hast blessed them three times.” So he ordered him to return to his country. Thereupon the eyes of Balaam were opened and he saw a vision[1], and his lips were opened, and he prophesied: “I shall see him, but not now[2]; I shall behold him, but not near[3]. A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a sceptre[4] shall spring up from Israel[5], and shall strike the chiefs of Moab [6] and shall smite the children of Seth.” And having prophesied also of the fate of the nations he returned to his country.
COMMENTARY.
God's Omnipotence is shown by His forcing Balaam to bless the Israelites against his will.
God's Omniscience is shown by His revealing to Balaam what would happen in the far future.
The sixth promise of the Messias. The prophecy of Balaam points to the Divine Redeemer, and reveals, firstly, that He would not come for a long time; secondly, that He would be one of the children of Israel; thirdly, that He would come, like a star, from above, shedding light around Him; fourthly, that He would be a king; and fifthly, that He would overcome the enemies of His kingdom. Let us see how this prophecy has been fulfilled. Firstly, the Redeemer did not come till 1450 years after Balaam spoke; secondly, He was, as Man, descended from Jacob, and was born in Judea; thirdly, He came down from Heaven to be the Light of the world; fourthly, He has founded the Church, the kingdom of God, which, fifthly, overcomes all His enemies, and will last till the end of time. The brazen serpent foreshadowed our Lord’s humiliation; the prophecy of Balaam foreshadowed His majesty.
Faith in God's word. Balaam said to Balak that he could not alter the word of the Lord; and this rule applies to every word of God revealed to us. Nobody can or dare alter God’s word, either by adding to it or by taking away from it. We must believe and accept revelation just as it is.
Superstition. Balak did not believe in the true God, but he cherished the foolish, superstitious idea that Balaam’s curse could injure the people of God.
The star out of Jacob and the three kings from the East. Balaam’s home was in the east, that is, east of the Promised Land. There, the
