blessed to be alive today and serve
unchanging! God in the resurrected State of Israel among
a people who indeed are “Blessed beyond
Do we deserve such grace? Have we any Curse!”
somehow earned the right to be so blessed
in spite of our weaknesses and failures? No, Reuven Doron,
we have not! However, God, in His great mercy Director of Ministry Relations, SAR-EL TOURS

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