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Balaam's Prophecy - The Book of Numbers · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: God is not a man that he should lie, neither
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  Speaker 1: the son of man that he should repent. Hath he said,
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  Speaker 1: and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken,
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  Speaker 1: and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23.19 Today
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  Speaker 1: I praise you, Lord, because your undeniable hand of blessing
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  Speaker 1: and favor can be seen on my life and all
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  Speaker 1: I touch. Like the prophecy of Balaam, I thank you
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  Speaker 1: that when others want to speak ill over my life, you, Lord,
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  Speaker 1: will bless me abundantly instead. I decree and declare that
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  Speaker 1: because you've spoken blessing over my life, no man can
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  Speaker 1: reverse it. I decree and declare that you've delivered me
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  Speaker 1: from my enemies and have broken the chains of mediocrity
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  Speaker 1: off my life. I am a chosen vessel. I am
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  Speaker 1: one of a kind. and my life will not be
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  Speaker 1: lived in vain. Thank you, Jesus, that your reign and
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  Speaker 1: glory is passed on to me because I put you
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  Speaker 1: first and walk in your ways. I am blessed and
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  Speaker 1: highly favored. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for praying
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  Speaker 1: with me today. Continue listening for an incredible Bible story
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  Speaker 1: brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: Click the link in the description to grow closer to God. There,
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  Speaker 2: you'll find daily prayers, Bible plans, sleep stories, and so
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  Speaker 2: much more, all on the Pray.com app. Click the link
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  Speaker 2: in the description to get started.
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  Speaker 3: Balaam's Prophecy In our last story, we learned how Balak,
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  Speaker 3: king of Moab, was threatened by the vast number of Israelites.
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  Speaker 3: Out of fear, Balak sent for Balaam to curse Israel.
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  Speaker 3: Balak offered a great reward to Balaam if he cursed Israel,
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  Speaker 3: but God would not allow it. As Balaam was on
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  Speaker 3: the road to meet Balak, God caused Balaam's donkey to speak.
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  Speaker 3: The absurdity awakened Balaam to what he was doing. In
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  Speaker 3: this story, we learn about how Balaam is still unable
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  Speaker 3: to curse the Israelites and gives a word about one
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  Speaker 3: coming from out of Israel, as inspired by the book
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  Speaker 3: of Numbers.
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  Speaker 4: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
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  Speaker 4: in a Year podcast. But before we begin, I want
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  Speaker 4: to let you know about a unique e-book that's yours
• 2:46
  Speaker 4: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress.
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  Speaker 4: And my prayer is that it will help you conquer
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  Speaker 4: the daily tasks and pressures and burdens that bring stress
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  Speaker 4: in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
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  Speaker 4: from Stress today by visiting jackgram.org slash stress. That's jackgram.org
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  Speaker 4: slash stress. In our last episode, we learned how Balak,
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  Speaker 4: king of Moab, sought out a pagan soothsayer named Balaam
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  Speaker 4: and offered treasures if he would curse the growing Israelite people.
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  Speaker 4: Balak was afraid of the Hebrews who, though untrained and
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  Speaker 4: not hostile, could easily overthrow his kingdom if they decided
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  Speaker 4: to do it. We learned how Balaam responded. Negatively at first,
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  Speaker 4: but then he tried to seek out Balak in opposition
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  Speaker 4: to God's commandment. We then heard the bizarre, strange tale
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  Speaker 4: of Balaam's donkey who spoke to Balaam before the angel
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  Speaker 4: of the Lord appeared and warned Balaam not to oppose God.
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  Speaker 4: He sent Balaam along to meet Balak. with instructions to
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  Speaker 4: say only what God told him to say. Today, we'll
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  Speaker 4: hear what Balaam says to Balak. So let's listen to
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  Speaker 4: today's reading.
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  Speaker 3: Balak simmered in his fear of Israel. He faced the
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  Speaker 3: palace grounds anticipating Balaam's return so that he might curse Israel.
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  Speaker 3: When word came to Balak that Balaam had finally arrived,
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  Speaker 3: Balak rushed to the outskirts of Moab and met Balaam.
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  Speaker 3: What delayed you? Balak said. I have offered you great
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  Speaker 3: riches to curse the Israelite people. Do you not trust me?
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  Speaker 3: I am here now, Balaam replied. Balaam was resolved to
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  Speaker 3: only speak the words of God, for he had come
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  Speaker 3: to understand his own selfish ambition. You should know that
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  Speaker 3: I do not have any power to curse or bless.
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  Speaker 3: That belongs to God alone. I will only say what
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  Speaker 3: God allows, Balaam said with resolve in his voice. The
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  Speaker 3: next day, Balak took Balaam to a cliff overlooking the
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  Speaker 3: Israelite camp. The two looked at the camp in awe,
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  Speaker 3: for the Israelites were like a sea of people. Balaam
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  Speaker 3: could not help but understand Balak's fear. Yet as he
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  Speaker 3: looked upon the people of Israel, he could sense the
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  Speaker 3: hand of God on them. An indescribable blessedness surrounded them,
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  Speaker 3: as if the presence of God was not near the people,
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  Speaker 3: but was among people. Balaam turned towards Balak and his
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  Speaker 3: men and said, God requires us to build seven altars
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  Speaker 3: to him. There we will make sacrifices and the Lord
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  Speaker 3: will speak his will. Balak had his men gather all
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  Speaker 3: that was needed. There on the cliff they burned sacrifices
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  Speaker 3: to God and worshipped him. Smoke arose from the cliff
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  Speaker 3: and the people watched as Balaam retreated back to be
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  Speaker 3: with God in silence. There God spoke to him in
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  Speaker 3: prophetic poetry. Never before had Balaam received such beautiful and
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  Speaker 3: clear thoughts from God. The experience almost led him to tears.
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  Speaker 3: Balaam arose back towards Balak and the people surrounding him.
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  Speaker 3: Balaam spoke with booming and eloquent voice for all to hear.
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  Speaker 3: As the river runs smoothly over stones, so did Balaam's
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  Speaker 3: words flow from his tongue. Balaam prophesied before everyone, saying,
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  Speaker 3: From the distance Balak brought me to the eastern mountains.
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  Speaker 3: Surrounded by the beauty of this land, I have been
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  Speaker 3: asked to curse Jacob and denounce Israel. How can I
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  Speaker 3: curse whom God has blessed? How can I denounce those
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  Speaker 3: whom God has never forsaken? For from the mountaintops I
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  Speaker 3: see him, and below the rolling hills I witness him moving. Behold,
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  Speaker 3: The people dwelling below do not consider themselves a nation,
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  Speaker 3: yet they outnumber the dust, and they are blessed. Let
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  Speaker 3: me die a death like Jacob's, blessed with children who
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  Speaker 3: create a nation. Balak listened to Balaam in total dismay.
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  Speaker 3: Enraged by his words, Balak asked, What are you doing?
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  Speaker 3: You were supposed to curse Israel, yet now you bless
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  Speaker 3: them before my people? Balaam replied calmly, saying, I told
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  Speaker 3: you that I would only speak the words of God.
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  Speaker 3: Balak refused to accept defeat. He brought Balaam to another
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  Speaker 3: summit near the hills to gaze upon Israel. Perhaps you
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  Speaker 3: would reconsider if you truly understood how great of a
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  Speaker 3: threat they were, Balak said as he showed Balaam another
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  Speaker 3: part of Israel's camp. As it turned out, their numbers
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  Speaker 3: were even greater than Balaam had originally thought. Their camp
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  Speaker 3: stretched around the cliffs, miles into another valley. In the
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  Speaker 3: new view on top of the cliffs, Balaam built seven
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  Speaker 3: more altars. The people watched Balaam in silence. Fear had
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  Speaker 3: made them desperate, so they looked at Balaam with anxious anticipation.
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  Speaker 3: Balaam listened closely, his eyes closed and brow furrowed. God
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  Speaker 3: spoke to Balaam again in poetry. His words soothed the
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  Speaker 3: heart of Balaam. Balaam opened his eyes and turned towards
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  Speaker 3: Balak and the people, saying, Arise, Balak, hear the words
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  Speaker 3: being sung from the voice of God. The Lord is
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  Speaker 3: not a man that his fickle mind should sway. All
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  Speaker 3: he has spoken he shall be fulfilled. I have received
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  Speaker 3: a command to bless, for God has blessed them and
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  Speaker 3: shall not revoke it. He has not brought forth suffering
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  Speaker 3: to Jacob, nor will he send trouble to Israel. The
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  Speaker 3: Lord God is among them, and His mighty voice is
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  Speaker 3: shouting like the wind in waves. A voice of a
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  Speaker 3: king commands them. He brings them out of Egypt, and
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  Speaker 3: is for them like the horns of a wild ox.
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  Speaker 3: No magic or enchantment could ever oppress the nation of Israel.
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  Speaker 3: Behold the mighty people! As a lioness it rises, and
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  Speaker 3: it shall not lie down until it has devoured its
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  Speaker 3: prey and drunk the blood of the slain. The people
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  Speaker 3: shuddered in fear at the sound of Balaam's voice. Balak, however,
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  Speaker 3: became annoyed. You shame me by coming here and blessing them.
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  Speaker 3: Not cursing them is one thing, but could you not
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  Speaker 3: even do us the courtesy of not blessing them? Balak's
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  Speaker 3: anger rose, and he once more brought Balaam to another
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  Speaker 3: vantage point to view Israel. They moved the altars a
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  Speaker 3: third time and offered sacrifices to God. Balaam spoke again, saying,
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  Speaker 3: The oracle of him whose eyes were opened and hears
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  Speaker 3: the word of God. I see the vision of the Almighty.
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  Speaker 3: How lovely are your dwelling places, O Israel! You are
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  Speaker 3: like palm groves that stretch across the shores and gardens
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  Speaker 3: beside a river. You are like aloes that God has planted.
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  Speaker 3: Water shall flow from you and seeds shall be within
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  Speaker 3: the waters. Your kingdom shall be exalted. God has brought
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  Speaker 3: you out of slavery and defends you with the strength
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  Speaker 3: of a wild ox. You shall eat up the nations
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  Speaker 3: and your adversaries. You shall break their bones in pieces
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  Speaker 3: and pierce them with mighty arrows. Blessed are those who
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  Speaker 3: bless you, and cursed are those that curse you. Balak
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  Speaker 3: could take no more of Balaam's prophecies. I have called
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  Speaker 3: you here to curse my enemies, and you stand here
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  Speaker 3: and bless them again, Balak said. Balak's fear, anger, and
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  Speaker 3: hatred boiled over. He sent Balaam away and began to retreat.
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  Speaker 3: Balaam began to leave, but before doing so, he had
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  Speaker 3: another word for Balak and his people. Only this time
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  Speaker 3: Balaam spoke of a prophecy that transcended time. His words
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  Speaker 3: heralded an ancient promise once made to Abraham. It was
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  Speaker 3: a prophecy hoped for, and a prophecy that would unfold
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  Speaker 3: before all humanity past, present, and future. Balaam spoke powerfully, saying,'
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  Speaker 3: I see him, but not now. He is not near.'
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  Speaker 3: A star shall come out from Jacob. A scepter shall
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  Speaker 3: rise out of Israel. All the cities shall bow before him.
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  Speaker 3: After speaking these words, Balaam left. Riding his donkey, Balaam
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  Speaker 3: departed from the frightened land of Moab. A newfound heart
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  Speaker 3: for God's people overcame him, as well as an anticipation
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  Speaker 3: of what would unfold out of Israel. Who was this star?
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  Speaker 3: How would he make all the nations crumble before him?
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  Speaker 3: What was God going to do?
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  Speaker 4: We begin today's story with an anxious King Balak awaiting
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  Speaker 4: the arrival of Balaam. He's offered many treasures to Balaam
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  Speaker 4: and is sure when Balaam arrives, he will curse Israel
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  Speaker 4: and calm Balak's fears. But the king's hopes are dashed
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  Speaker 4: as Balaam tells him he will not curse Israel. Blessing
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  Speaker 4: and cursing are God's to give, not his. And furthermore,
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  Speaker 4: he must speak to Balak only what God tells him
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  Speaker 4: to say. Clearly, his encounter with God on the road
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  Speaker 4: to Moab changed Balaam. Balak has a plan. Maybe if
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  Speaker 4: he shows Balaam how big the Israelite contingent is, he'll
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  Speaker 4: understand the threat and yield to the king's request. So
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  Speaker 4: they go up to a high mountain to see a
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  Speaker 4: portion of the Israelites. The crowd was very large, but
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  Speaker 4: Balaam was resolved to only obey God. He tells Balak
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  Speaker 4: to build seven altars and offer sacrifices to the one
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  Speaker 4: true God, who will then speak his will. Balak does
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  Speaker 4: as Balaam requests, and the offerings rise up from the cliffs.
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  Speaker 4: God comes to Balaam and tells him what to say.
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  Speaker 4: Balaam will not curse the descendants of Jacob, those whom
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  Speaker 4: God has blessed. His words are a beautiful testimony, in fact,
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  Speaker 4: to God's enduring faithfulness to Israel. Balak is very angry
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  Speaker 4: and disappointed. Rather than curse these people, Balaam has blessed them.
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  Speaker 4: But he doesn't give up. He shows Balaam even more Hebrews.
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  Speaker 4: And their numbers are staggering, but Balaam listens to God
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  Speaker 4: just as he promised he would. They move the altars
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  Speaker 4: and other sacrifices, and God again speaks through Balaam of
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  Speaker 4: all that God has done for Israel. He has blessed
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  Speaker 4: them and dwelt among them. God will not allow his
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  Speaker 4: people to be cursed. Balak is more than irritated. This
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  Speaker 4: isn't the outcome he expected. He desperately asked Balaam to
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  Speaker 4: neither curse nor bless them. Again, Balaam is faithful. He
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  Speaker 4: must do as God tells him. A third time, Balak
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  Speaker 4: shows him more of the Israelites, and God delivers a
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  Speaker 4: message through Balaam. His words, far from spelling doom for Israel,
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  Speaker 4: tell of a growing nation, blessed and protected by the
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  Speaker 4: hand of Almighty God. Balak's irritation turns to rage. He
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  Speaker 4: sends Balaam away and slinks back into defeat. Before he leaves, though,
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  Speaker 4: Balaam delivers one more message, one that echoed the promise
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  Speaker 4: that God made to Abraham long ago, one that speaks
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  Speaker 4: hope not only for Israel, but for all the world.
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  Speaker 4: Here's that message. I see him, but not now. I
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  Speaker 4: behold him, but not near. A star shall come forth
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  Speaker 4: out of Jacob. A scepter shall rise from Israel. Today's
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  Speaker 4: reading reminds us that God can use anyone who turns
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  Speaker 4: their ears to Him and obeys Him. Balaam was not
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  Speaker 4: an Israelite. He was not one of God's chosen people.
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  Speaker 4: But God worked in a powerful way through this man
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  Speaker 4: to bless Israel. When Balaam encountered God in his life,
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  Speaker 4: he was forever changed. And through him, God delivered a
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  Speaker 4: message of great hope that would resonate throughout the generations
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  Speaker 4: and into the world. A promise of a scepter, a
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  Speaker 4: Savior who would yet come. Dear God, thank you for
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  Speaker 4: this amazing story of how you can use the most
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  Speaker 4: unlikely people to speak truth and to bring blessing. Help
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  Speaker 4: us to follow Balaam's example of boldly speaking of your
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  Speaker 4: greatness and faithfulness always. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you
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  Speaker 4: for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. Before
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  Speaker 4: we go, I want to let you know about a
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  Speaker 4: unique e-book that's yours to download absolutely free today. It's
• 15:34
  Speaker 4: called Breaking Free from Stress. And my prayer is that
• 15:38
  Speaker 4: it will help you conquer the daily task and pressures
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  Speaker 4: and burdens that bring stress into your life. Download your
• 15:44
  Speaker 4: free copy of Breaking Free from Stress today by visiting
• 15:48
  Speaker 4: jackgram.org slash stress. That's jackgram.org slash stress.
• 15:56
  Speaker 2: If today's reading moved you, the Pray.com app is where
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: you can go deeper with daily prayers, Bible plans, and more.
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  Speaker 2: Download it free. Link in the description.