Balaam’s words about God’s people (Numbers 24:5-9, 17-19; Deuteronomy 33:29), illustrate seven things that God does for them. Consider:
How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows. He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.” … I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!”
(Numbers 24:5-9, 17-19)
Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs.”
(Deuteronomy 33:29)
From these texts, we see that God does the following for His people:
- God makes them a lovely people (Numbers 24:5). Lovely because they are partakers of the goodness of God. The valleys, with their fruitfulness and flowers, are an illustration of the lovely fruits and fragrance that are produced in the lives of those who are possessed by, and are under the power of Him.
- God makes them a supplied people (Numbers 24:7). Water poured out of buckets is but a simile of His continual supply and His all-sufficient grace to meet our every need.
- God makes them an exalted people. “His people shall be higher than Agag” (Numbers 24:7). Our King is Christ; He is exalted to the right hand of God (Philippians 2:9), and we are exalted with Him (Ephesians 2:6).
- God makes them a delivered people (Numbers 24:8). We are delivered from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10); from the second death (2 Corinthians 1:10); from our enemies (Luke 1:74); and from this present evil world (Galatians 1:4).
- God makes them an honored people (Numbers 24:17-19). Israel was particularly honored because Christ came from them, and was of them.
- God makes them a happy people (Deuteronomy 33:29). Happy because their sins are forgiven (Psalm 32:1-2); because chosen by Him (Psalm 33:12); because trusting in Him (Psalm 34:8). because occupied with Him (Psalm 40:4); because ministering to others for Him (Psalm 41:1); because abiding in Him (Psalm 65:4; 84:4); because strengthened by Him (Psalm 84:5). The word “blessed” in the Psalms is the same word that is rendered “happy” in Deuteronomy 33:29.
- God makes them a saved people. Saved by the death of Christ as to the means of salvation (John 10:9-11); saved by the Holy Spirit as to the effectual cause of salvation (Titus 3:5); saved by faith as to the reception of salvation (Luke 7:50); saved by the Gospel as to the knowledge of salvation (1 Corinthians 15:2); saved by the risen living Christ as to being kept from sinning (Romans 5:10); and saved by hope as to the completeness of our salvation (Romans 8:24).