SERIES F --- WILDERNESS WANDERINGS --- LESSON 03

BALAAM’S BOLDNESS

A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

From Numbers 24

By this time Balaam realized that Adonai intended to bless Israel, so he did not meet with Adonai as he had before. Instead, he went directly to an overlook where he could see the people of Israel stretched out before his eyes, divided by tribes in their wilderness camp. Then the Spirit of YHVH came upon Balaam and he spoke this blessing for Israel:

Here is what Balaam the son of Beor says;
The man, whose eyes are opened,
The man who hears the Words of YHVH
And sees what YHVH has shown to me,
For my eyes were opened as I fell down.
O the blessings that will come to Israel,
To the tents of Jacob’s children!
Like valleys their tents stretch before me,
As gardens beside a river.
Like aloes which Adonai Himself has planted
And cedar trees beside the waters.
Water shall be abundant to him,
And his people shall live in many places.
His king shall be greater than Agag,
And his kingdom shall be exalted.
YHVH brought forth Israel from Egypt.
Israel has the strength of a wild ox
And shall devour his enemy nations;
He shall break their bones in pieces
And pierce them with his arrows.
Israel crouches as a lion or a lioness;
Who would dare to arouse him?
Blessed are those who bless Israel,
And cursed are those who curse him.

King Balak was enraged as Balaam finished this blessing. He struck his hands together and shouted angrily at Balaam. I brought you here to curse my enemies, said Balak. Now you have blessed them three times. Go home! I wanted to honour you, but Adonai has kept you from receiving the honour. Didn’t I tell your messengers that I could say only what YHVH tells me to, even if you gave me a house full of silver and gold? Asked Balaam. Didn’t I tell them I could speak only the Words of YHVH? Now I will return to my people, but first let me tell you what Israel will do one day to your people:

This is what Balaam the son of Beor says,
The man, whose eyes are opened,
Who hears the Words of YHVH
And understands the knowledge of the Most High;
Who sees in a vision
What the Almighty has shown him,
For my eyes were opened as I fell down.
I see things that are not now,
I behold things that are not near,
For in the future
A star shall come forth from Jacob,
A ruler shall rise from Israel;
He will crush the people of Moab
And destroy the people of Sheth.
He shall possess Edom
And conquer Seir,
Showing his great strength.
Jacob shall have dominion
Over all the survivors of the cities.

Then Balaam looked toward the land of Amalek and gave this prophecy:

Amalek was the first of the nations,
But will someday he destroyed.
He looked also toward the land of the Kenites and gave this prophecy:
Your homes seem secure,
Nested in the rocks;
But you Kenites will be destroyed,
For Assyria will take you away as captives.
Balaam finished his prophecies by saying:
Who can live when YHVH does this?
Ships shall come from the coast of Cyprus
And shall oppress Eber and Assyria.
They too shall end with destruction.

When the prophecies were finished, Balaam returned to his home and Balak to his.

COMMENTARY

LIFE THEY LEFT BEHIND: THE SHIPS OF ANCIENT EGYPT

Because of friends; and enemies; along the Nile River and the Mediterranean Sea, the Egyptians frequently used boats for trade and defence. Their earliest boats were simple rowboats and skiffs made of bundles of papyrus. The boats were very light and fast. They were steered with two oars at the rear. Rowers or passengers were shaded by a simple canopy or several large palm leaves. When the Egyptians added to their scarce supply of wood by importing it, the boats became more sophisticated. Steering was done by a single rudder controlled by a tiller. Linen sails replaced oars except when the wind died. Boats were sometimes made of a combination of acacia wood and papyrus, with collapsible canopies or cabins. Some were small pleasure boats, used for hunting and fishing in the marshes. As time passed, boats and warships became larger, sturdy enough to go on long voyages. One expedition involved twenty-seven boats, each with thirty oarsmen. Boats of that size pulled barges loaded with stone obelisks; huge four-sided pillars; that came from the Aswan stone quarries down the Nile. Boats were important in Egyptian worship, too. The sun god was believed to travel through the night in a boat and altars often displayed drawings of ships. Egyptian writing symbols also were influenced by boats. A sail meant {wind, air} and a loaded boat {to carry, transport.}