Ⅰ
We should never underestimate the value of having a proper view of a certain matter; the view changes us; it affects our entire being—Rev. 21:9-10; Acts 26:19.
Ⅱ
In the Bible vision denotes an extraordinary scene; it refers to a special kind of seeing—a glorious, inward seeing—and to the spiritual scenery we see from God—Ezek. 1:1, 4-28; Dan. 7:1, 9-10, 13-14:
Ａ
In order to have a vision, we need revelation, light, and sight—Eph. 1:17-18a.
Ｂ
The heavenly vision governs us, restricts us, controls us, directs us, preserves us, revolutionizes us, keeps us in the genuine oneness, and gives us the boldness to go on—Prov. 29:18a.
Ｃ
Under the heavenly vision we are directed toward God's destination, and our life is controlled according to God's economy—Phil. 3:13-14; 1 Tim. 1:4.
Ⅲ
Like Balaam, a Gentile prophet who was brought into a vision, we need to see the vision of the All-sufficient One and have a divine view of God's people—Num. 23:7-12, 19-26; 24:3-9:
Ａ
The prophet Balaam heard the words of God and saw the vision of the All-sufficient One—v. 4; Gen. 17:1, footnote 2.
Ｂ
“From the top of the rocks I see him, / And from the hills I behold him. / Here is a people who live alone / And do not reckon themselves among the nations”—Num. 23:9:
１
This word indicates that the children of Israel were a holy people, a sanctified people set apart from the nations.
２
The same is true of the church—1 Cor. 3:17; Eph. 1:4; 5:27; 1 Pet. 2:9.
Ｃ
“Who can count the dust of Jacob, / Or number the fourth part of Israel? / Let me die the death of the upright, / And let my latter end be like theirs!”—Num. 23:10:
１
Balaam's word in verse 10a was a blessing of abundant increase.
２
His word in verse 10b was a word of great blessing and appreciation.
Ｄ
“He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, / Nor has He seen trouble in Israel; / Jehovah their God is with them, / And the shout of a king is among them”—v. 21:
１
This word was spoken not according to the human view but according to the divine view.
２
In the sight of God, Israel is without fault:
ａ
In themselves God's people have many defects.
ｂ
In God's redemption and in Christ they have no defects.
３
When God looks at His people, He does not see them according to what they are in themselves but according to what they are in Christ—cf. 2 Cor. 5:16-17.
Morning Nourishment
Num. 23:9 …Here is a people who live alone and do not reckon themselves among the nations.21 He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen trouble in Israel; Jehovah their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.
1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired for a possession…
[In Numbers 23:9] the word about the children of Israel's dwelling alone and not reckoning themselves among the nations indicates that they were a holy, sanctified people, a people set apart from the nations. This indicates that the church is composed of a separate people, a particular people, a people sanctified to God. The church is not mixed with the nations but stands alone. [In verse 10] we see the blessing of increase. Jacob, like the dust, will be numberless, countless. No one will be able to count even the fourth part of Israel. The first parable was a blessing upon the children of Israel as a separate people, a particular and special class of people who dwell alone and who are not reckoned among the nations. Because this people will be blessed with abundant increase, no one will be able to number them. After uttering this great blessing, Balaam expressed his appreciation of Israel. (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 253, 264, 253)
Today's Reading
One of the most striking lines in [Balaam's second] parable is in Numbers 23:21:”He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, / Nor has He seen trouble in Israel.” How could Balaam speak such a word, since Israel was not perfect and since God could see all the iniquities of His people? The answer is that this word was spoken not according to the human view but according to the divine view. God's view is different from our view. If we realize this, we will be careful whenever we speak of the defects of the saints. According to our view, a certain saint may have many defects, but according to God's view, this saint is perfect.How can we reconcile the word in verse 21 with the obvious fact that the children of Israel had many iniquities? This apparent contradiction is reconciled by the fact that God's redeemed people have a twofold status: their status in themselves and their status in God's redemption. This is our situation as believers today. In ourselves we have many defects, but in God's redemption and in Christ we have no defects. When God looks at us, He does not see us according to what we are in ourselves but according to what we are in Christ. God does not look at what His redeemed people are in themselves. We may even say that He has forgotten what we are in ourselves. Our basis for saying this is that God has forgiven us, and when God forgives, He forgets (Heb. 8:12). God has put us all into Christ (1 Cor. 1:30). Since He has put us into Christ, when He looks at us, He sees us in Christ. God's view of us is that in Christ we do not have any iniquity. The principle is the same with God's view of the church life. According to our view, the church life may be very poor. But according to God's view, the church life is glorious. God has not beheld iniquity in the church.
Numbers 23:21 says that God has not seen trouble in Israel. Here the word trouble means hard things, evil things that cause people to be troubled. This kind of trouble is even worse than iniquity. In the sight of God, there was neither iniquity nor trouble in His people Israel. In the same principle, God does not see iniquity or trouble in the church life, because the church is in Christ. In Christ we have been chosen, redeemed, and saved from the bondage of the fall. Therefore, according to God's view, we have been brought out of the fall, out of condemnation, and out of ourselves. Therefore, we may say that in Christ the church life is glorious….In ourselves the church life is not glorious, but in Christ the church life truly is glorious. (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 254-255)
Further Reading: Life-study of Numbers, msgs. 34-35