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utter in parable form the words that God put into his mouth. Balak takes Balaam to view
Israel from three different heights, but no loophole can be found for the curse to fall upon
them.
Balaam's four parables represent four aspects of the perfect standing of every true
child of God. Under the first covenant Israel had undertaken to inherit the position of a
kingdom of Priests by their obedience, saying: "All that the Lord hath spoke we will do"
(Exod. 19: 3-8), and as a part of their preparation for the confirmation of this covenant
Moses was to: "sanctify them to-day and to-morrow and let them wash their clothes and
be ready against the third day" (Exod. 19: 10, 11). Alas, we know too well that Israel
utterly failed, and the Lord, in grace, set aside that covenant and introduced another, a
better covenant, established by better promises, resting upon an infinitely better Sacrifice,
and in the hand of a better Mediator.
When Israel do, eventually, enter into their blessed inheritance, it will not be by their
own obedience, neither will they be able to "wash their clothes and be ready against the
third day". The book of the Revelation gives the new and better state:--
"Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath
made us kings and priests unto God and His Father" (Rev. 1: 5, 6).
"These are they which have come out of greater tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb" (Rev. 7: 14).
"Thou hast redeemed to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and
people, and nation, and hast made them unto our God kings and priests: and they shall
reign over the earth" (Rev. 5: 9, 10).
The first of Balaam's parables emphasizes the believer's separation unto God:--
"Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations"
(Numb. 23: 9).
This is the basic truth concerning Israel. The second parable emphasizes the perfect
acceptance of every child of God:--
"He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel"
(Numb. 23: 21).
Yet on both sides of this parable of Balaam we have the record of Israel's terrible
failure. The apparent contradiction is, however, removed when we remember that
Balaam speaks of their standing, whereas Moses speaks of their state.
The two parables that follow emphasize the glory and the victory of the people "in the
latter days" (Numb. 24: 14). "His kingdom shall be exalted" (Numb. 24: 7), and
Balaam plainly prophecies that this exaltation is associated with the Messiah:--
"There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel. Out of
Jacob shall come He that shall have dominion" (Numb. 24: 17, 19).