Numbers 24 (Cont.) – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Numbers 24:12-25

12 Balaam answered Balak, ‘Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 13 “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord – and I must say only what the Lord says”? 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.’

15 Then he spoke his message:

‘The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

17 ‘I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
    a sceptre will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,
    the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
18 Edom will be conquered;
    Seir, his enemy, will be conquered,
    but Israel will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob
    and destroy the survivors of the city.’

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message:

‘Amalek was first among the nations,
    but their end will be utter destruction.’

21 Then he saw the Kenites and spoke his message:

‘Your dwelling-place is secure,
    your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
    when Ashur takes you captive.’

23 Then he spoke his message:

‘Alas! Who can live when God does this?[i]
24     Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;
they will subdue Ashur and Eber,
    but they too will come to ruin.’

25 Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.

A. Find out:

1. What does Balaam reiterate and then say? v.12-14
2. Of whom does he then prophesy? v.17-19
3. Of whom does he then declare what? v.20
4. And who does he then turn and prophesy about? v.21,22
5. What does he say in his final word? v.23,24

B. Think:

1. Without worrying about locations, what do these last revelations say?
2. What particularly is said in verses 17-19?

C. Comment:

     Balak has asked Balaam to produce a single curse against Israel but finds he is actually encountering the Lord. Now we saw that the Holy Spirit had come upon Balaam (24:2) and so Balak may think this is the end but the Lord has other ideas and Balaam keeps on prophesying now.

      In verses 17 to 19 he finds himself prophesying about a coming One who will come out of Judah, who will be a ruler and a conqueror. Most are of the opinion that this is a messianic reference through this ‘out on the periphery’ prophet. However it also includes warning of the demise of Edom to the south of Moab .

      But he doesn’t stop there. He looks south and sees the land of the Amalakites, who thought themselves first among the nomadic tribes and declares their end (v.20). This was finally concluded in Hezekiah’s time (1 Chron 4:43). He then looks to the south west across the dead sea valley to the land where a tribe called the Kenites lived and declared their end by another tribe from the south (v.21,22). Finally continuing to look to the south and the west he warns that invaders will come from Cyprus (?) and will deal with these southern nomadic tribes. There is in all this a strong sense of foreknowledge and by now Balak must have been panicking, possibly thinking, “Stop, stop before you get to us!” Fortunately for him Balaam doesn’t include Moab in these prophecies; it’s as if the Lord disdains or ignores them. The warning has come to many others: don’t feel secure in your godlessness, your end will come!

D. Application:

1. The Lord sees and knows all things. He IS the Lord!
2. The Lord brings warnings in the hope of repentance.