Num 22:2-23:1
Hebrew paragraph divisions
22:2-24:25 {p} Balak and Balaam
Num 22:21-35 recounts the famous story of Balaam’s donkey speaking, after Balaam had struck her three times. The story opens and closes with God’s admonition to Balaam to speak only YHVH’s word that He would give him concerning Israel (Num 22:20, 35). I think the temptation was strong for Balaam to speak the word that Balak was wanting to hear, despite his protestations to the contrary to the princes of Moab. The encounter with the angel of YHVH, repeated three times—a sign of Messiah in Torah—bearing a drawn sword to kill him in the way, cemented for Balaam that he dare not go beyond YHVH’s word.
We have already seen that the angel of YHVH is not an ordinary class of angel, but a preincarnate appearance of Messiah Yeshua (see Gen 16:1-16 in Finding Messiah in Lech Lecha). Messiah Yeshua is, furthermore, the Word of YHVH Himself (Joh 1:1-3), that word that Balaam was not to go beyond. The Word of YHVH, which put on flesh and dwelt among us, blesses Israel and does not curse Israel. The Word of commandments given, was given to bless Israel by walking in them, and not to curse Israel. The angel of YHVH, that is, Messiah Yeshua, armed with a drawn sword, gave surety to Israel that the Word spoken would bless her and not curse her.
Num 23:2-25:9
22:2-24:25 {p} Balak and Balaam
25:1-9 {p} Idolatry with Baal of Peor
I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not nigh;
There shall come a Star out of Jacob;
And a Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And batter the corners of Moab,
And break down all the sons of the tumult of war.
And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also;
Even His enemies shall be a possession,
And Israel shall do valiantly.
Out of Jacob shall come He who shall have dominion,
And shall destroy him who remains of the city. Num 24:17-19
And besides the overt prophecy above, the next strong theme of Scripture reveals,
21:21-22:1 {s} Sihon refused Israel passage; defeat of Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites
22:2-24:25 {p} Balak and Balaam
That is,
21:21-24:25 {s+p} Strong theme: Victory over enemies, and occult arts
Salvation by grace through faith (Num 21:4-20, {s+p}) was followed by a season of victory over enemies and the occult arts (Num 21:21 -24:25, {s+p}), in other words, victory over anything and everything the enemy could throw at them. This is the victory foreshadowing the victory of Messiah Yeshua on the cross, over all the power of the enemy.
The next paragraph reveals something interesting:
25:1-9 {p} Idolatry with Baal of Peor
Israel brought defeat upon themselves by disobedience. Messiah Yeshua triumphed over Satan and all his power on the cross—He disarmed him. YHVH told Satan, You will not curse My children! The only way left for him to curse us now, is by tempting us into disobedience. The New Testament is not new, just true—repeating the very same themes taught by Torah.
The leaders of those who offended YHVH, who sinned against YHVH, were hung before YHVH that His wrath might be turned away from Israel.
And YHVH said unto Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them up before YHVH in the sun, that the fierce anger of YHVH may be turned away from Israel.” Num 25:4
Messiah Yeshua, with the sins of the whole world laid upon Him, was hung before YHVH, that His wrath might be turned away.
The fierce anger of YHVH because of sin, has been turned away from His people, because Messiah Yeshua turned it away. He substituted Himself as both offender, and priest, being zealous with YHVH’s zeal for Him, and so voluntarily offered Himself to be hung before YHVH, to turn His wrath from His people.
NUMBERS 22:2-25:9 ANNUAL BALAK “BALAK” OUTLINE | NUMBERS in CHIASTIC STRUCTURE
FINDING MESSIAH in TORAH: A MESSIANIC DISCOVERY THROUGH the TORAH PORTIONS
THE LAW of LOVE: THE GOSPEL of GRACE REVEALED in the COMMANDMENTS OF GOD
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