Numbers 22:2-25:9
(In a regular year, read with Parashah 39; in a leap year read separately.)
“Now Balak the son of Tzippor saw all that Isra’el had done to the Emori” (Numbers 22:2).
This parashah has a talking donkey. As a child, I heard about this donkey, but never understood the reason for his chattering. I knew there was an angel and this man hit his donkey; however, no one in my Sunday school years ever taught the purpose of this event. Because Yeshua warns the Congregation in Pergamum about the teachings of Balaam, it must be important to understand who this man was and what happened to him (Revelation 2:14-15).
Hebrew Word Pictures
Balak (Devastator) – בלק – bet, lamed, kof
– the family urges forward what is behind
Balaam (Corrupter of People) or Bil’am – בלעם – bet, lamed, ayin, mem
– the house urges forward to see the chaos
Balak, the son of Tzippor (Bird, Sparrow), was the King of Moab. He had witnessed what Isra’el had done to the Emorites and feared the Israelite multitude might destroy his nation. He meets with the leaders of Midian to plan a way to destroy Isra’el. He writes a message to Balaam a diviner requesting that he curse Isra’el. Balak sends the leaders with bribery money to Balaam.
“Listen, a people has come out of Egypt, spread over all the land and settled down next to me. Therefore, please come, and curse this people for me, because they are stronger than I am. Maybe I will be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, for I know that whomever you bless is in fact blessed, and whomever you curse is in fact cursed” (Numbers 22:5-6).
Balaam lived in Pethor (Soothsayer) in Mesopotamia near the Euphrates River, a land that had become hostile to Isra’el. Balaam was a powerful and gifted prophet/diviner because whoever he blessed was blessed and whoever he cursed because cursed. Balaam appears to be a god-fearer as he tells the messengers that he must first speak with Elohim regarding an answer.
“God came to Bil‘am and said, ‘Who are these men with you?’ Bil‘am said to God, ‘Balak the son of Tzippor, king of Mo’av, has sent me this message: The people who came out of Egypt have spread over the land; now, come and curse them for me; maybe I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.’ God answered Bil‘am, ‘You are not to go with them; you are not to curse the people, because they are blessed’” (Numbers 22:9-12).
Balaam does not have Elohim’s permission go with the messengers nor to curse Isra’el. When Balaam tells the messengers Elohim’s response, they return to Balak. However, he doesn’t reveal to them Adonai’s entire response. He cannot curse the people whom Adonai has blessed, rendering him powerless.
Balak doesn’t accept the response and increases his bribe to Balaam. Along with the pledge of a great reward, Balak promises complete obedience to Balaam’s instructions. However, Balaam responds that even if Balak gave him his palace filled with silver and gold, he could not go beyond the word of “Adonai my God” to do anything great or small. Balaam tells the princes to spend the night while he inquires of Elohim once more. This time Elohim allows him to go with the men “if they summon him,” but only to speak whatever Elohim tells him.
In the morning, Balaam saddles his donkey and leaves with the princes of Moab. Elohim becomes angry with Balaam knowing his rebellious heart and his intentions. Jewish tradition believes that Balaam had “a haughty eye, a haughty bearing, and a greedy spirit. ” It was also believed that he was lame had one blind eye. However with the donkey, Balaam was shown that even with his spiritual ‘third eye’ and his divine visions, his lowly donkey had more supernatural insight than he.
Balaam is riding his donkey when the “angel of Adonai” blocks the path. Only the donkey can see the angel with his sword drawn and turns off the path and into a field. Balaam beats his donkey to get it back on the path. He rides a little further to where the path narrows between a vineyard’s stone wall and the “angel of Adonai” stands in the path again. The donkey sees the angel and pushes against the wall crushing Balaam’s foot. Balaam beats his donkey a second time. The “angel of Adonai” moves ahead to where the path became so tight that the donkey had no option but to lie down. Balaam becomes so angry that he takes a stick and beats his donkey a third time. Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh enables the donkey to speak:
“What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
“Bil‘am said to the donkey, ‘It’s because you’ve been making a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand; I would kill you on the spot!’”
“The donkey said to Bil‘am, ‘I’m your donkey, right? You’ve ridden me all your life, right? Have I ever treated you like this before?’”
“‘No,’ he admitted.”
“Then Adonai opened Bil‘am’s eyes, so that he could see the angel of Adonai standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, and he bowed his head and fell on his face. The angel of Adonai said to him, ‘Why did you hit your donkey three times like that? I have come out here to bar your way, because you are rushing to oppose me’” (Numbers 22:28-32).
Balaam remains alive only because of the donkey. The donkey has a special calling to carry the coming King Yeshua and should not be beat. Even in his own lameness, Balaam should have had more compassion on his animal. Balaam fears Elohim enough to admit his sin. He offers to turn around and go home, but the “angel of Adonai” tells him to go with the men, but only say what Adonai tells him to say.
Balak meets Balaam at the Arnon border at the far end of his country. Quite frustrated with Balaam, he asks what has taken him so long to arrive.
“Here, I’ve come to you! But I have no power of my own to say anything. The word that God puts in my mouth is what I will say” (Numbers 22:38).
First Word of Elohim
Balak takes Balaam to the high places of Ba’al so he can view some of the Israelite camp. If Balaam can actually see some of the people of Isra’el, he can curse them. Balaam has Balak build seven altars, and together they offer sheep and cattle as sacrifices on the high places of Ba’al. Balaam seeks the word of Elohim and makes his first pronouncement:
“Balak, the king of Mo’av, brings me from Aram, from the eastern hills, saying, ‘Come, curse Ya‘akov for me; come and denounce Isra’el.’ How am I to curse those whom God has not cursed? How am I to denounce those whom Adonai has not denounced? From the top of the rocks I see them, from the hills I behold them — yes, a people that will dwell alone and not think itself one of the nations. Who has counted the dust of Ya’akov or numbered the ashes of Isra’el? May I die as the righteous die! May my end be like theirs!” (Numbers 23:7-10)
Balak becomes angry. Balaam has blessed those he was hired to curse.
Second Word of Elohim
Balak takes Balaam through the field of Tzofim to the top of the Pisgah Range to see “some of the Israelites, but not all of them” (Numbers 23:13). Tzofim means ‘watchers’ in Hebrew; the same word used for the fallen angels in the Book of Enoch. Pisgah means ‘cleft’ in Hebrew, like the ‘cleft of the rock’ where Moshe was hidden by Adonai. Again, Balak builds seven altars and offers sacrifices of bulls and rams while Balaam inquires of Elohim. His second pronouncement:
“Get up, Balak, and listen! Turn your ears to me, son of Tzippor! God is not a human who lies or a mortal who changes his mind. When he says something, he will do it; when he makes a promise, he will fulfill it. Look, I am ordered to bless; when he blesses, I can’t reverse it. No one has seen guilt in Ya’akov, or perceived perversity in Isra’el; Adonai their God is with them and acclaimed as king among them. God, who brought them out of Egypt, gives them the strength of a wild ox; thus one can’t put a spell on Ya’akov, no magic will work against Isra’el. It can now be said of Ya‘akov and Isra’el, What is this that God has done?’Here is a people rising up like a lioness; like a lion he rears himself up — he will not lie down till he eats up the prey and drinks the blood of the slain” (Numbers 23:18-24).
Balak responds that if Balaam won’t curse the people, then he certainly shouldn’t bless them!
The first two times Balaam sets out to curse Isra’el, he builds seven altars and offers sacrifices. These sacrifices are not offered at the command of Elohim nor are they done in the place where Adonai has put His name. Balaam uses the sacrifices to divine false gods or ‘watchers’ to curse Isra’el. Each time his purpose is thwarted because he can only speak the words of Elohim and bless Isra’el.
Third Word of Elohim
Balak takes Balaam to where he can view the entire Israelite camp at the top of the mountain of Ba’al P’or overlooking the desert. This time Balaam does not rely on divination, but “looked out and saw Isra’el encamped tribe by tribe and the Spirit of God came on him and he spoke his message” (Numbers 24:1-2). He makes his third pronouncement:
“This is the speech [prophecy] of Bil‘am, son of B’or; the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened; the speech of him who hears God’s words; who sees what Shaddai sees, who has fallen, yet has open eyes: ‘How lovely are your tents, Ya’akov; your encampments, Isra’el! They spread out like valleys, like gardens by the riverside, like succulent aloes planted by Adonai, like cedar trees next to the water. Water will flow from their branches, their seed will have water aplenty. Their king will be higher than Agag and his kingdom lifted high. God, who brought them out of Egypt, gives them the strength of a wild ox. They will devour the nations opposing them, break their bones, pierce them with their arrows. When they lie down they crouch like a lion, or like a lioness — who dares to rouse it? Blessed be all who bless you! Cursed be all who curse you!” (Numbers 24:3-9)
Balak becomes enraged against Balaam. He did not appreciate that this renowned prophet could not curse his enemies for profit. He strikes his hands together and says, “I summoned you to curse my enemies. But here, you have done nothing but bless them –– three times already! Now you had better escape to your own place. I had planned to reward you very well, but now Adonai has deprived you of payment” (Numbers 24:10-11).
“May those who bless Isra’el be blessed and those who curse Isra’el be cursed!” (Numbers 24:9)
Words of blessing came out of the mouth of a prophet from a nation that hated Isra’el.
Elohim would not allow this seer to curse His chosen people. In fact, the words that Balaam spoke through the Spirit of Elohim have been repeated millions of times over the centuries. Those nations who cursed Isra’el were cursed; those nations who blessed Isra’el were blessed.
With the Ruach Elohim on him, Balaam lost the ability to speak his own divinations as Adonai spoke through him. His spiritual eyes were opened to see the “tents of Jacob, the dwelling place of Isra’el as a garden beside a river like aloes and cedars planted by waters.” He didn’t see the barren desert, but the living water of the Ruach Elohim flowing through the camps (Numbers 24:5-6). Because Balaam had blessed Isra’el, he received the blessing of opened spiritual eyes.
Agag was the King of the Amalekites similar to Pharaoh of Egypt. Through this oracle, it becomes clear that Agag is a great and mighty king, but not greater than the King who will come from Isra’el and whose kingdom will be mightier. Later in Isra’el’s history, Elohim commands King Saul to kill Agag. Because of his failure to complete his commission, the Jewish people are faced with annihilation by a descendant of Agag named Haman while they lived in captivity in Persia.
Fourth Word of Elohim
Before Balaam is allowed to return home, Adonai has the last word. He gives Balaam a prophetic vision for the acharit-hayamim (last days):
“This is the speech [prophecy] of Bil‘am, son of B’or; the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened; the speech of him who hears God’s words; who knows what ‘Elyon knows, who sees what Shaddai sees, who has fallen, yet has open eyes: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not soon — a star will step forth from Ya’akov, a scepter will arise from Isra’el, to crush the corners of Mo’av and destroy all descendants of Shet. His enemies will be his possessions — Edom and Se‘ir, possessions. Isra’el will do valiantly, From Ya‘akov will come someone who will rule, and he will destroy what is left of the city” (Numbers 24:15-19).
With his ‘third eye’ opened Balaam receives the spiritual vision of a coming Messiah, the redeemer who is the ‘star’ from Jacob and the ‘scepter’ from Isra’el. The Hebrew word for ‘star’ is kochab and refers to Abraham’s descendants being as numerous as the stars. The ‘scepter’ refers to the Tribe of Judah from which King Messiah will come. According to the Mishnah on this parashah, there are two redeemers mentioned in this passage: King David who Balaam “sees, but not now,” who will save Isra’el from her enemies, and King Messiah who Balaam “beholds, but not soon,” who will save Isra’el at the end of time.
The “angel of Adonai” is the same “angel of Adonai” who wrestled Jacob before changing his name to Isra’el. The “angel of Adonai” says Balaam was “rushing to oppose me; however, Balaam was not rushing to oppose a messenger of Elohim (Numbers 22:32). When Balaam says, “I behold him,” the Hebrew word for ‘behold’ is chazah and means ‘perceive with the eyes.’ Balaam literally perceived with his eyes a prophetic vision of Yeshua, the Commander of Adonai’s armies blocking his path and holding the flashing sword of His word (Numbers 24:17).
The Amalekites will eventually be destroyed and Canaan will be taken captive to Assyria near the Tigris River. Assyria and Eber and everything beyond the Euphrates River will also be destroyed. Historically, Moab will be destroyed by King David (2 Samuel 8:2).
When Balaam finished prophesying, he went home; Balak went his own way. However, the spiritual attacks against Isra’el have not ended.
The Plague of Abominations
“They yoked themselves to the Baal of P’or and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods”
(Psalm 106:28).
Soon after Balaam’s prophecies, Isra’el began committing sexual sins with Moabite women and eating foods sacrificed to idols. They sacrificed to Ba’al P’or, a Canaanite god, whose worship consisted of defecating on the god-idol, complete depravity. One account of Ba’al P’or referenced in the Talmud describes a Jewish man defecating at the idol and then wiped himself on its nose. Those who worshiped Ba’al P’or considered this action a high act of worship though it was an abomination to Elohim.
Adonai’s anger blazed against Isra’el. He had Moshe gather the Israelite leaders and hang them facing east toward the sun to appease His anger. The judges of Isra’el were put to death along with everyone who had sacrificed to Ba’al P’or.
Yeshua and Pergamum
Revelation 2:2-17
Yeshua refers to himself in his message to Pergamum as the “one who has the sharp double-edged sword” (Revelation 2:12). The double-edged sword is a description of the Word of Elohim judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, cuting right through to where soul meets spirit and joints meet marrow (Hebrews 4:12). Balaam’s donkey saw the “angel of Adonai” wielding this sword.
Pergamum was a city in ancient Greece located in Asia Minor some miles inland from the Aegean Sea. Pergamum had multiple shrines to worship Athena, Dionysus, and Zeus. The Great Altar of Zeus partially remains today on the Acropolis; the other part was taken to a museum in Berlin, Germany.
Yeshua knows the Adversary, who hates the Word of Elohim and abhors Isra’el, has his throne in Pergamum. The congregation in Pergamum battles with the Adversary who twists Adonai’s word and spews hatred towards His chosen people.
Selah
Part of the Adversary’s altar is found in Germany, the place where the evil one twisted the Word of Elohim and threw his hatred onto the Jewish people in the Holocaust.
The congregation in Pergamum is commended for holding onto Yeshua’s name and standing against multi-pagan-god worship (Proverbs 30:4). Over the centuries, the Adversary played a major role in changing the Savior’s Hebrew name, Yeshua, into the Greek rendering, Jesus (that may have its root Zeus). Using the name Yeshua, the name given by his Father, set the congregation in Pergamum free from demons and the worship of Zeus. This congregation watched a faithful follower of Yeshua who cast out many demons martyred. Antipas, (For All or Against All) was tortured and executed in a bronze bull-shaped altar –– the Great Altar of Zeus –– for refusing to denounce his faith in Yeshua and worship the Roman emperor.
Some believers in Pergamum, however, held onto the teachings of Balaam who taught Balak to take part in sexual immorality and eat foods sacrificed to idols. Once Balaam understood that Adonai would not allow him to curse Isra’el, he taught Balak how to entice the Israelites to sin.
When missionaries go into the world and preach a ‘Jesus’ who doesn’t keep the Sabbath, doesn’t celebrate the Biblical holy days, and eats ‘unclean’ food, they “entice Isra’el to sin.” Recently, our family received a letter asking us to support a young woman going on a mission trip to Isra’el. She needed to raise thousands of dollars to “take the love of Jesus” to the Jewish people. Because she had been raised with antisemitic doctrines, we could not support her. Though her message may appear to be one of love, it would not include a return to the Torah of Adonai. She would only ‘entice’ the Jewish people and make impotent the fullness of Yeshua’s message.
The double-edged sword of Yeshua’s mouth will make war with those who curse Isra’el. Those who deny the eternal covenants given to Isra’el blame the Jews for everything from killing ‘Jesus’ to whatever happens in the stock market. Balak was warned by Balaam, and Yeshua warns Pergamum. The nations, churches, and individuals hostile to Isra’el today should heed the warnings. Isra’el is still Adonai’s nation; the Jewish people are still His chosen people. The land remains His Land of Promise; His Name continues to reside in Jerusalem. “Those who curse Isra’el will be cursed; those who bless Isra’el will be blessed” (Numbers 24:9).
Those in Pergamum who overcome the teachings of Balaam will receive hidden manna. A jar of manna was kept ‘hidden’ in the Ark of the Covenant as a testimony of Adonai’s physical provision for the Israelites in the wilderness. Manna is the spiritual nourishment of Adonai’s word needed for being an overcomer in the Adversary’s world. Yeshua reveals himself to be the ‘hidden manna’ (Psalm 78:24-25, John 6:51).
The overcomer in Pergamum will also receive a white stone with a new name on it. A white stone was given to the victor of a race (Galatians 5:7, 1 Corinthians 9:24). Believers in Pergamum were running a race that became hindered by the teachings of Balaam. In order to receive their eternal reward, they needed to overcome the sins of sexual immorality and eating foods sacrificed to idols.
Yeshua, the Double-Edged Sword
“See, the Word of God is alive! It is at work and is sharper than any double-edged sword — it cuts right through to where soul meets spirit and joints meet marrow, and it is quick to judge the inner reflections and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12)
“Don’t suppose that I have come to bring peace to the Land. It is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword! For I have come to set a man against his father a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, so that a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. Whoever loves his father or mother more than he loves me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than he loves me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:34-37).
“In his {Yeshua’s] right hand he held seven stars, out of his mouth went a sharp double-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength” (Revelation 1:16).
“To the angel of the Messianic Community in Pergamum, write: ‘Here is the message from the one who has the sharp double-edged sword…’” (Revelation 2:12).
“The armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him [Yeshua] on white horses. And out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down nations — “He will rule them with a staff of iron.” It is he who treads the winepress from which flows the wine of the furious rage of Adonai, God of heaven’s armies” (Revelation 19:14-15).
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