Numbers – Chapter 24

Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way. Numbers 24:25 – While a seemingly simple, informational verse, truly this is such a heartbreaking message to read, especially when one sees how common this is in our day as well. Balaam rose and went back to his place. This is the same Balaam that we’ve been reading about who was a pagan, corrupt, and false prophet who used sorcery to bring demonic messages, yet was used by the Lord in an incredible way within these last couple chapters. Twice in our chapter today we see Balaam saw the Lord had opened his eyes. Balaam, whose eyes were so shut before that he couldn’t even see the angel of the Lord along his path, now has his eyes fully open to the Lord and is seeing and hearing the Lord clearly. Yet what do we see Balaam do after having his eyes so opened? Balaam rose and went back to his place. Balaam went back to his pagan, corrupt, and false ways of sorcery. We see in later chapters of Numbers that Balaam’s heart truly wasn’t changed for the Lord after encountering Him for he was the mastermind behind the events of the trap in our next chapter that led Israel astray from the Lord. Heartbreaking is the only way to describe this, someone who saw, heard, and even had the Holy Spirit speak through them still walked away from all that and went back to his old way of life. Such happens too often in our day as well, people can be blessed with hearing the full message of the Gospel and God even revealing Himself to be true to them, yet people still turn from all that and return to their sin. Pray for those you know that don’t yet follow Jesus to not walk the path of Balaam. Pray they see, hear, and experience the Spirit and their walk after such a blessing be towards the Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3374

When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. Numbers 24:1 – Of course we should always be seeking out what God’s direction for us is, but there can come a point when we continue the searching too long when the movements forward should have already began. See Balaam didn’t go searching once again when he already knew what God’s plans were. Instead he moved forward sharing the message he was given. Sometimes we can be in the praying/seeking out God’s will stage too long. We get the answer from God, yet due to the discomfort it may bring or it just wasn’t what we wanted the message to be we choose to “keep praying about it” when we should have begun moving. We should always be in prayer over our steps and when God gives us the directions we need to begin moving on that path. What then is a path you know He’s given you clear direction to go down but you haven’t taken that first step yet in? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1440

Numbers 24 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO …and he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened…Numbers 24:3 – Oddly enough, the word “opened” in this passage is debated for it could be translated “closed.” Those are complete opposites from each other, wouldn’t that be important to make sure we have the right understanding of the passage? In all actuality, using either word still portrays the meaning of the passage, so no need to stress over translation. The meaning is that Balaam’s eyes were opened to what God was showing him. It also means then his eyes were closed to the worldly ways of seeing things like other men at this time for he was seeing what God was showing him. Opened to the Lord, closed to the world. This should be how we seek to see. While our story for sure will look different than Balaam’s, we should seek to have eyes opened to what God is showing and closed to what the world is showing. How can we today do this? Choosing to find yourself in scripture and in prayer, searching out for what God is doing, are wonderful means God has given that He can use to open our eyes. Also choosing to disconnect from certain sinful, worldly things that are distracting you from gazing at the Lord will help in this. Having eyes opened to the Lord begins with opening your eyes to what God has already given us to look at and closing them to the things that take our focus off of Him. Know God wants to be known by us and wants His will to be known by us. He wants us seeking His face and having our eyes opened to Him like this. Choose then today to gaze upon Jesus so He can open your eyes to all that He is doing. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2305