Numbers 24

The Lord work this good work and frame of grace in our hearts, for Jesus Christs sake, Amen. Alas who shall live when God does this? (Numbers 24:23). FINIS.

The wise men were guided by a star to Christ as King of the Jews, and came to pay homage to him in his infancy; when was the foundation of this remarkable event laid? Probably in Balaam's prophecy (Numbers 24:17): "I shall see him, but not now, I shall behold him, but not near.…

Nor can any plausible reason be given why Shem should be called preeminently the father of all those beyond the river, since the greatest part of his own posterity always dwelt on this side of the river, while very many families descended from Ham crossed over it. Moreover, what…

Jacob, about to set forth what would befall his posterity until the coming of the Messiah, begins his prophecy as follows (Genesis 49:1): "I will tell you what shall befall you in the last days" — which words the elders render as "in the last of the days." Similarly at Numbers 2…

Ans. Providence is full of mysteries, let the way be shame, the crown is glory, and the present condition be hell, the end is heaven; Providence is a hand-writing of mercy, though we cannot ever read it, more than Belshazzar could read his bill of justice; we see a woman with ch…

(Jeremiah 31:12) Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock, and of the herd, and their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall not…

5. Mortify therefore your members, that are on earth, fornication, uncleanness, etc. Beza, Piscator, and others think it probable that Christ uttered this prayer to his Father, in the Syriac tongue, because the Evangelist uses the word [illegible], to be lifted up from the earth…

Merely the Way of Persons receiving these imaginary Ideas, does not alter the Nature of the Ideas themselves that are received: Let them be received in what Way they will, they are still but external Ideas, or Ideas of outward Appearances, and so are not spiritual. Yea, if Men s…

By reason of the same wonderful conjunction, Christ is represented by a great variety of sensible things that are on some account excellent. Thus in some places he is called a Sun (Malachi 4:2); in others a Star (Numbers 24:17). And he is especially represented by the morning st…

"[⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], fire from Heaven, the fifth thing. But as this argument is ridiculous, both in general in wire-drawing conclusions from letters deficient or redundant in writing, and in particular in reference to this word, which in other places is written as in th…

And this Akiba, as Maimonides informs us, was a great wise man, and one of the wise men of the Mishnae, as his sayings in it manifest; so that all the wise men of that generation followed him, and took this Barcosba for their King and Messiah. And he first applied to him the pro…

Among them the principall is that of Scepter, an Ensign of Rule and Government. Nor is it absolutely used in any other sense, in that very frequently; Psalm 45. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], A Scepter of uprightness is the Scepter of your Kingdom, Numbers 24:17. [〈 in non-Latin a…

Nature of it as given to him. Testified to and confirmed (Genesis 49:10; Numbers 24:17, 19; Job 19:25). Opened; with sundry other Places.

This expression of [in non-Latin alphabet], the End or last of the days, is an usual periphrasis of the days of the Messiah in the Old Testament. To that purpose it is used, Numbers 24, v. 14, Deuteronomy 4, v. 30, Isaiah 2, v. 2, Hosea 3, v. 5, Micah 4:1, and our Apostle expres…

Here are three prophecies given at this time that I would take notice of. The first is that of Balaam, Numbers 24:17, 18, 19. "I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh: There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall…

Cant. 6:4 it is said of the Church, She is terrible as an army with banners; A Church of God that walks close to the rule, is terrible to guilty consciences. Let us walk so, as when the Balaams of the world look upon us, they may see our comely order, so as to be forced to say,…

Hence, as far as their own Personal concernments, as Saints, and Believers did lie in them, they are said [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], to make a diligent inquiry into and investigation of the things, which [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], the Spirit of Christ, that spake in themselv…

They were now to deal with the God of Israel, who would not be moved with such deceits and blandishments; therefore they will have a plot to disengage him from his people. It is insinuated (Numbers 24:14), Come now, and I will advise you what you shall do. Moses does not express…

Balaam makes a clear and rare prophecy of Christ, and yet has he no benefit by Christ, There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel. But yet Balaam shall have no benefit by it, I shall see him but not now, I shall behold him but not nigh (Numbers…

If it be so that all these devices against the truth serve not his turn, in the fourth place he sets himself against the truth — he cares not for argument, but he will stand against the truth, and then God in his just judgment leaves him (2 Thessalonians 2:18): he gave them up t…

John must [reconstructed: lose his head] rather than Herod will part with his harlot. When [reconstructed: Balaam] cannot get leave of God to do what he desired, he goes without leave (Numbers 24:1) — he [reconstructed: set his face toward the wilderness], as if he would prevent…

We look that the Jews shall be Converted; I know, and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus, that it shall be so in the appointed time. We look that Chittim and Ashur (that is, Pope and Turk) shall perish for ever; but is it not said, Alas, who shall live when God does these things (Nu…

It fares with this soul as with surveyors of lands, that take an exact compass of other men's grounds, of which they shall never enjoy a foot. So did Balaam (Numbers 24:5-6), this false spirit shows them the glory of heaven and God's people. Thirdly, hereupon the soul comes to b…

And Herod put the whole college of the Jews, called their Sanhedrin, to the sword, in which college was the heir apparent of the kings' blood. Again, Balaam (Numbers 24:24) foretold that Kittim, that is, the Grecians and the Romans, should subdue Eber, the people of the East, an…