Numbers 23:1-30; Luke 1:57-66; Psalms 59:1-13; Proverbs 16:8-9
OT: “God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill? I have indeed received a command to bless; since he has blessed, I cannot change it. He considers no disaster for Jacob; he sees no trouble for Israel. The Lord their God is with them, and there is rejoicing over the King among them. God brought them out of Egypt; he is like the horns of a wild ox for them. There is no magic curse against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said about Jacob and Israel, “What great things God has done!”” (Numbers 23:19-23 CSB)
As Israel was nearing the promised land, they camped just outside the borders of Moab. This made Balak the King of Moab quite uneasy. To defend himself, he hired a prophet named Balaam to curse Israel. Balaam informed Balak that he could only say what God gave him to say, and when it came time to pronounce a curse on Israel, Balaam blessed them. Frustrated, Balak moved to another location, where they could only see the outskirts of Israel’s camp, and asked Balaam to try again. This was Balaam’s second response. God doesn’t change His mind. He doesn’t go back on His promises. When God has said He will bless, nothing or no one can reverse that blessing. The true blessing that Israel received was that God was with them and God was fighting for them. His presence with them was the source of all blessing. The same is true of us today if we are His by faith. Through Christ, we are able to abide with Him, and He aides in us through His Holy Spirit, and there is no curse that can overcome the blessing that flows from His presence.
Psalms: “Rescue me from my enemies, my God; protect me from those who rise up against me. Rescue me from evildoers, and save me from men of bloodshed. Because look, Lord, they set an ambush for me. Powerful men attack me, but not because of any sin or rebellion of mine. For no fault of mine, they run and take up a position. Awake to help me, and take notice… I will keep watch for you, my strength, because God is my stronghold. My faithful God will come to meet me; God will let me look down on my adversaries.” (Psalms 59:1-4, 9-10 CSB)
David wrote this psalm during a time when Saul set an ambush for him while he was in his house. See the faith that David had in his Lord. He didn’t wonder if God would rescue him. He knew that God would rescue him, and he stayed up watching for the hand of the Lord. He knew that God is faithful and that God would meet him in his hour of need. As we remain faithful to the Lord, nothing and no one can revoke God’s faithfulness to us.
Jamie Hicks 