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“Cannot
Go Beyond the
Word of the Lord” |
Lesson
16
Summary |
| Numbers 22; Balak offers money and
cattle and great honors to Balaam to curse Israel—The Lord forbids Balaam so
to do—An angel opposes Balaam on the way. Numbers 23; The Lord
commands Balaam to bless Israel—He does so, saying: Who can count the dust
of Jacob? and, What hath God wrought!
Numbers 24; Balaam sees in vision and prophesies of the destiny of
Israel—He prophesies of the Messiah: There shall come a Star out of Jacob,
and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel.
Numbers 31:1-16 Moses sends forth 12,000 warriors who destroy
Midianites—Prey divided in Israel—None in armies of Israel were lost. |
Supplemental
Holy Land
and Jewish
insights: |
What Do Jews Think of Balaam? There is quite a
collection of Jewish traditions about Balaam, mostly negative and confusing.
First of all, he is considered a "gentile prophet." What makes this of interest
is the acknowledgment, or at least the inference, that there were prophets
outside of ethnic Israel. Unfortunately, the same Jewish tradition distrusts
"gentile" prophets. In the same breath, it diminishes the importance of the
positive Biblical accounts of Balaam before his apostasy. |
Balaam Speaks of a Latter-day David: Balaam was
very politically involved and apparently prophesied of a latter-day King
David: "Even in parashat-Bilam, the prophecy in that section bears upon
two Mashiachs; the first, namely David, who helped to save Israel from
the hand of their enemies, and the future Mashiach, a descendant of
David, who will help Israel." (Torah and Existence - Dr. Chaim
Zimmerman)
Still to Be Fulfilled: "I shall see him, but not
now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of
Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the
corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall
be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and
Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have
dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city." (Numbers
24:17-19)
Tradition: There is a Jewish tradition that after
a good life, an evil spirit entered Balaam and he "counterfeited" God's
word.
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