Look what comes up from the depths of the sea.

Look what comes up from the depths of the sea.
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Saturday, March 5, 2011

Numbers 23-25

Baalam the sorcerer is used by God.  This shows that what is intended for bad/harm, God can use for good....Balaam gives 4 oracles...an oracle is "divine communication or revelation".  Baalam ends up blessing the Isrealites instead of cursing them, much to Balak's ( King of  Moab) chagrin.  Oracle 4 is the BIG ONE...God used a sorcerer to prophesy about the Messiah....."a star will come out of Jacob" is what scholars think is the star that the Magi followed.   Isn't that so cool that God would reveal His plan like that.

Moab then seduces Isreal.   God warned the Isrealites to set themselves apart (be holy)...and it really matters who you hang around.    Sin can insert itself so easily.  The Moabites used a lot of prostitution to worship their Gods.  Baal was a very popular god in Canaan.  It was in a bull form.



Baal's name was often used as a generic title for all the local gods.  He was a god of strength and fertility, and rains and harvest.

Then Zimri brings a Moabite women Cozbi to his tent and sleeps with her and the Lord is furious.....those who "worship" Baal of Peor will  be killed.  Phineas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron stabs both of them and the Lord rewards his zeal by saying that Phineas' line will produce the High Priests.  Phineas made a sacrifice.....covered sin in blood.  This stopped the plague that the Lord started, which killed 24,000 people.

Moab Utah?    Nope, move to the Middle East.....



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2 comments:

  1. UnknownMarch 5, 2011 at 9:49 AM

    Thanks for the pics, Carol. Do you know what the name of the site or town is at the bottom?

    ReplyDelete
  2. CarolMarch 6, 2011 at 5:48 AM

    http://jpposters.com/Subjects/6635/12th-Century-Crusader-Castle-in-Biblical-Land-of-Moab-Kerak-Jordan-Middle-East/3163560.html

    Hi, Sylvia...this is where I got it....

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