Continued from Last Week,

The Messiah in the Old Testament___

The Balaamic Prediction_______Numbers 24:15-19

Jacob and his family spent 430 years in Egypt, and then they were delivered by God through Moses (Ex. 40). They spend the next 40 years wandering in the desert for what could not have been more than an 11 day journey, once they arrived at Sinai (Dt.1:2).

In the 40^th years of their wandering the king of Moab. Balak, sought to hire Balaam, the son of Boer, who lived at Pethor (also known as Pitru) near the Euphrates River in northern Mesopotamia.

He wanted Balaam to come and place a curse on the hordes of Israelites that appeared to be on the verge of crossing into his territorial boundaries. After Balaam refused to accept because YHWH had forbidden him to go, stating that a blessed people could not be cursed, the prophet eventually capitulated when a second request came even though it displeased the Lord.

Three times the Moabite king, Balak, situated the prophet Balaam so that he might throw a spell or a curse on Israel and thereby apparently, make it easier for him to conquer them in battle; alas, Balaam ended up blessing Israel each time. In the 4^th oracle, one that Balak no longer wanted, Balaam again described the future of Israel under the inspiration of God. This time with a very specific prediction of a powerful ruler who was to arise from Israel to gain an unprecedented victory over that nation's enemies. This time the prophecy included the theme of royal messianism as one of its key predictions.

Balaam stated high claims for the source of his disclosure about this coming "ruler" and "star" who was to rise from Israel "in the days to come" (Num. 24:14). The divine revelation came to him personally, opening his eyes and hearing so that he could hear the word of God (v.15). It imparted nothing less that "knowledge form the Most High"(v.16). In the most succinct terms possible, Balaam received this revelation from God and changed his world view.

What was the content of this oracle from God? What Balaam saw was a man though not one who was already present (v.17a). This man was to come some time in the future. He was to be an Israelite and a king who would triumph (v. 17b). The symbols of his reign were to be a "STAR" and a "SCEPTER." Very early Jewish interpreters decided that this ruler was to be the Messiah. One clear piece of evidence for that point of view can be seen in the adoption of the name 'Star" by the pseudo messiah "Simeon son of the Star." Of course his name was later changed to "Simeon Bar Kochba" or "son of a liar. His Messiah ship came to an end under Hadrian when he lead a revolt against the Romans when they built a Roman city on top of what was once Jerusalem.

Others claim that the Magi in Matthew 2 followed the star to Jerusalem because they believed on the basis on Numbers 24:17 that the birth of the Messiah was to be marked by a "star." However, to my knowledge Matthew did not appeal to the text of Numbers 24.

Balaam foresaw that Israel and the ruler that emerged from the midst of her was to subdue the nations (Gentiles) and destroy all her enemies. First Moab was to be conquered, then Edom (1^st Sam. 14:47; 2^nd Sam. 8:1,14) but later on Jeremiah repeated Balaam's Prophecy and still palced it in the future (Jer. 48-49) Even later again another Jewish leader, John Hyrcanus conquered Edom (129 B.C.) and forced all to be circumcised and therefore for all practical purposes, the Edomites were assimilated into Israel. After 70 A.D. the Edomites disappear forever.

It is not clear who the "sons of Sheth" are (v.17c). If it means Seth then that might be reference to the entire human race since all are descended from Seth through Noah.However Webster's 1913 Dictionary says this:

Israel's arch enemy, Amalek, who had harassed the elderly, sick, and young at the end of their line of march (Deut. 25:17-19) was to meet his doom at the hands of this ruler and people (Num. 24:20). Thus, those who were the first among the nations___in that they were to be the first to attack Israel after the Exodus (Ex. 17:8ff) were to be the ones whom God judged. In that case, they may represent the kingdom of humankind opposing the kingdom of God.

All other challengers to this ruler were also to be captured and rewarded depending on their response to him. The Kenites (v.21) of whom Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, was one, left the safety of their surroundings to travel with Israel (Num. 10:29; Jdg. 1:16). But notice, they maintained a distance for the people of God and were never fully part of them, and eventually the Assyrians took them captive. Seven hundred years after Balaam the Assyrians came to power and terrorized the entire Near East.

Finally, Balaam spoke of the death of the Mesopotamian powers (vv23-24). The old empires of the of the Near East were invaded by the West, here called "Kittim" (i.e. Cyrus). Then the prophet lets out a "gasp" who can live when God does this? (v.23b).

I conclude that this prophecy was a "shadow and a copy" and meant in general to tell us about all the nations who were to make war against the God of Israel.

The picture painted by Balaam of the "Star" "Scepter," and "ruler" the man who was to rise out of Israel and be awesome in his conquests and decisive in his actions is a picture of Messiah . Indeed, "Who can live when God does this."

I think this section of text tells us what the Messiah will do when he makes his final visit . He will clean house of all evil and opposition to his rule and reign will cease.

Lane