The setting is recorded in chapter 22:1-7. Israel has now come to the entrance of Canaan for the 2nd time now as they were not allowed to enter in the 1st time because of their unbelief. This is about 1500 year B.C. and 500 years before king David. Balak sees that God has blessed His people and summons Balaam a sorcerer to speak against the people of God and to curse them. Balaam is willing to go through the motions being paid to curse them......BUT God puts the words into Balaam's mount each and every time he tries to curse God's people.

Contrary to situation: The history here is not a very pretty one as an entire generation had to perish and die and were not able to enter "the Promise land" because of their unbelief. There were 40 years of funeral services. Rest assured Moses was preaching about the unbelief of this older generation to the people! Though an entire new generation of people, they began to amalgamate with the other nations around them.....a miserable lot we would say reading this record. The Lord however also exposes our sinfulness often times. We are full of iniquity and perverseness also however. We are no better than Israel of old often times. When Balaam looked at Israel he saw that Israel was sinful. A people that were suppose to be holy before God, yet living in and with sin. So it is with the church of Christ. They are a sinful lot...worthy of the curse even! But Balaam could not curse them even as the Lord did not see iniquity and did not behold perverseness in them as HIS people. He does see and He does know us and the inmost recesses of our hearts but God still says "I do not see them." It is not an ocular problem with God at all, but He rather sees us as covered....a people He has covered in the blood of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! God saw the same miserable lot that Balak did, but it IS God who justifies! "Thou shalt not curse this people cause they are blest!"

Wholly by His grace! God did this all by His elective grace! A people who should be cursed, cast out but who are a people REDEEMED and the people with the shout of a KING who has laid down His very life for them and for us!