Day 87
Numbers 23:27-26:11, Luke 7:11-35, Psalm 38:1-12
Sometimes we are called to speak out, even when what we might have to say is unpopular. Sometimes we have to speak out even when we don't want to, but God has things for us to say so we have to go for it.
Balaam continues with his oracles, all of them blessing rather than cursing Israel. Balak really wanted Balaam to resort to his sorcery and heap whole piles of trouble on Israel but God has other things in mind. Balaam is in that place between God and things that go against the ways of God. He is a sorcerer, relying on the darkness of magic (not good) and yet in this instance he is being faithful to God. He has already said to Balak that he can only speak what God leads him to, but Balak tries anyway. Even though it will be really unpopular, Balaam speaks out what the Spirit of God says, with potential risk to his life as well, Balak ruled a whole nation and had armies ready to do his will.
We know that Jesus was never scared to speak out and here we see him saying quite shocking things. It was not every day that the dead were raised and we see the reaction of the people reflecting this. It takes a lot of courage (if you are not God) to say to a dead body "Young man, I say to you, get up!" Jesus follows this up by pointing to the importance of John the Baptist. Jesus is taking words from scripture and applying them to someone in the here and now, always a dangerous thing to do among the Pharisees. He is also pointing to the fact that he was the Messiah, another unpopular move.
The people also speak out with a telling statement back at the raising of the dead lad. They responded (v16) "God has come to help his people". If only they knew what they were saying. In Christ, God came in human form to give his people eternal life, this was the ultimate form of help and without knowing it they had summed it up in one short sentence.
So many examples of people speaking out what God wanted to be said. We can find it so hard to speak out, especially when we know people might not like what we have to say. We can also find it embarrassing when we feel that we might be ridiculed. But God calls us to speak up, to shout out. We have a Gospel to proclaim, who are we going to speak it to, who is God leading us to to offer a blessing to like that of Balaam? To offer the good news of the Messiah?
Sometimes we are called to speak out, even when what we might have to say is unpopular. Sometimes we have to speak out even when we don't want to, but God has things for us to say so we have to go for it.
Balaam continues with his oracles, all of them blessing rather than cursing Israel. Balak really wanted Balaam to resort to his sorcery and heap whole piles of trouble on Israel but God has other things in mind. Balaam is in that place between God and things that go against the ways of God. He is a sorcerer, relying on the darkness of magic (not good) and yet in this instance he is being faithful to God. He has already said to Balak that he can only speak what God leads him to, but Balak tries anyway. Even though it will be really unpopular, Balaam speaks out what the Spirit of God says, with potential risk to his life as well, Balak ruled a whole nation and had armies ready to do his will.
We know that Jesus was never scared to speak out and here we see him saying quite shocking things. It was not every day that the dead were raised and we see the reaction of the people reflecting this. It takes a lot of courage (if you are not God) to say to a dead body "Young man, I say to you, get up!" Jesus follows this up by pointing to the importance of John the Baptist. Jesus is taking words from scripture and applying them to someone in the here and now, always a dangerous thing to do among the Pharisees. He is also pointing to the fact that he was the Messiah, another unpopular move.
The people also speak out with a telling statement back at the raising of the dead lad. They responded (v16) "God has come to help his people". If only they knew what they were saying. In Christ, God came in human form to give his people eternal life, this was the ultimate form of help and without knowing it they had summed it up in one short sentence.
So many examples of people speaking out what God wanted to be said. We can find it so hard to speak out, especially when we know people might not like what we have to say. We can also find it embarrassing when we feel that we might be ridiculed. But God calls us to speak up, to shout out. We have a Gospel to proclaim, who are we going to speak it to, who is God leading us to to offer a blessing to like that of Balaam? To offer the good news of the Messiah?
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