Balaam's Final Days Prophecy, After Rejecting the Admonitions of Balak

[Mr. M]

Numbers Twenty-Four:

10 Then Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times! 

11 Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you,

but in fact, the Lord has kept you back from honor.”

12 So Balaam said to Balak,

“Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 

13 ‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold,

I could not go beyond the word of the Lord, to do good or bad

of my own will. What the Lord says, that I must speak’? 

14 And now, indeed, I am going to my people.

Come, I will advise you what this people will do

to your people in the latter days.”

Balaam’s Fourth Prophecy

15 So he took up his oracle and said:

“The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened;
16 The utterance of him who hears the words of God,
And has the knowledge of the Most High,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

17 I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
A Star shall come out of Jacob;
A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy all the sons of tumult.

18 “And Edom shall be a possession;
Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession,
While Israel does valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob One shall have dominion,
And destroy the remains of the city.”

20 Then he looked on Amalek,

and he took up his oracle and said:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
But shall be last until he perishes.”

21 Then he looked on the Kenites,

and he took up his oracle and said:

“Firm is your dwelling place,
And your nest is set in the rock;
22 Nevertheless Kain shall be burned.
How long until Asshur carries you away captive?”

23 Then he took up his oracle and said:

“Alas! Who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from the coasts of Cyprus,
And they shall afflict Asshur and afflict Eber,
And so shall Amalek, until he perishes.”

25 So Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place; Balak also went his way.

In spite of his favorable oracles, Balaam was not held in esteem by Israel.

Joshua 13:22 The children of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, among those who were killed by them.

Numbers 31:8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.

Balaam was nothing more than a hack, until Balak hired him to curse Israel. The Lord intervened and blessed Israel three times. Balaam was otherwise bested by his talking ass. Not a man after God's heart!