Devotion | John Thomas | May 6, 2026

0:00 a statement uh that is being made there in numbers by uh by this gentile prophet concerning Israel that has that caught my attention. Um it's actually I have I'm still working on this uh um on this devotion but uh we'll go through some of the things that was brought to my attention. Um in numbers chapter 22- 24 uh we read of that well-known incident uh when the army of Israel set out and uh they camp themselves in the plains of Moab and uh we read of how the n the nation of Moab feared the Israelites, the

0:47 Israeli army u that had come out against them because they had heard what the Israelites did to the armies of the Amorites and Balak, the king of Moab, put it very in a very clear language so that everyone of the leadership of the elders uh would know who it is or what kind of people had come out to do battle with them. And he tells them that uh this army of Israel would lick up everything before them as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And we read that in verse

1:32 4 of Numbers 22. And so King Balak came up with this plan to get the gentile prophet Balam to curse this army of Israel because he had heard that he who Balam blessed is blesses will be blessed and he who Balam curses would be cursed. And delegations were sent twice actually, one after the other by King Balak to persuade Balam to curse the Israelites. And God came to Balam when the second attempt was made by Balac at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with

2:22 them, but only do what I tell you. And we read some precious truths that God puts before us in and through what God tells Balam to tell concerning the nation of Israel. And this is what Balam had to say in Numbers chapter 24 verse 5. We read this way. How lovely, or as some translations would say, how goodly, how lovely are your tents, oh Jacob, your encampments, oh Israel. Now, while these are the words of uh of

3:09 uh of that of Balam that Balam spoke concerning Israel, the very fact of the matter is that it is the testimony of God concerning the nation of Israel. How lovely are your tents, O Jacob. How lovely are your encampments, O Israel. When God blesses by stating, how lovely are the tents and the tabernacles of Jacob, it would be good for us to consider what are the things that make these tents and these dwelling places of Israel lovely? What would make God declare that the tents and the encampments of Israel as lovely?

3:56 Now, we can find many things uh uh that tell us what would make them lovely before God in chapters 23 and chapter 24. But I want for us to consider just four things regarding the characteristics of those in the tents and encampments of Israel. The first thing that I'd like for us to consider is in the middle section of verse 21 in chapter 23. And the middle section of numbers 23 21 reads this way. The Lord their God is with them. What makes the tents and the encampments

4:41 of Jacob to be lovely is this one remarkable thing that should not go unnoticed that the Lord their God is with them. This was not the experience of any other nation. This is exclusively the experience of this one nation. The Lord their God is with them. In this context, can we examine ourselves? Are our tents and our encampments lovely? If so, what makes them love?

5:28 The apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 1 speaks about our earthly tent this way. For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by with hands, eternal in the heavens. The apostle is uh using our earthly tent as a metaphor to describe our physical body. Our earthly tent and our encampment are temporary in nature. But are they lovely?

6:14 Is my dwelling lovely? And if so, why is it lovely? May it be that we can each say with the children of Israel that one reason to consider it as being lovely is because the Lord my God is with me. The second thing I'd like for us to consider is what God tells about the children of Israel in Numbers 23 and verse 22 where we read this way. God brings them out of Egypt and and is for them like the horns of the wild ox

6:59 or as some translations have it the string of a buffalo. In other words, allegorically speaking, God is for them like the horn the horns of the wild ox. Only those who have experienced the strength of the Lord in their in their lives are actually the people of God. What makes a tent and what makes an encampment lovely is the personal testimony of God's deliverance from the slavery of Egypt by the strength of their God.

7:47 The loveliness of this tent, the loveliness of this encampment is attributed to those who have experienced the deliverance from the bondage of sin by the strength of God. Allegorically speaking, only those who have known the power of God, God's power that worked like the horns of the wild ox to deliver them. Only such a people can be described as having a lovely tent and a lovely encampment before the eyes of God. The Apostle Paul writes like this in Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 16 that according to the

8:32 riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being. What a blessed thing it is to know and to experience the strength of God in one's life. And so one other thing that makes a tent and an encampment lovely is to know God's strength like the horns of the wild dogs. The third thing that was brought to my attention that I'd like for us to look together at is what God mentions about this tent and this encampment in Numbers 23 and verse 23.

9:21 For there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any deonation against Israel. And this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, what hath God wrought. Once again, the last part of that verse, at this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, what hath God wrought in the life of this people? God is the one that worked for them. God has worked many wonders in their lives and such is the work of God in the

10:06 life of this people that that is the only reason the only reason they are who they are. When a person sees a child of God and they can recognize that the work of God is being carried out in the life of that child of God. What an attention grabber that would be. Balam, the gentile prophet is carefully looking at the camp of Jacob. And he has this one thing to say of them. And that we read is in 20 chapter 24 and verse 5. And it says, "How lovely, how lovely are your tents, oh Jacob, your

10:54 encampments, oh Israel." And the reason why they are lovely is because it is God who has wrought his work in their lives. The work of God are being revealed in the tents and in the encampments before Bala. If we each can see this in our own spiritual lives, if the work and power of God in our lives can be seen, then the tent and encampment we occupy will be lovely before God. The last thing I'd like for us to consider together is recorded for us in chapter

11:39 23 and verse 9. It says there in 23 and verse 9, "For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. Lo, the people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations." Once again, two things to note. A people who dwell alone and secondly, a people who shall not be reckoned among the nations. The people of God should be should not be unequally yolked with people who don't know the God of this universe as their God. The people of God are separated people unto God. And this is

12:27 another charact characteristics of those who are seen as lovely before God. A people separated for God. This gentile Balam when he sees the people of Israel, he notices something. And we read that in chapter 24 this way in verse two. And Balam lifted up his eyes and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according according to their tribes. Once again, the trailing part of verse two, he saw Israel abiding,

13:13 or in other words, he saw Israel staying together in their tents according to their tribes. Balam could see that the people of Israel were united together. Balam the gentile prophet saw Israel abiding or in other words he saw Israel staying together a people separated for God and at the same time they were united together as tribes God's people living together is a lovely thing before God as we often remind

13:59 ourselves of those of the words of King David in Psalm 133 where it says, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. How lovely, how lovely are your tents, oh Jacob. How and your encampments, oh Israel." May we be reminded of some of the things that the word of God mentions that made the tents and the encampments of Israel lovely before God. And may God grant us the grace to reveal our tents and to reveal our encampments to be seen as lovely before God in the days ahead. His

14:47 name be glorified. Eternal God and loving heavenly father, we thank thee once again for giving us this blessed privilege to be able to come into thy presence and to give thee thanks for all that you are to us. that you are a God who not only created us, but you are a God who redeemed us, who came after us and rescued us and pulled us out of that horrible pit. You're a God who granted us the blessed privilege of being called thy children because of what you have done for us in and through thy blessed son.

15:32 You're a God who has promised us many promises in the word of God. And as we consider them this evening once again, we acknowledge how unworthy we are to be a recipient of even one of them this evening. Heavenly Father, as we come into thy presence, we thank thee for the example of the Israelites, for granting us the blessed privilege to read from thy word and to once again consider all that they have revealed to us in the word of God. There are many flaws that they have, but we thank thee that we can dwell on some of the good things that they are an example to us for this evening. Heavenly Father, as a people who

16:22 were in the midst of gentile nations, we thank thee that we are able to see how they glorified God in and through who they were. And this evening as we come before thee, we thank thee heavenly father that you have brought together from different parts of this world, people together under one roof to give glory and honor and strength to thy name because of thy blessed son, our savior, the lord Jesus Christ. We come from different backgrounds, different languages, different cultures. Yet we have this one good one common thing and that is to know thy son as our

17:08 savior. And we thank thee heavenly father for the fellowship that we have here at rest and for all the people that you have brought together instruments of thee in this one body in this one local body. Each of us being given the specific gifts needed to fulfill the functioning of this body. And we pray heavenly father that as we come into thy presence this evening that we would fulfill this one responsibility that is given to each one of us to pray for each other. Heavenly father as we look at the at the list that is before us. There are many in need. And we know, heavenly father, that each of the difficulties that have come into

17:54 their lives, it has come sanctioned and approved and filtered through the loving hands of thy blessed son. And as we consider each one of them, we pray, heavenly father, that you would give them the grace and the ability to bear what you have placed with them that they may honor thee in and through the difficulties that they are going through that others may see them and glorify thy holy name. And so we pray for the strengthening of thy people of the saints here at blessed. We thank

18:41 thee, heavenly father, that we can pray for our commended workers this evening. Thank thee for brother Colin and Natalie for enabling us to see them to be able to have some short time of fellowship together. And we thank thee for enabling us to hear that they have reached their safety and as they continue to serve thee. We pray for your strengthening hand upon them. There are many things in their lives that can discourage them. reminded of their parents who are declining in their health and the need for your healing hand, for your strengthening hand, for your comforting hand upon them, upon Willie and and Beth. And we pray for Colin and Natalie especially concerning their children, their grandchildren. And pray that uh you would bring about

19:28 circumstances in their lives in the lives of their children and their grandchildren and their son-in-laws that would give them the opportunity to present the gospel in a manner that can be digested in the midst of all the challenges and difficulties that they face. We pray for brother Don Cox and uh and Beth and and heavenly father. We pray that you would grant them the continued strength. They are indeed aged and and uh yet you have given them the needed strength and the desire to serve the and we thank thee that we can see that in their writings to us. And we pray your continued blessing upon the work that they are having and

20:15 carrying out there. We pray also, heavenly father, for Paul and Melanie Robertson and the family that you have blessed them with and the ministry that you have uh given to them and pray that you would equip them as well as a witness for thee. We pray also for brother Rob Kerr by himself. Many times he must be facing loneliness. We commit him before thee this evening that uh that he might also carry out thy desire, thy will that he might be a blessing, an instrument for thee in that part of this of this province. We pray for Jeremy and Melissa Swan. Father, we

21:00 thank thee for the conviction that you have given to them and as they look to the to the uh to their time back here in Canada, that you would grant them the necessary direction and ability to discern thy will as they look at how they should serve thee. You remember their children especially as they have to adjust to the schooling and and the day-to-day life here in Canada. pray that you would give them the needed ability to be able to integrate with the local community. We pray also heavenly father for brother Sam Paul and the need for a long-term care for him. remember sister Shant. Thank you heavenly father for enabling us to see

21:46 her last Sunday and we pray for her as she too has many physical challenges and on top of that she has this burden of uh of how his her husband is going to be taken care of and so we pray for your comforting hand upon them. We remember brother Aaron we thank the heavenly father that that you have kept him thus far from all sorts of of physical issues. Pray that your protecting hand be felt and seen especially in these days proceeding to the surgery on the 13. We pray for Nancy as well at this time that you would strengthen her as she uh needs help. pray that uh that

22:33 help will come at the at the at the right moment. We pray also for uh the young families here with young children especially heavenly father we pray for those couples who are challenges with their children the Roma Bobby and Vina and and their difficulties with Lydia and the need for your your your healing hand upon her and we thank the heavenly father we can see the grace that you have given to the two of them in order to bring out. We pray also for Justin and Jasmine, especially in relation to Jesse. We thank the heavenly father for for the growth and the development that you have blessed

23:19 him blessed Jesse with thus far. We pray that that you would continue to grant him the necessary growth not just physically but also spiritually. We pray also heavenly father for those many who are struggling with cancer this evening. We remember Kur, we remember Cella Kuran and and we remember Seth. We pray for uh Liz Clark there in Bethany and and the news that that the cancer is spreading and and the news that that she's losing weight and and the news that she has a family that is that can only stand by and watch. And so we pray for your comforting and for your healing hand upon that family. We pray

24:05 for Adele Baker at her age as well. And we pray for Jack as he ministers to her. We remember also Ron Hughes and Jennifer and and also we we pray for Jennifer Kerr in ter in relation to her salvation. We we remember uh the Ariso family there in Ireland and there in terms of their spiritual standing. We pray for uh uh the the Ransbury family. There are many physical needs uh that that family needs in terms of housing, in terms of day-to-day needs, but most of all, heavenly father, we pray for their spiritual need, the need to draw closer to thee. And so we commit that

24:53 family as well before we remember the ministries at West and uh commit each one before. We thank the heavenly father that you have blessed us with many who have taken lead roles in these ministries and we pray that you would continue to equip them that you would bless them for the commitment that they have taken. We pray for uh the ministries from the platform and the many um visiting speakers that we have been blessed with. We pray for Ben Thomas as he will be coming and visiting us this this Sunday. And pray that the time that we spend together in the word would be a blessing to each one of us that we may be able to carry out something from the word of God in our personal life that we may glorify thee in the doing of thy word.

25:39 We pray for the this ministry, this prayer and min and ministry meeting in and the need for more of thy people to come together to be able to plead for the for the struggles and and the difficulties of of fellow saints. We pray that you would instill in the minds of many to be present in such a meeting as this. We pray for the Sunday school. We thank the heavenly father for Daniel for all that you have blessed him with in terms of his desire in terms of his gift to be able to focus on on on being a source of strength among the children in this assembly. We remember the many Sunday school teachers that you have blessed us with. We pray your continued blessing upon them. It is not a small

26:25 task to be able to convey who you are to the little minds. And so we pray that you would equip them for the work that that they have engaged in. We pray also heavenly father for for the Sunday school for the for the aana and for the BBS. And we thank thee for David and Carol and and the commitment and the that that they have taken in serving thee for driving the distance and and being here for those of patients and taking the lead role. And we pray heavenly father for for your blessing especially on on the VBS that is to take place in a few months time. And we thank thee heavenly father that we can look back uh to the VBS from last year and and be able to

27:13 glorify thee in how you have provided for our needs how you brought the right number of children in order to for us to be effectively to effectively minister to them. We pray for the youth group and the college and career and and we once again come at Stan and Julie and and the work that they are doing and we pray that you would keep them from being discouraged. There are many things that can discourage a ministry such as that. And so we pray your strengthening hand upon them and that that the ministry would continue and that it would be a source of strength to thy people here. We pray also heavenly father for the men's Bible reading and the ladies Bible study and the coffee hour and all those who take part in in uh making sure that those

27:59 meetings take place on a timely manner and we pray your continued blessing upon each one. remember the deacons, heavenly father, and many challenges that they face on a day-to-day basis and pray that you would enable them to be uh more disciplined and that that they would uh be more effective among thy people here. We remember the elders as well and the needs among the leadership and pray that you would guide and direct each. We thank thee once again, heavenly father, for this time of prayer that you have blessed us with. and pray that you would grant us the necessary uh input from from above as we consider the many needs of this of the of the people

28:46 that are on this list. We do not know them. We do not know what are their daily struggles. Only you do. We thank you that we have been given this time to be able to come into thy presence and to simply name them knowing because we know that you know their needs far better than we. We thank you for hearing us because we prayed this