©Michael Player
Chapter 6:3-5 (ESV) - “O my people, what have I done to you?
How have I wearied you? Answer me!
For I brought you up from the land of Egypt
and redeemed you from the house of slavery,
and I sent before you Moses,
Aaron, and Miriam.
O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised,
and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”
Question to consider: What was the scheme that Balak of Moab devised?
Today’s passage expressed questions of deep sorrow from the LORD at the unfaithfulness of Israel. The gods of Egypt enslaved Israel for 400 years. The LORD defeated the gods of Egypt along with Baal-zephon, the Canaanite lord of the sea on the shores of the Red Sea, to free them from slavery. The LORD then cared for them in the desert, and established them in a land flowing with milk and honey. He even dwelt among them throughout this journey in the tabernacle and established a more permanent dwelling place in the holy city of Jerusalem.
The LORD gave them the Law to set them apart from the nations and promised them life and salvation in His name. One of my favorite movie quotes came from Sean Connery playing King Arthur in First Knight. “There are laws that enslave men and laws that set them free.” The machinations of this world put heavy burdens on people that enslave them. While sin may look like freedom and bring pleasure for a time, there is always a point in which the pleasure wanes and the addiction binds. In the end it leads to misery and death.
In Christ, we have been reconciled to God and set free from sin and death. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us and helps us to walk in newness of life so that we can be free to do the good works the Father has created for us to do. In this, we get to be God’s instruments in bringing life and salvation to those around us.
Balak, king of Moab, desired to destroy Israel and hired the prophet, Balaam, to bring down curses upon her. However, as a prophet, Balaam spoke only what the LORD said concerning Israel which was to bless her. Despite not being able to curse Israel, Christ said that Balaam “taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.” (Revelation 2:14)
Now they were at a point where the long-suffering of the LORD had reached its limit, and He was giving them over to the gods whom they worshiped so that they may know the righteous acts of the LORD. The LORD does not desire for us to despise His commands and walk away, but He will allow it when we harden our hearts against Him. All of heaven rejoices over those who repent and turn back to Him.
Dear heavenly Father, thank You for bringing us to the end of ourselves and offering Your grace and forgiveness when we repent and turn back to You. Help us to remember and pursue those who have walked away from You so that we may rejoice at their return. Amen.