Both the Torah and other biblical books often emphasize the immutability of God's will and God's decrees. Meanwhile, situations involving specific people and circumstances can change very quickly. Sometimes it may appear that...
Both the Torah and other biblical books often emphasize the immutability of God's will and God's decrees. Meanwhile, situations involving specific people and circumstances can change very quickly. Sometimes it may appear that God simply lets things run their own course, allowing events to develop with almost no control.
More than that, it often happens that God does not prevent even those who directly oppose Him and, as far as possible, work against the fulfillment of His plans from acting. In fact, this state of affairs is connected with the freedom that God gives to man. A person can use his freedom even against God. And God does not prevent him from doing so. Quite often He allows human self-will to unfold to the end. And then it turns out that after doing everything he wanted and planned, a person suddenly receives a result quite different from the one he counted on.
Even the story of the Messiah turned out this way: those who crucified Christ were sure that by killing Him they would rid themselves of the One they hated. And they did what they wanted. But it all turned out not as those people thought, but as God had designed. And the point is not some special cunning of God or any particular cleverness of His. The point is simply that God and His opponents act in different worlds, in different dimensions of one and the same reality.
God acts in the great world He created, while His opponents act in their own small little world, separated from the great world of God. In their little world they can, of course, quite easily win. But in the great world of God, victory will always belong to God. For it is His world, and in His world His plan will always have priority. Therefore His word is always fulfilled and His will is carried out, as soon as the small world, isolated from the great one, again becomes part of that from which the will opposing God had separated it.
23 Balaam's first attempt to curse Israel, turned into a blessing, Num 23:1-10.
His second attempt with like success, Num 23:11-24.
The preparation for a third attempt, Num 23:25-30.
23:19 That he should lie - Break his promises made to his people for their preservation and benediction. Repent - Change his counsels or purposes; unless he see iniquity in Jacob.