Today you should read: Numbers 24
Balaam’s Third Oracle is a little different from the first two. If you notice in verse 2, the Spirit of God came upon Balaam, and this gives even more validation to what he is about to proclaim. This is not a man-made message, this is a message from God Himself. Balaam proclaims a message of Israel’s prosperity when they enter the Promised Land, which in turn upsets Balak. Balak still wanted Balaam to curse Israel, which is interesting considering what Balak just heard from Balaam (v. 9b).
The third oracle leads to the fourth and final oracle. The final oracle focuses on the Davidic dynasty. A star and a scepter are both symbols for a king (v. 17), and this king will rule mightily (v. 19).
The final oracle of Balaam will find fulfillment in David, but it will ultimately find fulfillment in Jesus. It’s amazing to me that even in Numbers 24, there is a prophetic account of Jesus. Often times, we will skip the Old Testament or skim-read it, but I think that is a mistake. Not reading the Old Testament might cause you to miss beautiful prophetic passages about Jesus. Balaam knew that Israel would conquer nations and have a mighty king, but he probably didn’t realize that he was talking about the One True King (Jesus).
If there is one thing to get from this passage, it is to appreciate God’s Word. If something doesn’t make sense, research it. If you are struggling to understand how it all connects, ask your discipler or a pastor. God’s Word is amazing, please do not take it for granted.
By: Brice Stockton — Student Ministry Associate
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