We want to continue where we left off last Sunday night as we were examining the oracles of Baal. And last Sunday night, I'm going to review briefly what we looked at. We were working out a numbers chapter twenty-two through twenty-four. And last week, we looked at the setting wherein Balem, who is the false prophet of the Old Testament, and everything Balem said in the record is true. He's the false prophet who told the truth. And we began last week by asking the question and seeking to answer it ten times apart from Numbers chapter twenty-one. God makes reference to the fact that Sihon, king of the Amorites, And Og, King of Bation, was defeated. They were defeated in the wars of the Promised Land. The wars before Israel crossed over the Jordan. And the reason that Moab is so fearful, he didn't need to be. The king of Moab, who paid Balaam, the false prophet, to curse the people of God. He didn't need to be fearful. because God told Israel through Moses in Deuteronomy chapter three that he had given R to Moab and the sons of Lot, or the two sons of Lot, Moab and Ammon. But Moab had possessed this particular land that Sihon and Og possessed, and he had hoped to get it back. But now, with Israel coming in, Moab is fearful, and the word of God tells us in the book of Proverbs, the wicked flee us when no man pursues us, but the righteous are bold as a lion. And this was certainly true in the life of this man, Dalek, the king of Moab. But I think there's something that's very pertinent to us in this passage and in the study of the articles of Balaam. And it is this. When God brought Israel into the land of Canaan the first time, they were opposed by two foes, one political and one religious. Belek, the king, was political. Belem, the soothsayer, the heathen mantic was religious. And when God brings Israel into the land the second time, the final time they're going to be opposed by two one is political known as the beast out of the sea revelation thirteen the other is religious he is known as a beast out of the earth the second beast of revelation chapter thirteen it is quite interesting that this takes place and therefore what takes place here in numbers chapter twenty two to twenty-four is most interesting for those who study the Word of God today. But to me the most important thing was a place in which the oracles of Balaam fit into the doctrine of the inerrancy of Scripture and the truth of divine inspiration. Who would ever choose a Balaam to write a great part of the book of Numbers? or to be the instrument that this is recorded about. Now we know that Moses was the main instrument. However, what Balaam had to say and the prophecies he gave are so pertinent, the person of God, to the well-being of the people of God, that we behold his purposes and we marvel at the ways of our God. Whenever you examine the oracles of Balaam, you study what I call the theology of the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch are the first five books of Moses. The theology of the Pentateuch is built upon the covenant that God made with Abraham in Genesis chapter fifteen. That covenant was alluded to when God called Abram from Erudah Chaldees. The call is recorded for us in the opening verses of chapter twelve of the book of Genesis. And in that call of Abraham, God said, I will bless them that bless you. I will curse him who curses you. Now, if I want to come to the theology of the New Testament, I like to think that the theology of the New Testament is bound up in what the theologians have called over the years the Ordo Saludus. It is found in Romans chapter eight. It is very simple. For whom he did foreknow. He also did predestinate. Whom He predestinated, He called. Whom He called, He justified. And whom He justified, He also glorified. Why do they call it this? Because it's the order of the decrees of salvation. That's why it's called the Ordo Saludus. But what do we have in the Oracles of Balaam? What we have in the Oracles of Balaam are the facts that the purposes of God have for His own people. cannot be thwarted. What do we have in Romans eight, verses twenty nine and thirty? We have the fact that the purposes of God, which He has purpose for His people, cannot be thwarted. And therefore, we enjoy the theology of the Pentateuch. Now the specific contribution of the Balaam oracles, and this incident with Balaam, the Old Testament theology, is a graphic development of the concept of the Lord's blessing of Israel. And what is the gospel? The gospel of the blessing and the concept of God blessing his people, those who have trusted him as Lord and Savior. Now, this passage that is before us tonight is one of the greatest illustrations in the whole of Scripture of the blessing of the purpose of God in the Abrahamic covenant. And the fulfillment of that covenant in the deep and abiding relationship that God has with His people. So we're going to begin tonight by reading chapter twenty-two. We may not read it all. It's a rather lengthy chapter, but it is filled with meaning and with rich blessings. So we begin our reading. And the children of Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side of Jordan by Jericho. Now what is so important about that verse is it is while Israel dwelt in the plains of Moab that through Moses God gave the new generation that was going to enter the land of Canaan the second law, the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy is the second law because this new generation had to be taught the ways of God. The old generation died out, all except the families of Joshua and Caleb. Everyone above twenty years of age died in the wilderness. And that's what makes the Song of Moses and the Psalm so important. The Nineteenth Psalm, which is a Psalm of death. God, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations, etc. Why is it written? It is written because it basically is the obituary of the wilderness. That generation died, and Moses saw them die one by one, and Moses himself died. Now, verse two, and Bevak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was sore afraid of the people because there were many, and Moab was distressed. because of the children of Israel. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field, and Baalek, the son of Zippor, was king of the Moabites at that time. He sent messengers therefore unto Baalem, the son of Beor, to Pithor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him saying, Behold, There is a people come out from Egypt. Behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me. Come now, therefore, I pray thee. Curse me, this people. For they are too mighty for me for adventure. I shall prevail that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land. For I know not, for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed. and he whom now curses is cursed. This man, Beryl, had a reputation. This man, Beryl, was not a simple clairvoyant. This man, Beryl, was a direct emissary of the devil. Here was a man who was in league with Satan, and everybody knew of, at least, Beryl, the king of Moab. Verse seven, and the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. And they came unto Balaam and spake unto him the words of Balaak. And he said unto them, Lord, hear this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me, and the princes of Moab are bold with Balaam. And God came unto Balaam and said, What men are these with thee? And Balaam said unto God, Belak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent unto me, saying, Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse me them. For adventure I shall be able to overcome them and drive them out. And God said unto Balaam, thou shalt not go with them. Thou shalt not curse the people, for they are blessed. Do you behold the Abrahamic covenant friends? I will bless him who blesses you, and I will curse him who curses you. God told him, you cannot curse them. Verse thirteen, And Balaam rose up in the morning and said unto the princes of Balaak, Get you unto your land, for the Lord refuses to give me leave to go with you. And the princes of Moab rose up and went unto Balaak and said, Balaam refuses to come with us. And Baalek sent yet again princes more and more honorable than they. And he came to Baalem and said to him, Thus saith Baalek, the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me, for I will promote thee unto great honor. And I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me. Come, therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. You know, I didn't do it, but I wanted to write in my Bible last night outside of that verse. Take the world, but give me Jesus. You know what the end of Balaam was? The world today offers great promotions to many. This is what I can give you. You see, at first Balaam refused. But now Balaam is getting into a place that really touches his heart. He's a lover of money. He's a lover of money. And his covetousness is going to get the best living. Verse eighteen. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balaam, If Balaam would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God to do less or more. Now therefore I pray you, tarry ye also here this night. that I may know what the Lord will say unto him more. Well, now that I've got a better offer, maybe God is going to change his mind. How often does that happen today? Where the word of God is clear. Well, maybe God will change his mind by tomorrow morning. Let's just sleep on it. And God came to Bailam at night and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up and go with them. But yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. And Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass, and went from the princes of Moab. And God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way. I pointed out last week, just briefly, because I'm going to deal with the donkey in due time. But I pointed out last week that a prophet in the Old Testament was called a seer. And Isaiah one says, the ox knoweth his owner. And the ass is Nestor's crib, but my people does not know. Three times over in this passage, Balaam, who was claimed to be a prophet, and see, he didn't see what the dumbass did. The donkey saw more than Balaam did, when an indictment against the rebellious heart of man who would take a position against the God of heaven and the purposes of God. And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way. And he saw her drawn in his hand. And the ass turned aside out of the way and went into the field. And Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way. But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of a vineyard, a wall being on this side and a wall on that side. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself into the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. I can't help it smile. I just can't help it because it's amazing how God works. And he smote her again. And the angel of the Lord went further and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn, either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled. And he smote the ass with a staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smit me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me. I would, there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am I not thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? Was I ever known? to do so unto thee, and he said, Nay. And the Lord opened the eyes of Bailam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hath thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me. What shall Balaam do? One word, repent. If we find our way perverse before God, there should be immediate repentance. And God said in the air, saw me and turned for me these three times, unless she had turned for me. Surely now, also I had slain thee and saved her, arrived. Baelam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I know not that thou stoodest in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeased thee, I will get me back again. And the angel of the Lord said unto Baelam, Go with a man, for only the word that I shall speak unto thee. That shall thou speak. So Baelam went with the princes of Baelic. And when Baalek heard that Baalek was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast. And Baalek said unto Baalek, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? Wherefore came thou not unto me? Am I not able to promote thee to honor? Baalek said unto Baalek, Lo, I am come unto thee. Have I now any power at all to say anything? The word that God puteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. And Balaam went with Balaam. And they came unto Kyrgyz Huzah. And Balaam offered oxen and sheep and sent unto Balaam and to the princes that were with him. And it came to pass in the morrow that Balaam took Balaam and brought him up into the high places of Balaam that thence he might see the utmost part of the people. May the Lord bless the reading of his word. That's a lengthy reading, but it's very important. The first thing we want to notice tonight is the place and the condition of Israel. If we don't understand Israel's place, and if we don't understand Israel's condition, we cannot understand the importance of the Balaam oracles. What do we have in the book of Numbers thus far? You have the murmuring motive. that he's brought to our attention in the book of Numbers. And this motive begins in Numbers chapter eleven. And it develops and the process involves the entire population. Time and again the people of God showed themselves disloyal and discontented with God's ways and God's works. And the very places where Israel camped, when you get to the clothes of the book of Numbers, And you read of their journeys and how often they stopped and camped. It's very interesting how many moves they made from Egypt till they got to the land of Canaan. So in Numbers chapter eleven verse three we have the name of the place called Taboreth. And it was called Taboreth because there was a burning among the people of Israel. And the fire of the Lord is amongst them. And consumed many of them. because of their murmuring against God and his ways. And then, of course, you come to eleven in verse thirty-four. You have Kibra Habitat. It's called the grave of greediness. That's what the word means, and that's what it's called. Where Israel rebelled against God, they were tired of menna. Who will give us flesh to eat? And God sent quails into the camp. And then God smote them because of their greediness and because of their unbelief. Then when you get the numbers, thirteen and fourteen, that passage that is spoken of so well in Hebrews chapters three and four, the unbelief of the children of Israel at a place called Cainish Barnima. And it becomes the great example that the Apostle uses in Hebrews three and in Hebrews four for us to test ourselves whether we really believe God or whether we don't. And then, of course, the thirty-eight years of Israel's history chronicled in this book, for the most part, the saboteurs, the monotonous wandering in a forbidden wilderness simply waiting to die because of their unbelief at Cady Sparnia. It was there that God pronounced the judgment upon them. Then in Numbers chapter twelve, he had the jealousy of Aaron and Miriam. And God smites Miriam with leprosy because she spoke against Moses. And Moses had to pray and intercede on behalf of his sister. And while they were there, there was no process or progress made in the camp, as long as Miriam was outside. And then when you get to Numbers sixteen, you have the sin of Korah, David, and then Abiram. And when you get to Numbers chapter twenty, you have the failure of Moses, when he smites the rock the second time. Now this is a condition of the people. At Derrick, who he doesn't know are conditioned. But Derrick is called to curse these people. Let me ask you a question. Were they worthy of being cursed? Yes. Yes, they were. But could he curse them? No, he couldn't. You see, three questions must be asked when you read the book of Numbers. And when you see the activity of the people, number one, is this indeed the land of promise? Is this indeed the land of promise that God is taking these people to? I listened to that hymn as we turned at the red light to come to church tonight. On Jordan's stormy banks I stand and cast a wish for I, the Canaan's fair and happy land where my possessions lie. I'm bound for the promised land. I like that hymn. Well, we ask that question when we look at Israel in the wilderness. The second question that we ask is this. Does this nation really have a unique relationship with a God of the universe? Are they acting that way? The third question that we must ask is Israel really the chosen people of God. And you know, when we come to these questions, And when we examine the book of Numbers in relation to the people of Israel, we thank God afresh for the oracles of Balaam. For in the oracles of Balaam, the reader is taken to the camp of the enemy, and he's given an inside view of Israel's foes and their attempts to destroy the nation of Israel. No place to be find a better illustration than probably the Book of Esther, Haman trying to blot out the Jews, or here, Baalim and Baalek, and their combined efforts to accomplish this. You see, the King of Moab has turned to the superstitious and supernatural means to ward off what he thought was an enemy, when in reality... God was not going to give them not even as much of their land as a shoe breath. We talk about the wicked fleeing when no man pursues. Now the resort that Moab turns to in our passage is the curse. Now the God of Israel does something. See Derek did hit it, but the God of Israel... confronts this internationally known pagan soothsayer in his homeland, far removed from the people of God. Way up in the land of the Chaldeans, up by the Euphrates River. God comes in and he confronts Balaam. What does God do? The God who spoke to Moses face to face as a man speaketh with his friends. Now speaks to this pagan mantic, this soothsayer. In other words, God spoke to the Old Testament patriarchs. He spoke to Abraham. He spoke to Isaac. And he spoke to Jacob. But now he breaks into the dealings of a power play that the enemies of the people of God have. And his power play is in the realm of the occult. God breaks in upon them. God says in Numbers twenty-two, verse twelve, Balaam, thou shalt not go with them. Thou shalt not curse the people, for they are blessed. And beloved, when we consider the fact that the people of God cannot be cursed, for they have been blessed of God. This gives you genuine confidence, and it enables you to rejoice and to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You see, this is the major theme of this portion of the Word of God. We learn that Jehovah's blessing of his people is irrevocable. It cannot be changed. Demon powers have no sway. Supernatural means is useless against the people of God. And this is the objective reality of God's blessing of Israel. You see, when you study this, it's impossible to overestimate the significance of the Abrahamic covenant to Old Testament theology. I will bless him who blesses you, and I will curse him who curses you. The Balaam story is a frontal attack against the purposes of God. And God himself intervenes on behalf of his people. Now, the Old Testament is replete with examples of those who tried to attempt to thwart God's purpose. to curse and to destroy Israel. But the Babylon incident that's before us is a test case for the objective reality of Israel's blessing for the purposes of God. They who tried to curse Israel and found themselves cursed. Haman was hanged on the very gallows that he built to hang Mordecai. Numbers chapter twenty-three verse ten suggests the futile desire of Balaam to participate in Israel's blessing. Twenty-three verse ten says the ending of the verse. Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his. There are lots of people who want to go to heaven when they die. but they don't want to have heaven in their souls now while they live on earth. To die the death of the righteous, we must live the life of the righteous. And that's the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. They who are saved live a righteous life. My sheep hear my voice. I know them. They follow me. And Balaam heard the voice of God. And God speaking to him one time should have been sufficient. But he loved the wages of unrighteousness and the promotion that this world can give more than the Word of God. It is the Word of the Lord that abides forever. So we read in First Peter chapter one. And it is the word of God, the will of God. He that doeth the will of God that abides forever. Let me die the death of the righteous. Let my last end be as his. Israel's blessing is unique because it is rooted in the character of Israel's unique God. And the blessing of us, the people of God, is unique because it is rooted in the character of God's elect. It is God that justifies. And when God justifies a man, there is no one in the whole of the universe who can change God's mind. For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. That brings us to the second thing that we have tonight in this passage, and that is the attributes of God. And the attributes of God become the source of Israel's blessing. In studying these attributes of God, we must keep before us Israel's present condition and the place of Israel that we have now studied. What's Israel doing in the camp? Murmuring, complaining, backbiting. What is Balaam trying to do? Curse them. What is God doing? God is protecting them. And he's showing what position they occupy in relation to him as a people of God. There is nothing more thrilling than to be listening in the enemy camp. This is what God did for Gideon, you remember. When Gideon was afraid to go down against the Midianites, He went into the camp of the Midianites with his servant, and he listened in, and the servant told a parable. Not the servant, but they listened in, and in the enemy camp, he told the parable. A man dreamed, and Gideon listened in. He eavesdropped, and he knew from that that God had purposed to deliver the Midianites into his hand, and that Israel would be out from under the oppression of the Midianites. Now, the attribute we want to look at tonight is who can define God? The incomparability of Jehovah. Who can define God? The problem is, when we talk about the attributes of God, when we say everything that we can possibly say according to the word of God, we haven't said enough. Who can define God? The God of the Bible. The God who loves these people in spite of their sin and in spite of their rebellion. Now, when we look at that and we say that to each other as people who have been saved by his matchless grace, I have another question. How could Balaam? And to whom could Balaam compare Jehovah? You see his problem? Adam reigned as a little king in his own religious realm. Apart from God, he was in league with the devil. But now he's confronted with the God of the universe. You see, this pagan, Balaam, unwittingly stepped into the drama of the people of Israel and their relationship with their God. And he's overwhelmed by what happens to him. Do you see what the Word of God means when it says the love of money is the root of all evil? Why was Balaam where he was? He wanted the promotion that this world could give. Spurgeon said, if God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king. Spurgeon was right. You see, the God of Israel was different from anything and everything that Abram had ever encountered. You see, the God of Israel is incomparable. So when can you compare it? The hundred thirteen psalms about verses three through John two about verse seven. From the raging of the sun unto the going down are the same. The name of our God is to be praised for who is like unto the world our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven. And when we think of one who is so high, so holy, so lofty, so incomparable. And we're trying to curse these people. And this has been Satan's program to thwart the purposes of God ever since God created man. You see, Barham has to do only one thing. All he can do is extol the uniqueness of the people of God. Look at chapter twenty-three in verse nine. It's the next chapter. For he says, For, from the tops of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. All the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. All they have been can do is extol God and extol the people of God. Why? Because Israel is related to this incomparable God. the God of the Bible. And it is the God of the Bible who is revealed in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jeffrey Bull, in the book that he wrote, well, he was a Chinese prisoner. He wrote the book with Iron Gate Shield, and then he wrote the book, God Holds the Key. By the way, God Holds the Key is in the library. And if you've never read it, you should. In that book, God holds the key when speaking of the incarnation of the Son of God. He said this, Can you imagine a baby who is the God of the universe, whose faith and the universe is created? Now is in the arms of his mother without the strength to wrap his hand around her little finger. We know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sake she became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich. What is Balaam's mistake? Balaam's mistake was he thought the way to up was up. What mistake the most common students make today? In their choices for life, they think that the way to up is up. And the way to up is not up. The way to up is down. The way to up is down. The hymn writer had it right. Down at the cross where my Savior died. Down wherefore cleansing from sin I cried. There to my heart was a blood applied. Glory to his name. Aaron thought the way to up was up. The way to up is not up. The way to up is down. And God is going to humble this man. He's going to do his dirty work. He's going to proclaim his doctrine. But even in that we find the purpose of God fulfilled. For God has a controversy with Israel. The same as you see the purpose of God fulfilled in what Absalom did when he rebelled against his father, David. Well, you see, there's a great number of people slain in Jerusalem by the pestilence that God brought. But we must then remember that there was a large company that sided with Absalom and God judged him. We have been doing well. to examine this portion. I'd like to just say two things in closing. Number one, in spite of Israel's failures, God's faithfulness to His covenant was a continuous and constant guarantee. Do you ever fail? Have you ever made mistakes? Must you ever go in confession to the Lord? Oh, we have a continuous and a constant guarantee. We are loved of God. The second thing that we'd like to say is this. These oracles spoken by a pagan mantic sound like Romans eight. Who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God who justifies. For to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Because poor, helpless, good for nothing souls, find mercy on the spot. For thus God's glorious message runs, tis for him that worketh not. Tis free and asketh no price. Are God the right to give? It only says one simple thing, believe on Christ and live. Believe on Christ who died for thee and just as sure as Christ has died. Your sins are gone. Your soul is saved. And you are justified. Oh, joy of the justified. Joy of the free. I'll sing of my Savior, who died on the tree. Through Christ my Redeemer, rejoicing I stand, being saved by his grace. I'm secure in his hand. Let's pray. Father, we thank you tonight for the revelation you've given us of the activity of the enemy. and of your eternal purpose in grace. We ask you now that you will take this word and with it strengthen us and encourage us and enable us to go forth from strength to strength, from glory to glory, ever mindful that you demand of us holiness. You continuously say, Be ye holy, for are the Lord thy God am holy. And we'll give you thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.