Numbers 23:14: The second summit: the headland Moses will die on, used first to curse his people

Balak now took Balaam "into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah," and there he built seven fresh altars and offered a bull and a ram on each one. What low and shameful thoughts both king and prophet had of their Creator! They imagined that such schemes and changes of position could change His mind about His people. The king of Syria and his advisers were just as stupid when they were at war with Israel in the days of Ahab. They suggested that the Lord was God of the hills, but not of the valleys. So if the Syrians fought on the lower ground, victory would be theirs (1 Kings 20).

Balak still hoped that Balaam might be allowed to curse Israel. He had no idea of the faithful, unchanging nature of the living God.

"Zophim" means "watchers," for whom Pisgah, with its width of view, was just the right place. Balak knew all about this place, of course; and many a keen and jealous eye, no doubt, had watched the camp from there. All the more, this suits God's purpose of bringing out His thoughts about His people.

From the place where he had been standing, he had seen but the outermost part of them; now Balak is going to show him all. He thinks he made a mistake before, and that this was perhaps why he had not succeeded. Divination depended on what was before the eyes. Balaam is now looking over the whole camp, from one end to the other. Think what force that gives to the announcement: "God has not beheld iniquity in Jacob"! How it would spoil this to suppose that Balaam had here only got a partial view! Balak might have said, "Balaam, you may see no spot there, but there are plenty elsewhere." Now it is impossible to say so. Look where you will: those whom God has justified cannot be condemned.

At first Balak had clearly thought that if Balaam saw only a small number, he would think of them as insignificant, and so curse them. Now he has to change his mind. If a small number could be blessed, perhaps Balaam would decide that a large number was less likely to deserve blessing. Balak did not know why God blessed Israel. It was not because they were worthy of blessing. It was because they were His people, chosen by sovereign grace, and redeemed from sin and slavery by the Passover and the crossing of the Red Sea.

This is how man — the flesh — would try to propitiate God. Is there anything more offensive to Him?

God allowed only one altar of burnt offering (Ex. 27:1; Heb. 13:10), for the altar speaks of Christ, the only way of approach to God. But Balaam believed in "many gods and many lords" (1 Cor. 8:4-5).

The moment any enemy or accuser enters the scene, the Lord places Himself in front to receive and answer the accusation. His answer never rests on what His people are in themselves. It rests on what He has made them through the perfection of His own work. His glory is linked with them, and in vindicating them He maintains His own glory. He places Himself between them and every accusing tongue.