Advent Day 09: Balaam’s Prophecy
Today, we light the Green Candle, the Black Candle, and the Blue Candle. The Green Candle represents life and all that Father God created in Christ, Good and Whole. The Black Candle represents the Evil and Corruption of Sin that entered our World through our rebellion. The Blue candle represents the Hope that comes from the Promises of a future Savior and King.
Numbers 24:17
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel…
The family of Abraham, the Twelve Tribes of Israel, had grown and multiplied. In time, a great famine forced the family to go Egypt to survive. Earlier, the 11 brothers had sold one of their younger brothers Joseph into slavery because they were jealous of him; he was loved and favored by Jacob. Through a series of incredible “accidents,” Joseph had become the right hand man to Pharaoh, King of Egypt! Joseph was in charge of Egypt and now has power and authority over his treacherous family.
At first, Joseph hides his true identity from his brothers. When he finally reveals himself, his brothers are terrified. With a chance to get revenge, Joseph does something incredible—he forgives his brothers. In one of the most profound statements in the Bible, Joseph says to his treacherous brothers:
Genesis 50:19-20
Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result—to preserve many people alive.
At the climax of the book of Genesis, the last threat to the promises made to Abraham comes in the form of one of his “seed.” Joseph has the power to destroy the family of Abraham. From the human perspective, who could blame him? But Joseph, just as his great-grandfather before him, looked beyond his immediate circumstances to see the events of his life through the promises of God. Through the providence of God, Joseph realizes that The Creator is the One True God who brings order out of chaos, brings good out of evil, and as a result, there is nothing which can defeat His purposes. The family is spared; the promises are protected. Once again, the Lord takes what is not right and transforms it into something good.
After Joseph dies, a Pharaoh rises to power that does not remember Joseph. The people of Israel go into slavery. The descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel will now spend 400 years in Egypt. In this time, the 12 tribes grow into a great and numerous people. But how will the descendants of Abraham see the fulfillment of the promises in Egypt, far away from the Land of Promise? Again, the promises of God are threatened.
Once more, in the midst of chaos and evil, the Lord intervenes. He raises up Moses to lead the people to freedom and back to the Land of Promise. After a great battle with Pharaoh through the working of various miracles and plagues through Moses, God frees the people of Israel from Egypt just as He had foretold, and they begin to journey back to the Land.
Exodus 6:7-8
“I will take you to myself for a people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you to the land I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob—and I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord!”
As the people of Israel leave Egypt and head back to the land, they face much opposition from the countries they pass through. Nevertheless, the Lord gives them victory and success in their battles and struggles. Again and again, the God of the Israelites is faithful. His people are spared; the promises are protected.
Then, the people of Israel reach Moab. The Moabites were actually descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. But instead of helping their close relatives, they oppose them. The King of Moab – Balak – hires a corrupt prophet and diviner named Balaam to speak curses against Israel.
Four times Balaam intends to curse Israel, but the Lord speaks through Balaam to bless Israel. What Balak and Balaam had intended for evil and cursing, the Lord God transformed into blessing.
In his final speech, Balaam says:
Numbers 24:15–19
…“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, 24:16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:
24:17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel…
Far off, in the distance of time, Balaam sees One who would come to rule in Israel – the family that would be a blessing to all Nations. The images of a “star” and a “scepter” point to a King who was to come. The image of the scepter also calls back to Jacob’s prophecy from our reading yesterday – of a ruler that would come from the tribe of Judah who would one day rule the Nations.
In this strange episode, as in the episodes of Joseph and Moses, we see the power of the Lord at work. He overcomes those who would curse His people and seek to thwart His plans. He brings order out of chaos, good out of evil. And He, in this episode of Balaam, uses the most unlikely person – a corrupt prophet – to reveal more of His plans and purposes. The Lord sets the stage for what is to come. He is more than powerful enough to fulfill His promises. And He shows, over and over again, that He is faithful. God’s purposes will prevail. And His people wait with Hopeful Expectation.
A King is coming.
