Numbers 22 – 24 today. Wow! Pay attention to these. Lots to consider!
‘No prophesy of the scripture is of any private interpretation..’ 2 Peter 1:20
I see so many people ‘interpreting’ the scriptures. I think they think they are helping people.But they are in error. The scripture interprets itself. Scripture unlocks scripture. It doesn’t need to be ‘interpreted’.
The word ‘private’ here is that it is pertaining to one’s self – that is one’s own.
And interpretation is ‘explanation that is application, to solve further, to explain, decide….’
How many people pull out scriptures for ‘private’ application?
They fail to see that God’s word, God’s kingdom, God’s plan is the consistent thing. It is not a personal word to YOU per say.
How many times do people twist scriptures, change language, modernise the meaning? God, we’re in danger. Danger of ‘another gospel’. Danger of grave error. And considering most Christians rarely take the time to really really study the scriptures they are like sitting ducks for the preacher that says ‘this is what it means….’
If you’re one of those people, pay attention to scripture AS IT IS WRITTEN, in context!
Enough said.
Getting into Numbers 22..
This was triggered in me today because I’ve been reading Numbers 22-24. This is the story of Balaam.
Most Christians have heard about Balaam. I’m not going to repeat the story. You need to read it.
It is one of those pivotal stories of the Old Testament that is buried in the story of Israel and the Promise Land. You can skim over it BUT it is critical for a few reasons:
1. Jesus is prophesied – AGAIN!! (Numbers 23:21)
2. The prophesy to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is in play.
3. The prophesy of Jacob is referred to (Genesis 49 – Numbers 23:24)
This is where we hear the prophetic statement:
God is not a man that he should lie. Neither the son of man that he should repeat. Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
This ought to be written somewhere you can see to remind you – God always delivers what he said. ALWAY
Balaam is messing about in the space of Baal. AKA Molloch, AKA.. all the names. In the high places.
The high places where the idolatry is. The high places where they used the ‘green trees’ in the idolatry.. but I digress ….
New Testament Unlocks The Numbers Story
But these are the other reasons, in the New Testament, what Balaam did was so pivotal, it is mentioned 3 times.
2 Peter 2:15 – who loved the wages of unrighteousness
Jude 1:11 – error of Balaam
Revelation 2:14 – doctrine of Balaam
These are all areas we need to pay attention to.
This is the space of compromising God… and worse.
These scriptures are where the wise will go and study. They will pay attention, and pull apart the words, see what is going on. They will track Balaam. They will ask the question ‘what is the doctrine of Balaam’? ‘What is the error of Balaam?’…
How is it Balaam see’s Jesus coming?
Numbers is a cracker of a book!!! You could spend months just studying it. So many things in here, still part of the eternal plan, still critical to understanding God and what is going on.
There are far too many Balaam’s around these days.. we need to pay attention.
