Balaam’s Fourth Prophecy
Balaam is an enigma. That he was greedy seems clear. That he had some courage is also in evidence. That he was an enemy of Israel is certainly implied. He was honest enough to warn Balak that he would speak no more and no less than he was authorized by God. The passage does not imply he was a false prophet, for his predictions came true. He spoke for God; and God, through an angel, spoke with him.
He served as an oracle of God, and he understood the principles by which God operated. Thus he knew how to turn God’s favor away from his chosen people by inducing them “to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab”. (Numbers 25:1)
He is, perhaps, the only non-Jewish prophet of God since Israel became a covenant people. Though the derivation of his name is unclear, most authorities say it means “the son of the foreigner.” This may indicate he was a non-Jew or, conversely, that the Japhethites who were the main inhabitants of Aramea considered him a foreigner, possibly a Semite.
The question naturally arises how he had established his position with God. All we know about his background is that he came from the Mesopotamian village of Pethor. His fame was wide spread. Pethor is about 375 miles north of Moab. Numbers 23:7 indicates he probably migrated to the “mountains of the east” in Aram, which rise just east of the Tigris, about 300 miles east of Pethor.
The Bible indicates only two geographic areas of the worship of Jehovah: (1) Wherever the Jewish people were, whether in Egypt, the wilderness, or Canaan; (2) Haran, the temporary home of Abraham, where some of his relatives remained after he came to Canaan, and where Isaac and Jacob resorted for their wives. As Pethor is only 17 miles from Haran, Balaam may have received his knowledge of God from the family of Abraham. He is called a “soothsayer” in Joshua 13:22. This may indicate his prophetic talents were intermingled with incantations. Or, more likely, perhaps Joshua used the term as a pejorative to diminish Balaam to his audience.
FOUR PROPHECIES
Balak, king of Moab, probably went to such great lengths to import Balaam because he felt a prophet of Israel’s own God would be more effective in cursing the Jewish people than a follower of the Moabite gods. The story of Balaams journey arid the incident with the talking ass are well-known. Probably this experience gave rise to the later, repeated description of Balaam as the man “whose eyes are open.” At this time Israel was camped on the broad alluvial flood plain of the Jordan at the foot of the pass that goes to Amman. Steep hills to the east rise sharply from this plain in what is now the country of Jordan. To the south the tallest hills are Mount Pisgah and Mount Nebo. To the north is Mount Peor. When Balaam prophesied prosperity for Israel from Mount Nebo, Balak took him to Pisgah to get a better view of the size of the camp (about two million persons). Failing there, he was taken to Peor, fifteen miles north, to show him the vast extension. After these three prophecies failed to curse Israel, Balaam uttered a fourth prophecy. (Numbers 24:14-24) This prophecy differs from the first three in that it particularly refers to events “of the latter days” (verse 14).
This fourth prophecy is itself divided into four sections, each starting with the phrase “he took up his parable.”
THE FIRST PARABLE
The first parable is Messianic in nature. Almost all commentators, both Christian and Jewish, agree with this interpretation. Most also see a dual application, both to King David and to the Messiah whom he represents. Pastor Russell adds a third application, to the second advent. We concur with this addition.
The predictions of verse 17 are specifically mentioned as applying to a future time. “I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh.” The fulfillment belongs to another time and place. The ingredients of the vision are twofold: (1) a star out of Jacob, and (2) a scepter out of Israel.
The famous Jewish Rabbi, Maimonides, sees a striking parallelism here.
“I shall see him but not now. This is David. I shall behold him, but not nigh. This is the king Messiah. A star shall come out of Jacob. This is David. A scepter shall rise out of Israel. This is the king Messiah. And shall smite the corners of Moab. This is David, as it is written (2 Samuel 8:2) `And he smote Moab, casting them down to the ground: And shall destroy all the children of Sheth. This is the king Messiah of whom it is written, (Psalms 72:8) `He shall have dominion from sea to sea.’ ”
The scepter symbol is easy to identify. David was the first to hold the scepter in Judah. (Genesis 49:10) It passed to Jesus, as Shiloh, at his first advent (Volume 2, page 82). In a larger sense it is descriptive of his second advent. (Hebrews 1:8)
THE STAR OF DAVID
The star is more problematic. The expression “star of David” is a common one. It is also an ancient symbol. Archaeologists have found traces of it in carvings as far back as the times of Solomon. There is an explanation of the origin of this symbol which appeals to us.
When David first became king in Hebron, the kingdom had been rent in two. The ten northern tribes were loyal to the house of Saul and sought a succession from his household. Judah and Benjamin supported David’s claim to the throne. After seven years of strife, David succeeded in uniting the two kingdoms. It was a union not destined to last. In less than a hundred years, in the beginning of the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the nation split again into the same division as existed when David reigned from Hebron.
The star of David is composed of two interlocking triangles. The triangle has long been identified with strength, and is therefore used architecturally in trusses. David joined the southern and northern kingdoms, represented by facing triangles, and produced the “star of David.” Note that the resulting shape has 12 exterior surfaces, one for each of the tribes of Israel.
The Star of David
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM
A star figures prominently in the narrative of Jesus’ birth. The wise men from the east followed a star (or some astral phenomenon) to Jerusalem where they were directed to the village of Bethlehem. They received confirmation of this direction by the star, hidden for awhile, reappearing.
Much has been written about this star, and we will not repeat the various theories here. Three observations from these discussions will suffice. (1) The function of the star was to point to Messiah. (2) The star led them first to Jerusalem, the city where David earlier had joined the two kingdoms to produce a united nation, as represented in his star. (3) The star was likely the planet Jupiter, involved in a series of conjunctions with Venus, Mars, Mercury and Regulus, in 3 BC and 2 BC (see “What Was the Star of Bethlehem?;” Beauties of the Truth, December, 1980).
THE MORNING STAR
The star symbol is also associated with the second advent of Christ. “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star”. (Revelation 22:16) Two other texts also bear on this subject. (1) Revelation 2:26-28, “And he that overcometh… I will give him the morning star:” (2) 2 Peter 1:19, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.”
In the two Revelation texts, the Morning Star represents Jesus. Yet Jesus is also the Sun of Righteousness. (Malachi 4:2) Is he both? The morning star is not the sun. It is the indicator of the rising sun. It is not even really a star. The morning star is a planet. It is the planet Venus. A star (and the sun is a star) originates light; a planet reflects light.
Beauties of the Truth, February, 1982, cites an article by C. E. Stewart on “The Glory of Jehovah in Our Solar System;” in which the symbology of the planets is considered. This article suggests Venus represents the church and gives nine points in support. This thought is bolstered further by the only Biblical reference to Venus. The Persian word for Venus is Hishtar (or, as we know it better, Esther, the Jewish queen of Persia, Reprint page 4900). Esther is generally conceded to be a picture of the Church.
Since the star of the first advent was a pointer to Messiah, it is logical that the star of the second advent be a pointer to his return. An approach that harmonizes the two thoughts – that the star represents Jesus or a pointer to Jesus – is found on page 92 of the Reprints. “Christ is called both the Morning Star and the Sun of Righteousness, and these seem to be related to each other as the day dawn and the `perfect day.’ When Christ rose from the dead, on the first day of the week, it was early, `when it was yet dark’. (John 20:1) It was in the dawn of the day, and this together with the many evidences, seems to show that the same is to be true of the church in the dawn of the great day… Then, indeed, they would have the Morning Star, and it would be very early in the morning, while it is yet dark, to the world.”
In other words the Morning Star refers to the proclamation of Christ’s return during the secret “parousia;’ and the Sun of Righteousness refers to the revealing of that presence during the “apokalupsis.” As the church shares in the Sun of Righteousness, they also share in the Morning Star, spreading forth the early announcement of the returned Lord.
Recapping this parable, we see both of the symbols Balaam introduces – star and scepter – are aptly chosen for King David, and the first and second advents of the Messiah.
EDOM, A POSSESSION
The thought in verse 18, of Edom becoming a possession, is similar to that given in the prophecy of \\#Am 9:11,12, which says the restored “tabernacle of David” shall “possess the remnant of Edom.” When the Apostle James quoted this text in Acts 15:16,17 he used the Septuagint, which has “the residue of men” instead of “the remnant of Edom:” Both words are possible from the Hebrew by a mere switch of the vowel points. In this case Edom may represent the race of Adam. A similar case is in \\#Ob 21.
The American Standard and other reliable translations use “sons of tumult” in place of “sons of Sheth” in verse seventeen, translating the Hebrew word instead of making it a proper noun. For this reason Maimonides interprets the text as Messiah having dominion from “sea to sea.”
The Angel Appearing to Balaam
THE SECOND PARABLE
Balaam’s second parable is found in verse twenty: “And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.”
In this verse the first verb is in the past tense. He is referring back to the victory over the Amalekites when Joshua fought them in the wilderness while Aaron and Hur upheld the arms of Moses. In the immediate context Balaam is showing that Amalek was only the first of the nations which would fall to the Israelitish forces. There would be at least ten more that would similarly fall. (Genesis 15:19-21)
However, the latter verb in this parallel is in the future tense, indicating that there were to be yet more victories over Amalek. This may look forward to the slaughter of Amalek by King Saul, which was made complete with the slaying of their king Agag by Samuel. We are not to get the thought, though, that every Amalekite was slain in that battle, only the Amalekites of that region, for in the book of Esther we meet another Amalekite, perhaps a descendant of Agag, or more likely one who inherited his royal title – Haman the Agagite.
The title of the Amalekite kings, Agag, suggests a deeper level of interpretation. Literally the Amalekites were not the “first of the nations:” Many national groups preceded them, though they were the first of Israel’s enemies to fall to them in battle. But the consonants in the word “Agag;” with a change of vowel points, gives a clue to truly the first enemy. The word “Gog” uses not only the same consonants but has the same meaning as “Agag;” namely “roof, or that which covers.” The only “Gog” who can oppose Israel at the beginning of the Millennium, and be around to “encompass the camp of the saints” at the end of the Millennium, is Satan. And his end, too, is “to perish forever.”
THE THIRD PARABLE
The third parable, surprisingly, is against the Kenites. It is also a parable of destruction. It is surprising because the Kenites, though one of the ten nations to be dispossessed, was the one which treated Israel the most kindly. Their chief guide in the wilderness wanderings was Hobab, a Kenite. They granted Israel free passage through their land at the head of the Red Sea. Jael, the wife of the Kenite Heber, drove the tent peg through the skull of Sisera in the days of Deborah and Barak.
To grasp the import of this parable we must look briefly at who the Kenites were. Translated into English, they would be the Smith family, for they were smiths (as in blacksmith), workers in metals. They fashioned tools and weapons from iron, and images, utensils and jewelry from copper. They lived as itinerants among other tribes. They had three main locations – one in southwest Sinai, where Hobab originated; their main encampment around the present city of Eilat at the head of the Red Sea where they smelted copper; and among the Edomites where they supplied the flourishing caravan trade with tools for sale. It is this third group of Kenites, who were not friendly to Israel, that Balaam is focusing on. This is evident from his expression that they made their nest (“ken” in Hebrew, a word play with “Kenite”) in the rock. The Septuagint, a Greek translation, says they made their nest in Petra. Petra (or Seir as it was then known) was the capital city of the Edomites and is referred to with similar designations in Obadiah.
In describing their end, Balaam looks nearly a thousand years down the stream of time to when the invading Assyrians would not only take Edom and the Kenites of that region captive, but also the tentribe kingdom of Israel.
THE FOURTH PARABLE
Alfred Edersheim, in his Old Testament History, has this to say about the fourth parable. “This latter may, indeed, be characterized as the most wonderful of prophecies. More than a thousand years before the event, not only the rising of the great world-empire of the West is here predicted, with its conquest of Asshur and Eber (i.e, of the descendants of Eber, Genesis 10:21), but far beyond this the final destruction of that world-empire is foretold! In fact, we have here a series of prophecies, commencing with the appearance of the Messiah and closing with the destruction of Anti-Christ. To this there is no parallel in Scripture, except in the visions of Daniel. No ingenuity of hostile criticism can take from, or explain away the import of this marvelous prediction” (Volume 3, page 28).
The fact that this prophecy would be of far distant fulfillment is implied in the words “Alas, who shall live when God doeth this.” In other words, who of you would be alive when this will occur – No one!
Daniel’s prophecies focused on the four universal empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. Assyria was the forerunner of Babylon and the most powerful kingdom in the world until overrun by the Babylonian army. In the third parable, Balaam saw the conquest of the Assyrian hordes. Now he sees that nation fall to the “ships of Chittim.”
A clear identification of Chittim can be found in 1 Maccabees 1:1, “And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Kittim, had smitten Darius the king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Greece.” Alexander came from Macedonia, where Kittim, the son of Javan, settled. (Genesis 10:4) Later they moved on to Cyprus and thence to Italy. Their intense maritime activities came in time to make the word Chittim a byword for all the seacoast countries of the west.
Thus Balaam, in his prophecy, not only foresees the conquests of Assyria, but the rise of the Greek and Roman empires that would follow.
Though Edersheim, in the quote above, treats Eber as meaning his descendants, which would include the Hebrews (in fact, the name Hebrew is derived from the word Eber), we are more inclined to look at the use of Eber as it was used contemporarily with Balaam – those from “across the river:” This would be a fitting designation for the Babylonians whose capital was east of the Euphrates. Thus treated, Balaam is showing the fall of not only Assyria, but their conquerors Babylon, and their conquerors Persia, to the forces of Alexander of Chittim and his successors, Rome.
But Balaam is not through yet. Of Chittim he says, “and he also shall perish forever:” Here, in capsule form, Balaam sees what Daniel sees – the four universal empires falling together. The four parables now come full circle. As Daniel had foreseen the collapse of the fourth empire to be by the smiting of the stone of Messiah’s Kingdom, so the Messianic first parable concluded with the results of this fourth parable – “Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.”
As Edersheim remarks, Balaam has uttered quite a remarkable prophecy indeed and as Maimonides correctly quoted, “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river [Euphrates] to the ends of the earth”. (Psalms 72:8)
– Carl Hagensick