The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1913-10-31

man. unstable In ell his ways" Jas.
It,
Following our last lesson the Isreai-
ties marched along the borders Of tho
wilderness meeting with much opposi.
tIon. In Nun. 20 We are told OF
the death Of Aaron. They met Arad
i21:l.3) and overthrow him. Moving
around Edom was . dlficult process
and the people became discouraged.
Again they murmured asalnst God
and against Moses. Swift punishment
followed In the form Of nery serpents.
Mum. N:4.11. Confessing their sins
Moses interceded on their behalf and
the look at . brszen serpent suggest.
ed to them the necessary attitude OF
faith towards God. After sundry wan.
behring's. the dwelling among the
Amorites and the overthrow Of sun.
dry tribes, we come to their encouu.
ter with Balak. AZ they journeyed
the report Of their victories preceded
them and Balak sought to protect
himself against these strange 'peo-
pie come out OF Egypt" by other
means THAI that OF war, for, said he,
they are covering the face OF tho
earth" See Elk. 1915.
Little Known About ealssm.
Here BALKAN appears upon tho
scene. Little IL known about him
lie evidently had u knowledge OF
Jehovah and yet was a sorcerer or
spiritist, dealing with evil spirits, and
was. probably, a Mldianitc.
!. The Call TO Curse, CHI. 22:t-6.
There are six personal pronouns IN
verse: Balak sought to fight FIRE with
FIRE. 60 save his own face. lie feared
those whom God blessed. The world
| today hates those whom God blesses.
Had Balak been wise he would hay.
cast In his lot with Israel and not
have miserably persisted In BATH.
| along with hts unwilling tool BALKAN.
,Soe Mum. 3i:s. Josh. i3:j2)
naianm at first refused Ralak's in.
| vitation ~ I3), but lalak sends NOR"
| .salted messengers and greater Offers
| OF honor and rewards. promising him
honor In the kingdom II he would but
curse Israel ". ~. Balaam again
|
| ". 49, for he cannot 10 beyond tho
word OF Jehovah. not that he was In
sympathy with that word at all. but
he was conscious OF Jehovahs power
u. A Challenge by the way. Oh. %:
22-35. The angel OF Jehovah. as the
agent OF his anger. intcrposed 10 save
iialaam from himself. Lust had ~
blinded his eyes that even an asa
saw more clearly than he. God r..
bukcd him and those who traiilckci
with evil spirits In order to produc"
results nre Knocked by the fact that "A
dumb ass found voice and spoke,
Finally. after repeating his condi.
tlonal permission that he was 10
speak only the word Jehovah was to
give him, he IN permitted to proceed
with the princes OF Balak."
BALKAN a Prophet.
~. The ehanoeiess message, Oh. ~.
Read carefully the Intervening chap.
tiers. In them we have the account or
BALKAN meeting Balak and Of his
brief but wonderful prophecy concern.
Ing Israel. BALKAN gives us won
derfui description OF one who is "A
prophet l2t:I6). lie IN "heareth
the words OF God" l2) "knoweth tho
knowledge Of the most high" 80
"seeth the vision OF the almighty"
Verse II Is a wonderful prophecy OF
the Lord Jesus. who Ia "a star" for
he "lighteth every man who cometh
into the world" (See also Pet.
1;lsJ lie is called IA sceptre" be-
cause OF his kingly sway (see Tx. I:
SO. 80. Heb. 1881. From the context
We read how once his lips were open
ed he declared q wonderful prophecy
concerning these whom Balak consid.
cred his enemies and with prophetic
eye he sees the coming glory OF
Israel. Balak's anger Ia kindled, and
he seeks to drive Balaam away, but
each time there comes forth from his
lips one of these unwelcome prophe.
cies. These marvellous prophecies
which fell from Balasm's lips. as an
instrument, taught that this entire uu.
der world OF evil Is under control OF
Jehovah and It's curses upon his PEG.
pie are important. He may even com.
pei unwilling instruments, II needfui,
to become agents for the accomplish.
ment OF his purposes. Balaam's sad
end strikinsly illustrates the fact that
man may admire the ideal OF right.
eousness and the beauty Of holiness
and yet falling to yield his own life
to those principles fail utterly In tho
contamination OF his life and his In
nuence. He taught Israel to sin.
i The Golden Text. II would almost
seem that James must have had Ba-
isam In mind when he wrote these
words. Double-minded means two
minded" and unstable means that We
lack foundation, are mot fastened
down" James 10 speaking Of the
lack Of wisdom which NAV ha sun.