Sinless

March 4, 2024

Israel was on the move. They had been out of Egypt for forty years, but finally were on the border of their Promised Land. But to get there, they had to go through Moab. Moab’s king Balak was, along with his people, terrified. Forty years is a long time, but not so long that they had forgotten Israel’s miraculous escape from slavery. So Balak sent for help from the East in the form of a soothsayer named Balaam, who dealt in the occult arts.

Balak offered Balaam a sizeable reward if Balaam would only curse Israel on his behalf. We don’t put much stock in such things today, but back then, a curse or blessing was considered powerful stuff. They understood the spiritual power of words more than we do, which is unfortunate, because our culture is filled with people who suffer the effects of curses. Parents berate and belittle their children in a twisted and distorted idea of punishment. These children are sworn at, negatively compared to others, told they are inferior, unacceptable, unwanted. Words have a powerful effect, both in cursing and blessing.

Even though Balaam was a practitioner of the occult, he knew of Israel’s God, and used his name in his incantations. He told Balak that he could only say what the LORD told him to say. Surprisingly, God actually spoke to this false prophet, and instead of cursing Israel, blessed them, much to Balak’s dismay. In his blessing, he said something utterly amazing:

“[The LORD] has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, And the shout of a King is among them.” —Numbers 23:21 

What is astounding about these words is that this is God’s evaluation of a people who had exasperated him with their sin to the point that he was ready to wipe them all out and start over with just Moses. How could God then say he had not observed iniquity in Jacob, or wickedness in Israel? Because of the last sentence in verse 21: “The shout of a King is among them.”

It is the same for us. Our King, the Lord Jesus Christ, is among us, and he has taken our sins upon himself so when God looks at us, he sees no iniquity or wickedness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 spells it out for us:

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” —II Corinthians 5:21 

If that isn’t Good News, I don’t know what is!