Shout of a King Numbers 23

Numbers 23:21 "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him and the shout of a king is among them."

Balaam is still on the mountain with Balak looking down on the children of Israel. Balak is trying to get a curse on them but all he hears is God bragging on them.

We must remember the conditions. Not long ago Jacob was using a rock for a pillar and running from Esau. God met him there and made a great promise. As Balaam stands on the mountain looking down, he sees the fulfillment of that promise. Israel has grown to a multitude.

God chose Israel to make something of them. The world seems hopeless. In Egypt, they are worshipping all kinds of gods. Here in Moab, Baal seems to have everyone's attention. Yet, in the midst of this, a people are on the move who worship only one God, The God Jehovah. There are not statutes to him because he is there in person.

Our verse says that the Lord says the shout of a king is among them. I see two meanings in this statement. One is the surety that they will be a nation for how can there be a king without a kingdom. They have not yet declared 'give us a king' but the notion must be in their heart as Moses nears the end of his life. The other meaning I get is that they carry the promise of the King of Kings in their ranks. My analogy that Israel is a pregnant lady carrying the Lord Jesus Christ to Bethlehem to be born goes along with this statement. Even here he is among the people. They long for a king!

Much like the church, Israel must be corrected from time to time. It is as if a cancer creeps into camp and it must be eradicated. So, there is punishment in plagues and serpents. But on the mountain there is no talk from God of Israel's rebellion, there is only the telling of what a fine people they are. It is as if the Lord is saying, this is my child, I will correct it but there will be no outside interference. The verse says neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel. I think of our sinful ways and the blood of the Lamb that covers our sin so that God only sees the good in us. Grace is truly amazing.

Lamentations 3:22 "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not."

Look at Ezekiel chapter 16.

A shout of a King!

Psalm 3:3 "But thou, O Lord, art a shied for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head."

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