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December 4

Two Unlikely Mouthpieces

Text: Numbers 24:17

I grew up reading the King James version of the Bible. It is a beautiful rendering but not easy to read. Honestly in 2023, I would never encourage anyone to make that version their primary Bible. That being said, the KJV translates the Hebrew word for donkey as “ass”. Awesome. Humorous. I know, I know. I am a child. Anyways, one of my memories as an actual child is hearing the story of a talking donkey, Balaam’s Ass. The irony is, now as an adult, I understand that the only ass in the story is Balaam. This guy sold out the nation of Israel and the New Testament does not paint him in a positive light. And yet, he did communicate accurately the revelation of God to Balak, the King of Moab, in Numbers 23-24. One of these prophecies revealed another couple brushstrokes of the Divine. 

I see him, but not now, I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17)

Very interesting. From the mouth of Balaam, we are told about a star, the lineage of Jacob and this seed will be a King. Of course, the identity of the “seed” is still a mystery, but the painting is starting to connect the dots. 

No doubt it is shocking God would even use the mouth of a diviner, but many scholars think this is so. Whether this is the case or not, what is true is that God speaks through broken people, to accomplish His plans. This means He desires to use you and me. What a privilege we have!