Thoughts on the readings for April 6th (Numbers 22, 23, Proverbs 16, Ephesians 3, 4)

Numbers 22-25 tells the story of the prophecies and disasters brought upon Israel. Balaam was a prophet who knew the truths of Yahweh the God of Israel. How this came to be we could only speculate. We cannot say where his understanding came from. How often this happens in the Scriptures never ceases to amaze us - Melchizedek's greatness and sudden appearance on the scene at the time of Abraham and Rahab's faith within the Canaanite city of Jericho being two such examples of a similar type. Balaam was known to be a prophet of the Lord GOD living in the Promised Land, probably on the eastern side of the river Jordan, at the time of Israel's wanderings in the wilderness. As Israel drew nearer to Moab the king of Moab, Balak, became anxious since the Israelites had recently overthrown two mighty Canaanitish nations in the kingdoms of Sihon and Og. Balak decides that he needs divine help in bringing cursing upon his foes. The king of Moab sent ambassadors promising untold wealth and beseeching Balaam to come to Moab and curse Israel. Balaam was enticed by the opportunity to become wealthy. However Balaam was warned by God to refuse the ambassadors and to send them home. Balak resent greater ambassadors with increased offers. Balaam said to these men that his answer would have to be the same as previously. The LORD knew that Balaam was extremely covetous and the Almighty would use the arising changed circumstances to achieve His own will. So Yahweh told Balaam if on the next morning the ambassadors repeated their offer, then and only on that basis, Balaam would be allowed to return to Moab with those ambassadors. Greedy Balaam failed to obey God being driven by his intense covetousness. He rose early and said to the ambassadors let's go now. Verses 22-35 describe the Almighty's anger against Balaam and the way in which our Sovereign used a dumb donkey to rebuke the madness of the prophet - see Jude verses 10-11; and also 2 Peter 2:15. Three times Balaam pressed on towards destruction despite the LORD using the ass to try to restrain the mad prophet. Finally God opened the donkey's mouth to try to talk sense into the seer. Some people say that this story in the Bible cannot be believed - despite cocky's talking and parrots; a talking snake in Genesis 3 (science tells us that snakes have larynxes like humans, which renders them capable of speech - even if this were not the case nothing is impossible for our Sovereign. The Almighty having severely reprimanded Balaam allowed him to proceed, but under strict conditions. Balak remonstrates with Balaam on his arrival in Moab. Balaam tells Balak the conditions for his employment. After that Balaam and Balaam offered sacrifices to the LORD and went to a mountain top to view a part of the nation of Israel to commence his prophecies. Chapter 23 tells us of Balaam's first and second oracles (divine revelations). Verses 1-12 unfolds the messages of the first cluster of prophecies. Balaam again tells of the constraints that the LORD had placed on him. The prophet's first utterance tells of the impossibility of cursing Israel - the people upon whom God had pronounced blessing - see Isaiah 54:17. The seer speaks of future blessings on that nation. Israel will dwell in isolation among the world of nations, as they do now. The final condition of Israeli will be a blessed state, which will bring blessings to the entire earth as Genesis 12:3 and Romans 4:13 reveals. Balak is frustrated with this oracle and castigates Balaam. After further offerings Balaam is given another opportunity to curse Israel. The second oracle commenced with a rebuke to Balak for his foolishness to believe that God could turn against His people and curse them. Israel's deliverance from Egypt was evidence of Yahweh's blessings on them and those blessings continued to abide upon the people of the Divine King of the universe. They will also be blessed when Zion's king rules them from the regal world metropolis in Jerusalem - Psalm 2; Isaiah 2 verses 1-5; Jeremiah 3 verses 15-18. The nation of Israel will avenge themselves against their foes at the time of the commencement of Messiah's coming Kingdom. Balak commands Balaam to stop blessing them and to start cursing that nation. More sacrifices were made at Baal Peor as a preparation for the next oracle. Proverbs 16 deals with the righteous recognising that the LORD is the devisor and director of their paths. Their words and walk in wisdom will be in the understanding that it is He whom we seek to please by our endeavour to walk before him in integrity and uprightness. Whatever we do we need to remember that while we purpose to do things it is only our Sovereign's will that shall come to pass - James 4:13-17. We must plan to do according to our Father's will, not from our lusts and covetousness. We must having committed our ways to our God accept that the outcomes are those which He has allowed. Seeking peace and contentment in life must be objectives which shape and control our walk before the Almighty and within society. Truthful and wise speech will bring favour even in the highest realms; but foolish speech will bring to ruin both the speaker and those who hear such folly. Humility will always precede proper and profitable talk, whereas pride goes before destruction. How sweet it is to hear gracious speech - Ephesians 4 verse 29. By contrast bitter words and gossip are not suitable for followers of truth and righteousness; such words are destructive - James 3 verses 13-18. Verse 25 reiterates one of the Proverbs vital themes: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death" (ESV). James tell us in his 3rd chapter the importance of controlling our tongue and the 32nd verse of Proverbs 16 tells us how greatly God esteems the control of your tongue: "Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city" (ESV). Samson only learned this at his life's end. Let us hear swiftly and speak only after contemplating the wise counsel of God that His Word can generate within our minds. May the Almighty's Word and His ways be the motivation and directing power to our lives. In Ephesians 3 the Apostle Paul outlines the 'mystery' (the Greek word simply means 'secret') that God always intended for the Gentiles to be included in the blessings of the gospel. From verses 14-22 we read of the Apostle's prayer for the believers' spiritual strength and growth. Notice that the love of God surpasses understanding and includes four dimensions - length, breadth, depth and height. This indicates that the love of the Father cannot be measured. Chapter 4 contains a plea for unity among the body of believers. In the truth there is a sevenfold unity (verses 4-6). This is essentially because God, our Father is one. Those verses cite several Old Testament Scriptures supporting this purpose - Psalm 68; Deuteronomy 30. The result is that the distribution of gifts is defined by the function they fulfil in promoting and producing a united body. Each believer has been called to a new life described in verses 17-32. Carefully read verses 20-24 which tell us how faithful believers in Christ live by modelling their lives on his. Also contemplate the need to replace old evil habits with positive beneficial behaviours as verses 25-32 teach us. The last three verses say that any failure to act in a way that reveals that we are the children of the Almighty will grieve our loving Heavenly Father. The only way to overcome sin is by "replacement therapy". Penned by Warwick Rosser and his team, produced by Christadelphianvideo.org See more Thoughts from the Christadelphian Dialy Bible Reading Planner (By R.Roberts) here... https://christadelphianvideo.org/thoughts-on-the-readings-for-april-6th-numbers-22-23-proverbs-16-ephesians-3-4/?feed_id=89140&_unique_id=67f0a0caa3269