I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. Balaam speaks about a future king, a figure who will come from Israel's line. Christians read Jesus into this prophecy. A star, a king, someone who will arise. Whether or not we read it that way, it's about hope. It's about the future containing something greater than the present. Even in a moment when Balak is trying to curse Israel into non-existence, Balaam speaks about Israel's triumph, Israel's future king. I think about the importance of hope in dark moments. When everything looks threatening, when enemies surround you, when you're backed into a corner, the ability to say: something greater is coming. Our future contains a king, a star, a triumph. That's not denial of the current difficulty. It's the confidence that the current difficulty isn't the end of the story.
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