Blessed Are The Blessed

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King James Bible Study[Mark 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]

Date: Sunday, March 05, 2023
Chapters: NUMBERS 22-24
Study: Blessed Are The Blessed

Hello My Brother/Sister/Friend,

I was watching a movie and a person said that he did not believe in fate because he wants to believe that everyone has the freewill to choose their destiny. Well, I wanted to yell through the screen, “You do have freewill fool!” The world is so blind to what fate, faith, and freewill are all about, the truth is, it is the freewill of our faith in God that determines what our fate will be, [Romans 8:28-30  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.]

Now, God, may have been angry with the Israelites who were causing all the judgments through their rebellion and disrespect for God, but they were still His people as there were many believers among them. So, imagine their surprise when this man name, Balak hired a man named Balaam to try and curse them. You see, Balak, was the king of Moab, and he like the rest of the nations heard that Israel had already defeated kings Og, Sihon, and Arad, and he was terrified of them. Balak, decided that the only option to defeat them was for a curse to be put upon them, and this fool, Balaam was all to eager to help.

[Numbers 22:2-3,5-6  And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.  3  And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.  5  He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:  6  Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.]

[Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor,] Balaam, was not an Israelite, he was something of a false prophet, well known among the region as being a “wise man” which was another way of saying that he was a wizard, famous for casting spells. However, for some reason he could speak to God, and that also became the buzz of the nations. And well, Balaam, eagerly accepts the challenge.

[Numbers 22:8-12  And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.  9  And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?  10  And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,  11  Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.  12  And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.]

[What men are these with thee?] As if God did not know who these men were or what Balaam was up to. God, does not ask us questions because He does not know what we have done, He asks them to see what answer we will give, which He knows also by the way. Those who are honestly and sincerely blessed with the power of the Holy Spirit upon them through their faith in Christ can never be cursed as they are anointed by the blood of Christ, [1 Corinthians 10:16-17  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?  17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.]

The world knows just how blessed God’s people are, which is why they do their best to try to drive them out and curse them. While God does chasten His people, and He will turned His back on them due to unrepentant sin, no one can curse His people for they belong to Him. So, here is Balaam, being summoned again by Balak to come to him, this time he makes it more appealing by sending his own sons and giving him an offer.

[Numbers 22:15-18,20  And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.  16  And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:  17  For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.  18  And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. 20  And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.]

[I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God,] Balaam, had the nerve to call God his God when here he is trying to curse Israel for the sake of being rich and famous. Well, he did have enough sense to know that he cannot do anything to anyone without God’s permission, but was still a fool in that he went with them. Now, even though God is telling him that he can go with them, He wanted him to go when He told him.

[Numbers 22:22-23,26-28  And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.  23  And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. 26  And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.  27  And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.  28  And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?]

[And God’s anger was kindled because he went:] This might sound like a contradiction, but it is not. Balaam, was instructed by God to go if they called for him, but do so at His command, not the princes. When the princes showed up and he went with them, that is when God got angry. This would be like God telling us that we need to come to Him through His Son in order to be blessed with eternal life, then following the false religion that comes knocking at the door before we had the opportunity because it sounds more appealing, [Luke 13:24-25  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.  25  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:]

[stood in the way for an adversary against him.] The angel of the LORD is none other than Jesus Himself, and even though God had to deal with the Israelites that did not keep Him from protecting them. Jesus, is more than just our Saviour from death and hell, He is also our Saviour from the curse of sin, the curse of the world and the curse of Satan himself. Jesus, is in a sense an angel of mercy because He attempts to keep us from sinning, which is what was going on here with the donkey, [1 Corinthians 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.]

I do not know about you, but if I heard a donkey uttering the sound that it makes and could understand her, then I would not be arguing with her, I would be trying to figure out why I can hear it speaking to me. Well, Balaam did not even stop to think about why he understood her, but got the shock of his life when he discovered why she was so spooked to begin with.

[Numbers 22:31-32,34-35  Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.  32  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: 34  And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.  35  And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.]

[but only the word that I shall speak unto thee,] Do you see that these are the very same words that God said to Him? God, will not alter His voice one bit, why this fool was even able to speak directly to God is beyond comprehension, but He knew where Balaam’s heart truly lied, and it was not to serve Him. Nevertheless, God, allowed Balaam to meet up with Balak, and needless to say Balak was not very hospitable.

[Numbers 22:37-41  And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?  38  And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.  39  And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.  40  And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.  41  And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.]

[am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?] All of this smells a lot like Satan, in fact, when he tempted Jesus, [Luke 4:6-8  And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.  7  If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.  8  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.]

As you will notice, Satan is good at mimicking God, even when it comes to the sacrifices and offerings offered up to God. He does this so that it might appear that God is with them, but as you will also notice the way that the offerings are presented is not as God commands. Balaam told Balak to set up seven altars and offer up seven oxen and seven rams upon each of them, and when he does that stand by the offering and wait for an answer from God.

[Numbers 23:1-3,6,8-10  And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.  2  And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.  3  And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place. 6  And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. 8  How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?  9  For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.  10  Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!]

[and the number of the fourth part of Israel?] The forth part of Israel are the Gentiles who would be graphed into the family of God, also known as the spiritual Israel of God. While we are really quite few in number compared to the world, and yet we are all together as much as each and every grain of dirt on this earth, which no man can number, [Revelation 7:9-10  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;  10  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.]

God’s people are truly a distinct from others, they are His peculiar people, separated from all other nations, as in religion and laws, therefore, Satan’s enchantments have no power to curse them. Well, Balak saw that instead of being cursed, they were blessed, he thought perhaps if they went away from the camp and only saw the one forth of them that he could offer the same offerings and then they will be cursed. He tries a second time, this time taking Balaam to the to the top of Pisgah.

[Numbers 23:14,17,19-21  And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. 17  And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken? 19  God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?  20  Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.  21  He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.]

[He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob,] Do you know what God is saying here? When you stop to think about the way Israel has, and still provokes God over and over again, you have to wonder why He protects them and still keeps them. It is a little something that we like to call grace and I do not care what era of time we are born into, God’s grace is the only thing going for any of us. Well, we Christians are really no different than Israel, we provoke God just as much as them, and yet, He still protects and keeps us just the same. God, actually answers that question, [Leviticus 26:45]

It is truly only by the grace of God, through our faith in Christ that we are saved. Let me tell you, God deals with His people His way, and no one is going to tell Him how to handle them. Praise God! And once again Balak attempts to have Balaam curse them, he took him to another area, but this time Balaam comes to some sense when he finally realizes that enchantments were not going to work.

[Numbers 23:27-28,Numbers 24:1-2,5,7   And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.  28  And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon. 24:1  And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.  2  And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. 5  How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! 7  He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.]

[and his king shall be higher than Agag,] This is a prophecy of the first king of Israel, Saul, and of his conquering Agag, king of Amalek, [1 Samuel 15:7-8  And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.  8  And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.] However, there is a much bigger kingdom to be recognized here, one in which Christ will reign as KING. Watch. as God gives Balaam this incredible vision.

[Numbers 24:16-20  He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:  17  I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.  18  And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.  19  Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.  20  And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.]

[there shall come a Star out of Jacob,] And this is the one who broke the curse of death for all who open their eyes to the truth. Christ Himself is this Star, and He will save us from the curse as long as we believe in His perfect, sinless death on the cross, that He was buried in a tomb, and three days later arose from the dead, [Galatians 3:13-14  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:  14  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.]

Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for giving us the power to break the curse of death and hell too, when we called on You as our Saviour, You instantly broke that curse, and anointed us with Your blood. Now, no one can touch us, not even Satan, but that does not stop him from tempting us. Lord, lead us and guide us, put Your hedge of protection around us and shield us from all his evil tactics. Help us to keep our eyes on You so that we do not fall into his temptations, give us Your strength to walk away from all evil, and even know when getting near it. And give us Your mercy and grace to suffice the day, and see us through. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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