King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 10 notes
1And 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.
Okay 👌, 🤦♂️ so the whole time, Balaam, understanding spiritual laws, was seeking occasion for God to change his mind, so he, God, would empower Balaam to pronounce a curse.
Balak knew that no people is perfect 👌, so he positioned Balaam at different angles.
Perchance a certain view of Israel 🇮🇱 would arouse the anger of God,
perhaps bring to mind some wrongdoings against the Lord.
All to no avail. At this time Balaam, being the prophet he was, discerned that God had at this time chosen to bless his people,
and won't change his mind.
So he let himself move with the flow.
Hmm, interesting spiritual understanding of these people.
This time he did not go, as at other times, to seek the counsel of the Lord in secret.
No, he had obtained counsel; he knew what the will of the Lord was.
He was in alignment and in the spirit, so he set his heart right and looked towards the wilderness and began to let the spirit of the Lord move and speak through him.
Balaam obviously worked with God; that was why he was so successful.
But I wonder why he was said to have gone to seek for enchantment, rather than say he had gone to seek the Lord in prayer, or he went to seek the face of God, or cry out to God — but rather what he did was described as enchantment.
What he did was described this way because he was not seeking the will of God; he was seeking how to change the will of God, and that was why what he did was called enchantments.
Think of sorcerers, witches and co. Their craft is described as enchantments because they seek their own will. They seek how to cause what they desire to happen, regardless of whether it was the will of God or not.
That is why it is called enchantment, and that is why God hates it so much. It is about bending nature and compelling the supernatural to act on the natural to please one's desires.
God won't do what is contrary to himself, but the devils will. They will do what man desires in exchange for something they want.
But God will not do what man wants if it contradicts his nature and purpose.
Same way, the devils will not do what will counter their will and purpose; but the devils are not God, so they are usurping authority in rebellion by causing man to seek after enchantments.
In the long run the devils destroy and cause harm, but God blesses.
The devil will give you what you desire, seemingly, but it is deception, to end up destroying you, for he is a thief and murderer from the beginning; but God will do what will inure to your benefit in the long run and permanently, whiles in the interim it may seem uncomfortable.
THIS WAS WHAT SAUL DID, WHO WENT AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD — THAT HIS REBELLION IS THE SAME AS WITCHCRAFT AND IDOLATRY.
2And 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.
When Balaam readied himself and yielded, the spirit of God came upon him and used him.
When he had gone to seek for enchantment (in my own words, seeking a sign 🤘 and some omen concerning ISRAEL 🇮🇱), he met the Lord, who told him what to say.
It's akin to how many seek the Lord in churches and through men of God, prophets etc.
God will use all such means to reach his people. But when these same children of his become willing and yield themselves, they are used by God directly, and hear from him and sense his spirit and his impulses themselves.
Let us seek the Lord.
3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
4He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
As he said all this, Israel was not near water but was in the dry desert 🏜.
However, this prophetically spoke of what was to befall them soon, which had already begun:
the abundance and the wealth of the promised land.
7He 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.
8God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
9He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
10And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
He smote his hands 👐 together and clapped 👏 him back to reality 🤭.
I don't think Balaam finished his oracle.
Balak woke him out of his trance.
11Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.
12And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
13If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, 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?
14And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
It seemed Balaam did not finish his prophecy 🥠 when Balak clapped 👏 his 👐 🖐️ at him to break the trance.
Now he, Balaam, was going to continue the rest of the prophecy.
This time it was less of blessing and more of foretelling what lay in the future of both Moab and Israel 🇮🇱.
15And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
Why this repetitive phrase? Or, that was how he readied himself to receive inspiration.
Maybe it was developed over the years of his walk 🚶 with God.
16He 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:
He repeats the same starting lines.
It's almost like these words were the entryway into the spirit, as he prepares and waits for the spirit of God to take over.
17I 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.
He was seeing into their future 🔮
18And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
20And 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.
21And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
22Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
24And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
25And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.