Balaam
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respective standards, at a distance from the tabernacle. Balaam was
permitted to behold the glorious manifestation of God’s presence,
overshadowing, protecting and guiding the tabernacle. He was filled
with admiration at the sublime scene. He opened his parable with all
the dignity of a true prophet of God. His prophetic words are these:
“How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as
the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees
beside the waters. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his
seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brought him forth out of Egypt.
He hath as it were the strength of a unicorn. He shall eat up the nations,
his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with
his arrows. He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion Who
shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that
curseth thee. And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he
smote his hands together. And Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee
to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them
these three times.”
The Moabites understood the import of the prophetic words of
Balaam—that the Israelites after conquering the Canaanites, should
settle in their land, and all attempts to subdue them would be of no
more avail than for a feeble beast to arouse the lion out of his den.
Balaam told Balak that he would inform him what the Israelites should
do to his people at a later period. The Lord unfolded the future before
Balaam, and permitted events which would occur, to pass before his
sight, that the Moabites should understand that Israel should finally
triumph. As Balaam prophetically rehearsed the future to Balak and
his princes, he was struck with amazement at the future display of
God’s power.
After Balaam had returned to his place, and the controlling influ-
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ence of God’s Spirit had left him, his covetousness, which had not
been overcome, but merely held in check, prevailed. He could think of
nothing but the reward, and promotion to honor, which he might have
received of Balak, until he was willing to resort to any means to obtain
that which he desired. Balaam knew that the prosperity of Israel de-
pended upon their observance of the law of God, and that there was no
way to bring a curse upon them but by seducing them to transgression.