CHAPTER 24

(1452 B.C.)

THIRD PROPHECY

¹And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. (Concerning this, Williams says, This Chapter shows that the Prophet in his madness was willing to listen to the voice of the Devil, though unwilling to listen to the voice of the Lord. The corruption, depravity, and rebellion of mans will is fearfully and mysteriously illustrated in Balaam. Even at the time of being consciously subject to the Moving of the Holy Spirit, in his thirst for money he sought by enchantments to become inspired of an Unclean Spirit. So, knowledge of spiritual things is not spiritual knowledge.)

²And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their Tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him (but it doesnt mean that he had the Spirit of God, for he definitely didnt!).

³And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said (meaning that he saw a vision):

⁴He has said, which heard the Words of God, which saw the Vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

⁵How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel! (The Lord looked at Israel in that manner, and He presently looks at the Church, the true Church, that is, in the same manner.)

⁶As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the rivers side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD has planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. (Israel is meant to be a blessing to the entirety of the world, and definitely will fulfill that role in the coming Kingdom Age.)

⁷He shall pour the water out of His Buckets, and His Seed shall be in many waters (in the Kingdom Age, Israel will enrich all nations), and His King (the Lord Jesus Christ) shall be higher than Agag, and His Kingdom shall be exalted (Israel will be the leading Nation in the world in the Kingdom Age).

⁸God brought him forth out of Egypt; he has as it were the strength of an unicorn (once again, the strength of an African Rhino): he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows (even though this covers a wide spectrum of time, the major fulfillment will be during the Battle of Armageddon; Israel will then do all of these things, but with the help of the Messiah [Zech. 14:3]).

⁹He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you (the first promise that God gave concerning Israel, when they were yet in the loins of Abraham [Gen. 12:1-3]).

¹⁰And Balaks anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.

¹¹Therefore now flee thou to your place: I thought to promote you unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD has kept you back from honour.

¹²And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to your messengers which you sent unto me, saying,

¹³If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the Commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own mind; but what the LORD says, that will I speak?

FOURTH PROPHECY

¹⁴And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days (speaks of the coming Kingdom Age).

¹⁵And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said:

¹⁶He has said, which heard the Words of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

¹⁷I shall see Him, but not now (the Messiah would come, but not then): I shall behold Him, but not nigh (not at this time, the time of Balaam): there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel (the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ), and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

¹⁸And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for His enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly (in the coming Kingdom Age, Israel will occupy most of the area of the Middle East).

¹⁹Out of Jacob shall come He Who shall have dominion (the Lord Jesus Christ), and shall destroy him who remains of the city (the Battle of Armageddon, when the Antichrist and his armies shall be destroyed).

FIFTH PROPHECY

²⁰And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations (to attack Israel, and did so when they came out of Egypt [Ex. 17:8-16]); but his latter end shall be that he perish forever (in typology, Amalek is a type of the flesh; this prediction tells us that the way of the flesh will ultimately be totally defeated; it will take place at the coming Resurrection of Life [I Cor. 15:51-54]).

²¹And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is your dwellingplace, and you put your nest in a rock.

²²Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry you away captive (speaks of the Antichrist making his debut of world domination, which will fail).

²³And he took up his parable, and said Alas, who shall live when God does this!

²⁴And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish forever (pertains to the last days, and speaks of the Antichrist, who will perish in the Battle of Armageddon).

²⁵And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.