“I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations.” (Numbers 23:9 NIV)
After all of Balaam’s donkeying around, when he finally climbs to the high place and makes the appropriate sacrifices, he gets a vision for God’s people. Of course, he’s been asked to call down a curse, but God won’t allow His children to receive it. Instead, Balaam speaks this beautiful blessing about who these people are and who they will become.
It’s notable to me that Balaam essentially calls them consecrated – “a people set apart who do not consider themselves one of the nations.” We’ve stumbled along in the desert with the Israelites long enough to know that consecration is an ongoing challenge for them, and over and over they’ve begged to go back to Egypt to be reabsorbed into the slavery of an established nation. But as Balaam’s blessing goes on, we soon realize he is not saying what he sees, but what will be. He does not see a mere hoard of people, as Balak suggests, but a mass of children marked deeply with God-potential.
“No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them; the shout of the King is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox.” (Numbers 23:21-22 NIV)
We’ve been camping with the Israelites. We know the there’s misery among them. We know they’ve struggled with God’s authority and instruction. We know stubbornness to be their strength. But Balaam sees what could be. He prophesies potential. He speaks seven full messages of amazing promise over them.
I read of the stubborn, struggling Israelites’ potential and I wonder what God would speak over my life if I could learn to live out complete consecration. What would He unleash if I could abstain from complaint and only count the gifts? What land could be taken? How might my enemy be trampled? What blessing might flow from my bucket? What could He grow in the soil of my heart?
“How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, how lovely are your homes, O Israel! They spread before me like gardens by the riverside. They are like tall trees planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets’ their offspring will have all they need.” (Numbers 24: 5-7 NIV)
Lord, strengthen our restraint when it comes to complaint. Help us as we consecrate ourselves to You. We trend toward grumbling and wandering. Keep us close and grateful instead. Prophesy over us as we move toward You. Amen.