Recently, I saw Jesus again in the Old Testament. For those who find it odd, it is quite easy to — you just need to notice patterns that appear again in the New Testament. For example; Jonah’s being swallowed by a fish. The first time I read it, I was amazed when my eyes came to the notice of ‘three days and nights’. This was the same pattern with Jesus after His death.
Same with the baker who was with Joseph in the prison. Notice how he dies;
Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants…But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. (Genesis 40:20,22)
This was the actual prophecy by Joseph: Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you. (Verse 19)
Literally, the way Jesus died was plainly spelt out here. ‘On a tree,’ ‘hanged’, ‘third day’ …
These are the patterns I was talking about. Even in Balaam’s story, I saw other patterns in Numbers 22 to 24, as he was on his way to be tricked into cursing Israel.
Initially, God forbade Balaam from proceeding to go. When Balak heard that, He sent more honorable men to Balaam. There came along with them what we’d call vast cash today. Some sort of honorarium. The Bible says he asked God if he would go; and God must have employed sarcasm when he told him to go after he had been clear the first time.
Balaam didn’t read between the lines. He proceeded. It says he went with two others. (22:22) Could these be a representative of the two other men that were crucified on either side of Jesus? Balaam’s ignorance of God’s reprimand aroused His anger. The Angel of the Lord was sent to strike Him.
The donkey saw the Angel with his sword drawn and he turned the first time. The second time, they were in a NARROW path between vineyards. Remember when Jesus said ‘for the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.’ (Matt 7:14)?
Of vineyards … He said He was the vine and we are the branches. The entire setting was sermons of Jesus to come.
Song of Solomon 7:12 states that the vineyard is a setting for the groom (Jesus) to express His love to the bride (church). 2:15 talks of foxes that spoil the vines. Jesus said in John 15 that His father takes away any branch that bears no fruit. Song of Solomon 2:4 states that the bride was brought to the banqueting house. At banquets, wine never missed. A preacher once said the wine represents joy. And I remember that a third of the kingdom is joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17)
The vineyards were a shadow of sermons to come.
Back to the story … the donkey saw the Angel again, and tried to go round him. Being narrow and bounded by walls, the donkey crushed Balaam’s foot on one of the walls. Balaam struck him again.
This was the third time the donkey was being struck … and the Lord made it speak while He opened Balaam’s eyes after to see the actual reason as to why the donkey had acted so.
The Angel said,
“The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.” (22:33)
We see the donkey do what Jesus did for all of us. We would have been killed — judged sinners according to God; primarily by what Adam and Eve did. Regardless He loved us so that He sent Jesus, His only begotten son, so that who ever would believe on Him would not perish but have everlasting life.
That aside, we see the donkey again in the New Testament being ridden on by Jesus into Jerusalem. Unlike Balaam who rode to curse Israel, Jesus rode to bless …
This had been His mission from the onset even before Palm Sunday in Mark 11. In a little while, He was going to embody our curse — that we may live!
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) Galatians 3:13
Even Balaam ended up prophesying about Him as the scene of his story progressed;
I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult. (Numbers 24:17)
A Star … Remember that bright asteroid that the wise men followed. O yes! Balaam saw Him.
And when Balaam was heaven bent to bless Israel now — and no more towards cursing — He experienced Jesus’ temptation. In chapters 22 to 23, Balak took him to the high places of Baal to make him see Israel. In 23:13, Balak took him to a field. But even there, Balaam didn’t curse Israel. Lastly, Balak took him up again, the top of Peor. But even then, it was in vain.
Jesus was also tempted thrice: to turn stone to bread, throw Himself from up to prove angels can catch Him, and to bow down and worship Satan — promising all the kingdoms of the world in return. You can see the devil being some sort of Balak, for if he could get Jesus to compromise, we would not have been saved.
Like Balak told Balaam, whoever Jesus blesses would be blessed. And whoever He curses would be cursed.
God continually tried to undo the curse on Adam, but the devil always vindicated it. When Jesus became the curse, and died, He was buried as the curse. After 3 days, Jewish culture considers something permanently gone. But Jesus raised again, not with the curse this time! And whoever believes in Him, has Him move into them, dispelling every manner of curse and sin nature! For sin was the ultimate curse that brought along death and sickness and poverty.
Jesus’ movement up the temple, above the heavens — to be given the cities teaches us to hold onto His word regardless of our positions. Whether sad or happy, what does His word say? Whether in a valley, or up a mountain (like Balak tried to change Balaam’s viewing point) — His point of view should stand constant in your life: unchallenged. Balaam understood this, and however many views he was given or enticed he only blessed Israel.
Or, as for Jesus’ case, He replied His Balak, by God’s seasoned word and wittiness. John comes later and says the word became flesh and dwelt among us (1:14). Jesus’ resistance to temptation was by God’s word that is exalted far above His name.
That … and also, this teaches you and I how to live out our identity! 1 Peter 1:23 says we have been born again of the incorruptible seed which lives and abides forever, which is the word of God. If that is our real nature, then we mustn’t veer from its ordinances.
This word came to Balaam the first time, but he questioned its supremacy. By God’s mercy in a donkey, he was spared and a lesson he learnt. The first time he was swayed by the prize of divination. The money and the honorables almost succeeded in making him disannul and neglect the word that had come. But mercy intervened.
May His mercy intervene for you too, where you have neglected His word. May His word guide you continually, and ground you enough not to be shaken by what you see or hear or are offered. May you only bless yourself or speak His good word over yourself when situations around cast you in a valley of insufficiency or everything contrary to what He has said. If He has said you are the head and not tail — maintain that confession!
May your donkey talk if you are off the narrow path! May the Holy Spirit — in love — teach you more and more His word that as you continue to behold it, you get transformed into the glory you behold day by day just as you behold in a mirror!
In Jesus’ mighty name I have prayed.
Biggie's Big Blogs 