Tag: Balak

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

From soothsayer to Savior: Balaam’s prophetic foreshadowing of the Messiah (Numbers 22–24)

From soothsayer to Savior: Balaam's prophetic foreshadowing of the Messiah (Numbers 22-24). Adobe Firefly AI cartoon-like image of a donkey and two Ancient Near East men on a hill overlooking a large encampment below.

The story of Bilam (Balaam) and his donkey in the Torah reading בָּלָק Balak (Numbers 22:2–25:9) reveals striking parallels to Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus). In this study, we’ll see that like the donkey, the Messiah was a humble Servant who faithfully followed God’s instructions, even when it led to a dangerous path. Both Balaam and the Messiah were tasked with blessing or cursing, but the Messiah’s blessings ultimately proved more powerful. The donkey’s ability to perceive danger and change course foreshadows the Messiah’s wisdom and discernment. Just as the donkey’s eyes were opened to reveal the angel, the Messiah’s death and resurrection opened the eyes of many to see the truth. These symbolic connections invite deeper reflection on the Messiah’s role as a servant and prophet.

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Discussions Torah

How you can recognize the Antichrist (Numbers 22–24)

How to recognize the Antichrist (Numbers 22-24)

The prophet Bilam (Balaam), described in the Torah reading בָּלָק Balak (Numbers 22:2–25:9), was a gentile prophet from the ancient country of Aram. We see that even though Bilam was a Gentile, he was a prophet of God.

God did not only send prophets to Israel. God, in His mercy, sent prophets to all the nations of the world.

Unfortunately, we meet with Bilam, not in his early years when God first called him to prophetic office, when his heart was open to God. Instead, we are meeting Bilam at the point when his evil inclination has overtaken the good in him. We follow along with him as his greed, corruption and vanity lead him to his downfall, which was so complete, that his story is given to us a template of how the Antichrist will one day function in the world, deceiving, if possible, the elect.

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Discussions Torah

Marginal prophet: Balaam reveals Heaven’s future for Israel and the cause of his fall (Numbers 22–24)

Marginal prophet: Balaam reveals Heaven's future for Israel - and the cause of his fall (Numbers 22-24)

The account of the talking donkey is one of the best known parts of Torah reading בָּלָק Balak (Numbers 22:2–25:9), but it’s only part of the critically important warning for the people of God looking for the coming of the messianic era.

Pagan king Balak and proto-televangelist Bilam (Balaam) tried to marshal higher powers to push back on Israel. Their offering of seven rams and seven bulls did not help them win points with the Holy One of Israel. Bilam had some favor with God — until his intentions and actions turned to evil.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 22:1-25:9: God sent emissaries to the Gentiles too

Cartoon of Balaam and the King of Moab by Jack Foster of MrBibleHead.blogspot.com via Creative Commons License.

The prophet Bilam (Balaam) is not an isolated individual, an anomaly in Scripture. He was not the first or last emissary to the Gentiles. God did not leave them without guidance. Bilam is a foreshadowing of the ministry of Saul of Tarsus, aka the apostle Paul, whose experience on the road to Damascus echoes the account in the Torah reading בָּלָק Balak of Bilam’s experience with a “recalcitrant” she-donkey.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 22:1–25:9: Stubborn as a donkey about true prophecy

Painting "Landscape with Bileam" by Joseph Anton Koch (1768–1839), owned by the Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Photo via Wikipedia Commons.

Everyone loves a story about talking animals, especially smart ones. But the account in the Torah reading בָּלָק Balak isn’t just fodder for a fun animated kids’ movie. It’s an important lesson that God wants us to recognize false prophets and not follow them.