Observations and Interpretations
(1) Israelites in the eyes of the other nations
From the second half of ch 21, Israelites had defeated their enemies and possessed their land. The people around that area were greatly afraid when they heard about the Israelites v.1-3. They were numerous and won their wars easily v.4,5. They were considered as powerful v.6, 23:22-24, 24:8-9. The king of Moab was so afraid of them that he had to hire a famous diviner to curse them.
From the 10 spies report, they had never considered themselves this way. Of course, they strength was in the Lord. Not from their own.
Application: When we do the things that God had given us to do we should have confident. Not my strength, but His. According to His will, there is nothing impossible.
(2) Balaam:
A. Was Balaam a believer of Yahweh? Why did God talk to a diviner?
(EBC) Rather than see Balaam as a true believer caught up in greed, it is better to understand that he was a sorcerer, more specifically, a... diviner, for whom the God of Israel was just another deity he might manipulate
B. Why did God angry at him when He let Balaam to go 22:20-22?
(NET) God’s anger now seems to contradict the permission he gave Balaam just before this. Some commentators argue that God’s anger is a response to Balaam’s character in setting out—which the Bible does not explain. God saw in him greed and pleasure for the riches, which is why he was so willing to go.
C. Was Balaam obedient to God when he not cursing the Israelites? No約書亞記 24：9–10 9 那時，摩押王西撥的兒子巴勒起來攻擊以色列人，打發人召了比珥的兒子巴蘭來咒詛你們。10 我不肯聽巴蘭的話，所以他倒為你們連連祝福。這樣，我便救你們脫離巴勒的手。
D. Did Balaam stop after he left at the end of ch 24? No
25 以色列人住在什亭，百姓與摩押女子行起淫亂。2 因為這女子叫百姓來，一同給她們的神獻祭，百姓就吃她們的祭物，跪拜她們的神。3 以色列人與巴力毘珥連合，耶和華的怒氣就向以色列人發作。
民數記 31：16 這些婦女，因巴蘭的計謀，叫以色列人在毘珥的事上得罪耶和華，以致耶和華的會眾遭遇瘟疫。
E. Did Balaam love money? Yes
彼得后书 2：15–16 15 他们离弃正路，就走差了，随从比珥之子巴兰的路。巴兰就是那贪爱不义之工价的先知， 16 他却为自己的过犯受了责备；那不能说话的驴，以人言拦阻先知的狂妄。
Application: No one can curse whom God protected. The curse would turn to blessings by God.
On the other hand, even Israelites were spare from outsiders' attack, they could not stand the test of immorality and idolatry. Satan tried every opportunities to tempt us to sin. Resist the devil and pray for God's protection.
Audrey
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