March 16- Corruption from Within

March 16, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Numbers 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:1-35
Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14

Numbers 24:1-25

The tents of Jacob around the Tabernacle

We begin today's reading with Balaam deciding not to practice divination like he normally does because God is determined to bless Israel.  The Spirit of God comes upon Balaam and we hear the clear and beautiful voice of God poured out of this man.  Balaam describes in Vs. 4 that as he receives this vision he (Balaam) falls down with his eyes wide open.  Here is a list of what God says:

• God expresses how much He loves seeing the camp of Israel. 
• Jacob's tents are beautiful to God. 
• He sees them as fruitful people whose needs are supplied by Him. 
• Their King is God and He is greater than the local kings.
• Although they were like wild ox, he brought them up from Egypt. 
• He devours those who oppose Israel. 
• Israel is like a lion.
• God blesses those who bless Israel and curses those who curse her.

King Balak is furious at this prophecy. He complains that he intended to give Balaam great wealth for the proper curse against Israel.  Balaam responds that there is nothing he can do about this.  Before going back to his own people, Balaam gives one final prophecy about the future.  Here are highlights:

• I see him, far in the distant future.
• A star will rise in Jacob.
• A scepter will come from Israel.
• Israel will crush Moab, Sheth, Edom, and Seir.  Ir will also be defeated.
• Amalek will be destroyed.
• Kenites will be destroyed.

• Assyria will be destroyed.

Who is this man in the distant future that Balaam sees in his vision?  The star in the East (Matthew 2:2) leads the wise men to Christ. Jesus Christ is the bright morning star that arises in Israel/Jacob.

The scepter, which represents a king, is what the wise men were seeking when they came to Jerusalem to find the king who is signified by a star.  Jesus is both the star and the scepter in Balaam's prophecy. The wise men in the book of Luke follow a star to find a king. Are you surprised that Balaam's prophecy was carried through approximately 1500 years to a group of scholars in Persia?  Combined with the prophecies of Daniel, who lived in both Babylon and Persia, the wise men were aware of what had been prophesied through Balaam about a king who would be born to save the world.

Balaam's prophecy also confirms Noah's prophecy that the Canaanites would be cursed and destroyed.  Shem's kids (Israelites) are going to defeat Ham's kids (Canaanites) in many upcoming battles.  Remember that God wants to paint a living picture about the truth that He destroys the wicked, but blesses the righteous.  No one can see the rebellion of the Israelites and believe that God is calling them righteous because of their behavior.  He is choosing to bless the nation of Israel because of His promise to Abraham that his descendants would bring Jesus Christ to mankind. Canaan represents the wicked in the story, including the Satanic fallen angels who fight against the coming of the Messiah. The nation of Israel represents the righteous (though flawed) who fight for right and stand with God in the story.  Abraham is an example to us that faith alone makes us righteous before a Holy God, not our good works (Romans 4:5).

It doesn't appear that Balaam ever did anything to help King Balak curse the Israelites, but the Bible tells us the rest of the story in the Book of Revelation.  Revelation 2:14 tells us (this is Jesus speaking to the church at Pergamum):

"Nevertheless, I have this against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality."

Apparently, what Balaam did was suggest to King Balak that instead of trying to defeat Israel militarily, the Canaanites ought to infiltrate them, intermarry with them, and influence them to follow their gods.  This is exactly what we read about next.

The Israelite men begin to sleep with Moabite women and they get invited to some parties where they sacrifice to the local gods.  Let me take a moment to talk about Baal worship.  Baal was the main agricultural god of Canaan. This mythological god is seen with different names throughout this whole region in ancient history.  Baal is the god who rides on storms and brings rain and fertility to Mother Earth (represented by the goddess, Asherah).  The Canaanites used male and female prostitution as a means to excite Baal to water the earth. Note: the picture of the watering and the seed producing fruit is a sexual picture. Baal is representative of all rebellion against the One True God of Israel. To worship Baal is to align with Satan in God's story.

Israel fell into Baal worship as a result of spiritual compromise.  They separated Yahweh (Israel's God) into the category of just being the God of the Wilderness who rescued them from Egypt.  Once they are in the Promised Land, they turn to Baal, the agricultural god, to take care of mundane issues like crops and rain. They do not stop worshiping Yahweh, they just add worshiping Baal. Can you imagine how offensive this is to God. Why would you combine the worship of a false god with the worship of the True God? We will see this struggle with unfaithfulness to God all the way through the story until the nation of Israel gets taken into exile in Babylon. The nation of Israel ends up being vomited out of the Promised Land, just as God is commanding Israel to help vomit the Canaanites out of the Promised Land, because of their spiritual compromise. Ironic.

The Lord tells Moses to execute the ringleaders who are sleeping with the enemy.  Everyone is weeping and then another rebellious man brings a Midianite woman into the camp to have sex. A priest named Phineas thrusts a sword through both the man and the woman while they are copulating.  This act stops a plague that has begun and has killed 24,000 Israelites.  God commands Moses to attack the Midianites and destroy them for deceiving the Israelites into idol worship through the influence of this Midianite woman. God is fighting to keep the Israelites pure. The Messiah has to come through these people. This is good against evil from God's perspective.

What is the lesson? God considers death preferable to idolatry.  He goes to extreme measures to stop the cancer of unfaithfulness to the One True God and uses this immediate judgment to prevent the spread of idolatry in the community.  God is determined to rid the land of the people associated with the Nephilim. Allowing this adultery in His sacred relationship with His people is to allow their eternal damnation.  This story is a picture of a truth.  That spiritual truth is that if you worship an idol, rather than God, it will lead to your eternal separation from God.  This is called the second death.

These measures are an act of mercy on God's part.  Do you have idolatry that has crept into your heart?  Do you know that God is jealous and zealous for your soul?  He is not interested in sharing you with false gods or false belief systems. He does not want you to be enslaved by sin. No one, except Christ, is to be the lover of your soul.

Luke 2:1-35

Dr. Luke is a good historian.  He lets us know about Caesar Augustus and the census designed to help the Roman Empire collect taxes that will help fund their army and keep the empire in line.  This Caesar's real name is Octavianus. He is the son of Julius Caesar. In today's story he has attempted to deify himself in the known world and become a religious and political icon, but God is using Caesar's census to fulfill a prophecy (Micah 5:2) about the real King of kings.

Luke's writings in chapter 2 have become iconic for all who love the Christmas story.  We see two poor travelers staying in a barn, a baby born to a young woman, swaddled in cloth lying in a manger, angels proclaiming His birth to shepherds, and these simple men being the only visitors the Lord will have at his humble birth.  It is a human story.  Dr. Luke is showing us that this baby is human and will grow up to be a perfect man. Balaam's prophecy is coming to pass. A star leads those who seek to the rising star of Jacob who is a scepter from Israel.

Following Jewish custom of circumcision (remember Abraham), Jesus is circumcised on the eighth day.  Next, Mary follows the Laws of Moses given in the book of Leviticus and presents an offering for atonement that represents Mary's need for cleansing from her sins.  Because they are poor she offers two turtle doves.  Please note that no sacrifice was given for the baby.  Normally, one would sacrifice for the sins of the child, but this was not done in Jesus' case.

While they are at the Temple for Mary's sacrifice a godly man named Simeon has been led by God to the Temple.  He sees the baby, takes him, and says,

"Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, I have seen the Savior you have given to all people.  He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel." (NLT)

This is the first public profession of faith in Christ as the Savior.  Simeon has given the Gospel message to the world.  Let's go over what Simeon says:

• Jesus is the Savior.
• He has come for all people.
• He is a light to reveal God to every nation.
• He is the glory (and fulfillment of prophecy) of the nation of Israel.

That just about sums it up, folks.  Old Simeon knew what he was talking about.

Do you ever give out this message to people?  You don't have to hand out religious pamphlets to help people come to know their Creator.  Just be faithful in the small things and be sure to give credit where credit is due.  Let truth be your companion at all times.

Psalm 59:1-17

Another song of trouble.  But here is a verse I like...Vs. 16, "But as for me, I will sing about your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love."

That is certainly reason to sing and shout.

Proverbs 11:14

Without wise leadership a nation falls; with many counselors there is safety. 

This sure is relavent to our day with all that is going on in our nation.  On a personal note, be sure to consult godly counsel before major life decisions.

What did you see today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton
© 2011