FORTY years earlier at the Red Sea the Lord had “triumphed gloriously” on behalf of His people, when they were about to begin their wilderness journey. Yet no less glorious were the triumphs of His grace in these magnificent prophecies Balaam was made to utter when that journey was nearing its end. With what wonderful patience God had suffered “their manners in the wilderness” throughout those long years, for neither man nor Satan can change His purposes of love toward His own.
It took a great deal of preparation by God before Balaam became the instrument to pronounce good concerning Israel, but finally the prophet arrived at the border of Arnon where he met Balak, king of Moab, who escorted him to “the high places of Baal.” From these heights he could look down and view no doubt with astonished eyes the thousands of Israel spread out on the plains below.
Balaam would now make a show of seeking some supernatural power and ordered Balak to build seven altars and prepare seven oxen and seven rams. It seems that the idolatrous nations had borrowed from Israel not only the name Jehovah but also the number seven. After offering sacrifices on each altar Balaam told Balak to stand by his burnt offering while he went to a high place. “Peradventure the LORD [Jehovah] will come to meet me,” he said, “and whatsoever He showeth me I will tell thee.” All this had the appearance of seeking God but the whole thing was really a sham, a counterfeit of Satan, commonly practiced by those who deal in the occult.
But God did meet Balaam; and he said to Him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.” How offensive to God for wicked man to attempt to propitiate Him in all His holiness and majesty, a work which only Christ by His death could do. God ordered Balaam to return to Balak and told him what to say.
“And he took up his parable, and said, Balak... hath brought me from Aram saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.” Balaam would like to have cursed Israel and gain the promised reward, but he is forced to say, “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?” Any curse of his would be powerless if God had not cursed them. For us how precious the word: “If God be for us, who can be against us.... Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?” Rom. 8:31-3431What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:31‑34). The whole world might be against the child of God, but what matters it if God be for him?
“From the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him.” From the heights of glory in which He dwells God looks down on His people and sees them all in Christ. Balaam is forced to see them from above also. May the Lord help each of us to see our fellow-Christians as He sees them — “from the top of the rocks.” What a difference this would make if we saw our brethren as the beloved of God. How much kinder and more loving we would be toward one another!
“Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.” God intended that Israel should be a separated people. Well had it been for them if they had maintained that separation unto the Lord, but when they mingled with the nations around they fell from their glory and lost their place of honor and power. As Christians we ought to be a separated people — separated unto Christ who was rejected on earth but received in heaven. So may we seek grace, dear young Christian, to walk apart from this world, its societies, its organizations, its pleasures and its religion — in it but not of it. The Lord help us to live for Him and witness of His love and truth to others, while waiting for His coming to take us to our heavenly Home.
ML-04/28/1974