To this end, the Pulpit Commentary properly reflects that, Enchantment, נָחַשׁ. Rather, "augury." Septuagint, οἰωνισμός. That as prescribed by the Law if God in Leviticus 19:26, where there was no practice of such as forbidden to Israel or, "in Jacob," as the marginal reading, and this is favoured by the Septuagint and the Targums, and is equally true and striking. Therefore, It was the proud peculiarity of Israel that he trusted not to any magic arts or superstitious rites, uncertain in themselves, and always leading to imposture, but to the direction and favour of the Almighty. Divination. קֶסֶם. Septuagint, μαντεία. The art of the soothsayer. According to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel. Rather, "in season," i.e., in God's good time, "it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel. What hath God wrought! or, "what God doeth." The meaning seems to be that augury and divination were useless and vain in the case of Israel, because God himself declared and would declare his mighty acts in behalf of his people, and that by no uncertain vaticination, but by open declaration.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary for his part assures those children of God who will free themselves from faltering between two opinions by faltering between God and the gods and be proven as "enchantment and divination free-Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob— THEN such shall proudly declare that, "No art can ever prevail against a people who are under the shield of Omnipotence, and for whom miracles have been and yet shall be performed, which will be a theme of admiration in succeeding ages."
Jacob infers to the Believer and Israel infers to The body of Christ or The Church as a whole. So in this wise the notion carried by many on this verse changes and table turns. Let's look to the whole context and then you will get the picture if God's mind for His Church as illustrated to me.
This is the CONFESSION of a magic priest. A false Prophet, The devil's spokesman in person. I mean I whose art and profession is to skillfully wage an evil war with words (prophecy or what is called, incantation), against God (for whoever fights against God's children has declared war on God Almighty himself). This is his second oracle after his first contact against God's divine purposes set for his children on their journey in conquest of the promises land. Therefore the bitter defeat of Balam is evidenced whiles engaged in the war itself... Destruction by words also called curses are turned into Edification. Blessings are installed instead of curses. And Ballam recognizes that even he the king of destruction has to bow when God arises!
Balaam's Second Oracle
…21"He has not observed misfortune in Jacob; Nor has He seen trouble in Israel; The LORD his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them. 22"God brings them out of Egypt, He is for them like the horns of the wild ox. 23"For there is no omen against Jacob, Nor is there any divination against Israel; At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob And to Israel, what God has done!…
The verse 21 gives us a clear view and this will help those who always like quoting scriptures at random. -HE HAS NOT FOUND INIQUITY IN JACOB. SO THIS US WHY HE FIGHTS FOR THEM LIKE THE WILD OX - A CASTRATED BULL. AND WHAT IS THE INIQUITY HE DID NOT FIND IN THEM? 1. They was none who was an enchanter nor divines nor those who engaged enchantment or divination. Theirs were the prophets and the rim and turim. To these believers and Church that rid themselves of trusting in the works of men, and fully trust in God's divine power, HE WAS FOUND TO BE A SAFE HAVEN.
NO MISFORTUNE: Magic, witchcraft, enchantment, divination, reading if horoscope and all that is A MISFORTUNE - bringing it to our language, sin in its high level. Iniquity us usually those sin handed over by trading or from our for fathers or picked from other cultures. It is A STUMBLING BLOCK. It's IMPEDES GOD TO ACT ON BEHALF IF HIS PEOPLE. Yet over and over again, there are those who have this abominable thought that you may worship Christ and Mammon, God and Baal, Church and world or that all religions leads to one God..
In the book of 1Samuel 15, King Saul in his haste to please the people and his fear of the enemy, offer sacrifices to God against God's command and immediately after, there arrives the prophet ordained to offer the sacrifices. God's prophet Samuel, Denounces Saul's WORSHIP instead of him WAITING.
…22Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23"For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.
So we have SIN, INIQUITY AND TRANGRESSION. REBELLION is as THE SIN
DISOBEDIENCE IS LIKE WORSHIPPING IDOLS. ITVIS THE SECOND GRADE OF SIN CALLED INIQUITY.
As such when God says he has not found INIQUITY IN ISRAEL, His intent was that, there was none that acted presumptuously or arrogantly. There was non that walked in ecclesiastical disorder by presumptuously taking a role in the Church which was for another or by ursurping authority. This turns the house of God into a den of robbers. It is no more the house of prayer but the temple of Baal. And a God is in the midst of His Church not amongst idolaters.
When God found none that sacrifices to idols nor them by bowing to them and them that worshipped idols by being presumptuous and indu ordinate in the house of God, he fought for his people like A WILD OX. God overthrew and disengaged the principalities engaged in the activation of evil curses by meeting them like A WILD OX and showed his divine might by fighting them with the HORNS OF THE UNICORN. Therefore the Psalmist in his hymal raises a triumphant and high praise by singing
Numbers 24:8
"God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them.
Deuteronomy 33:17
In majesty he is like a firstborn bull; his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth. Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim; such are the thousands of Manasseh."
Here is Job's Description of the Wild OX. He says in Chapter 39:9 -10"Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will it stay by your manger at night? Can you hold it to the furrow with a harness? Will it till the valleys behind you?
No till date have declared to engaged in battle against God and won and none shall ever. He is mighty in battle. THE LORD sis His name! The God of the Armies of heave,. The LORD of Host. Either you are for him or against him. No halting here and there. James put it so clear. NO DOUBLE MINDED PERSON MUST EXPECT TO RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM GOD. Don't go seeking help from magicians and come jumping halleluia in God's house. It is INIQUITY and must not be found among the Church.
God's WORD is clear today. Where there is no INIQUITY in the midst of His people - the Believer and The Church, then INIQUITY shall not prevail against them.
D. Adu BINEY.
