Three Unsheathed Swords

 •  20 min. read  •  grade level: 6
Listen from:
• BibleTruthPublishers.com
No Curse. But Blessing
The account of the first of the unsheathed swords is found in the twenty-second chapter of Numbers, verses 1-6 and 21-32:
"And the children of Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me. Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed."
"And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again. And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now I would kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam. Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. Then the LORD
opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore has thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me."
This sword should give our hearts comfort. Here we find a people whom God had selected, chosen (reminding us of adoption in Eph. 1): not chosen because they were better than other people, but God loved them and desired that they should inherit a land according to His own heart of blessing for them. Now in this portion He is leading them through the wilderness, and is a Guard for them. Does that not have comfort for our hearts, knowing there is a sword drawn to preserve us through the wilderness? Perhaps we have become discouraged, and feel the way is too rough. But, never mind. Do you know what God made Balaam do, the one who was going to curse His people? God made hin pronounce a blessing upon them. In fact, the prophecy of Balaam is a marvelous link in prophetic truth, showing the ultimate for God's people. God makes the wrath of man to praise Him; the rest of the wrath He restrains. Are we trusting in Him today, or are we occupied with circumstances and getting under them?
No! Here we have our guard, who took His people all the way to the land of Caanaan. And more, in a coming day will take them and their children into the land-He is going to fulfill all the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He will have them settled in their own land.
Brethren, perhaps tonight we will hear the shout and every one of His people will be taken home-no hoof be left behind. Is this any comfort, that the sword of the Lord is drawn in our favor, protecting and keeping us all the way until He has us home? Shame on our hearts to be turned aside by this and that; to be discouraged. The sword is drawn, and God will not allow anything to interfere with those who are walking in communion with Him.
"And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; butthey did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What sayeth my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so."
On the fourteenth day, the Passover was kept, speaking of that which God sees in the precious blood of Christ when He passes over all His people who are sheltered under it. All of God's people are sheltered under it-every one. After the Passover, the unleavened bread and the parched corn were eaten, a change from the manna. They also speak of Christ, but Christ now glorified, the proper portion for the believer to enjoy.
As we feed on Christ, risen and glorified, we are already eating the precious fruit of the land-enjoying Him before we reach the land. We are also occupied with Him as our Passover, sacrificed for us; providing full satisfaction to God in shedding His precious blood so that God could pass over His people. Then, in eating the unleavened bread, the heart is engaged with One in all His perfection, who never sinned, nor could sin-the one corn of wheat which fell into the ground and died, for He would not abide alone.
As the Guide and Captain of the host, the Lord would lead His people into the good land. With a drawn sword in His hand, He would make them conscious of the place in which they are-the ground upon which they stand-holy. "Holiness becometh thy house," and there is no communion outside practical holiness. Surely the work of Christ has brought us into that perfection, into His presence; and as long as we are in this world we are reminded of the sword, and of the holiness of the place in which we stand.
When, by faith, we eat the old corn of the land, we find there are enemies in possession in the heavenlies, wicked spirits which would rob us of the joy of our inheritance. The sword in the Captain's hand will drive out the enemies, and He will lead the way to that place flowing with milk and honey without scarceness, So there is now a Man on high in the glory leading us in-our Guide.
"Now what is this all about?"
Jericho was just ahead; an impregnable city, with absolutely solid walls which were impossible to pass through. Is God able for all the walls of Jericho? We find that He is.
Is it not nice that God has given us these illustrations to encourage our hearts? If we are looking to Him, there will be a man standing there with an unsheathed sword. He is going to see to it that Jericho becomes just a pile of rubbish. That is the Man with the unsheathed sword in His hand. He may not remove Jericho immediately as He did here, but He is going to remove it when the work is done in our souls.
Never does the Lord allow anything in our lives without a purpose in it. Are our problems impossible? God, and only God, is the One to whom we go.
Joshua fell on his face and worshipped. Balaam fell on his face too; he did not worship, but had to confess, "I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh." There is a day coming when every eye shall see the blessed face of the Savior; some for the last time, to their everlasting destruction. The sin of Balaam was to teach Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel.
Joshua worshipped. So we enter that good land each Lord's Day in enjoyment together with the people of God assembled; we worship. Oh, what a place! If we look back to the time when we did not know Christ, we can realize in a small measure how far the grace of God has brought us-from separation from God in our sins to the privilege of worshippers. The Word of God says, "The place is holy." Does that puff us up, or does it humble us?
It is a wonderful experience to have a Guard as we go through the wilderness; to know that the One who has taken us up will bear us all the way home, and that we have a Captain to lead us in. We will not go in as strangers-our Captain, our forerunner, who has already entered (Heb. 6:2020Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 6:20)), is leading us.
The Sword and The Peace Offering In 1 Chron. 21;1-6, we read of the third drawn sword; the number three suggesting the completion of a work which God has undertaken here in this world, including the work in the soul which He will perform until the day of Jesus Christ. Now we have come to the place where Israel needs an advocate.
"And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel fom Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. And Joab answered, The LORD make His people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my Lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? Nevertheless the Icing's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew the sword; and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew the sword. But Levi and Benjamin he counted not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab."
What a company that drew the sword in Israel! Never before so many on a battlefield at once in Israel's history-1,570,000 men at David's command! David was now a man of strength. The Moabites, Ammonites, Philistines and Syrians were tributary. David was a man about to build the house of God. On an earlier occasion God had drawn him aside, and David had sat down before the Lord. God was to establish his house forever; He told David this before David's sad experience of sinning-that his house would be established forever. What grace of our God! Before Peter's denial of the Lord, the Lord said to him, "Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." Also, the Lord said, "I appoint unto you a kingdom..." God's purpose is one thing, and His government is another. Just as sure as God has purposed, He will fulfill it, cost what it may. His government goes on until it is completed.
"And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
"And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me now fall into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man." (Verse 13.) It is a wonderful thing to be able to sit in the presence of the Lord and learn something of the heart of Christ Jesus, who will never let one tear fall unnecessarily. Are you willing to place yourself in the hands of the Lord, under His government?
Why did David take the sword of the Lord? He said, "Oh, I do not want to be in the hands of man." Also, "I know the Lord is merciful." He knew the heart of Christ, as he expressed it in the third Psalm. When everyone was telling him, as he ran from the hands of Absalom, "No use of your going to the Lord. Look what you've done." He had brought it all upon himself when he married a Syrian woman, and she bore Absalom. God told His people not to marry among the enemy.
Oh, dear young people, be careful that you don't put yourself in the place of David-running from his own son. He did not raise his sword against his own son; no, he had to run.
How real the government of God is,; and how precious the heart of Christ! In the third Psalm (read it), we find that David cries out, "Lord," in the very first verse. All the time, as he passed through that government of God, as the wheels of government rolled, he was enjoying the sympathies of Christ and communion with Him.
"So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, 0 LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued." (Verses 14- 17.)
Dear ones, have you seen any advancement in these three cases? In the first, we saw Balaam falling flat on his face. But in the subsequent history all was wickedness; then he was slain in battle-awful end of Balaam, having seen all the blessing come upon God's people, yet his end was judgment. But, what about Joshua? He fell on his face in worship. This third case is different. David was under the government of God. Remember that even though we bring it upon ourselves, in every experience, through grace, we are richer, if faith is in evidence. So we have something richer here-something deeper.
David and the elders of Israel had clothed themselves in sackcloth; which means black goat's hair. The king of Nineveh was also clothed in sackcloth, as were his people and all of the animals. This is why God spared His people. Sackcloth indicates not only mourning, but owning the hand of God. David was owning it for all Israel. He owned God's hand upon him, as all were clothed in sackcloth and fell upon their faces.
Suppose the sword has now been applied to yourself individually; to your house; to your assembly. That is what we have here. The principle is true for an individual, a house, an assembly, a nation. Here we have the divine order for restoration, for blessing. We live in a troubled day in the world, and among the saints. Do we have an order for restoration-for blessing?
The Scripture says that God is not satisfied with dealing with evil, but He is satisfied and happy with restoration. That is the end of the whole purpose of the sword in the passage we are considering. We see David and the elders of Israel. In Matt. 12, it was the elders of Israel who conspired to put Jesus to death. In Joel 2, the elders wept between the porch and the altar when the northern army was removed. In Ezekiel, it was the elders who came to the prophet when the question of restoration came up. David and the elders were clothed in sackcloth and fell on their faces-down in the dust.
If I, my household, assembly or nation should sin, the place is in the dust before there will be any restoration. We might think, "Yes, that brother should get into the dust." You and I will have to get into the dust ourselves, brethren.
In 2 Sam. 21, we see Rizpah, who was not even guilty of having any part in the evil or famine in Israel (as far as we know), and her sons, who were hung on a tree, were not guilty. Yet Rizpah, who lost these sons, took sackcloth and spread it upon a rock for her. And, what happened? God restored blessing to Israel because she reminded David of his responsibility. (See passage.)
How the Spirit of God can use one brother or sister, who is in a right state of soul, to restore an assembly; but one who is in the wrong state of soul can ruin it!
"And David said to God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, 0 LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued."
The beginning of blessing is found in the words, "Is it not I?" It is beautiful when those who take the lead own it, showing the spirit of Christ. I am sure that David is a type of Christ, although in this case he is the offender instead. Even though the trouble was because of the state of Israel, all of God's people, David takes the whole blame in grace, marvelous grace. "Even I... as for these sheep, what have they done?" How marvelous if we can in any way manifest Christ. What a challenge for the heart when there is trouble, if we can manifest the spirit of Christ.
In the next few chapters we see Solomon taking the throne, which is glory. And, brethren, we are on the verge of the glory. That is the time Satan wants to crush everything and take the joy out of the hearts of God's people.
"Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Onan the Jebusite.
There must be confession of sin and failure. Confession, for there will not be any blessing unless God comes in in His sovereignty. Everything in the past had to be judged. Now David is going through the prescribed order-the altar, at Oman's threshingfloor.
"And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him by fire upon the altar of burnt offering."
Oman had suggested that David offer a burnt offering and a meat offering. But instead he offers a burnt offering and a peace offering. It is precious how much light the Spirit of God gives when He begins to restore the soul. Was David afraid of the Lord? He certainly was; but he benefits by this experience, and begins to rise in his soul back to his original place. The peace offering is precious. Now he has come to the place of liberty, alongside the burnt offering.
The burnt offering speaks of the excellencies of Christ, known to the Father, which you and I will never enter into. It also brings us into the blessings and enjoyment of it. Peace and rest of heart give us liberty, and that is the end of the path of restoration-liberty and peace.
"And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof."
After the fire came down from heaven and God owned it, then the sword was put into its sheath. Blessing was restored. In the next chapter he began to build the house of the Lord where the altar had been set up, on the threshingfloor as God had commanded, and where He had sent the blessing.
Courtesy of BibleTruthPublishers.com. Most likely this text has not been proofread. Any suggestions for spelling or punctuation corrections would be warmly received. Please email them to: BTPmail@bibletruthpublishers.com.