Good morning once again. We're going to be in the Book
of Numbers this morning, the Book of Numbers, and we're going
to continue in our study of the Book of Numbers Brother Loren
read a section of Scripture there in the book of Hebrews. And I
heard a message the other day that was speaking about Enoch. And the speaker said, you know,
Enoch just told his wife one morning that he was going to
go for a walk in the woods. Never came home. Walked right
into glory. What an interesting thought.
In the book of Numbers, we're going to be looking at chapters
22, 23, and 24 for a short time as we read that the children
of Israel have come up almost to crossing the Jordan River,
almost prepared to go into the promised land. And we have these
three chapters that sort of to some people seem to interrupt
the progress, but I think that they are so complementary of
the progress because we find in these verses of Scripture,
in these chapters of Scripture, that even though the Lord sets
up those people in their tents and it appears for a season that
he has distracted himself from observing them and come over
to deal with the situation. He is sharing with us that even
Balaam is someone God has in his heart. As a king's heart
is in his hands, he will turn Balaam to do whatsoever he pleases
him to do. Balaam is not his own man. Balaam
is in complete control of Almighty God, so is Balak, and so are
all of the other people involved here. We've mentioned in the
past a number of times that this is a clear picture of God Almighty
being the absolute director of all things, and we find out that
that's what the Scriptures teach us. He is the director of all
things, and He has, for the good of His sheep, for the good of
the church, for the good of His people, He is going to oversee
all things. They shall be the actors. And
everything else, as we heard read, are saws and hammers. They
are just the people beside. They are the props. We're going
to think, as we go through here, that God never brings a train
wreck on us. He always has some purpose in
it for His glory, for His honor, and for His praise, and for the
good of the church. And so as we turn over here to
the book of Numbers, we are brought straight up with a man by the
name of Balaam. We've been reading about him
a little bit through here, and we find out that he's called
a prophet, he's called a sorcerer, He's called this because he has
the notoriety, he has the reputation of being able to curse somebody
and they're cursed. And he has the reputation by
blessing some people, they are blessed. And Balak has heard
about this and he sends for him. Well the Bible has many passages
of scripture that share with us about the character of Balaam. Balaam is a man that God's going
to use, God has a purpose in using, but this man has no knowledge
whatsoever of the covenant of grace, of salvation, or of God
in his truest and purest sense. We find out as we read through
the scriptures that this Balaam has, in fact, an opposite of
notoriety. He's infamous. Turn with me. We'd like to read a few verses
of scripture that share with us what the Bible has to say
about Balaam, but keep in mind that every time we read about
him, we find out that he is a person that is in the hands of God,
and He will turn him whithersoever He wills. This is God in action. This is God protecting His people.
We find the people over there camped, and this man is being
hired to curse that people, and yet God has put His everlasting
arms around His people. He has put a hedge about them.
He is keeping them. He is watching over them, and
He will bless them. And even though Balaam would
love to get paid and paid a great deal to curse them. God said
they are a blessed people and you will not curse them. He makes
three efforts to do that, and every time, Balak gets so upset
with him because instead of cursing the people of God, God requires
of him a blessing. But notice with me here in the
book of Numbers chapter 31, if you would. Numbers chapter 31,
we have a reference to Balaam, and it brings out a point, or
several points about him. In Numbers chapter 31 and verse
14, It says, and Moses with Roth, with the officers of the host
and the captains. over thousands, and captains
over hundreds, which came from the battle. And Moses said unto
them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the
children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit
trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor. And there
was a plague among the congregation of the LORD." God's people do
not cause God's people to stumble. God's people do not cause God's
people to go into idolatry or to worship other things besides
God. God's people encourage one another
in the worship of the true and the living God. God's people
have an interest in pointing people to Christ. And so, Balaam
is brought up here by Moses and said, he caused the children
of Israel to trespass the Lord. Join me again, if you would,
in the book of Deuteronomy. in the book of Deuteronomy, chapter
23. In Deuteronomy, chapter 23, we
have this infamous person brought up again. Chapter 23, verses
3-5, it tells us here with regard to Balaam, it says in Deuteronomy,
chapter 23, verse 3, and Ammonite or Moabite shall
not enter into the congregation of the Lord, even to their tenth
generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the
Lord forever, because they met you not with bread and with water
in the way when you came forth out of Egypt, and because they
hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of the
Mesopotamia to curse thee. Nevertheless, the Lord thy God
would not hearken unto Balaam, but the Lord thy God turned the
curse into blessings unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved
thee." What a statement we have as Moses is closing up this book
of Deuteronomy and sharing with us, even though this incident
took place, and even though Balaam was hired to curse the people
of God, they could not curse the people of God. It is the
same today. It has not changed. They may
have great curses against the people of God, but they cannot
fulfill their curse against God and against His people. So nevertheless,
the Lord thy God would not hearken to Balaam. God withstood. God
put Himself in the way. He was the one that was protecting
all of the children of Israel over there, even though they
did not even know it was happening. He took care of them. In the
book of Joshua, Joshua brings up the name of Balaam twice. Once in Joshua chapter 13. In
Joshua chapter 13 and verse 22, we read these words about this
man. He was used of God, but he was
not of God. He was a prophet, but he was
a false prophet. He was a person that God used
to demonstrate that even the best hired people against the
people of God will not prosper. God will shun them. In the book
of Joshua chapter 13 and verse 22, it says, And Balaam also,
the son of Beor, the soothsayer. Here?s what we have God?s Word
say about this man. He is a soothsayer. Did the children
of Israel slay with a sword among them that were slain by them?
Now, we have the end of Balaam mentioned here, but he?s called
a soothsayer, and Joshua brings this up, and then again in Joshua
chapter 24, Balaam is brought up again. In Joshua chapter 24,
And there in verse 8, the Word of God shares this, as Joshua
was caused to bring it and present it. Joshua chapter 24 verse 8,
he said, And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which
dwelt on the other side Jordan, and they fought with you. And
I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land,
and I destroyed them from before you. And Balak the son of Zippor,
king of Moab, rose and warred against Israel, and sinned and
called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. But I would not
hearken unto Balaam, Therefore he blessed you still, so I delivered
you out of his hand." What a statement we find constantly through the
Scriptures. Even this guy had great reputation, and even though
he had been noted of being able to do things, when it came to
the children of God, he could not. Why? God has his hand around
his people. His true church has this blood
of Christ on them. There's nothing that can prosper
against the church. God is going to oversee all things
that take place, and he brings these things upon them. You know,
this afternoon we're going to be up at the vet's home, and
I'm going to be speaking from that simple little passage of
scripture that Jesus is walking along and sees a blind man. You
know what those disciples said? who did sin, this man or his
parents? And the Lord goes on to say,
just as we're going to find out with Balaam and Balak, They didn't
commit this. They didn't sin and cause this
man to be blind. But it's for the glory of the
Lord. So as we find in the life of Balaam, he was raised up for
one purpose, that I might show my power in you. Just as we read
about Pharaoh, or we read about Pilate, or we read about Herod,
these people were raised up for a purpose. They were raised up
for a purpose to do what God had purposed before the foundation
of the world to be done. And in it, so often we find that
Christ is the sinner and they bring these men, God brings these
men into his presence that they might be used to judge him as
it was written according to the scriptures. Travel with me just
a little further over to the book of Nehemiah. In the book
of Nehemiah, We read these words again about Balaam, the history. He was a counterfeit. He was
a liar. He was vain. He wanted money. He was doing these things for
money. He hoped he could gain great
wealth by doing these things. And yet we find that the Lord
prevented all of that from happening. He was raised up for a purpose.
He was hoping to curse God, but God had already declared, you
will not, they are a blessed people. All right, Nehemiah chapter
13 and verse one, Nehemiah chapter 13 and verse one, on that day,
they read in the book of Moses, in the audience of the people,
therein was found written that the Ammonite and the Moabite
shall not come into the congregation of God forever. Now, you know,
we find out in this, there is exceptions. If they are in the
covenant of grace, there are exceptions. As a regular rule,
they were not to come. But we find out a famine took
place a long time ago. A famine took place in Israel
a long time ago, and as that famine progressed, there was
a family that moved out because they had heard that there was
food over in Moab. Now, there was one person in
Moab that God intended for these people to share the good news
of Jesus Christ and Him crucified with, and it happened to be Ruth.
She was a Moabite. You know, under the law, she
was prevented. Under grace, she's invited. It's
the same with us. Under the law, we're prevented.
Under grace, we're invited. Come! Come! Goes on to tell us
here, the Moabites shall not come into the congregation of
God forever because they met not the children of Israel with
bread and with water, but hired Balaam. The opportunity was given. You know, I don't think Balak
had even had a thought in his head about bringing some bread
over here and some water over here to take care of these people
that are just wore out after 40 years of traveling. His only
thought was to curse them. And so we find they will be hindered,
they will be stopped, They hired Balaam against them, that he
should curse them, albeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. Let's go to the book of 2 Peter,
if you wouldn't. The apostle Peter was drawn by
the Holy Spirit to mention this guy by name in the New Testament. He was a scoundrel. He is a rapscallion. In the book of 2 Peter chapter
2 we read about Balaam as we find this line going through
and there's going to be these folks all along that are brought
up, raised up to give a little shudder to God's people and then
they realize He can't hurt me. He can't get to me. The blood
of Christ is far more than this. 2 Peter 2, verse 15. 2 Peter
2, verse 15. Peter was called on to say that
there's gonna be a lot of false prophets in the last days. Well,
he was reading about them then. Read about them in AD 100, AD
200, 300, 500, 700, 1500, 2023. Many. And he says here, which have forsaken
the right way. These have forsaken the right way. and are gone astray following
the way of Balaam, the son of Bazor, who loved the wages of
unrighteousness." That was his whole thought, the wages of unrighteousness. But was rebuked for his iniquity,
the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of
the prophet. And then he goes on, these are
wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest, in
whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. But Balaam,
the son of Bazar, who loved the wages of righteousness. The wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This man had an interest in gaining great personal wealth, and God
stopped him. Okay, let's look at a couple
more. One is found in the book of Jude, and he is summed up
or grouped with two other individuals from the Old Testament. One of
them is Cain, and the other one is Korah. And Balaam is mentioned
in the midst. In the book of Jude, verse 11. woe to them. Now Jude again was
called on to mention that there's going to be people in the last
days that are going to come on and they're not going to be preaching
the gospel. They're not going to be presenting
Christ. They're in it for their own wages.
They're representative of this. Woe to them for they have gone
in the way of Cain. Now what was the way of Cain? What did Cain feel towards his
brother? What did he feel towards his
brother's sacrifice? He was very envious. God had
respect on Abel's offering, but he had not respect on his offering,
on Cain's offering. the fruits of his own activity,
the works that he performed. He was not pleased with it. He
was very envious, in fact. He caught him out in the field
and they're visiting. You can just imagine, oh, how I love
you, my brother. I'll put my arm around you. And
the other hand, he had a club and beat him to death. It goes
on to tell us in that same verse of scripture, it says, they have
gone the way of Cain and ran greedily after the heir of Balaam
for a reward. There was greed. And then in
the last part it says, and perished in the Ganesan of Korah. Infamous
individuals from the Old Testament are summed up by Jude, the Holy
Spirit gave him these words to write and said, these three guys
represent so much about what God is not in. They're envious,
they're greedy, and then it tells us here the Genesean Korah. You
know what that means? He wanted a position. He wanted
equality with Moses. He assumed, because he was of
the same family, that he could rule Israel just like Moses did. And we find out that God demonstrated,
I'll show you who is my man, who is in charge of my choice,
and if something happens that has never happened before, you'll
know it was God. And so the earth opened up and
swallowed him, and his position was soon out. Envy, greed, and
desired opposition. And then the last time that we
find this man mentioned in the Bible is found in the book of
Revelation chapter 2. Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation
2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation
2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation
2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation
2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation
2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse
12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse
12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse
12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse
12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse
12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse
12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse 12, Revelation 2, verse
12, Revelation 2 This is a shadow. What is the two-edged sword?
What is that mention? It's the Word of God. The Lord
has the Word of God. You know, the Lord always has
the Word of God. He doesn't use anything else.
When He was dealing with Satan and his great temptation, He
didn't go and say, you know, I'm going to strike you dead.
He just brought up the Word of God. That's all we have. It is sharper than any two-edged
sword. It is what we use in battle.
We do not use physical force. We use the Word of God. People
get upset enough about that. So we use the Word of God. And
it says here, I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even
where Satan's seat is, and thou holdest fast my name, and hast
not denied my faith, even in the days when Antipas was my
faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against
thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of
Balaam. who taught Balak to cast a stumbling
block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed
unto idols, and to commit fornication." I have some things against you,
and they're exactly what Balaam brought there in the book of
Numbers so long ago. It just continues down, continues
down, and people have the same thing in their heart they have
the same greed in their heart, they have the same gainsaying
in their heart, they have the same envy in their heart, unless
God is gracious and changes them. We find, as we look at this,
that there is a man mentioned in the book of Acts chapter 8.
Would you join me there? That reminds me a lot of this
man Balaam. In Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter
8 verse 9. It tells us that this man, in
the book of Acts, Chapter 8, verse 9, his name is Simon, and
he also is called a sorcerer. Now it also tells us that he
believes and is baptized. I was mentioning to Mike this
morning in my study, there was a young fellow that I got acquainted
with, and Brother Henry Mahan was still alive, and I was visiting
with him, and I says, what do you think about that young preacher?
And he said, let's just wait a while. Well, let's just wait
a while with Simon the sorcerer who makes a good profession.
Here in the book of Acts chapter nine, it says, excuse me, chapter
eight, verse nine, but there was a certain man called Simon,
which before time in the same city used sorcery and bewitches
the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great
one. to whom they all gave heed. A man preached a sermon one time
and he says with John in his school, in the school of John
the Baptist that it was, they asked John, are thou the Christ?
No, don't ever think that. I am not the Christ. You know,
we're never to think more than we are of ourselves. My goodness,
here's a man, some great one, to whom they all gave heed from
the least to the greatest, saying, this man is a great power of
God. Well, when you use sorcery and
God in the same sentence or phrase, we find out we're talking about
someone that doesn't know God. to whom they had regard, because
that a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when
they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom
of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men
and women. Then Simon himself believed also. And when he was baptized, he
continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs
that were done. Now when the apostles, which
were in Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word
of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were
come down, prayed with them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
For as yet he was fallen upon none of them, only they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Now please don't come
to me and ask me what all that means, but I can tell you this,
I can tell you this, this is not for sale. This blessing is
not for sale. Whatever it is, it's not for
sale. God does not sell these blessings. He goes on to say,
And they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy
Spirit. And when Simon saw that through laying on the apostles'
hands the Holy Ghost was given, what does he do? He offers them
money. For what? Saying, give me also
this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the
Holy Ghost. Now, number one, he's not going
to use it for good ends. And number two, he thinks he
can purchase it by money. And God's blessings are not for
sale. They are gifts God gives to his
people. The Holy Spirit is a gift that
God gives to His people. The blessings of God are gifts
that God gives to His people. They're not for sale. Nobody
can purchase them. Salvation is just a gift. It is not something that we appropriate
to ourselves. Last Sunday there was an individual
that I talked about something and I said, you know that just
pictures God in his salvation. The creation of the heavens and
the earth is a picture of God saving people by his grace. The
atoms that were created had nothing to do with the creation. They
were a part of it, and thus it is with us. God does not use
what we have that he gives us grace and saves us as a result.
He uses what we don't have, can't have, can't appropriate to ourselves,
and that is absolutely not our works. We will not be saved by
our works. So Peter said unto them, thy
money, verse 20, perish with thee, because thou hast thought
that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither
part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in
the sight of God. Could that be said about Balaam?
Absolutely. Could that be said about Balaam?
Absolutely. Could that be said about Cain?
Absolutely. Could that be said about Korah?
Absolutely. Every one of these. Could it
be said about Judas? Absolutely. You know, as we go
back over here to the book of Numbers, we're going to find
out that when God catches up with Balaam and brings to his
attention, Balaam is going to say, I've sinned. I've sinned. Let's go over there. Let's go
over there. The book of Numbers. Just making a quick reference
to where we just were, Peter said, you have no part with us.
All right, let's go back to the book of Numbers. The book of
Numbers chapter 22. And in this chapter, we find
out, and we've dealt just a little bit, but in chapter 22, verse
32, You remember that Balaam, when
those guys first came to him and asked him to come over and
curse these people, Balaam said, I must go to the Lord. Now if
you read that, it's capital L, capital O, capital R, capital
D. I must go to Jehovah. Now there's
some things that Balaam didn't understand that he should have
understood if he was a prophet. And that is, these people over
here that I've been hired to curse are God's people. This
is not just some rogue people. This is not just the report I've
got from Balak. This is God's people over here,
and I cannot curse them. But it tells us here in verse
32, the angel of the Lord, after he had stopped, he used a donkey
to speak two verses of scripture in the Bible. His donkey talked
to him, and then God opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of
the Lord with a sword drawn. And the angel of the Lord is
going to tell him, if that donkey had not stopped, I would have
killed you. And then it tells us here in
verse 32, the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast
thou smitten thy donkey these three times? Behold, I went out
to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me. You're
not in the right way, it's a perverse way. And the donkey saw me and
turned from me these three times, unless she had turned from me,
surely now also I had slain thee and saved her alive. And Balaam
said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned. Oh, he regrets getting caught. You
know, there's a word over in the book of, keep your finger
right here, but turn with me to the book of Matthew chapter
27 if you would. Because this brings us to a point
over there in the book of Matthew with regard to Judas. Same thing
is happening here in Matthew chapter 27 and in verse 3. Now Judas has been with the Lord
Jesus for three and a half years. He's been called as a disciple
and the Lord from the very beginning said, One of you is a devil. I know it, but it's to fulfill
the scriptures. This is what God intends to do.
One of you is going to betray me. He knew it from the very
beginning. He knew it before Judas was born. He knew the line
all the way back to Adam for Judas. He knew where his parents
were going to be born, where he was going to be born, and
he's chosen as one of the disciples. He's sent out with two by two
and then by seventy. He is sent out. And here, he
has betrayed the Lord. He has kissed him and said, this
is the one you want. He's getting paid 30 pieces of
silver to do this. What do we find out with Balaam?
For greed. What do we find out with Judas?
For greed. And here in the book of Matthew
chapter 27 and verse 3, Matthew chapter 27, And verse three, then Judas,
which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned,
and I've had people bring this, see what happened? Judas repented
himself. Judas repented himself and brought
again the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.
Well, this word is completely different than the word repent
and believe. This word is so different, it
means to care afterwards. I care after I got caught. I care after I sinned. I care. This is just like we find with
Balaam. I care after I've got caught.
I didn't realize that you're going to be so involved in my
life. I didn't realize that you're
going to be there in the way. And he said, I have sinned over
there in the book of Numbers. Well, Judas said, I've sinned
too. and he repented, and it says that means to care afterwards. That is to regret. I regret what
I've done, but it didn't change him one iota. We do not find
him crying out for mercy, and we do not find that Balaam cried
out for mercy. Let's go back over there again.
We'll find in that passage of Scripture, in the book of Numbers
again, in chapter Chapter 22, the words of Balaam as he comes
to grips with who is speaking to him in the book of Numbers
chapter 22 and verse 34, the word of the Lord says, And Balaam
said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned. What is he telling
us? There's no sorrow in his heart
about it, and there's no remorse at all. And in fact, he goes
on to say, now, if it displeased thee, I will get me back again. The Lord's already told him,
I'm very displeased. You know, when Balak came, sent
his emissaries the first time to Balaam, he said, I have to
inquire of the Lord. The second time they came, he
says, let me go inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said, if they
come get you, go with them. The next verse, he said, he's
saddling his donkey and leaving. The Lord never authorized that. The Lord, he is saying, this
is my latticework. And I'm going to demonstrate
through Balaam my almighty power and that I'm watching over my
people even when they don't even know that I'm in the area. And
so Balaam, he's telling us, sorry I got caught and I'll change
my intentions and God tells us here, And the angel of the LORD said
unto Balaam, Go with the men, but only the word that I speak
unto thee that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princess
of Balak." All of this takes place as we find that the Lord
says, I will give you exactly the words to say. Do you know
what? That's what Herod had to deal with. Pilate had to deal
with. That's what Judas had to deal
with. That's what everyone that was involved in the arrest, trial,
and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ had to deal with. You
will only do what I prescribe to be done. You know, it's a
blessing that we find in the Scriptures. The king's heart
is in the hands of the Lord, and as rivers of water, he turneth
it whithersoever he will. Pilate said, don't you know,
and Jesus said, you could do nothing except it was given unto
you. Now, if all of that is in the
hands of God towards all those lost people, what is required
by saved people? God must still give us his word,
and we don't turn one tick of our clock in order to attract
his attention. It's all prescribed by Almighty
God before the foundation of the world. Thou couldst have
no power at all against me, except it were given from above. That's
what we find the word of the Lord shares with us with regard
to the Lord Jesus Christ. The most high ruleth in the kingdom
of heaven. He's in charge. He's the one
that is overseeing all things. He's protecting his people right
over there. You know, when we get through
with chapter 24, we're going to go right back to the children
of Israel and you know what they're doing. sinning. God's protected them for these
three chapters while they're kind of over there and waiting
and waiting for going into the promised land. And there's a
whole bunch of those that don't know the first thing about the
gospel. You know, by nature, none of us do, and we find out
in time, God applies the gospel to His people at the right time
and at the right place, because the Most High ruleth in the kingdom
of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will. And He also says, He
setteth over it the basis of men. natural man in his worst
condition. He puts over us. God has all
things in and under his control. And Balaam is no exception. There's nothing that's going
to happen here that God has not prescribed to happen. And as
we follow him, And we follow Balaam there, we find out that
he is going to be exactly in the right place at the right
time to do exactly the Word of God on God's behalf. And the
children of Israel will not be cursed. Even Adam was not out
of God's almighty view. In the fact that he had all things
worked out, prepared, and taken care of before the foundation
of the world. He had a people's names written in the book of
life. He had a lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
He had an agreement made between the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit to shed the blood of Jesus Christ on the behalf
of certain and the Holy Spirit would find them and God the Father
had already given them. This is not a mistake. When were
those, where were those that God intended to save in the death
of Adam? They're already in Christ. Adam
died, and God has purposed that he must send his son, but they're
already in the Lamb's book of life. They're already in the
mind of God, and they're already purposed to have the blood of
Jesus Christ's blood shed for them. When did God the Father
do this? Just like He did with Balaam.
It was all set before Balaam was ever born. Balaam will be
used for this purpose. Balaam will try to curse God's
people for money, but he will not, and he will be restrained. Turn with me, if you would, to
the book of Hebrews, chapter 13. Hebrews 13, we read in this
blessed passage of Scripture about the blood of the everlasting
covenant. In Hebrews 13, verse 20, the
Scriptures share with us this. Now the God of peace, Hebrews
13, verse 20. It says, Now the God of peace
that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd
of the sheep. Now, what power did God use to
raise the Lord Jesus is the same power that is required to raise
us from our spiritual deaths. The same power that it took to
raise Jesus Christ is the power that God uses to raise His people
from spiritual death. And it?s the The Lord Jesus,
that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting
covenant, every good gift and every blessed gift comes down
from God and they're eternal gifts given to the church. Nobody
can interfere. Nobody can stop. Nobody can stifle
the gifts of God to the church. We can't even. You know, the
children of Israel that went on and sinned. We have all sorts
of people in the Old Testament as well as the New sharing with
us that our very existence is dependent upon God, and our life
is dependent upon God, and even though we are saved by grace,
we are sinners to the core. God never saved the flesh of
Moses. God never saved the flesh of
David. God never saved the flesh of
Abel. God never saved the flesh, but
in that day, when we're raised to newness of life, that will
be changed and there shall be no more curse and no more tears
and no more pain. The blood of the everlasting
covenant. Now in conclusion would you join me back in the book
of Numbers chapter 22. Numbers chapter 22. Chapter 22 verse 35 and the scriptures
share this the angel of the Lord the angel of Jehovah the messenger
of Jehovah Said unto Balaam go with the men But only the word
that I shall speak unto thee that thou shalt speak so Balaam
went and with the princes of Balak and when Balak heard that
Balaam was come, he came out to meet him into the city of
Moab, which is the border of Arnon, which is the utmost coast. And Balaam said unto Balaam,
Did not I earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore
camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote
thee to honour? And Balaam said unto Balaam,
Lo, I am come unto thee, Have I now any power at all to say
anything? The word that God putteth in
my mouth, that shall I speak. And Balaam went into Balak, and
they came into Gergezuz. And Balak offered oxen and sheep
and sent to, or Balak offered oxen and sheep and sent to Balaam
and to the princes that were with him. And it came to pass
on the morrow that Balak took Balaam and brought him up into
the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost
part of the people." We're going to get a view of Israel. Balaam is going to see Israel
for the first time and he's going to be charged to curse them. Was Balaam a servant of God? Yes. Did he know God? No. No more than that donkey did.
God used a donkey. a dumb donkey to talk to a man
that saved his life, physical life. But we're going to find
out that Balaam knew not the first thing about salvation or
grace or anything else. He was a servant of the Most
High God. We're thankful as we go through
the Scriptures that we find out there are people that are servants
of the Most High God that know something about God and know
something about His Word, and they have been called to speak
the Word of the Lord and the Word of the Lord only to His
people. That's all we have. That's all
we have. We're just reporters of the report
that God has given us in His Word. And the report that God
has given us in His Word is, to some, I've raised you up for
this purpose that I might show my power in thee, and others,
I've raised you up for this purpose that I might show my grace in
you. I'm thankful for grace. And in grace we see the great
power of God. But it's not against us. It's
on our behalf. Oh, the grace of God. Amazing
grace. How sweet the sound that saved
a wretch like me. I don't know how many people
heard Judas. in his preaching. It doesn't
tell us in the Word of God. But I know this, that when he
said a word about Scripture or about God, he didn't know the
first thing in his heart about Him. I read about Saul of Tarsus. Saul of Tarsus didn't know a
thing about God until God revealed it to him, and now I would listen
to him anytime You know, Balaam did his dead
level best to curse Israel, and he couldn't. And Moses did his
dead level best to preach the gospel to the people in his day. And you know what it tells us
there in the book of Hebrews? He condemned the world. Eight people. He didn't have
that as an interest. He condemned the world by the
preaching of the gospel. And hundreds and hundreds and
hundreds of thousands of people were on the outside. You would
think in that damn time there would be somebody that walked
to Moses and said, what's going on here? What are you doing? But it tells us in the scriptures
that they all mocked him. They mocked him. Why? No grace was shown except for
eight that were in that ark that God purposed. There wasn't an
extra bed in that ark, and there wasn't one too few in that ark. Eight souls were delivered after
preaching for 120 years. Grace, grace, amazing grace. Brother Mike.