Sermon Central
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A Star & A Sceptre Series
Contributed by Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan on Dec 21, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: The much awaited Advent of Messiah had already took place in History but still the Jews look for HIM. Poor and Pathetic Jews. They missed the Mark and a became people searching Messiah in a Dark place. Behold the Messiah forever.
Text: Numbers 24:15-19
Theme: Star & Scepter
Greetings: My heartfelt Christmas wishes. God bless all of you with the Christ’s Peace and favour. May the Glory of God shine on and around you. It’s a time of white gifts to the Unknown for a good cause. The joy Advent of Christ is celebrated, shared and exchanged through sharing gifts, playing the Chris ma and Chris Child gifts exchange. Christmas is a time family reunions children enjoy with decorations and nativity scenes.
CONTEXT OF THE ORACLE
Israel had destroyed the Canaanites (Numbers 21:1-3), defeated the Amorites, captured their king, Sihon, and occupied his land (Numbers 21:21-32). They struck down the entire army of Og, king of Bashan, leaving no survivors and taking possession of his land (Numbers 21:34-35). Balak, king of Moab, and the Moabites were greatly unsettled. So, Balak son of Zippor, promised “Balaam son of Beor at Pethor”, the sorcerer a handsome fee, if he would only curse the Israelites. He had seven Oracles. The fourth one is focused here for our attention.
He was a prophet of international renown, famed for his divination abilities in all religions. He made his services available for a cost, and evidently made quite a good living from it. He lived in 1400 BC. God’s choice of a prophet is very interesting. God often speaks through people even if they don’t have a real relationship with Him. God can use anyone and anybody, even dead body. God used Balaam to deliver a prophecy. The end was so miserable, all five of the Midianite kings–Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba–died in the battle, eventually Balaam was killed with the sword (Numbers 31:8).
PROPHECY OF MESSIANIC ERA
Balaam’s first three oracles reveals the fact that God had not cursed the Israelites (Numbers 23:8), He had delivered them from Egypt and blessed them (Numbers 23:21-22). In the first oracle, he is endowed with normal physical sight. In the second, he attains the spiritual power to see Israel’s invulnerable state in the present. Now his vision soars to behold the distant future. Baalam says the message of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open (Numbers 24:16). Balaam says that “he sees him, but not now,” and “he beholds him, but not near”. Balaam sees concerns a “star coming out of Jacob,” a “scepter arising out of Israel.” (Numbers 24:17).
Here the Star refers to a Person. The symbols of "a Star" and "a Scepter" are both ancient and widespread figures for kings or monarchs. The Star and Scepter or the Scepter and Lawgiver (Genesis 49:10) point to an individual. The scepter refers to the kingly power in exercise.
INTRODUCTION TO STAR
STARS have captivated the human imagination since time immemorial. Their twinkling lights, scattered across the vast expanse of the night sky, have inspired wonder and awe in countless civilizations throughout history. Ancient mythologies often featured celestial entities as gods, manifestations and abodes of gods/goddesses. The Egyptians, the Mesopotamians, the Babylonians, the Greeks and the Hindus see them as divine embodiments, abodes and even messengers of life journey. They believe that the stars influence the course of human lives, has ability to shape human affairs, and controlling the Souls.
Men and women, had their titles, names, and surnames to stars. So the queen of Alexander the Great, called Roxana by the Greeks, was a Persian princess, and in her native tongue her name was Roushen, SPLENDOUR. Hadassah, who became queen to Ahasuerus, in place of the Vashti was called Esther means STAR. A Mohammedan prince named Eesouf called Roushen Akhter to refer LUMINOUS STAR.
Interpretations:
The Hebrews prophecy leads to the understanding of the future messiah as a Star of the World. At an appropriate time, the star rose from the lions of Judah. Today, I would like to share with you from this OT inspirations that it refers to Jesus as the Star out of Judah. So, Jesus is the Morning Star, Jesus is the Ruling Star, and he makes his followers as Shining Stars.
1. JESUS ,THE MORNING STAR (Revelation 22:16)
This prophecy leads to Jesus who has declared himself as Messiah in the synagogue of Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21). He openly declared that He was the Messiah of the Jewish Expectation. Jesus said in Luke 24:44 that everything that was spoken about him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to be fulfilled. This means that in some way there is reference to him as messiah/savior/priest/king throughout the whole OT, including the Pentateuch.
The promises of God to Abraham in Genesis 15:5, 22:17 are related to the Stars and the Sands of the Seashore. God also promised the same to Isaac (Genesis 26:4). Joseph had the dream of Stars referring to His brothers (Genesis 37:9). Moses remembers and prays to God recalling the promises God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that the descendants of Israel shall be countless stars (Exodus 32:13).
