In Balaam's prophecies, the first three are the actual state, the fourth is the future.
The ark taken, and the priestly relationship broken, the royalty substituted fails also. Nehemiah does not attempt the crowning of Zerubbabel, there is no re-establishment of the fallen system, the Gentile slavery is acknowledged. What rested on man's responsibility was gone irreparably; but this did not touch what God had substituted in His own sovereignty to maintain communication with His people according to His own fidelity when they were unfaithful. In Samuel ordinance is there, and Zechariah, Haggai, and Malachi are there as prophets, and though that closed the canon up to John the baptist, yet we have, even at the end, Anna a prophetess who speaks to all who waited for redemption in Israel. Nor did the unfaithfulness of Israel touch the looking of faith to the resources which were in God, nor to the supply of that which was needful for the present exigencies of His people. This gives a clear idea of the position.
The great principle of the Balaamic history is that God was the unsolicited Guardian and Blesser of His people. The machinations of enemies go on, and that unknown to Israel, who consequently seeks nothing from God, but He is active for His people from His own grace to them, and nothing escapes Him. "Who are these men that come to thee?" says God to Balaam. God began as He did with Satan in Job's case, "Hast thou considered my servant Job?" On the other hand, Balak is in entire and all-perverting darkness. First Israel was forbidden to touch Moab, next he says, "He whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed," and he was seeking to bring the curse on Israel when God had said, " Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee," so that he was just bringing it on himself.
This interest that God takes in His people, for Israel knew nothing that was going on, is of the profoundest interest; it was between God and the adversary, see Zech. 3, not between God and Israel-then He judges evil.
15. See chapter 24:1.
23. Note here it is said concerning Jacob and Israel, " What hath God wrought? "
25. Hatred and unbelief think of circumstances, and Balak, having been frightened by the sight of Israel, seeks in the folly of unbelief to withdraw Balaam from the influence of what he dreaded himself, for unbelief never thinks of the thoughts of the Lord, from whom surely the people was not hidden. His perseverance in seeking the curse enlarged the blessing; it is always thus. He does not know God, and God could not merely repeat the blessing already given, thus it is continually developed.
Note, after his justification Israel rises up as a lion, and does not lie down until after having seized the prey. When seen in his beauty, having pillaged the nations, he lies down and who shall stir him up? And note verse 16 (chap. 24) when prophecy is brought out he has the knowledge of the Most High, which is not of in verse 4.
It is interesting to see the terms that Balaam uses; “Jehovah" and "Elohim," and only in the two last prophecies when he did not seek enchantments. In the two first he uses only " Jehovah " and " Elohim "; and mark how in verse 3 " Jehovah will come to meet me," and " Elohim met Balaam," and " Jehovah put a word in Balaam's mouth." "How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed, and how shall I defy whom Jehovah hath not defied?" Verse 16, "And Jehovah met Balaam.”... "Balak said, what hath Jehovah spoken."... "Elohim is not a man."... "Jehovah his Elohim is with him."... "Elohim brought him out of Egypt."... "What hath Elohim wrought."... "All that Jehovah speaketh that must I do." All this is clearly Jehovistic, though Elohim is used, because Jehovah is Elohim. So in the next chapter, "And when Balaam saw that it pleased Jehovah to bless Israel," we are here clearly on Jehovistic ground—"then the Spirit of Elohim came upon him, and he heard the words of Elohim, and saw the vision of Shaddai... "they are like the lign aloes which Jehovah has planted"—he could not go beyond the commandment of Jehovah. Again in verse 16 we have "heard the words of God, knew the knowledge of the Most High, saw the vision of Shaddai." In this last prophecy which is a continuation without his going to meet again or Jehovah's meeting him, but which is introduced by the commandment of Jehovah, it is the distinct assertion that Jehovah, the Elohim of Israel, took the place of-was Shaddai the Almighty, yea Elion, who would order the whole world as He pleased, and of this Balaam warns Balak; compare Psa. 91, " He that dwelleth in the secret of Elion (Most High) shall abide under the shadow of Shaddai." "I," says Messiah, "will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge, my fortress, my Elohim, in him will I trust," i.e., He takes Jehovah, the God of the Jews, for protection, for the shadow of His wings. Hence He is protected by Almighty power—Shaddai. Hence Israel says, " because thou hast made Jehovah even the Most High " (for He is so, above all Elohim) " my refuge, thy habitation," He would be protected, and then in verse 14 Jehovah owns His knowing His name. Now Balaam shows this prophetically—Jehovah, whose name is all through in question, is Shaddai, is the Most High; Elohim, God Himself wrought for Israel, and there was no enchantment against Him, Jehovah met Balaam and declared Himself Shaddai and Elion in favor of Israel, taking the last name when He was setting the world aright in judgment, as He does in the mouth of Melchizedek, adding, " Possessor of heaven and earth."
All this makes clear what I have noticed a hundred times for edification before any controversy, "Jehovah" is the name of relationship taken with Israel, as "Shaddai" with the Patriarchs. No man could have given a name used just as frequently as "Elohim," as unknown in point of fact. But God revealed Himself specifically to the Fathers as "El Shaddai," and they were to walk in the faith of that name, as Jehovah to Moses and Israel, and they were to walk in the faith of that; to us as Father, and so we are to walk. " I am El Shaddai, walk before me and be thou perfect," "Thou shalt be perfect with Jehovah thy God," "Be ye therefore perfect as your Father who is in heaven is perfect." " So ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty"—Jehovah Shaddai.