Sat.’s Devo - Our Covenant of Peace

Read: Numbers 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:1-35; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14 This was Balaam’s third chance to please Barak and get his great reward, but he feared God more than he feared Barak. He didn’t resort to divination this time. He just looked at the people of Israel and the Holy Spirit came upon him and he gave his message. *** He blessed the tents of Jacob and Israel with prosperity, growth of their numbers, and power. They would conquer everyone who got in their way and everyone who blesses them will be blessed and everyone who curses them will be cursed. *** King Balak flew into a rage and shouted at Balaam for blessing them instead of cursing them like he had hired him to do. Balaam explained to him that he had told him from the very start that he had no power over God and God’s word; he would only speak what God said he could say. *** Before they parted ways, Balaam told Barak what Israel would do to his people in the far future. A leader would arise out of Israel who would conquer the Edomites, the Moabites, Seir and the Kenites. David did all of this in his time physically. Jesus destroyed these enemies spiritually when he came. ***Balak did find a way to weaken the Israelites through their Moabite women. They sent them down to lure the Israelites into their licentious worship of Baal. *** The leaders of the people were told to put to death all who were under their jurisdiction who had joined in worshiping Baal of Peor. As they were meeting, a man blatantly brought a Midianite woman into his tent. Eleazar followed him into his tent and killed them both with his sword. This act stopped the plague that had started which ended up killing 24,000 people. *** Because of Phinehas’ zeal for the Lord and his atoning act for the people, he was promised God’s covenant of peace which would be to his seed after him and the covenant of an everlasting priesthood. *** Moses then told the people to attack the Midianites and destroy them because they tricked them into worshipping Baal. *** In Luke, Caesar decreed that the whole world would be taxed so Mary and Joseph had to go back to Bethlehem to pay their taxes. Her baby was ready to come and did come when they got to Bethlehem. She had him in a stable and laid Jesus in the manger where they fed the sheep. *** That night the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds in the field who were watching their sheep. The angel told them not to fear but, they were bringing good news to the people of the earth. Today a Savior was being born who was Christ the Lord. They would find him wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Then the sky lit up with a multitude of angels all praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” *** When the angels left, the shepherds wanted to go and see this sign. They found Mary and Joseph and Jesus and he was lying in a manger, just as the angel had said. They told everyone but Mary kept these things in her heart. *** When Jesus was eight days old they took him to the synagogue to be circumcised and dedicated to the Lord. There was a devout man named Simeon who had been told by the Lord that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ. He was lead to go to the Temple that day and Mary brought Jesus to him to dedicate him. Simeon knew he was the Christ and prophesied over him that now his eyes had seen God’s salvation. He would be a light to the Gentiles and a glory to the Jews. Jesus would be a sign which would be spoken against. A sword would pierce through Jesus’ soul so that many hearts would be revealed. *** Thank you that your light shone on the earth and brought us to the light of your salvation. May we be the light of the world as Jesus was the light of the world that many would come to salvation. Thank you that you have given us your covenant of peace.