Greetings in the name of His & Her Imperial Majesties Qedamawi Haile Sellassie I & Itege Menen Asfaw,

I welcome you all to one of the many interpretations of the Scriptures from the light of Ras Tafari by, I, Lidj Yefdi (pronounced Lij, Yef-dee).

I assure you that if you are patient with me, come with a willing mind and heart(ready to learn), you will receive more than what you might have asked for, in seeking the perspective of a Ras Tafarian’s I-sight (eyesight) into the study of the Scriptures.

So,with this Hebrew Shabbot(or Sabbath day) if those who actually open up their Bibles to read in a Jewish/Hebrew cycle of readings, & thoroughly discern, more than likely have come to the Torah portion of Balak-בָּלָק.  From the Jewish or Hebraic Calendar in the year 5773, this Sabbath day would probably fall on the 13th & 14th, of the month of Tammuz-תמוז, for this week, in this mode of study; for those out in the diaspora or outside of Jerusalem or Israel.  (The Hebrew Calendar corresponds to a Lunar cycle of the Moon) &, from an Ethiopic-Christian perspective and calculation these readings from the Scriptures would align to what is also known as Balak-ባላቅ,  for the 14th(፲፬) & 15th(፲፭) days of the ወርኀ(month), ሰኔ(Seney).  The Ethiopic calendar, which is solar (with its correspondence to the Sun) aligns to this Sabbath (or Senbet-ሰንበት) in the Ethiopian language of Amharic which is currently one of the languages of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church(the other language being Ge’ez-ግእዝ).

Readings:

Numbers 22:2- 25:9

Micah 5:6- 6:8

Romans 11: 25-32

In this Sabbath study, Israel after conquest had grown strong in the plain of Moab.  A king of Moab, who’s name was Balak, had seen what the children of Israel did to their adversaries in the habitations that were adjacent to his dominion.

[Numb. 22: 2-4]

Balak, then sent messengers to a known “sorcerer”, or man of secret knowledge, whom wasn’t an Israelite; his name was called Balaam.  Balak devised a plan to have the children of Israel cursed; for they grew strong, the king and the people of Moab feared Israel, & it seemed to Balak, that if somehow the children of Israel could be diverted from their focus they could be defeated and driven out of the lands, which they had now possessed.

[Numb. 22: 5-6]

The elders of Moab, along with the elders of Midian, together plotted against the children of Israel.  As messengers of Balak, the king of Moab, willing to compensate, for this endeavor, they went to Balaam, in a place called Pethor to present the words of Balak.

[Numb. 22: 7]

So, Balaam takes is cordial with the king of Moab’s messengers & welcomes them to stay the night, while he utilizes some time, to deliberate with God, whether the children of Israel could be cursed, & how to go about doing so.

God, comes to Balaam, in a dream, and speaks with him about the men, who have come to him, & for what purpose.  Balaam says to God, that the men are of, Balak, king of Moab, and they sought him to curse the children of Israel.  After consultation with God, Balaam is not permitted to curse to curse the children of Israel, nor to go with the messengers of Balak to Moab.  The next morning, Balaam tells the messengers that he cannot curse Israel nor go with them to the king,; for God refused.  The messengers returned to Moab, and told the king, Balak, the news and the reasoning thereof.

[Numb. 22: 8-14]

But, Balak was persistent of Balaam to grant his request, so Balak sent others nobles of his influence to further persuade Balaam to Moab.  Balak offered Balaam, honour of distinction within his kingdom, but Balaam refused a second time; not budging a inch,  unwilling to incline his ear to the possible gifts of gold & silver, in abundance.

Balaam, to the messenger/nobles(servants) of Balak,

“…If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more…

[Numb. 22: 18]

Though, with his mind already made up about the situation, which Balak was in high pursuit of, Balaam gives a place to rest for the messengers sent by Balak, for a second night.  In that night, God spoke with Balaam once more saying; if the men of Balak call for you to travel with them, go with them to Balak in Moab.  But, Balaam rose up in the morning and just went with the messengers of Balak, more than likely with no intent giving reverence to the words God spoke; mainly because God’s anger was then kindled against Balaam.  So, while Balaam was on the way to Moab, riding on his donkey, an angel of God appeared in their way, holding a sword-in-hand, standing as an adversary; but only the donkey’s eyes were open to see.  The donkey turned aside, out of the way, into a field, & Balaam smote the donkey in attempt to force the donkey to obey his command.  Balaam mounted the donkey again, and continued along the way, but, in the field there was a vineyard with a two walls on each side.  The angel appeared a second time; with the donkey’s eyes being the only one to see again, so the donkey threw itself towards one wall, crushing Balaam‘s foot into it.  Balaam, smote the donkey a second time.  The angel, then went further on the road and stood, this time in a narrow place where there was no place to turn, to the left or right.  This time seeing the angel, the donkey fell down under Balaam, angering him to smite the donkey a third time with a staff.  At this point, God gave speech to the donkey; and the donkey ask Balaam, why had it been struck three times, along the road.  Balaam answering the donkey said, gave reason because the donkey would not yield to his command, also mentioning that if he had a sword, he would’ve killed the donkey.

But, the donkey spoke once more saying, that was it not the same donkey which Balaam always had ridden; and had there ever been another day where the donkey acted in the manner that it did on this day.  Balaam answered no.  Then God opened Balaam‘s eyes to see the angel, as well; Balaam bowed down falling on his face.  Then the angel explained why the appearances were made and had not the donkey turned off the road those three times, Balaam would have been slain.

[Numb. 22: 15-35]

After Balaam‘s encounter on the road to Moab, he comes to Balak, but Balak, unknowing of whether his request had been answered officially or not, Balak lets Balaam know that he is not prepared to fulfill the giving of a honorable title or position that was previously promised to him, since he does not know if Balaam had come to Moab, to acknowledge the request of cursing Israel or not.  Balaam goes through the process of seemingly preparing to curse Israel, but, again an inquiring must be made to God; this time with the words of God coming to Balak through Balaam.

[Numb. 22: 36-41]

Balaam has Balak set up seven altars upon a place called Kirjath-huzoth.  There atop that high place overlooking the children of Israel, Balak did as Balaam said, in setting up seven altars.  The seven altars  had a bullock and a ram on each, as offerings & while Balak awaited an answer from Balaam; Balaam inquired of God what was next. God met Balaam, and Balaam told God that the seven altars were in place with their offerings.  God then told Balaam to return to Balak & he shall speak.  Balaam returned to Balak & then God’s words came through Balaam. 

Balaam to Balak,

“…How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?…

[Numb. 23: 8]

Balak, immediately disturbed at the words coming from Balaam, noticing that instead of cursing Israel, Balaam had blessed them.  Balaam explained to Balak again, that he couldn’t go beyond what God has set forth.

[Numb. 23: 1-12]

Balak, the king of Moab, unsatisfied with the results atop Kirjath-huzoth, pleaded with Balaam to attempt again to curse Israel from another vantage point.  So, he brought Balaam to the field of Zophīm(atop Pisgah)
built the seven altars again, and put the offerings in place.  There he awaited a second answer from Balaam.  Balaam, spoke again to God, & God told him to return to him again & the words would be put in his mouth.

Balaam to Balak, in Zophīm(on Pisgah), 

“…Rise up, Balak, and hear, harken to me, thou son of Zippor:…” _vrs 18

“…God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and not do it?  or hath he spoken, and shall he not make

it good?…”

[Numb. 23: 18,19]

Balak, then noticing once again that Balaam had blessed Israel a second time.  Balak wanted that if Israel be not cursed, then he wouldn’t them to blessed either.  But Balaam, spoke to him of his own words, that what he does God is the orchestrator.

[Numb. 23: 14-26]

In spite of two blessings from Balaam, Balak proposes one more attempt to curse Israel, from another place.  Then he brought Balaam to Peor,that looked out toward Jeshimon.  The pattern of the seven altars and offerings were put into place once more; Balaam, himself, seeing that it pleased God to bless Israel, turned toward thew wilderness, seeing the children of Israel in their tents, seeing the order of Israel.  Balaam, then blessed Israel, yet a third time & cursed those, who would curse them.

There Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, for he said; he brought Balaam to Moab to curse his enemies and he had altogether blessed three times.

[Numb. 23: 27- 24:10]

Balaam then spoke a prophecy to Balak, from upon Peor.  The prophecy spoke of a Messianic kingdom among Israel.

“…A star shall come out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth….”

[Numb. 24: 17]

(Jacob‘s had another name  given to him, which was Israel [Gen. 32:28])

After speaking the prophecy to Balak, Balaam rose up & returned to his place; Balak also went about his own way.

[Numb. 24: 13-25]

Israel dwelt in Shittim, but then began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab; sacrificing and bowing down to their gods, joining themselves to Baal-Peor, and angering the God of Israel.  God, then spoke to Moses, instructing about taking heads of those who commit treason upon Israel and God.  Moses, gathers the judges of Israel & tells them to slay any of them that have joined themselves to Baal-Peor.

One even brought a Midianitish woman, (who conspired against them[Israel], to his brethren, even in the sight Moses and the congregation of Israel; who were weeping before the door of the Tabernacle.

Phineas, son of Eleazar, grandson of Aaron (Moses’ brother); rose up from among the people, took a javelin, & thrust it through both the bellies of them.

[Numb. 25: 1-9]

*FOR FURTHER STUDY

1) http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Parashah/Summaries/Balak/Curses_of_Laban/curses_of_laban.html

2) TRUE ORIGIN OF THE STAR OF DAVID pt.1

(LOJS)

3) TRUE ORIGIN OF THE STAR OF DAVID pt.2

(LOJS)