THOUGHTS ON NUMBERS CHAPTER 22
When what you are afraid of is afraid of you
“There is a people who have come out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. Now please come, curse these people for me, for they are too powerful for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know [your reputation] that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed”. Numbers 22:5-6.
These were the very words of the powerful king of Moab concerning the children of Israel, a defenceless, so to say wandering people
What is this thing that the king of Moab, Balak saw in the children of Israel that made him quake in fear
He saw the awesome and mighty exploits of the children of Israel, which were the manifestations of the glory of GOD over the children of Israel
This reminds me of Adam and Eve; they were naked but they were not aware of it because the glory of GOD was their radiance and covering. They operated in obedience and the glory was radiating in all they did; they operated in dominion. They were too powerful for any power or being to touch
Do we realize the power of this same glory in our lives
It is worrisome that more often than not, others are the ones who see the manifestations of this glory of GOD around us, while we appear to take it for granted and prefer rather to be like others
The children of Israel could not see the awesomeness in their crossing the red sea, the same red sea that drowned their enemies, they didn’t see the awesomeness in being fed daily for years without them doing any work, their clothes growing on them, drinking from a rock, etc
Yes, they were momentarily excited and relieved but most of the times, all they could see were hardship around them and the cucumber and garlic they missed in Egypt
So while they were seeing the cucumber and garlic and envying those who had them, those who had the cucumber and garlic would give anything to have what they had! Esau longed for lintels; he didn’t understand what the inheritance was all about if it couldn’t take care of his immediate hunger
Why do we often look outside, when in reality, our inside is loaded, waiting to be charged up
In Numbers 22, we find Balak, realizing that there was just no way he could win this fight with the physical strength and might of his army, he did something. He was willing to go the extra mile to seek spiritual help to destroy the children of Israel and he sought the bes
12 And GOD said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed
At that point in time, the children of Israel were just doing their normal every day activities and were not aware at all of the plan of Balak , yet we see GOD already disarming the plans of Balak without needing to inform the children of Israe
As long as we are born again, we have entered into an everlasting covenant with GOD, where HE becomes our glory. It is this glory that makes us too powerful for any power or person to contend with.
And this glory is activated by total obedience to GOD, not by any work of righteousness
GOD knows every plan of the enemy against us. In short, before they even conceive them, HE is already waiting to blot them out
No matter the extent the enemy gets to, in order to destroy us, GOD who is our glory will frustrate them all. Balak was willing to pay whatever price to get the best spiritual power that can give him victory over the children of GOD.
Can we see the power of the glory of GOD in HIS response to Balaam
What does this tell us? We need not be afraid of any curse or strategy the enemy wants to come against us with as long as we are living in obedience
Knowing this, are we willing to pay any price to ensure the glory of GOD remains intact in us
Note that the enemy is willing to pay any price to ensure the glory is removed from us so he can have access to destroy us. Remember Samson? Yes. He was tempted by the woman he loved. When the glory was gone, the power was gone.And the glory left because of disobedience. So it wasn’t Samson that was powerful; it was the glory of GOD manifesting in him. We are nothing without the glory of GOD
In the very 1st tablet that Moses brought from GOD, GOD clearly stated that the love of GOD should be priority over all others.
Brethren, let us resolve like Joseph to live in obedience, not to man, not to our instincts, but to the word of GOD, in every situation and not also try to twist GOD’s words like Balaam did. If we can succeed in this, be assured that HIS glory will keep on shielding and lifting us above every known and unknown plans of the enemy and also over every crises in life
May the HOLY SPIRIT help us to make this, our individual and collective resolve in the mighty name of JESUS, Amen