What is the meaning of Numbers 23:16? And the LORD met with Balaam • The text shows a personal, initiating action from God. Just as He “appeared to Abram” (Genesis 12:7) and “came and stood” before young Samuel (1 Samuel 3:10), the LORD draws near to Balaam, underscoring His sovereign freedom to confront any person, even a pagan diviner. • This meeting is not accidental; it affirms that God is actively directing events (Proverbs 16:9). He will not allow His covenant people to be cursed without His consent (Genesis 12:3). • For believers today, it’s a reminder that God still intervenes, guiding circumstances for His redemptive purposes (Romans 8:28). And put a message in his mouth • The wording highlights divine inspiration: the prophet does not originate the oracle; God does. Similar language appears with Moses (“I will be with your mouth,” Exodus 4:12) and Jeremiah (“I have put My words in your mouth,” Jeremiah 1:9). • This guarantees accuracy—what Balaam will utter carries God’s authority (2 Peter 1:21). • It also reveals that God can use unlikely instruments to declare His truth (Luke 19:40). The vessel’s character does not diminish the reliability of the message. Saying, “Return to Balak • Balaam is sent back to the Moabite king who hired him to curse Israel (Numbers 22:4–6). God controls the itinerary, underscoring that political power submits to divine command (Psalm 33:10–11). • The command to “return” mirrors other instances where God dispatches His messengers to challenging audiences—e.g., Moses to Pharaoh (Exodus 9:1) or Elijah to Ahab (1 Kings 18:1). • Obedience to divine direction often requires facing human authority with an uncomfortable message, yet God equips the messenger. And speak what I tell you” • The emphasis is on total fidelity to God’s word. Balaam is forbidden to add or subtract—echoing Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18–19. • This clause underlines God’s protective heart for Israel: every syllable will bless, not curse (Numbers 23:20). • For believers, it models prophetic integrity: proclaim exactly what God has revealed (Acts 20:27), resisting pressure to tailor the message for human approval (Galatians 1:10). summary Numbers 23:16 portrays the LORD taking complete control of Balaam’s encounter with Balak. God personally meets Balaam, supplies the very words he must speak, and commands their faithful delivery. The verse reassures us that divine purposes cannot be thwarted: God guards His people and sovereignly guides even unwilling prophets to bless rather than harm. |
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