1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:01,800 All right, good morning church family. 2 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:06,280 As you guys find your seat, if you would open your Bible, type 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:11,560 in your device the Book of Numbers, chapter 23, Numbers 23. 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,040 This morning we're going to be in verses one through 12. 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:18,240 We've been going through the book of Numbers for several 6 00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:23,440 months now and we've been doing a series on the, the prophet 7 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:28,960 Balaam and we've, I think I've preached 2 sermons so far, the 8 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:31,280 three. And so now we're going to 9 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,160 actually get to his prophecy and we're going to be in his 10 00:00:34,160 --> 00:00:38,680 prophecies, his oracles over the next several weeks because he 11 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,320 gives four of them. And so this morning we're going 12 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,960 to get to the first one title. The sermon this morning is this. 13 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:51,360 God has the final word. So let's read the text, open us 14 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,560 in a word of prayer, and then we'll jump into the sermon this 15 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:56,280 morning. Numbers chapter 23, beginning in 16 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:01,840 verse one. And Balaam said to Balak, build 17 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:06,480 for me here 7 altars, and prepare for me here 7 bulls and 18 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,880 seven Rams. Balak did as Balaam had said. 19 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,120 And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 20 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,000 And Balaam said to Balak, stand beside your burnt offering, and 21 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,320 I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to 22 00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:24,840 meet me, and whatever he shows me, I will tell you. 23 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:31,240 And he went to a bear height, and God met Balaam, And Balaam 24 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,880 said to him, I have arranged the seven altars, and I have offered 25 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:39,920 on each altar a bull and a ram. And the Lord put a word in 26 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:44,440 Balaam's mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus you shall 27 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:46,480 speak. And he returned to him. 28 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,400 And behold, he and all the Princess of Moab were standing 29 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,640 beside his burnt offering. And Balaam took up his discourse 30 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:57,400 and said, From a ROM Balak has brought me the king of Moab. 31 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,720 From the eastern mountains Come curse Jacob for me, and come 32 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:06,720 denounce Israel. How can I curse whom God is not 33 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:10,360 cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord 34 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,920 has not denounced? For from the top of the crags I 35 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:18,000 see him, from the hills I behold him. 36 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,000 Behold a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among 37 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,920 the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, 38 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,080 or number the 4th part of Israel? 39 00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:33,000 Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like 40 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,320 his. And Balak said to Balaam, What 41 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:41,280 have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, 42 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:43,920 and behold, you have done nothing but bless them. 43 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:50,280 And he answered and said, Must I not take care to speak what the 44 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,320 Lord puts in my mouth? And we'll stop there. 45 00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:02,680 If you will pray with me, Father, I pray as we look at 46 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:10,880 this first Oracle of Balaam that you would help us to to see this 47 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,880 morning that Balaam does not have a final word. 48 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:16,520 Balak does not have a final word. 49 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,920 Moab does not have a final word. Even Israel does not have a 50 00:03:19,920 --> 00:03:23,160 final word on who your people are. 51 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,680 You, O Lord, have the final word. 52 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:35,720 You decide who your people are. I pray this morning, God, You 53 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:38,360 would help us to see that the same is true for us. 54 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:43,040 You have the final word on our life. 55 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,520 Help us to see that this morning God, I pray in Jesus name, Amen. 56 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:55,760 If you go to a courtroom, the attorney for the plaintiff and 57 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,680 the attorney for the defendant will both make their arguments 58 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,600 to the court. They will state their case. 59 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:07,360 They will call their witnesses. They will give their opening and 60 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:13,040 statements, but at the end of the day, the jury or possibly 61 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:19,040 the judge has the final word. In sports, people will debate 62 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,640 about who is the best team all throughout the season. 63 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:26,520 For months and months, sports analyst and commentators will 64 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,160 make their arguments. Fans will get on social media 65 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:36,160 vehemently defending their team, but at the end of the day, the 66 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:40,280 team that wins the championship has the final word. 67 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,760 If a movie is being made, there are always extra scenes that are 68 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:49,440 filmed. Writers or actors may make their 69 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:54,080 case to leave this scene in or cut this scene out, but at the 70 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:59,320 end of the day, the director or possibly the producer has the 71 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,760 final word. Even in my own family, my boys 72 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:08,640 may argue with each other. They may argue with mom, mom may 73 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:14,520 argue with them, but they know that at the end of the day, dad 74 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:25,760 has the final word. Who has the final word on your 75 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:31,760 life? By the time that you get to be 76 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:38,440 6070 eighty years old, people will have things about you. 77 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:48,040 Some good, some bad, some glorious, some humiliating. 78 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:55,600 But who has the final word on your life? 79 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:06,080 God does. God has the final word. 80 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,600 That's what the sermon is about this morning. 81 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,240 I want to give the context if you have not been with us for 82 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,080 the past few weeks. We started a series. 83 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,760 We started a series on numbers, and more specifically, we 84 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,480 started a series on Balaam a few weeks ago. 85 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,880 And so let me give the context because we're jumping right into 86 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:24,800 this story this morning. Here's the context. 87 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:29,960 Balak is the king of Moab, and he fears that the Israelite 88 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:35,040 people are going to attack him. So he decides to summon Balaam, 89 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:39,880 a Pagan divider for hire, to come and curse Israel in an 90 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,960 attempt to weaken them so that he can win in battle. 91 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:48,120 The Lord initially tells Balaam not to go, but since Balak won't 92 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:52,760 take no for an answer, God allows Balaam to, but with one 93 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:56,680 stipulation. He says you shall only do or say 94 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:00,840 what I tell you. Now on his way to meet Balak, 95 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:06,480 Balaam runs into a roadblock. He runs into the Angel of the 96 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,360 Lord. Now Balaam doesn't see the Angel 97 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,440 of the Lord, but his donkey does, after striking his donkey 98 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:15,520 three times, thinking that his donkey was simply being 99 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,760 stubborn. Finally, the Lord opens Balaam's 100 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:23,360 eyes, and he sees the Angel of the Lord in the road opposing 101 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:27,520 him. The Angel rebukes Balaam's 102 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,080 perverse way, and he reiterates to him God's instructions. 103 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:35,880 You shall only speak the word that I tell you. 104 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:41,680 So Balaam finally meets with Balaic, and Balaic begins to 105 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,600 honor Balaam's feast. And that's where we pick up this 106 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,440 morning. So let's start looking at verses 107 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:55,560 one and two of Numbers 23. Balaam said to Balak, Build for 108 00:07:55,560 --> 00:08:00,960 me here 7 altars, and prepare for me here 7 bulls and seven 109 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,880 Rams. Balak did as Balaam had said, 110 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:09,560 and Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 111 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:15,520 Now before the prophecy can begin, Balaam has a task for 112 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:18,800 Balak. He tells him to build for him 7 113 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:24,480 altars and to offer on each altar 1 bull and 1 ram. 114 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:28,200 Now you may be wondering, why does Balaam tell Balak to do 115 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:29,800 this? Why? 116 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:31,680 Why do they do this? Why do they go through this 117 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:33,520 charade, if you can call it that? 118 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:38,280 It appears that Balaam and Balak, they build these altars 119 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:42,720 and they offer these 14 animals because they think it will 120 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:46,520 somehow make God give them a favorable answer. 121 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:48,200 I think that's what they're doing here. 122 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:51,640 They are using a Pagan practice that was common among the 123 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,760 nations to sacrifices were not just an Israelite thing. 124 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:57,720 It was very common among all nations to make sacrifices to 125 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,520 the gods, thinking that it would make the gods give them a 126 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,200 favourable answer. Now what's interesting to me is 127 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,640 that Balak is willing to pay this cost. 128 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,800 Notice he doesn't question Balaam's instructions. 129 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:11,600 He doesn't say why do I need to do this? 130 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,840 Why do I have to build 7 altars and give up 14 of my animals? 131 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:20,400 Balak is willing to pay an extraordinary cost. 132 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,000 First, he had the cost of sending 2 envoys. 133 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:27,480 Remember, Balaam is 400 miles away and he sends them all. 134 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:31,360 These elders make 2 trips, so they have to go 400 miles. 135 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,320 They come back, and then they go back and then they come back. 136 00:09:34,680 --> 00:09:38,640 That's expensive. In those days, he's willing to 137 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,080 pay that cost. Then he has the cost of the 138 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,640 initial sacrificial feast when he honored Balaam. 139 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,560 Then he has the cost to build 7 altars. 140 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:51,680 Then he has the cost of seven bulls and seven Rams. 141 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,800 Now we we not think about, but remember a a bull is like a 142 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,720 Tesla, like a matter if I told you like give me your Tesla, 143 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:04,560 give me 7 Teslas, seven bulls and seven Rams. 144 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,280 These are costly sacrificial animals. 145 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:19,080 Balak spares no expense because he is trying to buy the favour 146 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:23,320 of God. Brothers and sisters, God's 147 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:30,400 favour is not for sale. It is already been purchased by 148 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:36,440 Jesus Christ. God has already bought His own 149 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:40,560 favour. He bought His own favor for us 150 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,200 and He didn't pay a costly price. 151 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:49,760 He paid an infinite 1. He built 1 altar and sacrificed 152 00:10:49,920 --> 00:11:00,840 one man, His beloved Son. Do not try to buy or secure or 153 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:07,360 earn God's favor. If we are in Christ, we already 154 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:14,040 have it. We always look at verse 3 to 4 155 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:19,400 and Balaam said to Balak, stand beside your burnt offering and I 156 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:22,360 will go. Perhaps the Lord will come and 157 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:24,760 whatever He shows me I will tell you. 158 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,800 And he went to a bear height, and God met Balaam, and Balaam 159 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,160 said to him, I have arranged the seven altars, and I have offered 160 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:37,840 on each altar a bull and a ram. So Balaam tells Balak to stand 161 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,360 beside his offering. And Balaam says, I'm going to go 162 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:43,720 in an attempt to meet with the Lord. 163 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,480 Notice how Balaam words this. When he says this, he says 164 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:54,040 perhaps did you catch that? Perhaps the Lord will come to 165 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:56,920 meet me. Now remember, Balaam is not a 166 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:59,800 true prophet of God. Balaam is a Pagan diviner. 167 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,040 So he is totally dependent on whether God is going to be with 168 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,560 him or not. This is why I think he probably 169 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:08,280 says perhaps doesn't know if God's going to meet him. 170 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:11,080 What does that mean for us church family? 171 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:16,600 There is no perhaps when we meet with the Lord, there is no 172 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:23,040 perhaps. Recently my starter in my car 173 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,400 went out It started to go bad several months ago. 174 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,320 One day I my car didn't start. I tried to start it and it 175 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,880 didn't start and I was like oh man, why is this not starting? 176 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:34,760 So I, I messed around with it for a little while and it 177 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:36,480 started and I was like OK, thank you. 178 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:39,720 And then it ran and it ran fine and then it went out again and I 179 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,920 messed around with it for a little while and it started 180 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:43,480 again. It did this for months. 181 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:45,160 It would like sometimes it wouldn't start sometimes it 182 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:46,760 would. I knew something was wrong, but 183 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:50,200 I was like, maybe, maybe not, you know? 184 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:56,120 And every time I would start my car during the season, I before 185 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,000 I would start, I'd be like, please work, please work, please 186 00:12:58,000 --> 00:12:59,480 work, please work. Yes. 187 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:01,440 Or please work. Oh, no. 188 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:07,800 Even after I got a new starter, I finally, it finally went out 189 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:09,360 totally. I had to buy a new starter and 190 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,840 get it installed. And, you know, I got a new 191 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:16,920 starter. I had grown so accustomed to 192 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,720 hoping it would start that for the first week or two after 193 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:23,120 getting the new starter, before I would start it, I would think, 194 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:24,720 please work, please work, please work. 195 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:30,160 And I'd grown so kind of. And then we could tell I was 196 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,040 like, wait, why am I? It's going to start every time I 197 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:36,880 have a new starter. Like it's, I think sometimes 198 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,720 that's how we might view prayer with God. 199 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:49,880 I hope it works this time. Perhaps, perhaps it'll work this 200 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:56,840 time. We should never say or think. 201 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,680 Perhaps the Lord will meet with me. 202 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:11,320 Perhaps the Lord will speak to me, God says to his people, You 203 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:14,120 will seek me, and you will find me. 204 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:21,520 When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you. 205 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:33,440 Jeremiah 2914. There is no perhaps now, Balaam 206 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,760 tells Balak. Whatever he shows me, I will 207 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:40,200 tell you. Whatever he shows me, I would 208 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:41,440 tell you. Now here's what's interesting. 209 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:46,520 Balaam doesn't know if God's going to meet with him, but he 210 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:50,480 assumes that if God does meet with him, God's going to show 211 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:54,080 him something. You see that he says whatever he 212 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,960 shows me, I will tell you. She's like, I don't know if 213 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:00,160 God's going to meet with me, but if God does meet with me, he 214 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,960 assumes God is going to show him something. 215 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:07,360 Do you expect God to show you something? 216 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:19,920 Do you expect that when you meet with God tonight, tomorrow 217 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:25,720 morning, do you expect God to show you something? 218 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:32,760 When you came to church this morning, did you come expecting 219 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:39,560 God to show you something? Because God's normal pattern is 220 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:47,040 to show something, even to a Pagan prophet, we should always 221 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:54,360 expect God to show us something. Sometimes we just have to be 222 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:57,200 patient. We have to wait for it. 223 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,400 You know those pictures where there's like a 3D image? 224 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,080 They used to be popular years ago. 225 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,240 They're not popular anymore. But remember those pictures with 226 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:08,200 a 3D image, you stare at it for a while and after standing for a 227 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:10,440 while, all of a sudden you see it, right? 228 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:13,200 And if, if you don't see it, you're like, you're looking at, 229 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:14,680 you're looking at, you're like, I don't see it, right? 230 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:19,000 Like just keep looking. Or, you know, those pictures 231 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,440 where somebody does a painting and it's two different images. 232 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,640 Like you can see like a lamp or a woman. 233 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,120 And it's like depends on how you look at it. 234 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,160 You know, there's like the dark and the light contrast. 235 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,040 And if you look at it one way, you see this, you look at it, 236 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:32,840 right? And a lot of people look at it 237 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:34,440 like, I don't see it. There's a woman. 238 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:36,720 Where's the woman? I see a lamp, right? 239 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:40,000 Like keep looking, keep looking it. 240 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:43,000 That's kind of how it is with God. 241 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:50,240 You see, if we meet with God while we're in a hurry, if we 242 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:53,800 meet with Him while we're on the fly, if we only meet with God 243 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:59,520 when we're driving or while we're distracted or while we're 244 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:05,000 multitasking, if that's the only time that we ever meet with God 245 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:09,200 is when we're doing something else, I suspect much at all. 246 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:20,920 But if we slow down, focus, meditate, give God our undivided 247 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:27,040 attention and wait and be patient, I think God will show 248 00:17:27,319 --> 00:17:32,280 us what he wants us to see. I think he will. 249 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:37,560 That's that's his, his normal mode. 250 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:43,680 Now I wonder what Balak is thinking here. 251 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,800 What is he thinking does does he think the Israelite God is going 252 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,960 to let Balaam curse his own people? 253 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,160 Like does does he honestly think that this is going to work? 254 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:57,880 Like, like he's like, you're calling on their God to curse 255 00:17:57,880 --> 00:17:59,040 them. Does he think that's going to 256 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:00,280 work? Apparently he does. 257 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:04,240 Apparently he does. Balaam goes to a bare height and 258 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:09,240 God met Balaam. Notice Balaam didn't meet God. 259 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,560 God met Balaam. God initiated to Balaam. 260 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,720 Balaam tells God that he has arranged 7 altars and he's 261 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,760 offered a bull and a ram on each of them. 262 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:28,320 Look at verse 5. Or put a word in Balaam's mouth 263 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:32,280 and said, return to Balak and thus you shall speak. 264 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,800 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the Princess 265 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,840 of Moab were standing beside his burnt off. 266 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:45,400 I like how this is worded. The Lord put a word in Balaam's 267 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:48,160 mouth. Last week we looked at that verb 268 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:50,280 put there. That verb put can be translated, 269 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:57,080 arrange, fix, mount, install, established, right? 270 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,040 It's in other words, it's not just the idea that God is 271 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:03,560 inspiring Balaam. That's true, but it's more than 272 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,160 that. It's almost as if God is taking 273 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,520 control of Balaam's mouth. I don't think he's puppeting it, 274 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:12,720 but it's, it's, it's, it's closer to that than it is just 275 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:17,200 inspiration. God is putting a word in his 276 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:18,640 mouth. Now. 277 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:21,800 We see God doing this all throughout the Old Testament 278 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:24,960 with the Old Testament prophets. Let me show you a few examples. 279 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:30,720 Deuteronomy 1818 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from 280 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:36,360 among their brothers, and I will put my words in his mouth. 281 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:41,720 Isaiah 5116 And I have put my words in your mouth. 282 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:47,560 Isaiah 5921 My spirit that is upon you, word that I have put 283 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,800 in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth. 284 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:57,440 Jeremiah 19 Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 285 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:01,720 My favorite is an Ezekiel. It's very graphic and I love it. 286 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:08,760 Ezekiel 3 one to two Son of man, eat whatever you find here. 287 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:13,720 Eat this scroll and go speak to the House of Israel. 288 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:17,640 So I open my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat. 289 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:26,120 God put a word in a donkey's mouth. 290 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:35,560 Why not a Pagan prophet? Brother, sister, what word has 291 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:44,320 God put in your mouth? The question is not as God put a 292 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:48,480 word in your mouth. The question is, what word has 293 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:53,080 God put in your mouth? Has God-given you an 294 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:59,720 encouragement, A rebuke, an exhortation, A prophecy, a 295 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:05,520 teaching, a revelation, A counsel, a correction, sympathy? 296 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:12,000 What word has God put in your mouth? 297 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:17,800 Now, if you're sitting there saying, I have no idea, pastor, 298 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:25,960 let me encourage you to ask God to put a word in your mouth or 299 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:29,000 to God to show you what word he's put in your mouth. 300 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,120 I submit to you that a great deal of change in the Christian 301 00:21:34,120 --> 00:21:37,520 life has come through the spoken word. 302 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,120 I imagine if I were to take a survey of all of you and I were 303 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:45,040 to ask this question because somebody actually asked me this 304 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:49,080 question for Ask the pastor, If I were to ask it to you, what 305 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:53,680 things have changed you the most in your Christian life? 306 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:58,120 I imagine a large percentage of your answers would be some 307 00:21:58,120 --> 00:22:03,720 version of the spoken word things that people have said to 308 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:11,040 you. Ask God to put a word in your 309 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:19,960 mouth to give to others. God told Balaam, return to Balak 310 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,640 and thus you shall speak. Now we aren't told the content 311 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:25,000 yet. We have to wait. 312 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:26,960 But God's going to make it clear what He said. 313 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:31,240 In verses 7 to 10, when Balaam gets back to Balak after meeting 314 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:34,360 with the Lord, the narrator says hold. 315 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:37,520 Why does he say behold? Because something is surprising 316 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:39,000 here. What is surprising? 317 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:43,200 Not just Balak is there, all the Moabite Princess are there as 318 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,800 well. So Balak while Balaam's meeting 319 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,960 with the Lord, he summons all the Moabite Princess to come and 320 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:51,520 stand beside him. Now why does he do this? 321 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:57,040 It appears that Balak wants an audience for what is about to 322 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:00,640 happen or what he thinks is about to happen. 323 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:06,720 Look at verses 7 to 8. And Balaam took up his discourse 324 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,880 and said From a ROM Balak has brought me. 325 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:14,400 From a ROM Balak has brought me the king of Moab from the Easter 326 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,040 mountains. Come curse Jacob for me, and 327 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:23,080 come denounce Israel. How can I curse whom God is not 328 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:26,880 cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord 329 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:31,760 has not denounced? So the narrator tells us that 330 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:34,760 Balaam took up his discourse. That word discourse there can be 331 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:40,160 translated probably by word taunt, parable, song. 332 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:43,320 This that word discourse is actually the same word as 333 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,680 proverb in the book of Proverbs. That's that's the usual word 334 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:48,080 that's used in the book of Proverbs. 335 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:53,200 The discourse that takes up begins by him contrasting these 336 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,960 two kings. Balaam is going to start by 337 00:23:55,960 --> 00:24:00,640 contrasting these two kings. King A, the Moabite King Balak 338 00:24:01,360 --> 00:24:08,520 has summoned me for a purpose. As he stands there, he says from 339 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:15,760 a ROM, this king has summoned me to this people, to people. 340 00:24:17,120 --> 00:24:24,160 But there's another king. This king, the sovereign King of 341 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:30,040 the universe, the Lord God Almighty has not cursed these 342 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:33,880 people. He has not denounced these 343 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:37,800 people. What's he getting out there? 344 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:45,320 Balaam is testifying that this king, Balak, does not have the 345 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:52,560 final word on his people. He may be king, he may have 346 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:57,320 riches to hire me, but this king does not have the final word on 347 00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:59,440 the people of Israel. This king does. 348 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:04,760 God has the final word on who these people are. 349 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:12,680 Brother, sister, God has the final word on your life. 350 00:25:15,360 --> 00:25:19,680 Not your parents. I don't care what your parents 351 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:25,120 have said about you. Not your parents, not your 352 00:25:25,120 --> 00:25:31,560 friends, not your siblings, not your boss, not your teachers, 353 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:36,840 not your spouse, not your girlfriend, not your boy, not 354 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:41,280 your coach, not your counselor, not your pastor, not your fellow 355 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:44,040 church members, not society at large. 356 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:48,800 God has the final word on your life. 357 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:55,520 And that's important because throughout your life, throughout 358 00:25:55,520 --> 00:26:00,600 my life, people have probably called us things have let us 359 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:04,880 things. You all know it. 360 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:12,880 I all I know it because sticks and stones may break bones, but 361 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:21,040 words will hurt. Throughout our life, people may 362 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:28,640 have called us and labeled us failures, but then unsuccessful, 363 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:40,880 dumb, the ugly, fat, liar, loser, trash, racial slurs, 364 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:52,360 insignificant, crazy, weak. But they don't have the final 365 00:26:52,840 --> 00:27:00,960 word. God does the cross of Jesus 366 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:10,080 Christ has the final word, Amen. The day of judgement there will 367 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:17,320 be only one person speaking. You will only hear one statement 368 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:23,480 if you are in Christ and it will be this well done, good and 369 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:30,040 faithful servant. God has the final word. 370 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:37,800 Look at verse 9. For from the top of the crags I 371 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:41,000 see him, from the hills I behold him. 372 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:45,840 Behold a people dwelling alone and not counting itself among 373 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:50,360 the nations. I love verse 9 because they may 374 00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:53,920 be the one who is saying these words I don't know about. 375 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:56,800 I'm behind him. Can you? 376 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:00,840 Don't you hear the voice of God speaking through Balaam here? 377 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,880 From the top of the crags I see him. 378 00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:14,720 From the hills I behold him. God sees his people. 379 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:22,920 God sees his people. One of the most helpful things 380 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:24,520 that I have heard in several years. 381 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:29,040 I mean this, this is like probably the most one of those 382 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:30,520 helpful things I've heard in several years. 383 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:35,160 I was by a man named Paul Washer. 384 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:36,800 I've listened to him for many years. 385 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:38,240 He, he's been a tremendous blessing. 386 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:42,680 He's a preacher. He was at this conference called 387 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:45,080 the Shepherd's Conference. He was preaching there at the 388 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:49,080 conference and before he gave his message, he gave this 389 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:50,360 introduction. It wasn't even part of his 390 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:51,640 message. It was just something on the 391 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:55,520 spot the Lord gave him. It was about 5 minutes and it 392 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:59,120 was honestly one of the most helpful things I've heard. 393 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:02,360 I've listened to it like 10 * I cry almost every time I listen 394 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:08,520 to it. He tells a story about how he 395 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:11,160 used to go to conferences just like this many many years ago, 396 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:18,520 and every time he went he felt lost, he felt small, he felt 397 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:22,760 unseen. Can relate to that? 398 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:27,640 He asked a philosophical question. 399 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:35,160 Why would God plant the most beautiful rose he ever created 400 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:40,760 in a forest through which neither man nor Angel would ever 401 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:46,240 walk? How does God get glory from that 402 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:50,360 rose? He gets glory from that rose 403 00:29:51,160 --> 00:30:00,840 because he sees it. He goes on to say we live in a 404 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:03,040 Christendom where we believe that a person only has 405 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:06,480 importance, that they have a church size or that size, they 406 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:10,400 author a book, they have a podcast, or they share a stage. 407 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:19,560 Brother and sister, God gets glory from your life because He 408 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:28,360 sees you. Even if nobody else does. 409 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:33,960 Even if nobody else ever recognizes anything good in your 410 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:44,810 life, God sees you, Balaam continues. 411 00:30:44,810 --> 00:30:48,770 Behold a people dwelling alone, not counting it among the 412 00:30:48,770 --> 00:30:51,730 nations. It was not so much that they 413 00:30:51,730 --> 00:30:54,330 dwelled alone as a part. I think that's probably a better 414 00:30:54,330 --> 00:30:58,640 translation that they dwell apart, set apart at this point. 415 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,080 Israel was not a nation. Remember, They're not a nation. 416 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:05,560 They're Wanderers in the desert. What made them distinct was not 417 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:08,040 their land. It was not their citizenship, 418 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:13,280 but their God. As I look at these people, Moab 419 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,280 is established people. They have a king, they have a 420 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:18,920 land, they have citizenship. And here are these people who 421 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:20,400 are just Wanderers in the desert. 422 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:24,760 But what makes them distinct is not the fact that they land or a 423 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:28,120 citizenship, but that who their God is. 424 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:35,560 And the same is true for us, brother, sisters, what what 425 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:38,000 makes us distinct is not our citizenship. 426 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:43,240 What makes us distinct is not whether we're homeowners. 427 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,440 I'm 43 and I've never owned a home in my life. 428 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:56,120 I may never. What makes us distinct is not 429 00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:59,360 that we have a six figure salary, or that we have a 430 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:03,120 spouse, or that we have a family, or that we have a 431 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:11,160 platform. What makes us distinct is our 432 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:16,240 God. He makes us distinct. 433 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:28,760 I am set apart for Him. You are set apart for Him. 434 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:36,280 Look at verse 10. Who can count the dust of Jacob 435 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:38,640 or number the 4th part of Israel? 436 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:44,120 Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like 437 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:47,600 his. Balaam ask a question, he says. 438 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:51,320 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the 4th part of what 439 00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:54,080 is the 4th part of Israel? I think this probably means who 440 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:56,240 can count even 1/4 of this people? 441 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:57,720 I think that's probably what it means there. 442 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:02,160 Who can count even 1/4 of them? Remember what God told Abram and 443 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:03,760 his promise to him. He said I will make your 444 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:06,800 offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could 445 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:10,200 count the dust of the earth, your offspring will could be 446 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:13,640 counted. Throughout 400 years of slavery 447 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:19,120 and then 40 years in the desert, God has fulfilled His promise. 448 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:24,840 They are now like the dust of the earth and now even more so. 449 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:29,360 Today, 2000 years after Christ, through Jesus Christ, we have 450 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,600 all become sons of Abraham. That promise given to Abraham is 451 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:35,880 given to us because God has made us sons of Abraham. 452 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:41,080 And this dust is now scattered throughout all, almost all the 453 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:43,840 nations, the earth. We're getting there, but most 454 00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:49,960 nations on the earth. And then Balaam makes a request 455 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:53,760 of the Lord. He says Let me die the death of 456 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:57,800 the upright, let my end be like his. 457 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:00,520 What a great statement. He is a false prophet. 458 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:04,000 But what a great statement. Let me die the death of the 459 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:07,240 upright, and let my end be like his. 460 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:10,560 Now this is an ironic request, because if you read the story of 461 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:12,920 Balaam, he does not die the death of the upright. 462 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:19,040 He dies the death of the wicked. But his point is taken. 463 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:25,120 His point is true for the upright death is gain. 464 00:34:30,429 --> 00:34:36,909 Remember what Paul said, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 465 00:34:39,190 --> 00:34:43,230 John heard a voice from heaven saying, Blessed are the dead who 466 00:34:43,230 --> 00:34:46,510 die in the Lord from now on. Revelation 1413. 467 00:34:46,670 --> 00:34:51,429 Brothers and sisters, do you look to death? 468 00:34:53,389 --> 00:34:57,200 Not a morbid way, but in a glorious way. 469 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:07,400 This, I don't really have this in the sermon, but I, I was 470 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,280 talking to a pastor this a few weeks ago who's not part of our 471 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:12,760 church. And, and, and he was telling me 472 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:15,600 he, he, he was like, these are his words. 473 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:18,200 So please don't be offended. He was like, yeah, don't talk to 474 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:19,840 Cantonese people about death. They don't like talking about 475 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:26,560 death. Why don't we look forward to 476 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:33,440 death? Don't we want to be with the 477 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:33,920 Lord?