BALAAM'S BEAUTIFUL VISION (3rd Oracle)

Passage: Numbers 23:27-24:11

Key verse: 24:5

NIV

Balaam’s Third Message

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place.(A) Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me(B) from there.” 28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor,(C) overlooking the wasteland.

29 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 30 Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(D)

24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,(E) he did not resort to divination(F) as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.(G) 2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(H) 3 and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,(I)
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,(J)
    who sees a vision from the Almighty,[a](K)
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

5 “How beautiful are your tents,(L) Jacob,
    your dwelling places, Israel!

6 “Like valleys they spread out,
    like gardens beside a river,(M)
like aloes(N) planted by the Lord,
    like cedars beside the waters.(O)
7 Water will flow from their buckets;
    their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;(P)
    their kingdom will be exalted.(Q)

8 “God brought them out of Egypt;
    they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
    and break their bones in pieces;(R)
    with their arrows they pierce them.(S)
9 Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
    like a lioness(T)—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed(U)
    and those who curse you be cursed!”(V)

10 Then Balak’s anger burned(W) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(X) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(Y) but you have blessed them(Z) these three times.(AA) 11 Now leave at once and go home!(AB) I said I would reward you handsomely,(AC) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

Footnotes
  1. Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

27 And Balak said to Balaam, (A)“Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of (B)Peor, which overlooks (C)the desert.[a] 29 And Balaam said to Balak, (D)“Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 (E)And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balaam's Third Oracle

24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at (F)other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel (G)camping tribe by tribe. And (H)the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he (I)took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,[b]
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
    who sees the vision of the Almighty,
    (J)falling down with his eyes uncovered:
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
    your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves[c] that stretch afar,
    like gardens beside a river,
(K)like aloes (L)that the Lord has planted,
    like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
    and his seed shall be (M)in many waters;
his king shall be higher than (N)Agag,
    and (O)his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt
    and is for him like the (P)horns of the wild ox;
he shall (Q)eat up the nations, his adversaries,
    and shall (R)break their bones in pieces
    and (S)pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion
    and (T)like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
(U)Blessed are those who bless you,
    and cursed are those who curse you.”

10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he (V)struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, (W)“I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, (X)‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.”

Footnotes
  1. Numbers 23:28 Or Jeshimon
  2. Numbers 24:3 Or closed, or perfect; also verse 15
  3. Numbers 24:6 Or valleys
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. A vision from the Almighty (23:27-24:7)

This time Balaam gave up trying to use sorcery. He looked and saw Israel encamped in the plains below him and the Spirit of God came upon him. He saw the beauty of the people whom God had blessed. They bore the marks of 4

years of desert life--they were travel-worn, dusty and full of problems--but Balaam saw them with God's eyes. He saw beauty and hope and abundance. God's people are beautiful when we see them with God's eyes.

2. God brought them out of Egypt (24:8-11)

The theme of Balaam's prophecy is found in verses 23:22 & 24:8. God's grace had been poured out on Israel. So they became a special people to him. They would surely defeat their enemies. And God would bless those who blessed them and curse those who cursed them. Balak was angry at these words, and he sent Balaam home with no reward.

Prayer: Lord, give me spiritual eyes to see your people. Thank you for the grace of redemption which makes your people beautiful.

One Word: How beautiful are God's people!