Numbers 23:6-10: a reflection

6He returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab. 7He took up his parable, and said, “From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, defy Israel. 8How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom the LORD has not defied? 9For from the top of the rocks I see him. From the hills I see him. Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and shall not be listed among the nations. 10Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous! Let my last end be like his!”

When Balak the king of Moab hires Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam finds he cannot; for no curse can prevail against a people God has blessed. How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? Balaam says; how shall I defy whom the LORD has not defied? Balak wanted Israel cursed; but Balaam, for all his willingness to be hired, could not pronounce a curse that would stick, because God had blessed Israel, and no human curse can undo God's blessing. The blessing of God over his people is a protection no curse can overturn. This shows that no curse can prevail against those God has blessed. No curse can undo the blessing God has placed on his people. God's blessing is a protection no curse can overturn. Those God has blessed cannot be cursed. God's blessing over his people stands against every curse.

Notice the helplessness of the curse against God's blessing. Balak was determined to have Israel cursed, and hired a man willing to do it; every human intention was set on cursing Israel. But it could not be done. Balaam himself had to admit: how can I curse whom God has not cursed? God had blessed Israel, taken them as his own, set his favor on them; and against that blessing, no curse could prevail. The curse simply could not stick, because God's blessing was over them. This is a comfort for those who belong to God. We may fear the ill will of others, their curses, their malice, their attempts to bring harm on us; and such ill will is real. But if God has blessed us, taken us as his own in Christ, set his favor on us, then no curse, no malice, no ill will of others can finally prevail against us. God's blessing over his people is a protection that no human curse can overturn. We need not live in fear of the curses or ill will of others, for we are under the blessing of God, which stands against every curse. God's blessing over us cannot be undone by others' ill will. No curse or malice can prevail against those God has blessed. Under God's blessing, we need not fear others' curses. God's favor over his people stands against every attempt to harm.

That is worth resting in, for no curse or ill will can prevail against those God has blessed, whose blessing is a protection no curse can overturn, as Balaam could not curse the people God had blessed. We can fear the malice and ill will of others, their attempts to bring harm on us; but if God has blessed us and taken us as his own, no curse can finally prevail against us, as no curse could prevail against Israel whom God had blessed. God's blessing stands against every curse. When you fear the ill will of others, remember that no curse can prevail against those God has blessed. Rest in the truth that no curse or ill will can prevail against those God has blessed, whose blessing is a protection no human curse can overturn, as when Balak hired Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam found he could not, and had to admit, how shall I curse whom God has not cursed; for God had blessed Israel, taken them as his own, and set his favor on them, and against that blessing no curse could prevail or stick, which is a comfort for those who belong to God, since we may fear the ill will, malice, and curses of others, and such ill will is real, but if God has blessed us and taken us as his own in Christ, setting his favor on us, then no curse, no malice, no ill will of others can finally prevail against us, because God's blessing over his people is a protection that stands against every curse, so that we need not live in fear of the curses or ill will of others but can rest under the blessing of God.

Lord, when Balak the king of Moab hires Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam finds he cannot; for no curse can prevail against a people you have blessed. How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? Balaam says; how shall I defy whom the LORD has not defied? Balak wanted Israel cursed; but Balaam, for all his willingness to be hired, could not pronounce a curse that would stick, because you had blessed Israel, and no human curse can undo your blessing. Your blessing over your people is a protection no curse can overturn. Show me the helplessness of the curse against your blessing. Balak was determined to have Israel cursed; every human intention was set on it. But it could not be done. Balaam himself had to admit: how can I curse whom God has not cursed? You had blessed Israel, taken them as your own, set your favor on them; and against that blessing, no curse could prevail. This is a comfort for those who belong to you. I may fear the ill will of others, their curses, their malice, their attempts to bring harm on me; and such ill will is real. But if you have blessed me, taken me as your own in Christ, set your favor on me, then no curse, no malice, no ill will of others can finally prevail against me. Your blessing over your people is a protection that no human curse can overturn. Take that to my heart, for no curse or ill will can prevail against those you have blessed. When I fear the malice or ill will of others, help me remember that no curse can prevail against those you have blessed, Lord, and rest under your blessing, which stands against every curse, taken as your own in Christ and needing not to live in fear of others' curses.