DAY 61

NEGOTIATING WITH GOD

Numbers 23, 24 & 25 and Mark 7:14-36

Have you ever tried negotiating with God? You know those prayers “Dear Lord if you help me with this situation, I promise I will (or I won’t ever again)…”

In Numbers 23 and 24 we read of Balaam’s oracles. It would appear that after the episode with his donkey being more turned into God then he was, Balaam is now sensitive to seek the Lord God’s Word, and report it, and only it, to King Balak!

The king however is trying to negotiate with God. In each instance we have seven altars and seven sacrifices (seven being one of the ancient numbers for complete). God will have none of it. God’s will is that Israel succeeds. Negotiating with God rarely works, and it never works when you are on the opposite side of the plan of redemption.

While the king is not pleased with the result, we do see Balaam’s faithfulness. In the first oracle “How can I curse whom God has not cursed?” Balaam asks (23: 8). In the second oracle Balaam reports “He has blessed them” (23:20). In the third he shares with Balak “Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you” (24:9 with the “you” being Israel). The fourth and final oracle just seals the deal.

Numbers 25 is more than depressing. We have just read about a king who is trying to get God via a prophet to curse Israel, and they go and worship a really bad god. I will write more about Baal worship in the days ahead, but all you need to do is think back to Abraham’s day and child sacrifice and you will get the picture. I will say that this just reinforces the point about negotiating. As you read this you might be thinking, “Well maybe God should call down a curse on these people.” That would be us judging others. That would be us playing God. Not a good thing to do. God’s plan of redemption is not subject to human negotiation or judgment.

In the Mark 7:14-36 reading we have three episodes. The first is fairly straightforward. The second looks like a successful negotiation. The reality is that Jesus is not so much having his mind changed, but rather using this woman’s faith to demonstrate a point – that he is not just the Savior of the Jews, but of the world. (I also wrote about this on January 24 in Matthew’s account.) The deaf man is also not Jewish and Jesus heals him. The two taken together reinforce that it is Jesus plan to be for all people.

The Numbers reading and the Mark reading reveal a God who is very determined for his plan of redemption. In Numbers the Israelites are on their way to the Promise Land to complete God’s redemption of His people from Egypt. In Mark we have God the Son going about revealing God’s ultimate plan of redemption. It will culminate in the Cross – for God is determined for His plan of redemption – no negotiations.