September 2003

HINDS’ FEET IN HIGH PLACES

Part 8

“He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,

and sets me on my high places!”

(2 Sa 22:34)

           These “high places” are not the ones first seen in Scripture when God reproves His people, “I will chastise you seven times for your sins and...I WILL DESTROY YOUR HIGH PLACES!! I will cut down your images and cast your carcasses on the carcasses of your idols; then My soul will abhor you!” (Lev 26:28,30) Nor are these the “high places” reflected in their second mention in Nu 21:28, “Fire went out from Heshbon [Heb 2809 “reckoning, imputing, accountability”]; as a Flame that went out of the dwelling place of Sihon [Heb 5511 “tempestuous, wiping away”] and devoured Ar [Heb 6144 “fortified city”] of Moab [Heb 4124 “Lot’s incestuous son”] along with all the LORDS OF THE HIGH PLACES of Arnon [Heb 769 “shouters of triumph”]!” Neither does the third mention refer to holy ground, that is, not at first, when “Balak took Balaam up to the high places of Baal” (Nu 22:41) to ask God to curse Israel! But Balak did not know that Balaam had just witnessed a unprecedented event where A DONKEY SPOKE AS A MAN! However, as extraordinary as this miracle was, an even more astounding revelation is seen in verse 22.

“God was angry...therefore
the ANGEL OF THE LORD
stood in the way as an ADVERSARY!”
Heb 7854 for adversary is used exclusively
throughout the Old Testament as “S-A-T-A-N”!

          The Angel of the Lord appeared as “SATAN” to Balaam ten times [10 = Law]! In verse 23 He stands in Balaam’s way holding a drawn sword! Eph 6:17 says, “The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God!” The donkey was given to see this “Satan” before Balaam; also the beast’s tongue was released to speak a warning to his master. But not till God opened Balaam’s understanding could he discern the Angel of the Lord and “bow his head and fall on his face” before Him! (v. 31)
           This “Satan” makes it clear that Balaam’s stubborn self-will provoked this opposition of the Lord; and it was the donkey’s resolute refusal to proceed against the Angel of the Lord in their path, that saved Balaam’s life! (v.v. 32-33) This is corroborated in Jas 4:6, “GOD RESISTS THE PROUD; BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE!”
           God foreordains the way each man must walk in this life, and if they stray too far from their appointed path, Divine Justice arrests their steps, even if it means sending an “ass” to bar their way and save their lives! At such times it may be said that we “entertain angels unaware!” (Heb 13:2) We should note that God did not forbid Balaam to go to the “high places” of Baal where ungodly activities had taken place; rather He sent him with clear directions for purifying that unholy mount! Nu 23:1 says, “Balaam told Balak, Build seven altars here for me; then prepare me seven oxen and seven rams.” The number 7 represents perfection, and this perfect natural offering prepared the way for His Holy Presence to meet with Balaam and speak a parable in his mouth to give Balak. And that Word of the Lord was “How shall I curse what God has not cursed?” ((v.8) Now, this was an unacceptable word to Balak, so he sent Balaam again and again back up the mount to hear the word he was waiting to hear. [Isn’t that just like human nature? Man asks God for a Word, but if the Word of God is not what man wants to hear, he pesters God with repeated appeals for a more palatable Word.] But God’s sovereign Will cannot be changed by any number of pleas from man, and we all must learn this hard truth! Israel was forever questioning and murmuring against God’s Law which is why He had to warn them, “I will chastise you seven times for your sins!”
            This brings us to the fourth mention of “high places” that is also in the book of Numbers. This time the Lord spoke to His people through Moses, “When you have passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you, and destroy all their pictures and molten images; and completely *pluck down all their high places! [*Heb 8045 “To desolate, demolish, destroy, overthrow, make to perish, bring to nought.”] And then you shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess! You shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance to your families- giving a greater inheritance to the larger tribes, and a lesser inheritance to the fewer in number. Every man's inheritance will be in that place where his lot falls; for each of you will inherit according to the tribes of your fathers. But if you will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those of them which you let remain, shall become pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall vex you in the land wherein you dwell. Furthermore, it shall come to pass, that I will do to you all I had purposed to do to them!!”
           God warns all His people with strong words that ALL pictures and images and strongholds that are established in the “high places” of our carnal minds shall be pulled down and destroyed! All thoughts that opposes the Mind of God will be exposed and expunged! Jesus told His disciples, “Cast down all imaginations and EVERY HIGH THING THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD! And after you bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and your obedience is fulfilled, be ready to revenge all disobedience everywhere! Do you look at things according to their outward appearance? Whoever fully trusts his life to Christ must rethink this and realize that just as surely as he belongs to Christ, so also do we!” (2 Co 10:5-7)

[TO BE CONTINUED]