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The Truth About Angels
Balak met Balaam, and inquired of him why he thus delayed to
come when he sent for him; ... Balaam answered, Lo, I am come unto
thee. He then told him that he had no power to say anything. The word
that God should give him, that could he speak, and could go no further.
Balaam ordered the sacrifices according to the religious rites. God
sent His angel to meet with Balaam, to give him words of utterance,
as He had done on occasions when Balaam was wholly devoted to the
service of God. “And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and
... he took up his parable, and said, Balak, the king of Moab, hath
brought me from Aram, ... saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come,
[109]
defy Israel. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how
shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?” ...
Balak was disappointed and angry. He exclaims, “What hast thou
done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou
hast blessed them altogether.” Balak thinks it is the grand appearance
of the Israelites in their tents ... that keeps him from cursing them.
He thinks if he takes him to ... where Israel will not appear to such
advantage, he can obtain a curse from Balaam. Again, at Zophim ...
Balaam offered burnt offerings, and then went by himself to commune
with the angel of God. And the angel told Balaam what to say.—
The
Spirit of Prophecy 1:322-324
.
Joshua Leads Israel Into Canaan
The Israelites deeply mourned for [Moses] their departed leader,
and thirty days were devoted to special services in honor of his mem-
ory.... Joshua was now the acknowledged leader of Israel....
Orders were now issued to make ready for an advance.... Leaving
their encampment ... the host descended to the border of the Jordan.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 481, 483
.
Four heavenly angels always accompanied the ark of God in all
its journeyings, to guard it from all danger, and to fulfill any mission
required of them in connection with the ark. Jesus the Son of God,
followed by heavenly angels, went before the ark as it came to Jordan;
and the waters were cut off before His presence. Christ and angels
stood by the ark and the priests in the bed of the river, until all Israel
[110]
had passed over Jordan.—
The Spirit of Prophecy 1:399
.