Balaam Sees A Powerful Star Out of Jacob

 

Fear Among The Nations and the Rise of a New People

From Numbers 24:10–25, the passage above we are considering unfolds against a backdrop of extraordinary change. Israel, once an enslaved people in Egypt, had astonishingly broken free from the mightiest empire of the day, not by their own strength but through supernatural wonders that shook the ancient world.

The plagues upon Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the decisive defeat of Pharaoh’s army were stories that spread like wildfire, filling neighboring nations with dread. Kingdoms trembled at the rumor of this emerging power guided by a deity unlike any other.

As Israel approached the land of Moab, King Balak stood anxiously on his borders, desperate to prevent these newcomers from establishing themselves. The terror he felt was not unique. It was shared by all who witnessed events that overturned the world’s usual order of things.

 

Power Hungry Moabite King Attempts To Use Balaam’s Magic

Perceiving the battle was supernatural, and in an attempt to halt Israel’s progress, Balak sought an advantage in the spiritual realm. He summoned Balaam, a seer known in the region, hoping to secure a curse against the people of Israel. Although Balaam was very familiar with the God of Israel, he was not a committed believer. More of a hired gun.

He practiced a kind of spiritual art or “magic” aimed at controlling outcomes. This practice was believed to be efficacious  and was the common beleif of the ancient world… that through rituals, sacrifices, and incantations, one could bend cosmic forces to the human will. Balak’s request that Balaam curse Israel was essentially an attempt at playing God over history, trying to manipulate destiny to preserve Moab’s power.

Yet each time Balaam tried to speak ill of Israel, he found himself compelled by the Spirit of God to bless them instead. He erected altars, offered sacrifices, and tried repeatedly to fulfill Balak’s request, but each time to no avail.

In fact, the outcome was the opposite of what Balak intended. Instead of cursing Israel, Balaam praised the future glory that would arise out of Israel. Balaam hinted at forces much greater than the political or military concerns of the existential moment. This so infuriated Balak that, after three attempts, he angrily dismissed Balaam, sending him away in disgust.

 

The Significance of “Stars” and the “Scepters”

Before departing, however, Balaam delivered one more prophecy that transcended the immediate circumstances of Moab and Israel beyond any power known in their day. He said, “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A Star will come out of Jacob, and a Scepter will rise out of Israel.”

In the ancient world, the symbolism was clear to everyone. Stars represented power, dominion and divine sanction. Kings, kingdoms, and conquerors adorned their standards with stars because they suggested cosmic authority. Many national flags have stars on them for this reason.

A scepter, of course, was the unmistakable emblem of a monarch’s right to rule. By proclaiming that a Star and a Scepter would arise from Jacob (Israel), Balaam was not merely predicting continued Jewish success against their neighbors. He was pointing to a future King of unrivaled power and destiny, a figure who would govern human history itself.

This prophecy was one of the earliest glimpses in the Old Testament of the Messiah to come. It is all the more remarkable because it emerged from the mouth of a reluctant pagan prophet, speaking under divine compulsion.

Balaam foresaw a kingly figure overcoming opposition, reordering the world, and guiding humanity toward God’s intended order. Such a promise would echo down the centuries, weaving its way through the prophetic tradition, manifesting itself in a stable in Bethlehem and culminating in the eternal reign of Christ.

 

Herod 1500 Years Later

Some fifteen centuries after Balaam and Balak, wise men from the East appeared in Jerusalem, asking a question that startled King Herod: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His Star in the East, and have come to worship Him.” In this moment, the ancient prophecy found its fulfillment.

The Star of Bethlehem announced that the promised King had arrived. The wise men, experts in heavenly signs, recognized that something extraordinary had taken place. They traveled far to pay homage, bearing gifts that acknowledged the royalty and divinity of the child-king they sought.

Herod’s reaction revealed how unsettling this birth was to worldly powers. He knew what the Star signified and feared its implications. He attempted to eliminate this threat through violence, ordering the deaths of children in Bethlehem. Yet his brutality, too, was futile. The prophecy pronounced by Balaam ensured that no earthly ruler would ever thwart the rise of this King who would claim authority over all creation.

 

Christ the Everlasting King

The identity of this prophesied King was confirmed once and for all in Jesus Christ. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus calls Himself “the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.” He is the fulfillment of the vision Balaam glimpsed from afar.

Christ’s birth, which we celebrate at Christmas, marks the decisive entrance of this sovereign presence into human history. Unlike the fragile realms of Edom, Moab and other ancient states, His kingdom will endure through time and eternity.

This is why Christmas carols joyfully proclaim, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come; let earth receive her King.” They are absolutely not celebrating a gentle preacher or a kindly rabbi. They acclaim the arrival of the Star out of Jacob, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

This child in the manger would grow up to announce the nearness of God’s kingdom, overcome sin and death through His cross and resurrection, and ultimately reign over every nation’s final destiny. Though countless earthly empires have risen and fallen, the Star from Jacob still shines on… guiding anyone who seeks to understand the far-reaching and long-term cosmic destiny of truth, peace, and life.

In this season, as we mark the birth of Jesus Christ, let us remember the full depth of that ancient prophecy and its meaning. We are not merely recalling a distant event but celebrating the ongoing reality of Christ’s rule as proclaimed in prophecy. The Star of Bethlehem confirmed that the one who now governs all things has come and reigns even now. This is the heart of Christmas. The eternal King is here, and His light will never be dimmed.