St. Luke Ev. Lutheran Church

Sermon delivered by

Pastor Anthony E. Schultz

Advent Vesper #1. December 6, 2006 Numbers 24:17

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.”

This is God’s Word!

People of God—rescued from the flaming lake of fire in hell by the innocent blood of the very Lamb of God:

There is a little town in West Virginia. They have a town square—a kind of grassy park right in the middle of town. Every year about this time—they set up a little stable. They have some sheep and goats—sometimes even a camel. It’s really kind of silly. It’s like the little town of Bethlehem—except what’s missing—what’s painfully obvious by its absence—is the Christ child! Oh, they know it. It’s just they are so afraid—if they put a little baby Jesus in the manger—they will be sued! So out of fear—they don’t! You hear a lot this time of year about keeping Christ in Christmas! The fact is—we need to keep the Christ child in our hearts! That’s where he needs to be—in our heart and in our life! You can put up a manger in your house. You can put up a manger in your front yard! You can have mangers in every single class room in our Trinity St. Luke’s School and our Lakeside Lutheran High School and our Luther Preparatory School! We can help our children in Sunday School and our Day School to learn their Advent and Christmas songs of praise—so when that wondrous service comes—they will present that priceless good news—Christ the Savior is born!

It’s hard to believe it’s already Advent. In 18 days it will be Christmas Eve! Time is short—to prepare our hearts to welcome the Christ child. This Advent—like every Advent before—is about preparing your heart. People have been doing that since the LORD first promised a Savior to Eve and Adam. As we catch up in spirit with Moses and God’s people—they have just done battle with Og King of Bashan and his whole army. God’s Word says, “So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land.” Numbers 21:35 That’s what happens when the LORD is with you. He can crush your enemies—utterly and completely! Og—King of Bashan. Bashan. Bashan. Does that mean anything to you? Remember Psalm 22—the Psalm of David—that describes in painful graphic detail—Jesus’ suffering on the cross. Remember? “Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions tearing their prey opening their mouths wide against me. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth, you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men have encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.” Psalm 22:12-16 Can you close your eyes and see Jesus on the cross? Can you see this Psalm fulfilled—“I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” Psalm 22:17,18 Strong bulls of Bashan—the pudgy rich people in their Armani suits with expensive mousse in their hair and expensive cologne behind their ears—mock and ridicule Jesus dying on the cross!

Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak is determined not go to down without a fight. He tries to hire Balaam son of Beor—to put a curse on the children of Israel—the people of the Living God! Balaam is a sort of prophet for sale—an expert in the doctrine and rituals of lots of different religions. When Balak’s representatives ask Balaam for help—he has them stay overnight—while he considers their request. Balaam even calls the LORD—the Great I AM—the Holy One of Israel—by his Savior name. Balaam says he needs to consult with the LORD to see if this is ok. “It suited the Lord’s purpose to communicate with Balaam.” Understand that. “It suited the Lord’s purpose to communicate with Balaam.” Balaam was warned—don’t go with those guys. Don’t curse the children of Israel—I the LORD have blessed them! Oh, Balaam says, “I can’t go with you. The LORD won’t let me.” That’s only part of the answer—only part of the reason. It leaves the door open a crack. It kind of sounds like—sweeten the offer—and maybe I can. Balak sends more powerful and important messengers—and promises even greater rewards. Again the messengers stay over night.

Now—according to God’s time table—it suits the LORD for Balaam to go. That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.” Here comes the part you learned in Sunday School. Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him...When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road. Then the angel of the LORD stopped in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her again. Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam. “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand I would kill you right now.” The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” he said. Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.”

Would you turn back now? Balaam still wants to go forward. It was painfully clear—again and again—the LORD didn’t want him to go. The LORD even made a donkey able to talk and sent an angel—the Angel of the LORD—the Son of God—in visible form in Old Testament times. And still--again—Balaam wants to know—can I keep going to Balak? The LORD will allow it—with this repeated warning—only say what I tell you to say. How people put the LORD to the test—pushing the limits—testing his patience—again and again.

Balaam offered sacrifices—seven altars—seven sacrifices of a bull and a ram. There were sides of beef—slabs of meat—steaks and prime ribs—burned up. Would this buy the favor of the Living God? Will these sacrifices work to bribe the Heavenly Father? I don’t think so! Instead of a curse—Balaam pronounced a blessing. Not pleased—but not easily discouraged—Balak says—maybe—if you physically look at them from a different angle—it will work! Balaam offers seven mores sacrifices and pronounces another blessing! The result is the same—the promise of blessings by grace alone. Maybe another move—yet another different physical angle—seven more altars—14 more animals burned up. The result is the same—powerful promises of God’s kindness and goodness!

Balak had heard enough—3 powerful and certain blessings. He tries to send Balaam away. And yet the LORD himself is in charge. And once again—the faithlessness of people can not and will not spoil the goodness of God. Yet a 4^th time—the LORD blesses his people. That blessing includes our text. “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.” I see him, but not now… It’s hard to wait. Most people by nature are not patient. It’s hard to be the patient—waiting in the doctor’s office—with people all around you coughing and sneezing. People around you with obvious illnesses. People staring at you—trying to guess what’s wrong with you. And you have to wait—wait while people even more sick than you are—get treated. It’s difficult to be patient when you are sick and have a cold or the flu—and your head is all stuffed up and your throat is sore—and you can’t really talk—and you are taking all your medicine and it doesn’t seem to help! It’s not easy to be patient waiting in line to check out with your Christmas present purchases. And it’s not easy to be patient—looking for a place to park at the mall—as you go around and around—up and down the aisles—and you can’t find a place. It was difficult to wait for the Christ child to be born. Moses wouldn’t live to see it. Samuel and King David didn’t live to see it. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel didn’t live to see it. Malachi—who wrote down God’s Word said Elijah was coming—John the Baptist—who preached like Elijah—would come to prepare hearts to welcome the Savior. And that promise would not come true for 400 years! But it did! Baby Jesus was born—and Jesus will come again. Maybe that day is very near!

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob… This descendant from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob would shine like a star—with a brightness in this sin darkened world! The deeds of darkness—the acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21 Notice how many of these painful sinful words have to do with anger—hatred, discord…fits of rage. That’s losing your temper—lashing out in frustration—hurting people around you—and hurting yourself! It’s the red face, hot back of your neck, vein on your forehead—cords in your neck—spitting when you talk—shouting obscenities. That’s bad! It’s bad to get anywhere close to that angry. And it’s bad to cause anger like that—to provoke and irritate and frustrate people so that we make them that upset. Anger and frustration do not accomplish what gives glory to God. We need to work by the power of the Gospel--to remain calm during times of stress and trouble. And we need to work to live in such a way as not to provoke people in authority to anger and frustration!

“He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.” This is tough talk. Crushing foreheads and skulls is not a pretty picture. And yet this is God’s Word—his inspired and inerrant Word. It reminds us what is at stake—the eternal home of immortal souls. Remember what Jesus said, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” Matthew 12:30 There are two sides—those who are with Jesus and those who are against him. It is only by the grace of God—that we know the Christ child was born into this world—to crush the serpent’s head—to set us eternally free—to take away all our sins. That is the message of Advent and every day—sin forgiven for Jesus’ sake—the Star of Jacob—our only Redeemer. Amen!

To God alone all glory!

Rev. Anthony E. Schultz