They are enlightened, but they are not sanctified

"They are enlightened, but they are not sanctified" - Numbers 23:13-30; 24:1-9 Likewise, Balaam goes out, as before, to find God. God Himself comes to meet him a second time and puts a word in his mouth, not so that he retracts the first, but so that he confirms it (reaffirms, affirms, confirms) (it is not to rectify or that he was wrong and corrects). God changed the curse into blessing and wider and stronger than the first.

I. Balak says to him and now, What has Jehovah said?

A. Balak, arise and hear (V. 18).

1. Balaam will report two things to Balak in his speech.

2. (V. 14) That there is no hope of ruining Israel.

3. It had no (end), why try.

4. First: Because God is immutable (cannot change). He never changes His mind and therefore never goes back on His promises.

5. Second, for Israel is now irreproachable before God. He sees no idolatry there, which is the chief iniquity; "this could only separate Israel from God."

6. Third: Because Balaam saw Israel "as God saw it" from above.

7. God saw Israel as beautiful greatly by the grace, the merciful love, and the sovereign election He had placed in them, hence their strength and their invincible power.

8. The Almighty God was in the midst of His people (V. 21).

9. Since Balaam spoke the word God had put in his mouth, he had no choice but to see Israel as God saw it, "in spite of all its faults."

10. His magical arts could do no harm to Israel.

11. With the blessings of Heaven, no curse of hell can be fulfilled.

12. (V. 14) Balaam let Balak see that he is far from annihilating Israel, he has every reason to fear that it is Israel that will ruin Moab (V. 24).

13. Both Balak and Balaam repeat (V. 25) their words and actions. Balak tells Balaam that since he does not want to curse Israel, at least do not bless it.

14. (V. 26) Balaam has no choice but to do what Jehovah tells him.

15. Another attempt (V. 28) to the summit of Peor, the highest in the country.

16. (24:1-9) Now Balaam saw that it seemed good to Jehovah that he should bless Israel, he did not go looking for omen, and he set aside the incantations, because nothing he did worked.

17. And the Spirit of God came upon him.

18. Now he rose from the character of a Gentile seer to that of a true prophet.

19. No longer a lonely place: He lays (V. 1) his face in the wilderness, where the people of Israel camped.

20. The Spirit of prophecy came (V. 2).

21. (V. 4) Fallen, but eyes open, by the invasion of the Divine Spirit, which (turns) makes the vessel weak and unable to stand on its feet.

22. It is spiritual ecstasy (admiration of joy) when the bodily senses are clouded, stunned and only the eyes of the mind open to complete the divine vision and understand the prophetic message.

23. This is not to say that Balaam was sanctified by this invasion of the Spirit.

24. "There are many who have their eyes open, but have closed their hearts; They are enlightened, but they are not sanctified."

25. (Matthew 7:21-23) The highest spiritual gifts can coexist (live together) in a person with sin and perdition.

26. Balaam is an example and the Lord Jesus made it clear that casting out demons in His name and performing miracles is not a sign of salvation.

27. (Galatians 5:6) Faith that works by love, there is no other proof that it is obedience that produces fruits.

28. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) The love of an authentically Christian life.

29. Several things that Balaam admires in Israel.

30. (Numbers 24:5) Its beauty: How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob!

31. Although they dwelt not in marble palaces, but in vulgar tents, with few comforts and many environmental nuisances, Balaam sees a peculiar beauty in these tents, because of their admirable order and distribution.

32. Its fertility and increase (increase, greater extension).

33. It was like seeing fertility of a land abundantly with a good rhythm.

34. It was as God showering them with richer blessings, so that their "seed (Numbers 24:7) might spread like the many waters."

35. Its great honor and power.

36. Just as the multitude of the people is the honor of the prince, so the magnificence of the prince is the honor of the people.

37. Therefore, Balaam says that He will exalt his king more than Agag (Numbers 24:7).

38. It is a metaphor (comparison between two things that are not otherwise related) to indicate power and strength, for Agag was the common title of all the kings of Amalek, as Pharaoh was of Egypt.

39. Its victorious successes (Numbers 24:8).

40. He goes back in time to praise what God has done for them: God brought them out of Egypt (Numbers 24:8).

41. He had said this earlier (Numbers 23:22).

42. He then fixates on his present strength: He has forces like the buffalo.

43. From the beginning still almost coming as a consequence of what God does with Israel and of His presence in the midst of the people, Israel is irresistible (which cannot be rejected, resisted) like the buffalo.

44. (Number24:8) It will devour enemy nations, fix his eyes on the future.

45. His security: He will stoop to lie down like a lion and a lioness.

46. It is a picture of Israel's peacetime majesty, just as Numbers 23:24 describes its tremendous strength in wartime.

47. Lions do not retire to sleep in places of refuge, but lie down anywhere, sure that no one will dare to mess with them.

48. Their influence on the happiness or misfortune of those who wanted to harm them.

49. Far from being affected by blessings or curses that come from outside, Israel will be a source of blessing or curse to others, according to how they treat them.

50. This is a warning to Balak as it was to be in the course of the centuries to all Israel's enemies. Amen.