Join the Daily Bible Challenge!


Three easy steps to participate:

1. Purchase The Daily Bible. The best price is online, but it is also available at local Christian bookstores. I recommend hardcover.

2. Read the daily reading.

3. Optional: Return to this site to discuss the readings (consider bookmarking this site so you can easily find it each day).

Friday, February 11, 2011

Balaam's LORD, the "Fourth Part of Israel"

A couple notes from today's reading:
  • Balaam sounds almost like a believer the way he talks using the God's covenant name "LORD" (with all capital letters meaning the Savior God) and calling him "the LORD my God" (Numbers 22:18) but he is just a good con man as shown by his sorcery, greed, and, we'll see tomorrow, a backup plan to help curse Israel.
  • In Numbers 23:9 God speaks through Balaam: "Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel?" The "fourth part" refers to the camp of Israel divided up in four parts around the tabernacle. So the verse is basically saying that even a portion of Israel is hard to count, they are so blessed by God.
Posted by at

1 comment:

  1. Bob LooseFebruary 15, 2011 at 8:49 PM

    Balaam is definately not a believer. In Numbers 31:16 we learned that Balaam advised the Midianite women to seduce the Israelites. He meets his judgement in 31:8. It's amazing how you can see God face to face and still not put your trust in him. Intelectual knowledge of God is not the same as "knowing" him in a personal way as your LORD and Savior.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)