Fri.’s Devo - God’s Message of Blessing

Read: Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80; Psalm 58:1-11; Proverbs 11:12-13 Balak has hired a sorcerer named Balaam to curse Israel but God wants to make sure he fears Him enough to say exactly what he wants him to say. *** The angel of the Lord stood before his donkey blocking his way but only the donkey could see him. The angel had a sword drawn and the donkey bolted off the road into a field. Balaam beat the donkey and made it get back on the road. *** The angel went ahead of them and stood where the road became narrow between two walls, making the donkey squeeze by, crushing Balaam’s leg against the stone wall. Balaam beat his donkey again. ***Next, the angel of the Lord went down the road and stood in front of him and there was no room for the donkey to go around him so the donkey sat down. Balaam beat his donkey again. *** God spoke through and for the donkey. He asked Balaam why he had beaten him these three times. Balaam answered and told his donkey that he had made Balaam look like a fool. If he had had a sword, he would have killed him. *** The donkey asked him if he had ever acted this way before and Balaam said he had not. Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes and showed him what the donkey had seen. God told him he had came to block his way became his way was perverse. Another interpretation of that was that he was stubbornly resisting God. I wonder if he hadn’t been trying to figure out a way to curse Israel and bless them at the same time or if just going to meet Balak was perverse in God’s sight. *** God told Balaam he could go, but only say what he said. Balak took him to the border of his land. There the king sacrificed cattle to their gods and Balaam and Balak’s officials all ate of the sacrificed meat. The next day, they went to see the outer skirts of Israel’s people. Balaam told the king to build seven altars where he sacrificed a bull and a ram on each of them to the Lord. *** God told him to go tell Balak that Israel was a nation set apart and he could not curse what God had not cursed. Israel was prosperous and righteous. *** The king was upset but Balaam told him he had warned him he could only say what God allowed him to say. *** Balak was not finished. He took Balaam to another viewpoint of Israel and told him to at least curse this part. Balaam offered the same sacrifice on seven altars again to the Lord. *** He came back saying that God was not lying when he blessed them. None of his magic had any power against Israel. Then he blessed Israel with conquest over her enemies. *** Balak was so upset because not only did he not curse them but he blessed them and cursed himself. *** Still, Balak would not give up. He took him to one more view point where Balaam offered the same seven altars to the Lord. *** In Luke, Elizabeth had her baby and no one could believe she wanted to name him John since there were no ‘John’s’ in their family. But Zechariah wrote on a tablet, “His name is John” and then could speak. The people marveled at what John would grow up to be. *** Zechariah prophesied that John would fulfill God’s covenant promise to his people. He would be the prophet of the Most High and prepare the way for the Lord. He would tell people how to find salvation through forgiveness of the sins. God’s light was going to shine from heaven and give them light to guide them to the path of peace. *** John grew up in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel. *** Lord, it is so wonderful to see a promise fulfilled! John was such a welcome sight. We are so pleased to see the evidence of justice beginning to be shown on the earth You are our defense and our strong tower. We run to you and are safe.