No Cursing

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled No Cursing, was written by Tim Gustafson. William Shakespeare was a master of the insult, a quality that actor Barry Craft adeptly leverages with his Shakespeare insult generator. The clever book consists of obscure insults drawn from Shakespeare's plays.

For instance, you might disparage someone by saying, Thou Thressonical Logger-Headed Rampellian, which is so much more creative than saying, You brag a lot, and you're not very smart, you scoundrel. Craft's lighthearted book is in good fun, but an ancient king of Moab tried to pay a mysterious profit, not merely to insult the Israelites, but to outright curse them. Come and put a curse on these people, King Balak told Balaam in Numbers 22 6.

Instead, Balaam enraged the king by blessing the Hebrew people, multiple times. One of his blessings included this prophecy in Chapter 24, I see him, but not now. I behold him, but not near. Clearly, the individual in view is not yet on the scene, but just who is Balaam talking about? The next line holds a clue. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel. The star would one day lead wise men to the promised Christ child. An ancient Mesopotamian prophet who knew nothing of the Messiah pointed the world to a future sign declaring his arrival. From an unlikely source came not cursing, but blessing.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Numbers chapter 24 verses 10 through 19. Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times.

Now leave at once and go home. I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded. Balaam answered Balak, Did I not tell the messengers you sent me? Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord. And I must say only what the Lord says? Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come. Then he spoke his message, The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly, the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate and whose eyes are opened. 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 people of Sheth. Edom will be conquered, Seir his enemy will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong.

A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city. Let's pray. God, please give us eyes to recognize when you are working in unexpected ways and through unexpected people. Give us eyes to see your hand at work in all things. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. I'm Stephen and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.