Numbers 24

We are packing up this morning and leaving Sunriver.  It is a beautiful day outside and we have enjoyed our few days here with the Seniors.  They are great young adults and I'm so very proud of them.  Here is a highlight or two from Numbers 24: 1) WHAT BALAAM SAW- In verses 1 and 2, we see what Balaam thought and saw.  (1) "And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel,..."  and (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."  What did he see when he saw Israel abiding in their tents according to their tribes?  Well, earlier in Numbers, it tells the tribes where to camp.  Four tribes on each side of the tabernacle all spaced about 2,000 feet from the tabernacle.  Four tribes on the north, four on the south, four on the east, and four on the west.  Then it numbers each tribe and the number of those on the north, south, east, and west.  Now,  (for fun) if you were to cut out some paper that represented the number of the tribes and put it to the north, south, east, and west of the a center square.... it would form a cross!!  Yes, what Balaam saw from his mountain peak of Peor (23:28) was what God alone could see from His advantage.... a cross!  No wonder he prophecied good things about Israel! (vs. 17) "there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,"  (vs. 19) Out of Jocob shall come he that shall have dominion..."   (the star is a reference referring to the "star of Bethlehem").  A giant cross was moving across the wilderness.... talk about JESUS in the Old Testament!!  (He was with them, and they didn't even know it!) 2) BALAAM HAD SOMETHING ELSE RIGHT- In verse 13 he says: "I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?"  He had enough sense to know that he could not do "of mine own mind".  How sad that many Christians have not learned this truth.  We speak God's Word whether it helps or hurts!  We cannot alter it to fit our thinking, we must adjust our thinking to fit God's Word! Well, so much for today... have a blessed day!   Pastor Mike Mutchler