What does "I have received a command to bless" teach about God's authority? Context: Balaam’s Reluctant Mission • Israel camps near Moab (Numbers 22–24). • King Balak hires the pagan seer Balaam to curse Israel. • Each attempt is overruled; Balaam can only speak what the LORD permits. Key Verse “Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.” (Numbers 23:20) What This Teaches About God’s Authority • God’s commands override human intentions. – Balak’s royal pressure fails; Balaam’s lucrative motives collapse (Numbers 22:17–18). • Divine blessing is irreversible. – “He has blessed, and I cannot change it.” No creature—angel, king, prophet—can revoke God’s decree (cf. Romans 11:29). • God speaks with finality; His word stands. – “The counsel of the LORD stands forever” (Psalm 33:11). • God uses even reluctant or ungodly agents to accomplish His purpose. – Proverbs 21:1; He turns Balaam’s mouth from cursing to blessing. • Authority rests in God’s character, not in human intermediaries. – Balaam confesses he is merely a conduit (Numbers 22:38). Layers of Authority Displayed 1. Command: God issues a direct order (“received a command”). 2. Compliance: The prophet must obey despite personal agenda. 3. Consequence: The blessing spoken is effective and cannot be nullified. Supporting Passages • Job 42:2 — “I know that You can do all things; no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” • Isaiah 14:27 — “The LORD of Hosts has purposed, and who will annul it?” • Daniel 4:35 — None “can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” • Romans 9:19 — “Who can resist His will?” • Ephesians 1:11 — He “works out everything according to the counsel of His will.” Implications for Us Today • Rest in God’s unassailable promises; no opposing force can overturn them. • Align speech and actions with what God has clearly declared in Scripture. • Recognize God’s sovereign right to command and our responsibility to obey. |
    |