O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS
----- Original Message ----- From: "Donnie Parrett" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 9:59 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Sunday February 15 > Numbers 22-24 (The Message) > > Numbers 22 > > Balaam > 1 The People of Israel marched on and camped on the Plains of Moab at > Jordan-Jericho. > > 2-3 Balak son of Zippor learned of all that Israel had done to the > Amorites. The people of Moab > were in a total panic because of Israel. There were so > many of them! They were terrorized. 4-5 Moab spoke to the leaders of > Midian: "Look, this mob is > going to clean us out-a bunch of crows picking a carcass > clean." > > Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent emissaries > to get Balaam son of > Beor, who lived at Pethor on the banks of the Euphrates > River, his homeland. > > 5-6 Balak's emissaries said, "Look. A people has come up out of Egypt, and > they're all over the > place! And they're pressing hard on me. Come and curse > them for me-they're too much for me. Maybe then I can beat them; we'll > attack and drive them out of > the country. You have a reputation: Those you bless > stay blessed; those you curse stay cursed." > > 7-8 The leaders of Moab and Midian were soon on their way, with the fee > for the cursing tucked > safely in their wallets. When they got to Balaam, they gave > him Balak's message. > > "Stay here for the night," Balaam said. "In the morning I'll deliver the > answer that God gives > me." > > The Moabite nobles stayed with him. > > 9 Then God came to Balaam. He asked, "So who are these men here with you?" > > 10-11 Balaam answered, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent them with > a message: 'Look, the > people that came up out of Egypt are all over the place! > Come and curse them for me. Maybe then I'll be able to attack and drive > them out of the country.'" > > 12 God said to Balaam, "Don't go with them. And don't curse the > others-they are a blessed people." > > 13 The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak's nobles, "Go back home; > God refuses to give me > permission to go with you." > > 14 So the Moabite nobles left, came back to Balak, and said, "Balaam > wouldn't come with us." > > 15-17 Balak sent another group of nobles, higher ranking and more > distinguished. They came to > Balaam and said, "Balak son of Zippor says, 'Please, don't > refuse to come to me. I will honor and reward you lavishly- anything you > tell me to do, I'll do; > I'll pay anything-only come and curse this people.'" > > 18-19 Balaam answered Balak's servants: "Even if Balak gave me his house > stuffed with silver and > gold, I wouldn't be able to defy the orders of my God > to do anything, whether big or little. But come along and stay with me > tonight as the others did; > I'll see what God will say to me this time." > > 20 God came to Balaam that night and said, "Since these men have come all > this way to see you, go > ahead and go with them. But make sure you do absolutely > nothing other than what I tell you." > > 21-23 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went off with > the noblemen from Moab. > As he was going, though, God's anger flared. The angel > of God stood in the road to block his way. Balaam was riding his donkey, > accompanied by his two > servants. When the donkey saw the angel blocking the road > and brandishing a sword, she veered off the road into the ditch. Balaam > beat the donkey and got her > back on the road. > > 24-25 But as they were going through a vineyard, with a fence on either > side, the donkey again saw > God's angel blocking the way and veered into the fence, > crushing Balaam's foot against the fence. Balaam hit her again. > > 26-27 God's angel blocked the way yet again-a very narrow passage this > time; there was no getting > through on the right or left. Seeing the angel, Balaam's > donkey sat down under him. Balaam lost his temper; he beat the donkey with > his stick. > > 28 Then God gave speech to the donkey. She said to Balaam: "What have I > ever done to you that you > have beat me these three times?" > > 29 Balaam said, "Because you've been playing games with me! If I had a > sword I would have killed > you by now." > > 30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your trusty donkey on whom you've > ridden for years right up > until now? Have I ever done anything like this to you > before? Have I?" > > He said, "No." > > 31 Then God helped Balaam see what was going on: He saw God's angel > blocking the way, brandishing a > sword. Balaam fell to the ground, his face in the dirt. > > 32-33 God's angel said to him: "Why have you beaten your poor donkey these > three times? I have come > here to block your way because you're getting way ahead > of yourself. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. > If she hadn't, I would > have killed you by this time, but not the donkey. I would > have let her off." > > 34 Balaam said to God's angel, "I have sinned. I had no idea you were > standing in the road blocking > my way. If you don't like what I'm doing, I'll head > back." > > 35 But God's angel said to Balaam, "Go ahead and go with them. But only > say what I tell you to > say-absolutely no other word." > > And so Balaam continued to go with Balak's nobles. > > 36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him in the > Moabite town that was on > the banks of the Arnon, right on the boundary of his > land. > > 37 Balak said to Balaam, "Didn't I send an urgent message for help? Why > didn't you come when I > called? Do you think I can't pay you enough?" > > 38 Balaam said to Balak, "Well, I'm here now. But I can't tell you just > anything. I can speak only > words that God gives me-no others." > > 39-40 Balaam then accompanied Balak to Kiriath Huzoth (Street-Town). Balak > slaughtered cattle and > sheep for sacrifices and presented them to Balaam and > the nobles who were with him. > > 41 At daybreak Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal (The Heights of Baal) > so that he could get a > good view of some of the people. > > Numbers 23 > 1 Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and then prepare seven bulls > and seven rams." > > 2 Balak did it. Then Balaam and Balak sacrificed a bull and a ram on each > of the altars. 3 Balaam > instructed Balak: "Stand watch here beside your Whole-Burnt-Offering > while I go off by myself. Maybe God will come and meet with me. Whatever > he shows or tells me, I'll > report to you." Then he went off by himself. > > 4 God did meet with Balaam. Balaam said, "I've set up seven altars and > offered a bull and a ram on > each altar." > > 5 Then God gave Balaam a message: "Return to Balak and give him this > message." > > 6-10 He went back and found him stationed beside his Whole-Burnt-Offering > and with him all the > nobles of Moab. Then Balaam spoke his message-oracle: > > Balak led me here from Aram, > the king of Moab all the way from the eastern mountains. > "Go, curse Jacob for me; > go, damn Israel." > How can I curse whom God has not cursed? > How can I damn whom God has not damned? > From rock pinnacles I see them, > from hilltops I survey them: > Look! a people camping off by themselves, > thinking themselves outsiders among nations. > But who could ever count the dust of Jacob > or take a census of cloud-of-dust Israel? > I want to die like these right-living people! > I want an end just like theirs! > > 11 Balak said to Balaam, "What's this? I brought you here to curse my > enemies, and all you've done > is bless them." > > 12 Balaam answered, "Don't I have to be careful to say what God gives me > to say?" > > 13 Balak said to him, "Go with me to another place from which you can only > see the outskirts of > their camp-you won't be able to see the whole camp. From > there, curse them for my sake." > > 14 So he took him to Watchmen's Meadow at the top of Pisgah. He built > seven altars there and > offered a bull and a ram on each altar. > > 15 Balaam said to Balak, "Take up your station here beside your > Whole-Burnt-Offering while I meet > with him over there." > > 16 God met with Balaam and gave him a message. He said, "Return to Balak > and give him the message." > > 17-24 Balaam returned and found him stationed beside his > Whole-Burnt-Offering and the nobles of > Moab with him. Balak said to him, "What did God say?" Then > Balaam spoke his message-oracle: > > On your feet, Balak. Listen, > listen carefully son of Zippor: > God is not man, one given to lies, > and not a son of man changing his mind. > Does he speak and not do what he says? > Does he promise and not come through? > I was brought here to bless; > and now he's blessed-how can I change that? > He has no bone to pick with Jacob, > he sees nothing wrong with Israel. > God is with them, > and they're with him, shouting praises to their King. > God brought them out of Egypt, > rampaging like a wild ox. > No magic spells can bind Jacob, > no incantations can hold back Israel. > People will look at Jacob and Israel and say, > "What a great thing has God done!" > Look, a people rising to its feet, stretching like a lion, > a king-of-the-beasts, aroused, > Unsleeping, unresting until its hunt is over > and it's eaten and drunk its fill. > > 25 Balak said to Balaam, "Well, if you can't curse them, at least don't > bless them." > > 26 Balaam replied to Balak, "Didn't I tell you earlier: 'All God speaks, > and only what he speaks, I > speak'?" > > 27-28 Balak said to Balaam, "Please, let me take you to another place; > maybe we can find the right > place in God's eyes where you'll be able to curse them > for me." So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, with a vista over the > Jeshimon (Wasteland). > > 29 Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here and prepare seven > bulls and seven rams for > sacrifice." > > 30 Balak did it and presented an offering of a bull and a ram on each of > the altars. > > Numbers 24 > 1-3 By now Balaam realized that God wanted to bless Israel. So he didn't > work in any sorcery as he > had done earlier. He turned and looked out over the > wilderness. As Balaam looked, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe. The > Spirit of God came on him, > and he spoke his oracle-message: > > 3-9 Decree of Balaam son of Beor, > yes, decree of a man with 20/20 vision; > Decree of a man who hears God speak, > who sees what The Strong God shows him, > Who falls on his face in worship, > who sees what's really going on. > > What beautiful tents, Jacob, > oh, your homes, Israel! > Like valleys stretching out in the distance, > like gardens planted by rivers, > Like sweet herbs planted by the gardener God, > like red cedars by pools and springs, > Their buckets will brim with water, > their seed will spread life everywhere. > Their king will tower over Agag and his ilk, > their kingdom surpassingly majestic. > God brought them out of Egypt, > rampaging like a wild ox, > Gulping enemies like morsels of meat, > crushing their bones, snapping their arrows. > Israel crouches like a lion and naps, > king-of-the-beasts-who dares disturb him? > Whoever blesses you is blessed, > whoever curses you is cursed. > > 10-11 Balak lost his temper with Balaam. He shook his fist. He said to > Balaam: "I got you in here > to curse my enemies and what have you done? Blessed them! > Blessed them three times! Get out of here! Go home! I told you I would pay > you well, but you're > getting nothing. You can blame God." > > 12-15 Balaam said to Balak, "Didn't I tell you up front when you sent your > emissaries, 'Even if > Balak gave me his palace stuffed with silver and gold, > I couldn't do anything on my own, whether good or bad, that went against > God's command'? I'm leaving > for home and my people, but I warn you of what this > people will do to your people in the days to come." Then he spoke his > oracle-message: > > 15-19 Decree of Balaam son of Beor, > decree of the man with 20/20 vision, > Decree of the man who hears godly speech, > who knows what's going on with the High God, > Who sees what The Strong God reveals, > who bows in worship and sees what's real. > I see him, but not right now, > I perceive him, but not right here; > A star rises from Jacob > a scepter from Israel, > Crushing the heads of Moab, > the skulls of all the noisy windbags; > I see Edom sold off at auction, > enemy Seir marked down at the flea market, > while Israel walks off with the trophies. > A ruler is coming from Jacob > who'll destroy what's left in the city. > > 20 Then Balaam spotted Amalek and delivered an oracle-message. He said, > > Amalek, you're in first place among nations right now, > but you're going to come in last, ruined. > > 21-22 He saw the Kenites and delivered his oracle-message to them: > > Your home is in a nice secure place, > like a nest high on the face of a cliff. > Still, you Kenites will look stupid > when Asshur takes you prisoner. > > 23-24 Balaam spoke his final oracle-message: > > Doom! Who stands a chance > when God starts in? > Sea-Peoples, raiders from across the sea, > will harass Asshur and Eber, > But they'll also come to nothing, > just like all the rest. > > 25 Balaam got up and went home. Balak also went on his way. > > Please join us on Skype Monday thru Friday at 8:00 EST for our Morning > Skype Prayer Time. > > > Contact Me At: > Donnie Parrett > 1956 Asa Flat Road > Annville, Kentucky 40402 > Home Phone: 606-364-3321 > Church Phone: 606-364-PRAY > Skype Name: Donnie1261 > Email: [email protected] > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
