Numbers 22:2–25:9
Parashat Balak brings us to the account where Gentile kings and pagan prophets attempt to manipulate divine reality, only to discover the unassailable sovereignty of Mar-Yah, the Most High. Situated on the cusp of Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land, this section of Bamidbar unfolds an encounter between Balak, king of Moab, and Bil’am, a Mesopotamian soothsayer whose oracles paradoxically reveal some serious truths about Israel’s destiny and the coming of Messiah.
The account oscillates between blessing and curse, fidelity and fornication, revelation and rebellion. It is a parashah uniquely prophetic, echoing forward to the Incarnation of Yeshua Mshikha and downward to the moral struggles that beset Israel and the Assembly in every generation. The themes of spiritual warfare, prophetic vision, and covenantal purity converge here with deep theological significance.
Balak’s Fear and the Politics of the Flesh (Numbers 22:2–6)
The parashah opens with a political crisis. Balak, the Moabite king, perceives Israel’s victories over the Amorites with dread. His appeal to Bil’am is rooted in the pagan belief that the spiritual realm could be manipulated through ritual utterance. “Come now therefore, I pray, curse me this people” (22:6). Balak seeks to turn divine favour into divine wrath by hiring a prophet for pay—a spiritual mercenary.
This opening act is very telling. While the nations perceive power as something to be bought or bartered, the God of Israel reveals Himself not as a tribal deity subject to magical coercion, but as El Elyon, who speaks according to His own will. “For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him; behold, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations” (23:9). This marks the uniqueness of Israel—their election is not negotiable; their destiny is not for sale.
Bil’am: Prophet of a Divided Heart
Bil’am’s enigmatic role requires us to undertake careful exegesis. He is both a seer and a schemer, a man who hears from Mar-Yah and yet covets worldly honour. Initially, Mar-Yah forbids him to go (22:12), yet permits him after repeated entreaty (22:20), only to incite Divine wrath when he proceeds (22:22). This paradox is resolved only when we perceive the duplicity in Bil’am’s intentions. Though outwardly obedient, inwardly he desired to satisfy Balak’s request. His heart was not whole toward Alaha.
The account of the angel and the talking donkey (22:21–35) provides both irony and divine rebuke. The donkey sees what the prophet cannot—revealing that spiritual blindness often afflicts those who consider themselves enlightened. As St. Paul later writes, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22). Here we also see a prefiguration of Yeshua’s triumphal entry, riding upon a donkey (Zechariah 9:9), revealing that truth often comes in humble guises.
The Oracles of Blessing: Messianic Light in a Pagan Mouth (Numbers 23–24)
Bil’am is compelled to bless Israel three times, each oracle revealing deeper strata of divine intention. The third oracle climaxes in a messianic prophecy. “There shall come a Star out of Ya’aqub, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel” (24:17). The Septuagint renders as “a star shall dawn out of Jacob.”
This star, traditionally understood as a messianic symbol, finds its fulfilment in Yeshua of Natzeret. The Magi of the East, themselves heirs of Bil’am’s geographical lineage, would one day interpret a star in the heavens as heralding the birth of the King of the Yehudim (Matthew 2:1–2). Thus, in an ironic twist of sacred history, even the utterance of a pagan prophet serves to unveil the coming of the Redeemer.
It is notable that the House of David—ancestral line of the Desposyni—is here foreshadowed. The sceptre speaks of royal authority, and the “destruction of the sons of tumult” (24:17) anticipates Mshikha’s victory over the powers of sin and chaos. Here we see how even foreign voices, unwilling or unwitting, can be drawn into Mar-Yah’s salvific design.
Covenant Betrayal and Priestly Zeal (Numbers 25:1–9)
The account descends from prophetic vision to moral collapse. While Bil’am failed to curse Israel, he succeeded in seducing them through strategic counsel (Revelation 2:14). The daughters of Moab entice the men of Israel into sexual immorality and idolatrous feasting. Thus, the blessings of heaven are nearly overturned by the lusts of the flesh.
The worship of Baal-Peor is not only about theological error; it is a violation of marital fidelity between Israel and Mar-Yah. This sin invokes divine wrath. “And the anger of Mar-Yah was kindled against Israel” (25:3) Brenton’s translation: “And the Lord was very angry with Israel”.
From Curses to Covenant
Parashat Balak covers quite a bit of theological terrain. It unveils the futility of cursing what Mar-Yah has blessed. It reveals that divine sovereignty uses even wayward prophets to declare eternal truths. And it warns that while external enemies may be powerless against Israel, internal corruption threatens the covenant from within.
For the holy assembly of Mshikha, this parashah is not only historical but perennially relevant. It reminds us that we are not to be reckoned among the nations (23:9), that we are called to spiritual fidelity, and that the Star from Ya’aqub has already dawned in the person of Yeshua. As with ancient Israel, so with us—the blessings of heaven are made void when the soul turns to idolatry and the flesh asserts dominion.
May each of us be vigilant, both in doctrine and conduct, that we may receive the covenant of peace through our High Priest, Yeshua Mshikha, who has turned every curse into a blessing.
“Blessed is he that blesses you, and cursed is he that curses you.” —Numbers 24:9