His Name Is....Smakprov

READ: Numbers 24:15-17 SOAP: Numbers 24:17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Balaam gave this prediction of the birth of Jesus one thousand, four hundred years before His birth. At the time, the nation of Moab was terrified of the approaching Israelites because they had heard of their power. So Balak, king of Moab, leveraged what power he thought he had in the sorcerer Balaam to negotiate with God. However, God does not negotiate His will. Balak commanded Balaam to place a curse on the Israelites, but God used him to deliver a blessing on Israel and a prophecy of the Messiah instead. A star did come out of Jacob because Jacob fathered Joseph, and Joseph fathered Jesus, the Messiah. A star hung in the sky above Jesus after His birth (Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11), prompting the wise men to follow the signal and find the King of the Jews, the scepter risen out of Israel. God’s plan will always be fulfilled, as is evident throughout history. Though we do not know how He hangs the stars in the sky, we can know Who the Bright Morning Star is through studying His Word. Holy Father, let us not negotiate with You and instead honor Your Word with our lives so Your will can be done.