Numbers 24:1-9: a reflection

1When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to use divination, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him. 3He took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says; 4he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open: 5How goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your dwellings, Israel! 6As valleys they are spread out, as gardens by the riverside, as aloes which the LORD has planted, as cedar trees beside the waters. 7Water shall flow from his buckets. His seed shall be in many waters. His king shall be higher than Agag. His kingdom shall be exalted. 8God brings him out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox. He shall consume the nations his adversaries, shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them with his arrows. 9He couched, he lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed.”

Balaam had been hired by Israel's enemy to curse them, and he had been paid to do it. But when he looks out over Israel, the Spirit of God comes upon him, and instead of a curse, blessing pours from his mouth: How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! He blesses the very people he was paid to curse, for he cannot do otherwise; God has overruled his intended curse and turned it into blessing.

Notice what God did with the curse Balaam was hired to speak: he turned it into blessing. Israel's enemy had gone to great expense and effort to have them cursed; but God overruled it entirely, so that the hired curse became a blessing instead. No curse could stand against the people God had chosen to bless; the very attempt to curse them ended in their being blessed. God's blessing over his people could not be undone by the schemes of their enemies.

That is a comfort for those who are God's. There may be those who wish us harm, who scheme against us, who would, as it were, curse us; but no curse can stand against those God has blessed. God is able to overrule what is meant against his people, to turn intended harm into blessing, to protect his own against every scheme. When you sense that others wish you harm or scheme against you, do not be gripped by fear. No curse can prevail against those God has blessed; he is able to turn even what is meant against you into blessing. Rest under the protection of the God who turned Balaam's hired curse into blessing; he watches over his people, and no scheme against them can finally prevail against his blessing.

Lord, Balaam was hired and paid to curse Israel, but when the Spirit came upon him, blessing poured from his mouth instead, for you overruled his intended curse and turned it into blessing; no curse could stand against the people you had chosen to bless. Comfort me with that, for I am yours. There may be those who wish me harm, who scheme against me, who would, as it were, curse me; but no curse can stand against those you have blessed. You are able to overrule what is meant against your people, to turn intended harm into blessing, to protect your own against every scheme. When I sense that others wish me harm or scheme against me, keep me from being gripped by fear. No curse can prevail against those you have blessed; you are able to turn even what is meant against me into blessing. Help me rest under the protection of the God who turned Balaam's hired curse into blessing. You watch over your people; no scheme against them can prevail against your blessing.