What do you see?

Num 24
Ps 66

The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered... (Numbers 24:3-4)

Balaam in Numbers 24 does not look for omens but faces the wilderness and sees Israel camped in it (v1). Looking at homeless Israel the Spirit comes upon him and he sees much more. He sees God's blessing upon them in the form of both a vision of pastoral harmony and great power over its enemies.

Balaam in his second prophecy of the chapter, which is prefaced with the same comment as the first about seeing, prophesises that the enemies of God will ruled by 'one from Jacob [that] shall exercise dominion' (v19). Whoever this person is though it is still 'God [who] does this' (v23).

This vision of Israel on the in victorious war against its enemies is not one to bring hope to the other nations of the world and yet Psalm 66 encourages them to 'Shout for joy to God' (v1). Psalm 67 is even stronger in its encouragement to 'the nations [to] be glad and sing for joy' (v4), although the Psalmist has not forgotten that 'all the ends of the earth fear him' too (v7).

In both the two psalms only one reason is given why the nations should be glad and that is because God 'judge[s] the peoples with equity and guide[s] the nations upon earth' (67:4). Though God loves his people he is never unfair, and more than that is guiding the nations in his plan to fulfil Abraham's promise to bless the nations through Israel.

God's jealousy for his people is clearly a blessing for them, which cannot be overcome by the rival gods or people groups a Balaam and Balak found. The psalmist encourages the nations to 'Come and see what God has done' (66:5) and recounts God's unique saving acts for Israel. The implication seems to be that if you see what God has done for his people, and praise him for it, you can share in his blessing to them. As I think about the great acts of God towards his people in the past when reading Numbers, I find joy because I know instinctively that God's blessing to Israel, finding its fulfilment in Jesus' resurrection is mine too if I share in his death.

How this blog was born

This blog was created...

• On the suggestion of Paul's words in Philippians 4:8-9: 'Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.'
• On the recollection of Don Carson's words: 'People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord.'
• On the example of Dave Bish, Mark Lauterbach among others.
• Using the resource of the daily Bible reading calendar created by Robert Murray M'Cheyne. and which has benefited countless Christians since.
• And finally, on the experience of writing a blog for many months, which though I was occasionally proud of too often, though with its foundation on the gospel, did not have the gospel as its focus. I hope with this blog to think and write about the important things, not those things which my itching fingers want to write.

'rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation'