6.30.25 ~ I just don't understand

Good morning!

Happy preparation day, the 30th day of counting towards the fruit of the vine! This week we continue our narrative that follows after the 1st generation gave up on their inheritance in the Torah portion, Chukat (Num. 19-24). There will be a lot of thoughts revealed to us in our journey regarding modern day happenings, i.e. the red heifer in Israel and the 2nd coming of our Messiah. 

As we continue our thoughts on abiding in the vine (John 15:1-7) there are many applicable lessons from Balaam and his prophecy concerning the Messiah (Num. 24:17) and how we should live in an abiding relationship to the True Vine. 

Strangely enough, the Torah is very cryptic concerning the Messiah. Every passage that we've examined up to this point, outside of Jacob's prophecy of Judah (Gen. 49:10), has been inferrences, not direct statements concerning  the Messiah. For the first time in the Torah, we have the Messiah directly mentioned for the world to know. Up to this point we've had to speculate and debate passages on their significant relationship to Messiah...i.e. Abraham offering Isaac; Abel's offering vs Cains; Joseph saving his brothers; etc. 

The question that inquiring minds want to know is: How come Scripture doesn't emphasize this fundamental truth in the foundational writings of the Torah (1st five books)? And why would God use a false prophet, Balaam, to announce Him? Sure, God created good and evil, light and dark (Isa. 45:7), but to use a prophet like Balaam to be the most influential individual to mention the Messiah in all five books of the Torah...what an odd choice? Based on modern day emphasis, one would think that every story would openly discuss His arrival and His complete works.

Like Balaam, many today want the title of 'righteous' but don't want to do the work of the righteous (Num. 23:10; 1 Jn. 3:7; Deut. 6:25; Psa. 106:30,31; Rom. 10:3-5). Consequently, they take the positional standing of righteousness of the Messiah and wait for His return to take them out of this mess we call 21st century living. 

Could it be that the reason why the Torah/instructions doesn't  focus heavily on the Messiah is because God doesn't want us to build our daily lives obsessed about the future world and future redemption over living a godly, influential life now? Let me 'splain'...If we get fixated on someone else doing the work for us, we can fall into anarchy and a lethargic stupor of a passive lifestyle that doesn't make any impact in the world around us. The Torah makes it quite clear, through hundreds of instructional commandments, that we are in this world to fix ourselves and the world that we live in; while waiting for His return, but not just twiddling our thumbs waiting for the Messiah to fix everything. 

Yes, there is a promise! And Yes, we should cling to those promises and yes, we should be motivated by His return (1 John 3:1-3). But, claiming promises that I'm righteous as Christ is righteous while sitting on my 'dudley do nothing', aka my 'blessed assurance',  in my spiritual lazy boys doesn't have any effect on making the world a better place. Torah is for the celebration of life in this world; instructions on how to rectify the fall of man and restore our habitation back to the Garden from where we came (Acts 3:20-26). It's the instructional guide on how to bring heaven to earth (Matt. 6:10), not just take us to heaven. 

As Balaam has testified, Prophecy is big business and today, more than ever we have Prophets for profit like never before. And unlike Balaam, these are successful in cursing God's people with their words, because many are idly by listening to future prognostications rather than living an abiding in the vine.

God made this world. He loves this world. He wants us to make a difference in this imperfect world. By abiding in Him and His word abiding in us, that's how the world will change...one person at a time. 

Balaam, the Prophet for profit, wants the easy way out. He wants the payoff, but doesn't want the work. Hence, his statement, 'May I die the death of the righteous' (Num. 23:10). He saw Israel's legacy and wanted to be like them. But, he didn't want to live the life of the righteous to guarantee the death of the righteous. He wants the title, but refuses to put in the sweat equity to gain the title (Eph. 2:10; Phil. 3:14; 2 Tim. 4:7,8; 1 Thess. 2:12; 1 Pe. 5:10). 

On this 30th day of counting towards the first fruit of the vine, I pray for myself that my mindset will never again be that of Balaam, the Prophet for profit. Knowing the Lord will reward every man according to his works (Matt. 16:27,28), whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Sam. 3:39; Rev. 22:12; Eccl. 12:13,14; Matt. 12:36,37)...I want to have delicious, ripe fruit on the branch of my life for people to enjoy now and glory in later :-)!

Shalom,
Alan

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