Numbers:23-24

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* Verse 1-10 - With the camps of Israel full in view , Balaam ordered seven altars to be built , and a bullock and a ram to be offered on each . Oh the sottishness of superstition , to imagine that God will be at man 's beck ! The curse is turned into a blessing , by the overruling power of God , in love to Israel . God designed to serve his own glory by Balaam , and therefore met him . If God put a word into the mouth of Balaam , who would have defied God and Israel , surely he will not be wanting to those who desire to glorify God , and to edify his people ; it shall be given what they should speak . He who opened the mouth of the ass , caused the mouth of this wicked man to speak words as contrary to the desire of his heart , as those of the ass were to the powers of the brute . The miracle was as great in the one case as in the other . Balaam pronounces Israel safe . He owns he could do no more than God suffered him to do . He pronounces them happy in their distinction from the rest of the nations . Happy in their numbers , which made them both honourable and formidable . Happy in their last end . Death is the end of all men ; even the righteous must die , and it is good for us to think of this with regard to ourselves , as Balaam does here , speaking of his own death . He pronounces the righteous truly blessed , not only while they live , but when they die ; which makes their death even more desirable than life itself . But there are many who desire to die the death of the righteous , but do not endeavour to live the life of the righteous ; gladly would they have an end like theirs , but not a way like theirs . They would be saints in heaven , but not saints on earth . This saying of Balaam 's is only a wish , not a prayer ; it is a vain wish , being only a wish for the end , without any care for the means . Many seek to quiet their consciences with the promise of future amendment , or take up with some false hope , while they neglect the only way of salvation , by which a sinner can be righteous before God . * Verse 11-30 - Balak was angry with Balaam . Thus a confession of God 's overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet , to the confusion of a wicked prince . A second time the curse is turned into a blessing ; and this blessing is both larger and stronger than the former . Men change their minds , and break their words ; but God never changes his mind , and therefore never recalls his promise . And when in Scripture he is said to repent , it does not mean any change of his mind ; but only a change of his way . There was sin in Jacob , and God saw it ; but there was not such as might provoke him to give them up to ruin . If the Lord sees that we trust in his mercy , and accept of his salvation ; that we indulge no secret lust , and continue not in rebellion , but endeavour to serve and glorify him ; we may be sure that he looks upon us as accepted in Christ , that our sins are all pardoned . Oh the wonders of providence and grace , the wonders of redeeming love , of pardoning mercy , of the new-creating Spirit ! Balak had no hope of ruining Israel , and Balaam showed that he had more reason to fear being ruined by them . Since Balaam cannot say what he would have him , Balak wished him to say nothing . But though there are many devices in man 's heart , God 's counsels shall stand . Yet they resolve to make another attempt , though they had no promise on which to build their hopes . Let us , who have a promise that the vision at the end shall speak and not lie , continue earnest in prayer , Luke strkjv @18:1 . **** Matthew Henry 's Commentary **** * ****** Numbers 24 ****** *** Outline of Numbers 24 *** Balaam , leaving divinations , prophesies the happiness of Israel . ( _1-9 .) Balak dismisses Balaam in anger . ( _10-14 .) Balaam 's prophecies . ( _15-25 .) *** Commentary *** * Verse 1-9 - Now Balaam spake not his own sense , but the language of the Spirit that came upon him . Many have their eyes open who have not their hearts open ; are enlightened , but not sanctified . That knowledge which puffs men up with pride , will but serve to light them to hell , whither many go with their eyes open . The blessing is nearly the same as those given before . He admires in Israel , their beauty . The righteous , doubtless , is more excellent than his neighbour . Their fruitfulness and increase . Their honour and advancement . Their power and victory . He looks back upon what had been done for them . Their power and victory . He looks back upon what had been done for them . Their courage and security . The righteous are bold as a lion , not when assaulting others , but when at rest , because God maketh them to dwell in safety . Their influence upon their neighbours . God takes what is done to them , whether good or evil , as done to himself . * Verse 10-14 - This vain attempt to curse Israel is ended . Balak broke out into a rage against Balaam , and expressed great vexation . Balaam has a very full excuse ; God restrained him from saying what he would have said , and constrained him to say what he would not have uttered . * Verse 15-25 - Under the powerful influence of the Spirit of prophecy , Balaam foretold the future prosperity and extensive dominion of Israel . Balaam boasts that his eyes are open . The prophets were in old times called seers . He had heard the words of God , which many do who neither heed them , nor hear God in them . He knew the knowledge of the Most High . A man may be full of the knowledge of God , yet utterly destitute of the grace of God . He calls God the Most High and the Almighty . No man could seem to express a greater respect to God ; yet he had no true fear of him , love to him , nor faith in him ; so far a man may go toward heaven , and yet come short of it at last . Here is Balaam 's prophecy concerning Him who should be the crown and glory of his people Israel ; who is David in the type ; but our Lord Jesus , the promised Messiah , is chiefly pointed at , and of him it is an illustrious prophecy . Balaam , a wicked man , shall see Christ , but shall not see him nigh ; not see him as Job , who saw him as his Redeemer , and saw him for himself . When he comes in the clouds , every eye shall see him ; but many will see him , as the rich man in hell saw Abraham , afar off . He shall come out of Jacob , and Israel , as a Star and a Sceptre ; the former denoting his glory and lustre ; the latter his power and authority . Christ shall be King , not only of Jacob and Israel , but of all the world ; so that all shall be either governed by his golden sceptre , or dashed in pieces by his iron rod . Balaam prophesied concerning the Amalekites and Kenites , part of whose country he had now in view . Even a nest in a rock will not be a lasting security . Here is a prophecy that looks as far forward as to the Greeks and Romans . He acknowledges all the revolutions of states and kingdoms to be the Lord 's doing . These events will make such desolations , that scarcely any will escape . They that live then , will be as brands plucked out of the fire . May God fit us for the worst of times ! Thus Balaam , instead of cursing the church , curses Amalek the first , and Rome the last enemy of the church . Not Rome pagan only , but Rome papal also ; antichrist and all the antichristian powers . Let us ask ourselves , Do we in knowledge , experience , or profession , excel Balaam ? No readiness of speech , even in preaching or prayer , no gifts of knowledge or prophecy , are in themselves different from , or superior to the boasted gifts of him who loved the wages of unrighteousness , and died the enemy of God . Simple dependence on the Redeemer 's atoning blood and sanctifying grace , cheerful submission to the Divine will , constant endeavours to glorify God and benefit his people , these are less splendid , but far more excellent gifts , and always accompany salvation . No boasting hypocrite ever possessed these ; yet the feeblest believer has something of them , and is daily praying for more of them . **** Matthew Henry 's Commentary **** * ****** Numbers 25 ****** *** Outline of Numbers 25 *** The Israelites enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian . ( _1-5 .) Phinehas puts Zimri and Cozbi to death . ( _6-15 .) The Midianites to be punished . ( _16-18 .) *** Commentary *** * Verse 1-5 - The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity ; for none can prevail against God 's people if they are not overcome by their inbred lusts ; nor can any enchantment hurt them , but the enticements of worldly interests and pleasures . Here is the sin of Israel , to which they are enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian . Those are our worst enemies who draw us to sin , for that is the greatest mischief any man can do us . Israel 's sin did that which all Balaam 's enchantments could not do ; it set God against them . Diseases are the fruits of God 's anger , and the just punishments of prevailing sins ; one infection follows the other . Ringleaders in sin ought to be made examples of justice .

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