Numbers 24:5

DISCOURSE: 175
BALAAM’S THIRD ATTEMPT TO CURSE ISRAEL

Numbers 24:5; Numbers 24:9. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! — — — Blessed is he that blesseth thee; and cursed is he that curseth thee.

IF there were no other instance than that before us, we could never doubt the influence of God over all his creatures. Balaam had shewn strongly enough his desire to curse Israel; but had been twice constrained to speak the words which God had put into his mouth. On this third occasion, he saw that it was in vain to use enchantments; and therefore he laid them all aside; and gave himself up, without any further resistance, to declare whatever God should say unto him.
His preface is usually represented as a pompous recital of his own peculiar privileges and attainments: but it is rather a relation of the circumstances that occurred whilst he was on his way to Balak. He speaks of himself as “the man whose eyes were shut,” (so it should be read; and so it is read in the margin of our Bibles:) and who “had a vision of the Almighty, falling, but having his eyes open:” (the words, “into a trance,” are printed in italics, to shew that they are inserted by the translators, and are not in the original:) his ass fell, and he fell also; and then his eyes were opened, to sec the angel; whom, though his ass had seen, he had not till then been enabled to behold. On a view of the orderly manner in which the Israelites were encamped, he expressed his admiration of them; and then, in the concluding words of our text declared the irreversible decree of God respecting them: “Blessed, &c. &c.”

We shall consider these words,

I. In reference to the Jewish nation—

To them, in their primary sense, the words must certainly refer. But, when we read such a solemn declaration respecting them, we are naturally led to ask,

1. How can we account for it?

[Was there any peculiar merit in them, that had induced Jehovah so wonderfully to signalize them with his favour? No: they were a stiff-necked people from first to last. But God had “chosen them for himself to he a peculiar people:” and had pledged himself to fulfil to them all the promises, which he had made to Abraham respecting them. Whoever therefore should set himself against that people, would he endeavouring to thwart the divine counsels; whilst every one who should promote the prosperity of Zion, would, in fact, advance the designs of God. No wonder therefore that God pronounced a blessing or a curse on all, according as they co-operated with him, or opposed his will.]

2. How was it fulfilled?

[In addition to all that has been stated on the two former occasions, we are here led to contemplate the prosperity of Israel under the images of a verdant valley, a well-watered garden, and fragrant or stately trees: they are further spoken of as marvellously enriched, prolific, powerful. But we may particularly notice the discrimination made between the Gibeonites and all the other nations of Canaan. These, because they made a league with Joshua, were spared, protected, and preserved; whilst all the others, without exception, were destroyed [Note: Joshua 9:25; Joshua 10:1.]. And, many hundred years afterwards, when Saul had broken the covenant with them, and had sought to destroy them, God avenged their cause by a famine during three successive years, and caused the injustice of Saul to be punished in the destruction of almost all his family [Note: 2 Samuel 21:1.]. When at last the Israelites had provoked God utterly to abandon them, they became weak as others, and were left, as at this day, to experience all the evils, which, as God’s instruments, they themselves had inflicted upon other nations.]

The declaration in our text must further be considered,

II.

In reference to the spiritual Israel—

If only we reflect, that this declaration was a repetition of the promise made to Abraham and to Jacob, its application to the spiritual seed of Abraham will be obvious and undeniable [Note: Genesis 12:3; Genesis 27:29.]. Let us consider then,

1. What is implied in this declaration—

[It does not relate to temporal benefits or evils, but to those which are spiritual and eternal — — — And it shall assuredly be fulfilled to men in its utmost extent, according as they shall be found to have loved and aided the true Israelites, or to have hated and opposed them [Note: Isaiah 54:15; Isaiah 60:14; Isaiah 65:13.] — — — Divine Providence even in this world may be expected to put a difference between the friends and enemies of Zion [Note: Psalms 122:6; Psalms 129:5.]: but, if none be visible in this world, it shall be made visible enough in the world to come [Note: 2 Thessalonians 1:6.]

2. On what ground we may expect its accomplishment—

[The circumstance of its being uttered by the voice of inspiration, is a pledge of its accomplishment. It may appear strange indeed that God should interest himself to such an extent in behalf of his believing people: but there are two grounds on which we may be well assured that he will do so: the one is, that he considers our conduct towards his Church, as a criterion of our true character [Note: Luke 2:34; 1 Peter 2:6.]; and the other is, that he identifies himself with his Church, accounting every thing which is done to them, as done to himself [Note: Whether good, Matthew 25:40 or evil, Zechariah 2:8; Acts 9:4.]. Realize these thoughts, and all doubt respecting the accomplishment of the declaration will vanish for ever.]

Learn,
1.

The importance of ascertaining our true character—

[If we truly “love him that begat, we shall also love those who are begotten of him [Note: 1 John 5:1.].” Let us bring ourselves to this test, and carefully judge ourselves as in the presence of God.]

2. The blessedness of being Israelites indeed—

[If God be so interested about you as to deal with men according to their conduct towards you, what blessings may not you yourselves expect at his hands? — — —]