Jesus was the star out of jacob

JESUS WAS THE STAR OUT OF JACOB
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Numbers 24:17 I see him, but not now; I behold him,
but not near. A star will come out of Jacob, and a
scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls
of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
Balaam- The Fourth Parable
Numbers 24:17
J. Waite
Balaamappears before us here as one who "seeing, seesnot. His "eyes are
open," but he has no real vision of the eternal truth of things. He has a
"knowledgeofthe MostHigh," but not that which consists in living sympathy
with his characterand will and law. He recognizes the blessednessofthe
ransomed people, but has no personal share in that blessedness. He discerns
the bright visions of the future, the rising of Jacob's Star, the gleamof the
royal Scepterthat shall rule the world, the coming of the world's redeeming
Lord, but he sees him only from afar. Not "now," not "nigh," does he behold
him; not with a vivid, quickening, self-appropriating consciousness;not as the

light, the hope, the life, the eternal joy of his own soul. It is a moral
portraiture, a type of spiritual condition and personalcharacter, with which
we are only too familiar. The faith of many is thus destitute of efficient saving
power. "It is dead, being alone." Theirreligious perceptions are thus divorced
from religious life. They have just such a formal, ideal acquaintance with God,
without any of that immediate personal fellowshipwith hint which renews
their moral nature after his likeness.Theywalk in the embrace of his
presence, but their "eyes are holden that they should not know him." So near
is He, and yet so far; so clearlyrevealed, and yet so darkly hidden; so familiar,
and yet so strange.
I. This is seenin THE INSENSIBILITYOF MEN TO THE DIVINER
MEANING OF NATURE. The material universe exists for spiritual ends.
God has surrounded his intelligent creatures with all the affluence and glory
of it in order to revealhimself to them and attract their thought and affection
to himself. "The invisible things of him from the beginning of the world are
clearly seen," &c. (Romans 1:20). But how dead are men often to Divine
impressions!They hear no voice and feelno influence from God coming to
them through his works. Theyknow none but the lower uses of nature, and
never dream of entering through it into communion with Him who inspires it
with the energyof his presence. Tribes whose life is nursed and cradled in the
fairestregions of the earth are often mentally the darkestand morally the
most depraved. The worstforms of heathenism have been found in those parts
of the world where the Creatorhas most lavished the tokens of his glorious
beneficence. The sweetassociations ofrural and pastorallife in a Christian
land like ours are connectedless than we should expectthem to be with
quickness of spiritual perception and tenderness of spiritual sensibility.
Strangerstill that men whose souls are most keenlyalive to all the beauty of
the world, and with whom it is an all-absorbing passionto searchout its
wonders and drink in its poetic inspirations, should fail, as they so often do, to
discern in it a living God. Physicalscience is to many as a gorgeousveil that
darkly hides him. rather than the glass through which the beams of his glory
fall upon them, the radiant pathway by which they climb up to his throne.
Their eyes are wondrously "open;" they have a "knowledgeofthe Most
High" in the forms and modes of his working such as few attain to; "visions of

the Almighty" in the glorious heavens above and the teeming earth beneath
pass continually before them, and yet they see and feeland know him not.
How different such a case from that of Job: "O that I knew where I might
find him!" &c. (Job 23:1-10). There you have the passionate outbreathing of a
soul that is hungering and thirsting after a God that "hideth himself." Here
you have God urging, pressing upon men the signals and proofs of his
presence without effect. There is no blindness darker and sadderthan that of
those who boastthat their "eyes are open," and yet, in a glorious world like
this, can find no living God.
II. It is seenin THE INDISPOSITION OF MEN TO RECOGNISE THE
VOICE OF GOD IN HOLY SCRIPTURE.To know that the Bible is a
revelation of truth from God, and to know God as he reveals himself in the
Bible, are two widely different things. There are those to whom revelationis
as a Divine voice uttered long ago, but "not now;" a voice coming down to
them through the ages as in distant echo, but not instant and near. To them
these old records may be sacred, venerable, worthy to be preserved and
defended, but in no sense are they a channel of direct personal communication
betweenthe living God and our living souls;"inspired" once, but not instinct
with the spirit of inspiration now. No wonder the word is powerlessand
fruitless under such conditions. It is of no use to tell men that the Scriptures
are "inspired" if they don't feelGod to be in them. dealing as a personal
Spirit with their spirits to draw them into fellowship with himself. A new kind
of consciousnessis awakened, a new order of effects produced, when once a
man begins to feelthat the written word is the living voice of God to his own
soul. He cannot despise it then. It carries with it an authority that needs no
extraneous authority to support it - the true "demonstrationof the Spirit."
Apart from this, the soul in presence ofall these Divine revelations is like one
under the influence of some powerful anaesthetic, receiving impressions on
the outward sense ofall that is going on around him, but conscious ofnothing.
The "eyes are open," but there is no living, spiritual realization. "Theyseeing,
see not, and hearing, hear not, neither do they understand" (Matthew 13:13;
John 12:40; 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4).
III. It is seenin THE PURELY IDEAL RELATION IN WHICH MEN TOO
OFTEN STAND TOWARDSCHRIST. By multitudes Christ is seen, as it

were, "afaroff." He is to them but as the vision of a dream, a vague, distant
abstraction, a mere historic figure, the central actorin a tragicalhistoric
drama. They have never enteredinto any kind of personalrelation with him,
have never bowed before him in heart-broken penitence, adoring wonder,
childlike trustfulness, grateful, self-surrendering love. "Virtue" has never
gone forth out of him to heal the disease oftheir souls, because they have not
yet "touchedhim." There is a wide distinction betweenthe knowledge that
comes by mere hearsayand that which comes by personalconverse, betweena
distant vision and the living "touch." Thoughfaith be in greatpart blind and
unintelligent, yet if there is the quick sensibility of life in it, it is better than all
the clear, unclouded vision of an eye that is no real inlet to the soul. There is a
future manifestation of Christ. "Behold, he comethwith clouds; and every eye
shall see him" (Revelation1:7). What shall be the relation in which we stand
towards him then? There are those whose eyes will then be openedas they
never were before. Shall it be only to have them closedagainin everlasting
night, "consumedwith the brightness of his appearing"? You must be in
living fellowship with Christ now if you would look with joy upon him when
he comes in his "powerand greatglory." - W.
Biblical Illustrator
I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh.
Numbers 24:17-19
Balaam's vision
H. J. Wilmot-Buxton, M. A.
As I read these words I seemto look on the scene described. What do I see? I
see the top of a wild mountain range, and I see altars smoking with sacrifices.
Hard by stands Balak, with many slaves bearing costlygifts, gold, and
precious stones, and spices, and garments. A little apart is Balaam, that
"strange mixture of a man." And now, as he gazes from the high places of
Baal, and the altars of idolatry, he sees farbelow Israelabiding in their tents.
There are the banners of the different tribes waving in the wind; the eyes of

Balaamare opened, and he recalls the past of Israel's history, and he foresees
the future. And now, as we turn aside from this unwilling prophet who utters
a blessing, in every word of which there was breathed a curse, what lessons
are there for us of to-day.
1. First, we learn the awful danger of trifling with conscience, the whisper of
the Holy Spirit within us. Balaamknew what was right, yet desiredto do
wrong.
2. We learn, too, the sin of trying to make a bargain, or compromise, with
God. Hundreds of people are trying to do this, endeavouring to serve God a
little, and the world a gooddeal. They profess to obey God, but only in the
matters which they choose.
3. We learn, also, from the story of Balaam's sin, never to neglecta plain duty
for the sake ofearthly gain.
(H. J. Wilmot-Buxton, M. A.)
Two ways of seeing Christ
G. Wagner.
Commentators have differed as to the way of explaining the pronoun "him,"
some referring it to Israel. We need scarcelysaythat we agree with those who
refer to Him who is Jacob's starand sceptre. Falseas his heart was, the seer
saw Him in the spirit of prophecy, and felt that a time would come when he
would actually see Him. But the time when Jacob's Starwould arise was not
come, it was distant, and so he adds, "but not now; I shall behold Him, but not
nigh." This seems to be the obvious meaning of the words. But if you look at
them in connectionwith Balaam's state of mind, do they not contain a deeper
and more awful meaning? Are they not prophetic of himself, as well as of
Christ? — of his own awful end, as well as of Israel's greatdestiny? "I shall
see Him!" Yes, when He comes again;but does he express hope that he will
share in the Redeemer's gloryand Israel's blessedness?No, there is no word
of hope, no expressionof desire, as in the words of Job, "For I know that my

Redeemerliveth," &c. "My Redeemer!" says the afflicted saint, with an
appropriating faith; "whom I shall see for myself," he adds, in hallowed
longing; but all that the "unrighteous" prophet could saywas, "I shall behold
Him, but not nigh." In what spirit do we think of that day of which these men
speak? All of us, without any exception, will see Christ. "Everyeye shall see
Him." But how shall we see Him — nigh, or afar off? Like Job, or like
Balaam? Has it been given us to saywith the first, "My Redeemer — mine,
for He died for me"? Or do we feel — must we feel, that we have no. part in
His salvation;and that when we see Him, it may be "afaroff."
(G. Wagner.)
A
Balaam's prophecy of Christ as Star and Sceptre
G. Wagner.
Balaam, moved by the Spirit, sets forth Jesus in this prophecy in a twofold
character— as the Giver of light, and as exercising kingly power.
I. First, AS THE GIVER OF LIGHT: "There shallcome a Starout of Jacob."
We all know that the Redeemeris more than once compared in Scripture to
the sun (Malachi 4:2; Luke 1:78). It is not, perhaps, quite so easyto see why
Christ is comparedto a "star";for as the stars shine with a borrowedlight,
they seemmore suited to be illustrations of the followers of Jesus than of the
Saviour Himself. And so they are used in Revelation1:20 of ministers: "The
sevenstars are the angels of the sevenChurches";and by St. Paul of all
Christians (Philippians 2:14). Applied to Christ, it may be to teachus how
Jesus shines through all the long night of the Church's sorrows. The sun
dissipates darkness;where it shines, darkness ceases.It is so with the rule of
sin. Into whateverheart Christ shines, there the powerof sin is broken. The
star gives light without dissipating darkness. It guides the wanderer's feet. So
Jesus gives light in the night of affliction. He does not altogetherremove it,
nor exempt His people from suffering. But they are not left in utter darkness.
There is a starin the heavens above, so bright that it canpenetrate the

darkestcloud, and gladden with its light the loneliness of sorrow. But St. John
teaches us something more about this star when he records the words of the
glorified Redeemer, "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright
and morning Star" (Revelation22:16). And why the morning star? The
morning star is the lastto disappear. It still continues to shine when the rays
of the sun have overwhelmedevery other light; and thus it is a beautiful
emblem of Christ. Is Christ Jesus your Star, your morning Star? Is it to His
light that you look? And if any earthborn cloud interrupts His light from your
soul, do you look through the cloud, and wait, not impatiently, but earnestly,
for its removal? Those false lights with which we encompass ourselves, the
sparks of our ownkindling, will certainly all go out, and greatwill be the
consternationof those who will then be left in darkness. Butif you are looking
to Jesus, guided by His light, then your path will get brighter and brighter,
until it ends in the perfect light of His presence, a height to which no cloud can
rise. But there is one thing more that we must notice with regard to this Star.
Balaamtells us the point from whence he saw it arise. "There shallcome," he
says, "a Star out of Jacob."This points us to the humanity of Jesus. All the
brightness of the Godhead came to us through the humanity of Jesus.
II. But let us pass on to the secondpart, THE KINGLY OFFICE OF OUR
REDEEMER:"And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel." It may be thought,
perhaps, in consequence ofthe words that follow, "and shall smite the corners
of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth," that this prophecy was
fulfilled in the time of David, when the boundaries of Israelwere so much
enlarged, and their enemies overcome. Butwe ought to remember that just as
the prophets and priests of Israel were types of Jesus as Prophet and Priest, so
were its kings types of Him who was and is a King of kings. Jesus was a King
in the days of His suffering on earth. It was under the direction of God's
providence that Pilate, though he meant it not so, wrote the title, "Jesus of
Nazareth, the King of the Jews." The sceptre was in His hand; but He did not
then put forth His great powerand reign. His kingly office was held for a time
in abeyance. True it is that Christ does reign. He reigns in the hearts of His
willing people, and over a reluctant world. But this is the time of His patience
and long-suffering. The hour is not yet come for the full manifestation of His

kingly office and power. Does He reign in our hearts, destroying and keeping
under our spiritual enemies?
III. But there is one point more in our text which we must not leave unnoticed,
and that is, THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE COMING OF THE STAR, AND
RISING OF THE SCEPTRE — A POWER GIVEN TO ISRAEL TO
OVERCOME HIS ENEMIES.Those enemies are described, not generally,
but very minutely. Moab is mentioned first, because, headedby Balak, the
Moabites were then endeavouring to destroy Israel. The expression, "Smite
the corners (or sides)of Moab," signifies an entire destruction, perpetrated
along the whole compass of its dominions. The next expression, "The children
of Sheth," has puzzled commentators. Some have takenit as a proper name,
to designate one of Adam's sons
; but it is impossible to extractany goodmeaning from it if so understood. The
Hebrew word has, however, lately been shown to be the contractedform of
another word which signifies "tumult"; and this is strongly confirmed by a
reference to a remarkable prophecy of Jeremiahconcerning Moab, in which
we can scarcelyfail to observe an allusion to this prophecy of Balaam
(Jeremiah 48:42). The enemies of Israelwere calledthe children of tumult,
because they were ever restless;restless in themselves, becausethey knew not
Israel's God, and restless as neighbours, because they would give Israelno
peace. Nextto Moab, Edom is mentioned. Then follow predictions of
judgments on Amalek, Israel's first enemy, on the Kenites, strong as they
seemedto be in their mountain-passes, onAsshur and Eber; and so terrible
did these judgments appear to the seer, that he could not help exclaiming,
"Alas I who shall live when God doeth this?" But all these are but typical of
the greaterenemies with which we have to contend. The "sons oftumult"
encompass us about. Satan, knowing that his time is short, is ever busy. The
world, so restless becauseit knows not Christ, pours in its influences upon us.
The old man within us, though crucified, is everstruggling for victory. And
Under these influences our very relatives and friends may hinder us on our
way, just as Edom did Israel. What must we do to overcome? We must fix our
eye upon Jacob's Star, the bright morning Star. We must cling to the sceptre
of Jesus. Rememberthat the enemies of God's people are already doomed to
destruction. Yet a little while, and if you are Christ's, Satanwill be bruised

under your feet. The world will not attract or frighten you. The old man will
not struggle and weary you.
(G. Wagner.)
The Star of Jacob
Our Lord, then, is compared to a star, and we shall have sevenreasons to
assignfor this.
I. He is called a staras THE SYMBOLOF GOVERNMENT. Youwill observe
how evidently it is connectedwith a sceptre and with a conqueror. Jacobwas
to be blessedwith a valiant leaderwho should become a triumphant
sovereign. Very frequently in oriental literature their greatmen, and
especiallytheir great deliverers, are called stars. Behold, then, our Lord Jesus
Christ as the Star of Jacob. He is the Captain of His people, the Leader of the
Lord's hosts, the King in Jeshurun, God over all, glorious and blessedfor
ever!
1. We may say of Jesus in this respectthat He has an authority which He has
inherited by right. He made all things, and by Him all things consist. It is but
just that He should rule overall things.
2. Our Lord as a star has an authority which He has valiantly won. Wherever
Christ is King He has had a greatand a stern fight for it.
3. This kingdom of Christ, wherever it is, is most beneficent. Whereverthis
star of government shines, its rays scatterblessing. Jesus is no tyrant. He rules
not by oppression. The force He uses is the force of love.
II. The staris THE IMAGE OF BRIGHTNESS.Our Lord Jesus Christ is
brightness itself. The star is but a poor setting forth of Ills ineffable splendour.
As Mediator, exalted on high, enjoying the reward of His pains, He is bright
indeed.
1. Observe, that our Lord as a star is a bright particular star in the matter of
holiness. In Him was no sin.

2. As a star, He shines also with the light of knowledge. Moseswas, as it were,
but a mist, but Christ is the Prophet of light. "The law was given by Moses"
— a thing of types, and shadows — "but grace and truth come by Jesus
Christ." If any man be taught in the things of God, he must derive his light
from the Star of Bethlehem.
III. Thirdly, our Lord is comparedto a star to bring out the fact that He is
THE PATTERN OF CONSTANCY. Tenthousand changes have been
wrought since the world began, but the stars have not changed. There they
remain. So with our Lord Jesus. He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for
ever. What the prophets and apostles saw in Him, we can see in Him, and
what He was to them, that He is to us, and shall be to generations yet unborn.
Hundreds of us may be looking at the same star at the same time without
knowing it. There is a meeting-place for many eyes. We may be drifted, some
of us, to Australia, or to Canada, or to the United States, or we may be sailing
across the greatdeep, but we shall see the stars there. It is true that on the
other side of the world we shall see anotherset of stars, but the stars
themselves are always still the same. As far as we in this atmosphere are
concerned, we shall look upon some star. So, wherever we may be, we look to
the same Christ. Jesus Christ is still the same, the same to all His people, the
same in all places, the same for ever and ever. Well, therefore, may He be
compared to those bright stars that shine now as they did of old and change
not.
IV. In the fourth place, we may trace this comparison of our Lord to a star as
THE FOUNTAIN OF INFLUENCE. The old astrologers usedto believe very
strongly in the influence of the stars upon men's minds. But whether there be
an influence in the stars or not, as touching this world, I know there is great
influence in Christ Jesus. He is the fountain of all holy influences among the
sons of men. Where this star shines upon the graves of men who are dead in
sin they begin to live. Where the beam of this starshines upon poor
imprisoned spirits, their chains drop off, the captive leaps to lose his chains.
When this star shines upon the backslider, he begins to mend his ways, and to
follow, like the easternsages,its light till he finds his Saviour once more.

V. In the fifth place, the Lord Jesus Christ may be compared to a star as A
SOURCE OF GUIDANCE. There are some of the stars that are extremely
useful to sailors. I scarcelyknow how else the greatwide sea would be
navigated, especiallyif it were not for the Polar Star. Jesus is the PolarStar to
us.
VI. Our Lord is compared to a star, safely, as THE OBJECT OF WONDER.
We used to think when we were little ones that the stars were holes pricked in
the skies, throughwhich the light of heavenshone, or that they were little
pieces of gold-dust that God had strewnabout. We do not think so now; we
understand that they are much greaterthan they look to be. So, when we were
carnal, and did not know King Jesus, we esteemedHim to be very much like
anybody else, but now we begin to know Him, we find out that He is much
greater, infinitely greaterthan we thought He was. And as we grow in grace,
we find Him to be more glorious still.
VII. Our Lord is compared to a star, as lie IS THE HERALD OF GLORY.
The bright and morning star foretells that the sun is on its way to gladden the
earth with its light. Wherever Jesus comes lie is a greatprophet of good. Let
Him come into a heart, and, as soonas He appears, you may restassuredthat
there is a life of eternity and joy to come. Let Jesus Christ come into a family,
and what changes He makes there. Let Him be preachedwith powerin any
town or city, and what a herald of goodthings He is there. To the whole world
Christ has proclaimed glad tidings. His coming has been fraught with
benedictions to the sons of men.
( C. H. Spurgeon.)
Balaam's prophecy
ClericalWorld.
I. CHRIST'S PREDICTEDHUMAN ANCESTRY. "Out of Jacob," &c. He
was the "Lord from heaven";but He came through the lowly door of human
birth.

1. His ancestrywas chosenby God. That there was a fitness we cannotdoubt;
what it consistedin we do not know.
2. Its destinies were guided by God with a view to this greatconsummation.
This explains many a dark passage in Israel's history. So when we canview
God's leading of us from the result, all will be clear.
3. It was a lowly ancestry. Contrastwith the greatancient powers.
4. It was by no means a pure and worthy ancestry. The clean came out of an
unclean. Endless hope for man in that.
II. THE TWOFOLD REPRESENTATIONOF CHRIST'S REIGN.
1. A Star. In its guidance.
(1)Universal and impartial. For all under the heavens.
(2)Abiding. No earthly poweror malice can quench its light.
(3)Leads in the darkness. Burns the brighter the greaterthe darkness.
(4)Unobtrusive. You must watchand follow.
2. A Sceptre.
(1)Strong to protectHis friends.
(2)Powerfulto crush His foes.
(ClericalWorld.)
The Star of Jacoband the Sceptre of Israel
J. G. Angley, M. A.
I. THE STAR OF JACOB OR ISRAEL.
1. Christ is a Star to give Divine light and guidance to the soul.
2. Christ is a Star of glory for His Church, and of conquest overall His foes.

II. CHRIST IS THE SCEPTRE OF ISRAEL, OR OF THE CHURCH OF
GOD. The sceptre is the emblem in all realms and ages ofroyal authority.
Now Christ holds the sceptre of royal power in two ways.
1. As the Divine Lawgiver and Ruler of His Church for government.
2. Forvictory and eternalglory.
(J. G. Angley, M. A.)
Balaamand the Star of Jacob
R. Jones, B. A.
I. THE DELIVERER OF THIS PROPHECY.
II. THE PERSON FORETOLD IN THIS PROPHECY.
1. A star may be conceivedan apt emblem of Jesus, from the loftiness and
dignity of its position. Lofty as is the sphere of the common star, infinitely
loftier is the mediatorial range of the circuit of Christ, the Star of Bethlehem.
In His course as a Saviour, He completely overtops with His excellencyall
length, and breadth, and depth, and height — all time — all eternity.
2. A star, also, is an apt emblem of Jesus, inasmuchas it helps to relieve the
monotonous aspectof the gloom of night with its brilliant presence. How
undefined would be the face of night without the stars!It is the constant
twinklings that are emitted from the various groups of stars above our heads
which convert the dulness of night into positive cheerfulness. And is not Jesus
the Starthat gilds the dark night of affliction with the blessings of His
spiritual presence?
3. How wonderful is it that He generallyreserves the disclosure of His
unsearchable ways to His chosenuntil the darkesthour of the night of
tribulation! But Jesus, also,is aptly representedunder the figure of a star, as
being set forth to the world at large as a signfrom heaven. To some He shines
far off, as the star of better days to come;to more as the starof ill omen and
wrath from on high to them that are disobedient and care not for the truth.

III. THE PURPORT OF THIS PROPHECY.
(R. Jones, B. A.)
Balaam's vision
H. Melvill, B. D.
It is evident that the star and the sceptre are to be taken as emblems or types
of some prince or warrior; for it is a living form which Balaamfirst
represents himself as beholding, though he immediately proceeds to describe
the being under images drawn from the inanimate creation. And that the star
and sceptre did but figure some illustrious personis yet more clearfrom what
instantly follows, seeing that the deeds of a conqueror are ascribedto him by
the prophet — "and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroyall the
children of Sheth." The successesofthis potentate are then more fully stated -
"And Edom shall be a possession, Seiralso shallbe a possessionfor his
enemies." And the prophecy, so far as we are now to considerit, is shut up in
the declaration, that the warriorfigured by the star and the sceptre should
not be alone in his conflict, but should be associatedwith the people from
whom he was to arise, "Israelshalldo valiantly." And who, think ye, is this
leaderor prince to represent? The first opinion is, that it was David whom
Balaamforesaw and foretold; the second, that it was Christ. And these
opinions may both be correct. It is very common for prophecies to have a
double fulfilment. The first when they are takenin a somewhatrestricted
sense;the secondwhen they are taken in their largestsense. And this is
peculiarly the case whenan individual is himself the type of a more illustrious;
and when therefore it may naturally be expectedthat his actions serve also as
predictions of those of his antitype. Now it is not necessarythat we Should
show you that a king such as David might be fitly representedunder the
emblem of a star and a sceptre. This at leastwill be immediately admitted in
regard of the sceptre;for the sceptre being that which a king holds and sways,
suggestsnecessarilythe idea of a royal ruler or potentate. And if we cannot
affirm quite the same of the star, we know that, in the imagery of Scripture,
stars are put for the leading men of a country — those most conspicuous in

the political firmament: so that when greatconvulsions are to be delineated —
those agitations of societywhich confound all orders and ranks — it is by such
emblems as that of the stars falling from the heavens that the overthrow of
princes and grandees was commonlyrepresented. We turn then to the things
said to be done by the being thus figuratively described;and in these we may
certainly recognise the actions of David. It is affirmed of the predicted king
that he shall "smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of
Sheth"; Sheth (according to the best interpreters) having been the name of a
greatMoabitish prince. This affirmation (if Moabbe literally understood)
requires that the ruler of Israelshould lay waste the country in which Balaam
then stood;and so far the prediction was undoubtedly accomplishedby David.
For you read in the SecondBook ofSamuel — "Davidsmote Moab, and he
measuredthem with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two
lines measuredhe to put to death, and with one full line to keepalive: and so
the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts." It is next said
"Edom shall be a possession";and you find it statedof David in the very
chapter from which we have just quoted, "David put garrisons in Syria of
Damascus;and the Syrians became servants." As to what follows — "Seiralso
shall be a possessionfor his enemies" — it seems to be only a repetition of the
former clause;for Seir was the name given to some parts of the country of the
Edomites. So that the prophecy — a prophecy verified by the historicalfacts
already adduced, is that David's occupationof the land would be so complete
that he should have possessionof its fastnessesandheights. We need scarcely
add that the remaining words of the text, "Israelshall do valiantly," apply
thoroughly to the people over whom David ruled; for the nation became
eminently warlike under so illustrious a leader, and distinguished itself by
courage in the field. And thus we may fairly saythat if David were
representedby the star and the sceptre, his registeredactions and
achievements correspondwith sufficient accuracyto the prophetic
delineation. But we doubt whether this accomplishmentof the prophecy can
seemto any of you commensurate with the grandeur of the diction with which
it is conveyed. We thus bring you to the most important part of our subject.
We are to apply the prophecy to Christ, and examine whether there be not a
specialfitness in the emblems of the star and the sceptre, when consideredas
designating the Redeemer;and whether the smiting of Moaband Edom do

not aptly representHis victories and His triumphs. Indeed, so usual was it to
associate the promised Christ with a star, or to take the star as His emblem,
that we read of an impostor in the days of the emperor Adrian, wishing to
pass himself off for the Messiah, assumeda title which signifies The Son of the
Star; meaning thereby to announce himself as the star which Balaamhad seen
afar off. But admitting that the emblem of the star is employed in designating
Christ, is there any specialappropriateness in such an emblem? We reply at
once that everything which has to do with light may fitly be taken as an image
of Christ. There is nothing which so fitly represents the moral condition of the
world when Christ appearedon earth as darkness. His office cannot be better
representedthan when He is exhibited under figures derived from the nature
and the agencyof light. But yet, why describe Him as a star, which does little
towards irradiating a benighted creation? Why not rather take the sun as His
emblem? He will be a sun to His Church throughout the heavenly states:but
He is only as a star during the existing dispensation. And may not this, indeed,
be most truly affirmed of a state in which at best "we see through a glass
darkly," and can "know but in part"? The night is yet upon us, though that
night may be far spent; but it is no longerthe starless night which it was ere
the Redeemerbrought life and immortality to light by His gospel. A star — a
morning star has occupiedour horizon, and the tempest-tossedbarque, in
danger of everlasting shipwreck, may steeritself by the light of that star to the
haven where it would be, and where there is to be no more night, though no
more sun. Christianity, as setup in the world, is but in its twilight. The night
is still unbroken over a vast portion of our globe;and even where revelation
has been received, we must rather speak of streaks like those on the eastern
sky, whose gold and purple prophesy of morning, than those rich full lustres
which flood creationwhen the sun has reachedthe zenith. On every account,
therefore, is our Redeemerfitly emblemed by the figure which He applied to
Himself — the emblem of the bright and morning star. And surely we need
not saymuch to prove to you that the emblem of the sceptre is equally
appropriate. You know that in Christ are combined the offices of Prophet,
Priest, and King. But admitting the appropriateness of the emblems thus
given to Christ, we have yet to examine whether the predicted actions were
such as to be ascribedto the Redeemer. We have alreadyshown you that if
Moaband Edom are to be literally taken — that if they designate countries

anciently so called— there are recordedevents in the annals of the Jews
which may be fairly consideredas having accomplishedthe prediction. Now
this is, of course, upon the supposition that the star and the sceptre represent
David or some other Jewishprince, and will not hold when Christ is regarded
as the subject of the prophecy. We need not saythat Christ never ]aid waste
the literal Moaband Edom; and we may add that there is nothing in Scripture
to lead us to suppose that the countries formerly so calledare hereafterto be
speciallyvisited by His vengeance.But you cannot be ignorant that it is
common in the Bible to take a name which has belongedto some greatfoe of
God, and to use it of others whose wickedness is their only connectionwith the
parties originally so called. Edom and Moabare the names which prophecy
gives to the enemies of the Church, who are to perish beneath the judgments
with which that sun shall be saturated, when every baserlight is to be lostin
the star, and every other empire in that of the sceptre. And, therefore:in
predicting the desolationof Moaband Edom, Balaammay be regarded as
predicting the final overthrow of all the powerof anti. christ, that a clear
scene may be swept for the erectionof the kingdom of Christ and His saints.
The sign of the Son of Man is yet to be seenin the heavens, where it was
beheld by Balaam, from the summit of Peor. I know not what that sign shall
be; perhaps againthe star — fearful meteor! — like that which hung over the
fated Jerusalem, boding its destruction; perhaps againthe sceptre — brilliant
constellation! — burning with majesty and betokening the extinction of all
meaner royalty; perhaps the Cross, as it appearedto the Roman — aye, when
he was taught to know the God of battles, and to place Christianity upon the
throne of the Caesars.But whateverthe sign, the Being whose emblazonry it
exhibits, shall come to deal out a long-delayedvengeance ontribes that have
refused to walk in His light and submit to His rule. Now it is to be observed
that though we have thus referred the close ofthe prediction to the close ofthe
existing dispensation, there has been from the first and there still is a partial
accomplishmentof all that Balaamannounced. There is evidently a great
mixture in the prophecy. It is a prophecy of illumination, of dominion, of
destruction, and all these are to be traced eversince Christ revealedHimself
to man. There have been always those in whose hearts the day star has risen
— always those who have yielded themselves as willing subjects to the
Mediator— always the Moabite and the Edomite who have defied His

authority, or sunk beneath His vengeance. So that howeverthe grand
fulfilment is yet to be expectedin the complete triumph of Christianity and
the overthrow of all the foes of the Church, enoughis continually occurring to
prove that the prediction sketchedthe whole period of the present
dispensation. Throughout this whole period the words have been fulfilled,
"Israelshall do valiantly." Israel has borne up bravely againstincessant
assault, and supported from on high has been successfulin withstanding the
armies of the aliens.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
A new star
T. de Witt Talmage.
ProfessorHenry, of Washington, discovereda new star, and the tidings sped
by submarine telegraph, and all the observatories ofEurope are watching for
that new star. Oh, hearer, looking out through the darkness ofthy soul to-
night, canstthou see a bright light beaming on thee? "Where?" yousay,
"where? how can I find it?" Look along by the line of the Cross of the Son of
God. Do you not see it trembling with all tenderness and beaming with all
hope? It is the Star of Bethlehem.
(T. de Witt Talmage.)
Variety of representationof God
H. W. Beecher.
The Bible sets us an example of fashioning for ourselves a personal God to suit
our need. When I find Paul using figures to representto himself God, as his
wants required Him, I know that I may do the same thing. When I want love,
I may make God my tender and loving father or sister, or mother. When I
want pity, I may make Him a Being of unfailing and boundless pity. When I
want courage, He is my lion; when I want light and cheer, He is my bright and

morning star — my God alert, my sun, my bread, my wine. We may imagine
Him everything that is to us goodand beautiful, tender and true, and know
that we are not cheating ourselves by vain fancies, but have only touched the
extreme outer edge of the ever-blessedreality. There may be dangers in this
freedom and variety of our representationof our God; but there are dangers
in all forms of our thought of Him, and in none half so much as in having no
realisationof Him at all, in considering Him an abstractionof all the omnis.
Thinking of Him thus, none can ever love Him, or walk with Him.
(H. W. Beecher.)
Seeing the star
H. W. Beecher.
This one thing I have noticed in everybody — the moment they come to a
clearapprehension of the love of Christ, they turn right about upon the
minister, or upon the Christians who have been labouring, perhaps for years,
to bring them to that very point, and say, "Why didn't you tell us this
before?" Why, it's what we've been always telling them. I think that trying to
point a man to the love of Jesus is like trying to show one a starthat has just
come out, the only star in the whole cloudy sky. "I can see no star, says the
man." "Where is it?" "Why, there; don't you see?" Butthe man shakes his
head; he cansee nothing. But by and by, after long looking, he catches sightof
the star; and now he cansee nothing else for gazing at it. He wonders that he
had not seenit before. Justso it is with the soul that is gazing after the Star of
Bethlehem. Nothing in the world seems so hidden, so complex, so perplexing,
as this thing, until it is once seenby the heart, and then, oh, there never was
anything that ever was thought of that is so clear, so simple, so transcendently
glorious!And men marvel that the whole world does not see and feelas they
do.
(H. W. Beecher.)

Deaththe crownof life
H. S. Carpenter, D. D.
Our text may be consideredeither as a plaint, a sigh, or a song — a dirge
winding to a march. There are, in reality, three questions interlinked in this
passage. It is a question of studious curiosity. What kind of a race will then
inhabit the earth? Men are naturally inquisitive to know who are to be their
successors. Whynot? They are to be the heirs in turn of our heritage; the
tenants who are to move in as we move out; to enjoy our repairs, and to do, in
turn, their own repairing for those who shall follow them. Who are they? The
question deepens into a sigh. Here we go!just as we begin to take on the
meaning of things about us ; scarce soonerfound than lost. But what of that
which is to transpire long after all these are past? Some one will tread the
path that I am treading! Some one will saunter in the grove where I now
linger! Some one will loiter to enjoy the landscape which now feeds me with its
soft beauty! Some one will scentthe fragrance of these laughing flowers!Some
one will be soothedand hushed by the melody of the rippling stream! Some
one will look beseechinglyup into the face of the twinkling stars! Some one
will cry out with unutterable longing, as we now cry, "Alas! who shall live
when God doeth this?" We are baffled at the grave. We put our eyes close to
the bars, but we cannot see. Deathis the crown of life; and yet it is not the
triumph of man over time, but of time over man. We leave the world behind
us. Do lasting slumbers hold us? Is there no more of us when we are gone?
When the reduplicated forces of the earth shall be put under command; when
man shall sit in plumed victory over the opposing energies ofnature; when the
swordshall be beateninto a ploughshare, and the spear into a pruning-hook;
when old hoary tyrannies and rusty wrongs shall be entombed for ever; when
health shall mantle the cheek, andhappiness shall festoonthe fireside; when
man shall keepfaith with his fellow-man, and worship and adore his Maker
— shall I live then? The thought gladdens, but it maddens as well. The
scepticismthat would console me with the thought that death is but a
momentary pang; that I shall sleepin death's dateless night; that all these
struggles shallhave come to their rest; ah! this scepticismis but a miserable
comforterafter all. Shall I be shut out from my share in history? shut out
from my right to know? It is voicedin anothershape: "If a man die, shall he

live again?" Godhas provided a way by which His people may be released,
and yet view this earth in all its perfectedbeauty and glory. Only the wisdom
of God could compass this. The resurrectionsolves this mighty problem. All
who labour shall see the rewardof their labour. The sowershallbe partaker
of the fruit. Every journeyman who workedwearily upon the temple, shall be
present when the topstone is lifted to its place. Fallin, and catchup the
anthem to the King of kings!Fall in, and live for ever. Follow Christ, and
shout victory. Presentlytime shall have halted from its confusedscramble,
and God's finished workmanship shall have been takenfrom the loom, and
the tapestry shall be revealedin all its beauty and perfection — the pattern
will be complete. Then shall we learn that when we die we do not die out; that
death is not death ; that to die is not to die, but to blossominto life.
(H. S. Carpenter, D. D.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(17) I shall see him . . . —Better, I see him (or, it), but not now; I behold him
(or, it), but not nigh. The reference cannotbe to Israel, whose armies were
encamped before the eyes of Balaam. His words must be understood as having
reference to One whom he beheld with the eyes of his mind, not with his
bodily sight. This is obvious from the words which follow. Balaambeholds in
vision a Star and a Sceptre, not as having already appeared, but as about to
appear in the future.
There shall come a Starout of Jacob. . . —Literally, There hath come forth a
Star out of Jacob, &c. The verb is in the prophetic past or historic tense of
prophecy, denoting the certainty of the event predicted. (Comp. Jude 1:14 :
“Beholdthe Lord cometh”—literally, came.)If there is any ambiguity in the
first symbol it is removed in the second. A star is a fitting image of an

illustrious king or ruler, and the mention of the sceptre in the words which
follow (comp. Genesis 49:10)shows thatit is so employed in the present
instance. The Targum of Onkelos is as follows:—“Whenthe King shall arise
out of Jacob, and the Messiahshallbe anointed from Israel.” The Targum of
Palestine reads thus:—“A King is to arise from the house of Jacob, and a
Redeemerand Ruler from the house of Israel.” Ibn Ezra interprets these
words of David, but he says that many interpret them of the Messiah. It seems
to have been with reference to this prophecy that the pretender to the title of
the Messiahin the days of the Emperor Adrian took the name of Bar-cochab,
or Bar-cochba (the son of a star). The words of the Magi, “We have seenhis
star in the East” (Matthew 2:2), appearto have reference to this prophecy.
And shall smite the corners of Moab.—Or, the two sides of Moab. The
prophecy was partially, or typically, fulfilled in the time of David (2Samuel
8:2). Moab and Edom representedsymbolically the enemies of Christ and of
His Church, and as such will eventually be subdued by the King of kings.
(Comp. Psalm 60:8.)
And destroy all the children of Sheth.—Better, and destroy (or, break down;
comp, Isaiah22:5) all the sons of tumult. Such appears to be the most
probable rendering of these words according to the present Hebrew text. It
has been conjectured, however, that the word which is rendered “destroy”
(karkar)should be read kodkod(crown of the head), as in the parallel passage
of Jeremiah 48:45, in which case the clause may be rendered, And the crown
of the head of all the sons of tumult.
BensonCommentary
Numbers 24:17. I shall see him, &c. — “Rather,” says BishopNewton, from
whose expositionof the prophecies of Balaammany of the following
explanatory observations are extracted, “I see him, but not now; I behold him,
but not nigh; the future tense in Hebrew being often used for the present. He
saw with the eyes of prophecy, and prophets are emphatically styled seers.
There shall come a starout of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel —
The star and the sceptre are probably metaphors borrowed from the ancient

hieroglyphics, which much influenced the language of the East;and they
evidently denote some eminent and illustrious king or ruler, whom he
particularizes in the following words:And shall smite the corners of Moab —
Or the princes of Moab, according to other versions. This was executedby
David; for he smote Moab, and measuredthem with a line, casting them down
to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one
full line to keepalive; that is, he destroyedtwo- thirds, and savedone-third
alive. And the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.” See 2
Samuel 8:2.
And destroy all the children of Sheth — “If by Sheth was meant the sonof
Adam, then all the children of Sheth are all mankind; the posterity of Cain
and Adam’s other sons having all perished in the deluge. But it is very harsh
to say that any king of Israelwould destroy all mankind; and therefore the
Syriac and Chaldee soften it, that he shall subdue all the sons of Sheth, and
rule over all the sons of men. But the JerusalemTargumtranslates it, the sons
of the east, namely, the Moabites, lying eastof Judea. Rabbi Nathan says that
Sheth is the name of a city in the border of Moab. Grotius imagines Sheth to
be the name of some famous king among the Moabites. Our Poole says, Sheth
seems to be the name of some then eminent, though now unknown, place or
prince in Moab, there being innumerable instances ofsuch places or persons,
some time famous, but now utterly lost, as to all monuments and
remembrances of them.”
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
24:15-25 Under the powerful influence of the Spirit of prophecy, Balaam
foretold the future prosperity and extensive dominion of Israel. Balaamboasts
that his eyes are open. The prophets were in old times calledseers. He had
heard the words of God, which many do who neither heed them, nor hear God
in them. He knew the knowledge ofthe MostHigh. A man may be full of the
knowledge ofGod, yet utterly destitute of the grace ofGod. He calls God the
MostHigh and the Almighty. No man could seemto express a greaterrespect
to God; yet he had no true fear of him, love to him, nor faith in him; so far a

man may go toward heaven, and yet come short of it at last. Here is Balaam's
prophecy concerning Him who should be the crownand glory of his people
Israel; who is David in the type; but our Lord Jesus, the promised Messiah, is
chiefly pointed at, and of him it is an illustrious prophecy. Balaam, a wicked
man, shall see Christ, but shall not see him nigh; not see him as Job, who saw
him as his Redeemer, and saw him for himself. When he comes in the clouds,
every eye shall see him; but many will see him, as the rich man in hell saw
Abraham, afar off. He shall come out of Jacob, andIsrael, as a Star and a
Sceptre;the former denoting his glory and lustre; the latter his powerand
authority. Christ shall be King, not only of Jacoband Israel, but of all the
world; so that all shall be either governedby his golden sceptre, ordashed in
pieces by his iron rod. Balaamprophesiedconcerning the Amalekites and
Kenites, part of whose country he had now in view. Even a nest in a rock will
not be a lasting security. Here is a prophecy that looks as far forward as to the
Greeks andRomans. He acknowledges allthe revolutions of states and
kingdoms to be the Lord's doing. These events will make such desolations,
that scarcelyany will escape. Theythat live then, will be as brands plucked
out of the fire. May God fit us for the worst of times! Thus Balaam, instead of
cursing the church, curses Amalek the first, and Rome the last enemy of the
church. Not Rome pagan only, but Rome papal also;antichrist and all the
antichristian powers. Let us ask ourselves, Do we in knowledge, experience, or
profession, excelBalaam? No readiness ofspeech, evenin preaching or
prayer, no gifts of knowledge orprophecy, are in themselves different from,
or superior to the boastedgifts of him who loved the wagesof
unrighteousness, and died the enemy of God. Simple dependence on the
Redeemer's atoning blood and sanctifying grace, cheerfulsubmission to the
Divine will, constantendeavours to glorify God and benefit his people, these
are less splendid, but far more excellent gifts, and always accompany
salvation. No boasting hypocrite ever possessedthese;yet the feeblestbeliever
has something of them, and is daily praying for more of them.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Render, I see him, though he be not now: I behold him, though he be not near.
Balaamhere describes whatis actually before him in inward vision.

Him - i. e., the prince, representedin the succeeding words by the Star and
Scepter. The star has among all nations servedas a symbol of regalpower and
splendour: and the birth and future glory of greatmonarchs were believed by
the ancients to be heralded by the appearance of stars or comets:compare
also Isaiah14:12; Daniel8:10; Revelation1:16, Revelation1:20; Revelation
2:1; Revelation9:1.
The corners of Moab- literally, "the two sides of Moab," i. e., the length and
breadth of the land: compare Jeremiah48:45.
Destroyall the children of Sheth - Rather, "overthrow the sons of tumult," i.
e., the warriors of Moab, whose valour and fierceness is frequently referred to
elsewhere (compare Exodus 15:15;Isaiah 15:4; Isaiah16:6, etc.)Compare
Jeremiah48:45.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
17. I shall see him—rather, "I do see" or"I have seenhim"—a prophetic
sight, like that of Abraham (Joh 8:56).
him—that is, Israel.
there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel—
This imagery, in the hieroglyphic language ofthe East, denotes some eminent
ruler—primarily David; but secondarilyand pre-eminently, the Messiah(see
on [88]Ge 49:10).
corners—border, oftenused for a whole country (Ex 8:2; Ps 74:17).
children of Sheth—some prince of Moab; or, according to some, "the children
of the East."
Matthew Poole's Commentary
I shall see, or, I have seen, or do see, for the future is oft put for other times or
tenses:he speaks ofa prophetical sight, like that of Abraham’s, who saw
Christ’s day, John 8:56.

Him, to wit, the Star and Sceptre, as it here follows, i.e. a greatand eminent
prince, which was to come out of Israel’s loins; either,
1. David, who first did the things here spokenof, 2 Samuel8:2 Psalm60:8
108:9, and some of the kings of Judah and Israel after him, for it is not
necessarilyunderstood of one particular person; or,
2. The Messias,as both Jewishand Christian interpreters expound it, who
most eminently and fully performed what is here said, in destroying the
enemies of Israel, or of God’s church, who are here describedunder the
names of the nearestand fiercestenemies of Israel;which he doth partly by
himself, by his word and Spirit, and spiritual plagues;and partly by his
ministers, those princes whom he makes nursing fathers to his church, and
scourgesto his enemies. And to him alone agreesthe foregoing verb properly,
I shall see him, to wit, in my own person, or with the eyes of my own body, as
every eye shall see him, Revelation1:7, when he comes to judgment. Nor can it
seemstrange that Balaamshould speak of such high and remote things, seeing
he foresaw and foretold these things by the revelation of the Spirit of God, by
which also he foresaw the greatfelicity of goodmen, and the miserable state of
bad men, after death and judgment, Numbers 23:10.
But not now; not yet, but after many ages.
A Star; a title oft given to princes and eminent and illustrious persons, and
particularly to the Messias, Revelation2:28 22:16.

A Sceptre, i.e. a sceptre-bearer, a king or ruler, even that sceptre mentioned
Genesis 49:10.
The corners;either,
1. Literally, the borders, which by a synecdoche are oft used in Scripture for
the whole country to which they belong, as Exodus 8:2 Psalm 74:7 147:14
Jeremiah15:13 17:3. Or,
2. Metaphorically, to wit, princes and rulers, who are sometimes comparedto
corners, as Zechariah10:4, and Christ himself is calleda corner-stone,
because he unites and supports the building. But I prefer the former sense.
Sheth seems to be the name of some then eminent, though now unknown,
place or prince in Moab, where there were many princes, as appears from
Numbers 23:6 Amos 2:3; there being innumerable instances of such places or
persons sometimes famous, but now utterly lost as to all monuments and
remembrances of them.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
I shall see him, but not now,.... Meaning not Israel, for he now saw him
encamped, and at no greatdistance;but one that should descendfrom him, a
famous and excellentperson, and who is no other than the Messiah, as
appears by what follows;him he should see, not spiritually with an eye of
faith, nor corporeallywith his bodily eyes in his state of incarnation, but at the
day of judgment; and now, indeed, he saw him by a spirit of prophecy:
I shall behold him, but not nigh; signifying, that the coming of this illustrious
Person, who should smite the borders of Moab, was not near, and therefore
Balak had no reasonto indulge any present fears;and that when he was come
either into the world to save men, or to judgment, Balaamwould have no
nearness to him, nor interestin him; he would see him at the lastday, but not
for himself, as Job says he should, Job 19:25.

there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel;
which Aben Ezra interprets of David, though he says many interpret it of the
Messiah;and there are some writers, both Jewishand Christian, that
understand it partly of David, and partly of Christ, and chiefly of him, and of
David as a type of him; the fulfilment of which was only in part in David, but
principally and completelyin Christ. Maimonides (c) parts the prophecy
betweenthem: the whole undoubtedly agreeswith Christ, and belongs unto
him: the "star" and "sceptre" maybe consideredas names and titles of the
Messiah;he is calledthe "morning star", Revelation22:16 for his glory,
brightness, and splendour, and for the light that comes by him, and the
influence of his grace, and the blessings of it on the sons of men; and hence a
false Messiahtook the name of Bar Cochab, the son of a star, to answerto this
prophecy; and he may be calleda "sceptre", thatis, a sceptre bearer, because
of his royalty; he not only has the name of a king, but has a kingdom, both of
nature, providence, and grace, andrules with a sceptre of grace, mercy, and
righteousness;and as he was to spring from JacoborIsrael, so he did, being a
son of Abraham, a descendantof Jacob, ofthe tribe of Judah, and family of
David, Matthew 1:1, but I rather think that the star is to be consideredas a
sign and circumstance ofhis coming, and that the words may be rendered,
"when a starsteers its course from Jacob",or"unto Jacob, then a sceptre",
or "sceptre bearer":
shall rise out of Israel, or "rise up unto Israel";for the particle sometimes
signifies "unto" (d); and that the appearance ofa star in Israelwas a sign of
the Messiah'scoming is certain from Matthew 2:1 of which the Magiwere
informed by Zoroastres (e)their founder, who, being of Jewishextract, had
got it from this prophecy of Balaam;and it is as evident that the Jews
expectedthe appearance ofan extraordinary star at the time of the Messiah's
coming; for so they saymore than once, in an ancientbook of theirs (f), that
when the"Messiahshall be revealed, a bright and shining star shall arise in
the east;''which expectationmust be founded on this prophecy:
and shall smite the corners of Moab;not only the corners of their houses and
cities, but the extreme parts and borders of the land, even all the sides, and
the whole of it; or the princes and greatmen of the land, sometimes called
"corners", seeZechariah10:4 and so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan:

and shall kill the princes of Moabor the mighty ones of Moab, as the
JerusalemTargum; this was literally fulfilled in David, 2 Samuel8:2 Psalm
60:1 and figuratively and mystically in Christ, by subduing his enemies,
signified by Moabites, as being the enemies of Israel;either by reducing them
through the powerof his grace to obedience to him, or by smiting and
breaking them in pieces with a rod of iron; and which will be more plainly
and fully accomplishedwhen he shall destroy those Moabites, the
antichristian nations, Revelation19:15.
and destroy all the children of Sheth; some take Sheth to be the name of some
famous king among the Moabites, as Grotius;others, the name of some city of
Moab, which David utterly destroyed, as R. Nathan (g); others suppose some
particular nations are meant, as either the Edomites, so calledbecause they
put confidence in their foundations, and fortified places, so Vitringa (h); or
the Egyptians, from Seth or Sethos, one of their kings, who was known by the
name Egyptus, as a late learned writer (i) of ours conjectures;but rather by
the children of Seth are meant all nations, as Jarchiobserves, for all come
from Seth, the son of the first man; and so the words may be rendered, as they
are by Onkelos,"he shallrule over all the children of men;''which will be
fulfilled in Christ, when he shall have put down all rule and authority, and all
will be subject to him, and his kingdom be from sea to sea, and his dominion
from the river to the ends of the earth; unless rather by the children of Seth
are meant the specialpeople of God, in distinction from others, and in allusion
to the distinction betweenthe Sethites and Cainites, the one being the people
of God, the other not; and so it may be interpreted of Christ's gathering them
to him, by clucking as it were for them, as a hen gathers her chickens;so the
word is used in Jewishwritings, and of God himself; for it is said (k) the holy
blessedGod clucks overthem, as hens do, which is the simile our Lord himself
uses, Matthew 23:37 the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathaninterpret this
prophecy of the Messiahby name; and so do many other Jewishwriters, both
ancient (l) and modern (m).
(c) Hilchot Melachim, c. 11. sect. 1.((d) Vid. Nold. Concord. Ebr. part. p. 545.
(e) Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. p. 54. (f) Zohar in Exod. fol. 3. 3, 4. & in Numb
fol. 85. 4. & 86. 1.((g) Apud Lyram in loc. (h) Comment. in Isaiah22.5. (i)
Clayton's Chronology of the Hebrew Bible, &c. p. 445. (k) T. Bab. Taanith, c.

4. in En Jacob, par. 1. fol. 143. 4. (l) Debarim Rabba, fol. 234. 4. Pesikta in
Kettoreth Hassammim in Numb. fol. 27. 3. & 28. 1.((m) Abarbinel. Mashmiah
Jeshuah, fol. 4. 2, 3. Abendana in loc. R. Isaac Chizzuk Emunah, p. 71, 72.
Geneva Study Bible
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come
a {i} Starout of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite
the {k} corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of {l} Sheth.
(i) Meaning Christ.
(k) That is, the princes.
(l) He shall subdue all that resist:for of Sheth came Noah, and of Noah all the
world.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
17. In accordance withNumbers 24:14 Balaamtreats of the future of Israel. ‘I
see him (Israel), but not (as he is) now; I behold him, but not (encampedas he
is) nigh.’
There shall come forth] lit. ‘there hath trodden’ (‫ד‬ ָּ‫ר‬ ַ‫.)ְך‬ Readprobably ‫י‬ ָּ‫ר‬ְ‫ר‬ַ‫ח‬
there shall rise.
a star] A metaphor for a glorious king; cf. Isaiah 14:12, Revelation22:16.
According to an early Jewishinterpretation, found in the Targum, this verse
was a prediction of the Messiah. The famous pretender in the reign of
Hadrian was calledBarcochba (‘sonof the star’).

the corners]better ‘the two sides [of the head],’ the ‘temples.’ In Jeremiah
48:45, where the passageis quoted, the word ‘corner’ is in the singular, and is
in parallelism with ‘the crownof the head.’
And break down all the sons of tumult] In accordance with Jeremiah48:45
‫ר‬ָּ‫ר‬ ְ‫ר‬ָּ‫ר‬ (‘break down’) must be read ‫ק‬ָ‫ר‬ ְ‫ק‬ַ‫ר‬ (‘crown of the head’); cf. Psalm 7:16;
Psalm68:21.
sons of tumult] Heb. ‘sons of shçth.’ R.V. (‘tumult’) adopts a necessary
emendation (‫ש‬ ְׁ‫א‬ ְ‫ת‬ for ‫ש‬ ְׁ‫)ת‬ suggestedby Jeremiah48:45.
The two lines will therefore run:
And shall smite the temples [of the head] of Moab,
And the crown [of the head] of all the sons of tumult1 [Note:Others would
read ‘sons of lifting up,’ i.e. pride (‫ש‬ ְׁ‫א‬ ְ‫])ת‬ .
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 17. - I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh.
Rather, "I see him, but not now: I behold him, but not near" (‫ַא‬ ‫ראׁש‬ ‫אא...אׁש‬ ‫ׁש‬‫תאר‬ ָּ‫א‬
exactly as in Numbers 23:9). Balaamdoes not mean to say that he expected
himself to see at any future time the mysterious Being of whom he speaks, who
is identical with the "Star" and the "Scepter" ofthe following clauses;he
speaks whollyas a prophet, and means that his inner gaze is fixed upon such
an one, with full assurance that he exists in the counsels ofGod, but with clear
recognitionof the factthat his actualcoming is yet in the far future. There
shall come a Star out of Jacob. Septuagint, ἀνατελεῖ ἀστρον. It may quite as
well be rendered by the present; Balaamsimply utters what passes before his

inward vision. The staris a natural and common poetic symbol of an
illustrious, or, as we say, "brilliant," personage,and as such recurs many
times in Scripture (cf. Job 38:7; Isaiah14:12; Daniel8:10; Matthew 24:29;
Philippians 2:15; Revelation1:20; Revelation2:28). The celebratedJewish
fanatic calledhimself Barcochab, "sonofthe Star," in allusion to this
prophecy. A Sceptershall rise out of Israel. This further defines the "star' as
a ruler of men, for the scepteris Used in that sense in the dying prophecy of
Jacob(Genesis 49:10), with which Balaamwas evidently acquainted.
Accordingly the Septuagint has here ἀναστήσεται. Shallsmite the corners of
Moab. Rather, "the two corners" (dual), or "the two sides of Moab," i.e., shall
crush Moab on either side. And destroy all the children of Sheth. In Jeremiah
48:45, where this prophecy is in a manner quoted, the word ‫ר‬ָּ‫ר‬ ְ‫ר‬ָּ‫ר‬ (qarqar,
destroy) is altered into ‫ר‬ָ‫קר‬ַ‫ר‬ (quadqod, crownof the head). This raises a very
curious and interesting question as to the use made by the prophets of the
earlier Scriptures, but it gives no authority for an alteration of the text. The
expression‫ש‬ ְׁ‫ְׁחֵת‬ַ ְ‫ת‬ has been variously rendered. The Jewishcommentators,
followedby the Septuagint (πάντας υἱοὺς Σήθ) and the older versions,
understand it to mean the sons of Seth, the son of Adam, i.e., all mankind.
Many modern commentators, however, take ‫ש‬ ְׁ‫ת‬ as a contractionof ‫אש‬ ְׁ‫ת‬
(Lamentations 3:47 - "desolation"), and read "sons ofconfusion," as
equivalent to the unruly neighbours and relations of Israel. This, however, is
extremely dubious in itself, for ‫ש‬ ְׁ‫ת‬ nowhere occurs in this sense, andderives
no sup. port from Jeremiah 48:45. It is true that ‫ש‬ ְׁ‫ת‬ ‫ְׁח‬ַ ְ‫ת‬ is there replaced by ‫ְׁח‬ַ ְ‫ת‬
‫אָׁש‬ ַ‫,ת‬ "sons oftumult," but then this very verse affords the clearestevidence
that the prophet felt no hesitation in altering the text of Scripture to suit his
own inspired purpose. If it be true that ‫ר‬ָּ‫ר‬ ְ‫ר‬ָּ‫ר‬ will not bear the meaning given
to it in the Targums of "reignover," still there is no insuperable difficulty in
the common rendering. Jewishprophecy, from beginning to end,
contemplated the Messiahas the Conqueror, the Subduer, and even the
Destroyerof all the heathen, i.e., of all who were not Jews. Itis only in the
New Testamentthat the iron scepterwith which he was to dash in pieces the
heathen (Psalm 2:9) becomes the pastoralstaff wherewith he shepherds them
(Revelation2:27 - ποιμανεῖ after the Septuagint, which has here misread the
text). The prophecy was that Messiahshould destroy the heathen; the

fulfillment that he destroyednot them, but their heathenism (cf. e.g., Psalm
149:6-9 with James 5:20).
Keil and DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament
This repeatedblessing of Israel threw Balak into such a violent rage, that he
smote his hands together, and advised Balaamto fly to his house:adding, "I
said, I will honour thee greatly(cf. Numbers 22:17 and Numbers 22:37); but,
behold, Jehovahhas kept thee back from honour." "Smiting the hands
together" was eithera signof horror (Lamentations 2:15) or of violent rage;it
is in the latter sense that it occurs both here and in Job27:23. In the words,
"Jehovahhath kept thee back from honour," the irony with which Balak
scoffs atBalaam's confidence in Jehovahis unmistakeable.
PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
Skywatch’85:Halley’s Comet, or Jacob’s EternalStar
Numbers 24:14-25
Dr. S. Lewis Johnsoncompares Halley's Cometto the true light of the
Messiahas revealedin the prophecy to Balaam, an enemy to Israel.
SLJ Institute > Numbers > Skywatch’85:Halley’s Comet, or Jacob’s Eternal
Star
[Message]We’re certainlyhappy to have you here this morning, and these
past few Sunday’s we have been departing a bit from our customary form of
ministry which is the ministry of expositoryteaching of specific books ofthe
Bible and we have been talking about the method of grace in our redemption

and then lastSunday and this Sunday we are devoting our time to thinking
about the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ in connectionwith Christmas.
And last week we lookedatthat famous Messianicpassagein Genesis chapter
49 and verse 10, where Jacobwhenhe was giving the blessing upon his sons
for Judah gave this remarkable promise, “The sceptershallnot depart from
Judah, nor a lawgiverfrom betweenhis feetuntil Shiloh come and unto him
shall the obedience ofthe peoples be.” And we tried to point out that contrary
to what some people tell us, that is that the early church sometimes in the
secondcentury there is a sense in which New Testamentscholarshipis now
believes were really written in the first century though along time after our
Lord’s death. The writers of Scripture are said by a greatdeal of scholarship
to ransack the Old Testamentto find texts in order to prove that Jesus was the
Messiah, the texts being takenout of their contexts and the texts not really in
context saying what they have attempted to make them say. And we pointed
out that in connectionwith Genesis 49 that if these writers really did ransack
the Old Testament for texts to prove that Jesus was the Messiah, the way they
used the Old Testamentwas very restrained, because they omitted some that
were very very definitely Messianic suchas 49:10 in Genesis andthe passage
we’re going to look at today, and furthermore even omitted texts that modern
scholarshipwould regard as Messianic texts. So, like so many of the theories
of men, they do not bear up under the test of time.
Our Scripture today is Numbers chapter 24 verse 14 through verse 25 and we
are looking at the last of four prophecies given by a heathen prophet. I say
heathen, there is a little bit of a debate over this point, but since Balaam’s
name appears in the New Testamentat leastthree times and eachof these
three times in an unfavorable way, it seems more likely that we should treat
him as a man who had a greatknowledge offacts about God and even about
the Lord God of Scripture but who did not in his own heart know what it was
to know that God in a saving way. The fourth of his prophecies is a
remarkable prophecy as also are the other three, but this one stands out and
particularly for the seventeenthverse which will be the focus of our attention
today. In the 14th verse now as he draws near the end of his prophetic
ministry to Balak, King of the Moabites, we read,

“And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise
thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days. And he took up
his parable, and said, Balaamthe sonof Beorhath said, and the man whose
eyes are open hath said: He hath said, which heard the words of God, and
knew the knowledge ofthe most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty,
falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I
shall behold him, but not nigh: (Now this, because ofthe constructionof the
Hebrew text, can mean I see him but not now, I behold him but not near. In
other words, it’s a reference to the fact that he sees this individual in his
ecstatic trance, his prophetic ecstasy, but the fulfillment of the words he for
sees orsees as being in the distant future.) there shall come a Starout of
Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of
Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.”
There are different ways of rendering some of these words; I’ll pass by them
because this is a rather debated sectionfrom the standpoint of the Hebrew
text. But I would like to make one comment, last week, in discussing Genesis
49:10, I pointed out that in the Aramaic paraphrase of the Old Testamentin
Targum Onkelos, the term Messiahwas added by the Jewishparaphasers,
indicating that the Jewishinterpreters of the Old Testamentregardedthat
text as a Messianic text. In other words, a text that had to do with the
Messiah. And Meshikah, the Aramaic word for Messiahwas usedin that
specific text.
Now it so happens that in Targum Onkelos again, atNumbers 24:17, we again
have the term Meshikah, introduced into the text as explanatory of one of
these key terms and that too indicates that they regarded this text as a
Messianic text. So it’s a text agreedto by Christians and by Jewish
interpreters as being a text referring to the Messiahwho is to come. Verse 18
continues,
And Edom shall be a possession, Seiralso shall be a possessionforhis
enemies;and Israelshall do valiantly. Out of Jacobshallcome he that shall
have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. And when he
lookedon Amalek, he took up his parable, (And by the way, the term parable
does not have the same sense as it does in the New Testamentas an illustrative

story, but in this context, it refers to a prophetic burden that is something that
the prophet says he must saybecause it’s been given him.” He took up his
parable and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall
be that he perish for ever. (Now first of the nations does not mean that
Amelek was the first nation but rather that he was the first of the nations to
oppose the Nation Israel.)And he lookedon the Kenites, and took up his
parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling place, and thou puttest thy nest in a
rock. Neverthelessthe Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee
awaycaptive. And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when
God doeth this! And ships shall come from the coastofChittim, and shall
afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever. And
Balaamrose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also wenthis
way.”
Now actually, that’s a brief summary of what happened to Balaamafter he
gave this prophecy. But there is more to it as the remainder of the Book of
Numbers indicates. What seems to be the teaching of the Book ofNumbers is
that after Balak refusedthe councilof Jehovahthrough the false prophet
Balaam, Balaammay have thought it worthwhile to try to sell his information
for he was that kind of prophet. He may have gone to Israelin the plains of
Moaband recounted to them the prophecies, hoping that they would put some
money in his pocket. They evidently refused to do that. Now this is
speculation, you understand? This is knownin criticalscholarshipof the Old
Testamentas the S. Lewis Johnsontheory. [Laughter] But it’s not really
known that way because this has been suggestedby some German
commentatorsome time ago. But at any rate, he went back to; he may have
gone back to Balak and said, “I know the way in which you can get Israelto
sin. I cannot do anything but prophesy the word of God to them, I cannot
prophesy anything but God’s blessing upon them, but since we cannotcorrupt
them with a false prophecy, (it was thought if a prophecy was made that even
a false prophecy would come to pass often with reference to people.)There is
another way we can corrupt them, we can corrupt them from within.” And so
we read in the very next verse of the next chapter, “And Israelabode in
Shatter, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of
Moab.” And then over in chapter 31 of the Book of Numbers, we read, that

Balaamwas slain, but then in verse 16, “Behold, these causedthe children of
Israel, through the counselof Balaam, to commit trespass againstthe LORD
in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregationofthe
LORD.” In other words, corrupt them by means of sexual enticement so that
they will worship the false gods that you worship. And that evidently was a
successfulploy on the part of Balaamand therefore the verse with which our
Scripture reading ends is just a generalstatementthat ultimately Balaam
went back home and returned to Mesopotamia and Balak wentback to the
land of the Moabites. Maythe Lord Bless this reading of his word and let’s
bow togetherfor a moment of prayer.
[Prayer] We give Thee thanks, Lord for this beautiful day, for this wonderful
seasonin which we think of the ministry of the Lord Jesus in such a special
way. We thank Thee that he took to himself an additional nature and as the
Son of God came as the incarnate Son and lived in our midst a life that
glorified Thee, that fulfilled all of the commands of eternalGod in heaven, all
of the terms of the Covenantof Redemption, and then ultimately offered
himself as a sacrifice onthe cross atCalvary for the people of God. We thank
Thee that his name is calledImmanuel and that his name is called Jesus, for
he saves his people from their sins. How marvelous to be one of his people,
and to know the forgiveness ofour sins, truly, Lord, Thou hast been
marvelous in abundant grace to us and today we give Thee thanks.
We pray that our own enjoyment of the Christmas seasonmay have him first
in our minds and in our hearts and in our families. Deliver us Lord from the
superficiality and artificiality of the societyof which we have become a part.
And Lord, deliver us from the false worship of the Lord Jesus Christ at this
Christmas season. Enable us to put our priorities where they ought to be in
the worship of the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. We are
grateful and thankful for the blessings we have from him.
We pray Thy blessing upon this gathering of people here. Bless Lord, this
seasonforthem in a very specialway. We pray for this assembly, we ask Thy
blessing upon it and all of its activities. We pray Thy blessing upon the whole
church of Jesus Christ at this time of the year, may we be fruitful in Christian
witness. We pray for our country. We ask especiallyLord for some who are

unable to be here due to illness, some who are in the hospital, we especially
pray Thy blessing upon them, give healing Lord and comfort and consolation
and the assurance ofThy presence and blessing, in the midst of all of the
experiences oflife. And we pray Thy blessing upon us as we sing, as we listen
to the word of God today. In Jesus Name. Amen
[Message]Oursubject this morning as you can tell from the reading of the
bulletin is, “Skywatch85’:Halley’s Comet or Jacob’s EternalStar.” Literally,
the entire world is watching the skies, eastand west. And the eastand the west
have a scientific interest in all of this, as you well know. Europe, with its
European Space administration, has its skycraft;Giotto Russia has its Vega I
and Vega II; Japan has its Suiseiand Sakigake.I hope I pronounced that, at
leastour Japanesefriends canrecognize it, and the USA has Spartan and
Astro I. Cometfever has attackeda greatpart of the United States, and
there’s a greatdeal of fallout. Candy pills in honor of Halley’s Comet, tailed
Frisbees allof these things in addition to the customary things such as all
kinds of tee-shirts, medals and other types of gimmicks characterize the
interest of the world in Halley’s Comet. Scientists are particularly interested,
because they hope that perhaps they canget some light on the beginning of
our solarsystem.
Now we think we already have that light, but many people do not think we
have that light and so they are looking for light on the solarsystem, some
clues to that. And also, they are still looking for extra terrestriallife. Why
with the example of life that we have here anyone would want to find life any
where else is beyond me. Perhaps it’s to protect ourselves from life like our
life out there that would make some sense. But at any rate, all of these things
are moving our scientists and therefore moving our world. But they’re all
looking for the wrong star. They’re looking for the wrong heavenly body. The
mad prophet from Mesopotamia gave us more important stellarinsight then
Halley’s cosmic snowballever will.
If you’ll remember the story of Balaam, what an interesting characterBalaam
was, and what an interesting characterBalak, the King of Moabwas too for
that matter. Israelhas reachedthe borders of the Promised Land and there in
the plains of Moab, and they hesitate there. And Balak, seeing the wayin

which Israel has dealt with Og King of Bashanand others, is very worried
about his own nation, and so he looks out on this vast number of people and as
he reflects in his royal mind he thinks if we could just geta prophet, a true
prophet to prophesy againstthem then surely we could protect ourselves
againstterrestriallife representedby the children of Israel. And so word
comes, there’s a fellow over in Mesopotamia by the name of Balaam, he’s a
very goodprophet, why don’t you send for him? And so Balak sent for
Balaamand askedhim to come and curse the children of Israel. And Balak
first refused and then thinking that perhaps he could be persuaded by the
kinds of things that many of us preachers are persuadedby, he sent men back
with the rewards of divination in his hand. No doubt the whole systemof how
he might send out prayer letters and other things in order to geta lot of
money. But at any rate, Balaam, after the Lord has said, “You shall not go,”
tells the messengers fromBalak, “Well, I’ll ask the Lord about it.”
Now the Lord had already given the word, but after all, the rewards of
divination are enough to make a man ask the Lord a secondtime, and so he
asks the Lord about going back and cursing the children of Israel. Then
surprisingly, the Lord, because afterall there is such a thing as the decretive
will of God which is always carried out and then there is such a thing as the
perceptive will of God the thing that pleases him. And there are things that
are contrary to his perceptive will that come to pass. His decretive will will
come to pass as he determines it will come to pass. As a matter of fact, even as
Balaamknows from his prophecy because he prophesied just before this last
prophecy, “Godis not a man that he should lie neither the son of man that he
should repent, hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spokenand shall
he not make it good?”
And so Balaamaskedand the Lord said, “Alright, you may go, but you can
only say what I tell you to say.” That’s a bad thing for a false prophet, he can
not even utter any of his false prophecies, and he’s going to have to give the
truth. But the rewards of divination are strong enough for him to go, and so
he goes. And on the way, God speaks againto him out of mercy, he didn’t
have to do it, but he was riding on a calm ass. As we will see, the realass was
riding, not being ridden. [Laughter] At any rate, at a certain point in the
journey, the ass goes offinto a vineyard and Balaambeats the ass and then

they come to a very narrow place and the ass pushes him againstthe wall, and
Balaambeats him again. And then finally the ass just falls down and Balaam
againbeats him and the ass turns and speaks.
Now that’s a miracle. That’s one of the miracles of the Bible. I heard a story
one time of a unbeliever who was discussing with a believer Balaam’s ass. And
he said I’d like to see you make an ass talk, and the believer was quick in
replying, he said, “I’d like to see you make an ass.” So any one who cancreate
an ass can create the ability for the ass to speak on occasion.
Well, E.B. Robertsonwho was professorofNew Testamentat Southern
Baptist Seminary and one of the best known of the lastgenerationof New
Testamentscholars once brought in some papers which he had spent the
weekendgrading. And his Greek class and he put the papers down on the
desk, he said, “In Old Testamenttimes it used to be regarded as a miracle
when God spoke through an ass, but I see he is evidently going to do it again
in our generation.” [Laughter]
By the way, there’s a very interesting blunder in connectionwith Balaam’s ass
that I’ve always enjoyedthinking about. Back in the old days at Oxford
University, all the students of the University had to take an exam in Scripture,
think of that. Separationof Church and State? No separationlike ours there.
Our societyis really fast on the wayof making our societya godless society.
But there in Brittan, they had to take Scripture exams before they could
graduate from Oxford. Everybody, no matter what course you were taking.
So you can imagine, there were some rather interesting answers givento the
questions that were given through the years. One fellow was answering the
question, “Who was the first King of Israel?” And either by accidentor real
knowledge he replied, “Saul.” And then he wanted to give a little additional
information so he said, “Who also was calledPaul.” [Laughter] But one that I
like particularly is the fellow who was askedto give the two instances in the
Bible where we have the recordof lower animals having spoken. And he at
once replied, “Balaam’s ass.”And the examiner said, “That’s right, that’s
one, now the other.” And the young man said, “The whale, the whale saidto
Jonah, almost thou persuades me to become a Christian.” [Laughter]

Well, Balaamof course was then after the animal spoke, he was given to know
that the reasonthe ass had actedas he was acting was because the Angel of
Jehovahwas standing in the way of Balaamgoing back to Balak the King of
Moab. And so it was a preincarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. God
in mercy warned this prophet that even though he had said yes you many go,
it was still not the thing that pleasedhim. Balaamthen comes into the land,
meets Balak, you can read all about it in Numbers 22, 23 and 24 and it’s a
remarkable series of four prophecies all of which are Messianic prophecies.
An amazing thing when you think about it that God should use the mouth of
this Mesopotamianass ifwe may callhim that, this Mesopotamianass, to give
us his word concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. You touch these
chapters, read them through, ponder them and you will see that these
prophecies have to do with divine sovereignty;I’ve read you one text. They
have to do with unconditional promises made to the NationIsrael. They have
to do with distinguishing grace, how he singles out the Nation Israelfor
specialblessing as over againstother nations, establishing the principle of
distinguishing grace by a sovereignGod. You also have marvelous statements
concerning the Savior King who is to come, one of which we will spend a little
time on in just a moment. You have references to divine judgment of the
nations, and it’s ultimately the supremacy of the NationIsraelin the earth, all
plainly setout here. You have reference to the Old Testamentbeliever’s
death, and the things that have to do with that. Chapter 23 and verse 10,
Balaamcries out, “Who cancount the dust of Jacob, and the number of the
fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last
end be like his!”
And then not to neglectthis, for this is very important, you have Balaam
making some remarkable statements concerning justification by divine
sovereigntyand faith. Notice the 21stverse of chapter 23, “He hath not beheld
iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seenperversity in Israel: the LORD his God
is with him and the shout of a king is among them.” Now if there was any
nation that was characterizedby iniquity and perversity, it is the Nation
Israel. Readthe Old Testament, stubborn, stiff necked. Godsays of them. If
he were describing us he would say much the same thing of course. But they
stoodout because ofthe marvelous way in which God dealt with them as over

againstthe way he dealt with other nations. He showeredhis blessings upon
them and he rebelled againsthis word. So to say with reference to them he has
not beheld iniquity in Jacobnor has he seenperversity in Israelis a startling
thing. Can only be understood by the doctrine of justification by faith. That is
that on the basis of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the merits that he
has won by his atoning sacrifice, those who through faith have believed in him
are declaredrighteous.
Now that is a remarkable thing, every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ
declaredrighteous before God. Declaredto possessthe righteousness ofGod,
though we may be perverse, and iniquitous in our natures, declaredrighteous,
for we are seenin our covenantalhead, the Lord Jesus Christ. And then we
become the recipients of the sanctifying ministry of the Holy Spirit who begins
the long and it must be tedious work to bring us into likeness to the Son of
God, completedwhen he comes and we enter into his presence. Whata
marvelous thing it is to be justified, to be declaredrighteous through faith. Do
you have it? Is that your possession? Canyou really say that by virtue of what
Christ has done, I stand righteous before the Lord God, acceptedin the
beloved one?
I have a former student who has a very important positiontoday. He’s the
pastor of the Moody MemorialChurch. In one of his tapes which I listened to
last year, he told the following rather remarkable story I think. Some folks
bought a Rolls Royce and were later touring Europe. Well when they gotover
in WestGermany, the Rolls broke down, which is a comfort to people who
own Olds. But at any rate, it broke down and they couldn’t find anybody who
could work on it and so they calledthe company and the company sent two
mechanics out by plane to work on the car. And they arrived; they actually
had to take the motor apart. They took it apart, they put it back together
again, fixed it and the travelers went on their way. They finished their
journeys, and then a few months later they remembered they had never
receiveda bill from the Rolls Company. They had been expecting one for the
mechanics little excursion, and since they didn’t receive any, they thought
they should callthe company. That may have been unwise, but it was useful
for this illustration at any rate. So I guess it was divine providence that they
called. Anyway, they calledand they said, “Isn’t there a bill?” And the Rolls

Company said, “There is no bill,” they said, “As a matter of fact, we have no
record of this having happened. In fact, we have no recordof anything ever
having gone wrong with a Rolls Royce.” [Laughter]Well, we all know that
things do happen to Rolls and that individual did, but from the company’s
standpoint, nothing ever went wrong with a Rolls. Well that’s a poor
illustration but at leastpoints to the fact that when a personbelieves in the
Lord Jesus Christ, he stands justified by virtue of what Christ has done.
You’re not perfect, and in fact, as I look over the audience, some of you don’t
look honestenough to be perfect. [Laughter] This is the day for fun; I hope
none of you hold me responsible for what I say. But I know the Scriptures say,
“All we like sheephave gone astray we’ve turned everyone to his own wayand
the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” But God has so far as
believers are concerned, no record of our lost condition before him in the legal
sense becauseChrist has borne our judgment and through his merits we stand
righteous before the triune God in Heaven.
The implications of this doctrine include such things as his death covers our
past, our present and our future. And of course, basic is our acceptance
through faith of what he has done. That too wrought by the Lord God in
sovereigngrace. Ourfeelings do not really have anything to do with this. You
might say, I travel a goodbit, I don’t travel as much as I did, but you might
come to American Airlines at the gate entering the plane and say, “You know
I don’t really feel worthy to get on this American Airlines plane, I’ve had a
very difficult day here in Dallas, and as a matter of fact, I know that my life
isn’t what it should be I just don’t really feel worthy of getting on this plane.”
Now if you startedsaying that to some of the people around the gate at
American Airlines, they would say, “suchpeople only have one oar in the
water,” or “the light is on but no one is home,” or that “they have too many
birds sitting on their antenna” or something like that. Strictly speaking,
American Airlines is only interested in one thing, and that is your ticket. Do
you have a ticket? And if you have a ticket, no matter how you feel, you can
ride on that plane. Well so far as divine justification is concerned, the Lord
Jesus has accomplishedthe work, God the Holy Spirit in his marvelous
distinguishing grace brings us to faith and trust in Christ and we stand on the

basis of what Christ has done. His work is reckonedto us and we can say I am
acceptedin the BelovedOne.
Now Balaam, whether he understood that or not, he saidthat remarkable
statementthat God has not seeniniquity in Jacob, norhas he beheld
perversity or perverseness inIsrael. Well he has given his four prophecies,
and Balaamis the kind of personwho keeps on talking Balak didn’t want to
hear anymore, but nevertheless, he goes ontalking. He talks in astrological
imagery. And that’s not surprising, because afterall he was a Babylonian
diviner and stars were used metaphorically of kings. You even find that in the
Old Testament, you have the King of Babylon calledLucifer, sonof the
morning. And so that figure of a star suggests a king.
Well he begins his fourth oracle which is partly an expansionof the third,
stressing the feats of Israel’s future king, the star. And he points out right at
the beginning; it looks on to messianic times. Notice the 14th verse, “And now,
behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee (That
means I will inform thee, I will give the counselconcerning)what this people
Israelshall do to thy people in the latter days.” Now this particular
expression, b’ achariyth eyowmem, in the Hebrew text is an expressionthat
almost always, perhaps not every case, but almostalways refers to the
Messianic days of the future gatheredaround the SecondAdvent of the Lord
Jesus Christ. So it’s not surprising then this prophecy looks oninto the future
far beyond David in the Old Testamentbecause afterthe time of David the
prophets of the Old Testamentusedthis prophecy when they refer to the
future, indicating that they did not regardthis as fulfilled in Old Testament
times.
So, Balaamis going to go on, he’s going to talk about a star. One of the
interesting things I think about Halley’s Cometis that for a long time, comets
were thought to be harbingers of doom. And in factand in some of the
representations that artists have made of the appearance of the comet in years
past representthat fact. And the famous Bayeux tapestry made many
centuries ago has a picture of Halley’s Cometand then it has a picture of
about six men who are obviously Anglo-Saxon. It’s representing the Norman
Conquest. And then on one side are others and these men are standing in awe

and the Latin expressionis related to the word to wonder, miro and stella
which means star and it says, “Theyare wondering over the star.” Well, that’s
really the way stars affectus still. But especiallya wonder in the heavens like
that.
Well Balak, I say, couldn’t get Balaamto stop talking. There’s a story about
the late Kingfish Huey Long. He’s been speaking on a bill in the United States
Senate for more then two hours when he calledfor a glass ofwater. “Mr.
Speaker, I rise to a point of order,” said SenatorJohnsonof California. “State
your point of order,” the chairman said. “Mr. Speaker,”SenatorJohnsonsaid
with a straight face, “I would like to draw the attention of the Senatorfrom
Louisiana that it is out of order to run a windmill with water.” [Laughter]
Well, Balaamis going to go on talking even though Balak doesn’twant to hear
anymore because everything that Balaamsays is contrary to the Moabites.
And he’s talking about Israeland he’s talking about the blessing of the Lord
upon them. But we’re grateful for this remarkable statement in verse 17, “I
shall see him but not know, I behold him but not nigh, there shall come a star
out of Jacob.” Whatdo we think of when we think of a star? Well we think of
the sudden appearance of the heavenly body because late in the afternoons as
you know when you look up into the skies, there are no stars and then you
look back up just a short while later and there are the stars. They do appear
suddenly. And then of course most of us think of looking at the stars against
the backgroundof darkness. So those two features, sudden appearance and
darkness characterize stars.
And when we think of the Lord Jesus Christ, we think of the staras he says
here out of Jacoband we think of him againstthe blackness ofhumanity. And
our Lord’s appearance among us in his First Advent is just like that. John
says that “his life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness and
the darkness comprehended it not.” We see so many illustrations of that
today. You know I don’t think I’ve ever seenin my long life a Christmas
seasonquite like this seasonto this point. I don’t think I’ve ever seenas much
materialism, artificiality, false representationof what Christmas is about as I
have seenthis particular Christmas season. It is very difficult to find any true
representationof the Lord Jesus Christ in anything that is being said. The

songs that are sung, the things that are said, the things that are being
advertised, the characteristicsofpeople and even Christian people is a most
discouraging and disappointing thing. But the star, out of Jacob, we’re never
disappointed in that.
Mr. Spurgeon said he’s a symbol of government, the star, the pattern of
constancy;you can always count on those stars when you want to find
Halley’s Comet, you’ll look up and you look for the Pleiades and on the basis
of where they are, you canlocate the comet. Men who traveled the seas could
never had traveled the seas were it not for the PolarStar and the stars of the
heavens;they are constant, representing the faithfulness of the Lord God.
Objects of wonder, and the Morning Star of course, the herald of the day to
come and the Lord Jesus calledeventhat in the word of God. He says further,
“A Sceptershall rise out of Israel.” And there again, we are called againto
remember that Israel is destined for rule in this earth, let us never forgetthat.
Now there is a long series of Messianic prophecieswhichwould take us
literally many hours to unfold. I just hit the high points. Remember, when
man was placedin the Garden of Eden, God said, “He’s to be the king of the
earth, he’s to have dominion.” Then man fell, and shortly after man fell comes
the first of the Messianic promises and we are taught by that promise and
prophecy that the destiny of man shall be reachedby a man, the seedof the
woman. Shortly after, in further limitation of the Messianic program, we are
told by Noah’s prophecy that this Redeemer, this seedof the woman shall
come from the Semitic branch of mankind, distinguishing grace alreadyin
operation. Then we are told in the promises made to Abraham that he shall
come from Abraham’s family, further distinction and limitation. Then we are
told in Genesis 49:10 that he shall come from the tribe of Judah. There are
many other things that we could add. We are told in Daniel when he should
come, we are told in Micahwhere he would be born, in other words, Holy
Scripture has unfolded a remarkable series of statements that would have
identified the Lord Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. That’s why Jesus
said on the Emmaus Road, “All fools and sloth heart to believe all that the
prophets have written, ought not the Messiahto have suffered these things
and to enter into his glory,” and beginning at Moses andall the prophets he
expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Jesus was the star out of jacob

Jesus was the star out of jacob

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