Numbers 23:10, commentary and pictures

Forced to bless when hired to curse, the unwilling prophet could only announce favor over a people set apart whom no one could devote to ruin. His wonder at their dust and their fourth part meant they would grow beyond counting into a distinct, prosperous and strong multitude. His longing to die as the righteous die and to share their final lot looked past this life to a truly desirable and blessed destiny of resurrection, glory and everlasting happiness. That protection and prosperity hold only while God's people remain loyal and obedient, for He does not allow the faithful to be cursed. Yet merely desiring the reward without meeting its conditions leaves the wisher unfit, as Balaam himself proved by choosing covetousness and rebellion, leading others into sin, and perishing with God's enemies instead of living righteously now.

Balaam's Compelled Blessing

Balak had brought Balaam from Aram to curse Jacob, and led him from one point to another in repeated, vain efforts to turn the blessing of Israel into a curse. Although Balaam longed to curse God's people for rich reward, God put His own word in his mouth and compelled him to pronounce blessing instead. He used enchantments and sacrifices to try to bring a curse upon them, but by the Spirit God forbade the evil he longed to pronounce and forced blessing from him.

The utterance is poetry of great beauty, spoken in solemn prophetic speech in the most exalted and sublime strains of inspiration. It declares that Israel shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations. That means they were to remain a distinct people promised prosperity whom no man could curse or devote to destruction, and not to be united with, swallowed up by, or lost in any other nation.

The dust of Jacob and the fourth part of Israel mean that his descendants would become far more numerous than they then were, too many to count. This relates their future growth, prosperity and strength, at which Balaam marvels. The prayer to die the death of the righteous and have a last end like his looks beyond present life to the final destiny of God's people. It declares that end truly desirable and blessed even though the righteous may face death, and expresses Balaam's wish with a presentiment that his own end was near.

That righteous end means being supported by God through death, raised from the grave, crowned with glory, honor and immortality, and brought to everlasting happiness in the renewed earth.

Empty Wish Versus Faithfulness

The verse shows divine goodness and mercy in overruling wicked designs against the faithful, for God had not cursed His people and does not permit them to be cursed while they remain faithful to Him. His almighty power is their protection, and their protection and prosperity depend on remaining loyal and obedient to Him. The blessing thus forced from the corrupt, hypocritical, gain-seeking and avaricious prophet gave idolatrous Moab and Midian evidence upon evidence that the mighty Jehovah is God. It was clear and distinct light from the throne of God itself that even the Moabites could see, the last ray of light to a stiff-necked people who set their wills in defiance of the will of God before their cup of iniquity became full. As Balak failed to move Balaam from blessing to cursing by leading him from point to point in repeated vain efforts, so efforts to move Luther from steadfastness to compromise by taking him from conference to conference failed, and the bishop succeeded no better than the king of Moab. Luther remained firm as a rock, with human applause and the fear of man alike powerless to shake his decision, because he was sustained by a divine power.

The verse shows that a person may speak of wanting the death and final outcome of the righteous while lacking the righteous spirit, as when the dinner guest's seemingly pious blessing about eating in God's kingdom was exposed by Christ's reply. It means desiring the future reward of the righteous without complying with the conditions on which salvation is promised. It is rejoicing in being saved while disobeying, speaking with great assurance of a place in the kingdom, thinking not about fitness for heaven but about what will be enjoyed in heaven, and turning minds from present practical duty to a remote future. Balaam's own conduct shows that speaking of the righteous does not make a person faithful, for though acknowledged by God as a prophet he proved unfaithful and would have put God's people in a false light if allowed.

Wishing for the righteous end does not make one righteous, for Balaam chose not to live righteously but yielded himself to the control of covetousness and hardened his heart by persistent rebellion. He helped turn Israel toward sin, joined his fortunes with the Midianites, and was killed in Israel's war against Midian in the general slaughter, so his destiny was with God's enemies, spoken with a presentiment that his own end was near. His fate was similar to that of Judas and their characters bore a marked resemblance, for both had received great light and enjoyed special privileges, but a single cherished sin poisoned the entire character like gangrene and drove them to perdition. The righteous may face death, but their end is truly desirable and blessed, and dying their death and sharing their final destiny is a reason to live righteously now, since life is uncertain and the only safety is a life centered on Christ rather than worldly concerns.