Read: Numbers 23-25
Numbers 23:18-20
Then he spoke his message:
“Arise, Balak, and listen;
hear me, son of Zippor.
God is not human, that he should lie,
not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?
I have received a command to bless;
he has blessed, and I cannot change it.
When the Lord fights for you, who can stand against you?
Balak, the king of Moab was petrified, and in a sense, rightly so. The Moabites were well aware of the miracles that had accompanied Israel’s exodus from Egypt. The inhabitants of the cities in Israel’s path knew God was on the Israelites’ side. King Balak had witnessed the Israelites’ destruction of the Amorites, and the entire region of Moab grew afraid as the Israelites approached (Numbers 22:2–3).
The children of Israel were a large number with the fame for having been victorious over the neighboring nations. And yet, if Balak had only known and believed God’s word, he would have known he had no reason to fear. God did not intend to give the land of the Moabites to Israel (Deuteronomy 2:9). Often, we lose our sleep and are overwhelmed by fears rather than know and rest in God’s word, don’t you think?
Balak overwhelmed by the physical size of Israel, calls Balaam, a pagan prophet, to cripple them spiritually. Balak seemed to know the strength of Israel was spiritually rooted, and they had to be cut off from their source of power if they were to be conquered.
Balaam was known as a mighty man in spiritual things. As far as Balak was concerned, when Balaam cursed or blessed a man or a people, it came to pass. And yet, when the Lord is for us, who can be against us, right?
A talking donkey? Really? Yes, God uses a donkey to open Balaam’s eyes. Balaam, a non-Israelite appears in this account and the Bible does not give us any background information on him or how he came to know the Lord. But it is evident he had some knowledge of the true God, the God of Israel, which went beyond vague spiritual connection (Numbers 22:8).
Though Balak brought Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam could not curse Israel. Balaam would have reversed the blessing into a curse if he had been able to. Is not this also the despair of Satan? “God hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, and he cannot reverse them.” (Meyer)
That brings us to the question – what is the source of your strength? Are you spiritually rooted in the true God? Is your armor of God in place? For we know that our battles are not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of this dark world. The Lord is our Way Maker, mighty in battle. He fights for you and me, who trust in Him.
When challenges come your way, how often do you rely on your strength instead of trusting in God’s? In what areas of life do you find it difficult to trust God’s promises and His faithfulness? Why?
Prayer
Thank you, Lord that you fight my battles for me and so no one can stand against. Help me trust and rest in you my Lord and Defender, amen.
Scripture Writing: Isaiah 54:17
For more daily devotions like this – At the Potter’s Wheel (Kindle)
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