And he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
          the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, 
 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
          and knows the knowledge of the Most High,
     who sees the vision of the Almighty,
          falling down with his eyes uncovered:
 I see him, but not now;
          I behold him, but not near:
     a star shall come out of Jacob,
          and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel;
     it shall crush the forehead of Moab
          and break down all the sons of Sheth.
 Edom shall be dispossessed;
          Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly.
 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion
          and destroy the survivors of cities!”
– Numbers 24:15-19 (ESV)

The Israelites are finally emerging from the wilderness. They had some military success to the east of the Jordan River, defeating Sihon and Og. But they were quickly punished for complaining with a plague of snakes. What an intense time to be a part of the people of God! God does a miracle of healing for the people with the Bronze Serpent being lifted up (another prophecy of Jesus – but not for now!). They then face the king of Moab. He is afraid of the Israelites. So, he hires a prophet, Balaam, to curse them. In an almost comical series of events, Balaam, the one with the talking donkey, cannot curse God’s people. He can only bless them. The king of Moab is none too impressed that his hired help is working for the other side, but Balaam can’t do anything about it. Every time he opens his mouth to curse, out come blessings!

The content of Balaam’s prophetic declaration talks of a star and a sceptre coming up and out of God’s people. These images suggest someone important, a ruler or leader, who would emerge to overcome those who sought to destroy God’s people, and so God’s plans. Echoing God’s promise in Genesis 3, a coming star and ruler will crush the heads of those who oppose Him. It’s important to remember that, since Genesis 12, God’s people are participants in a covenant with God, where they are to be God’s agents of blessing to the world, and a demonstration of His character. Anyone standing against God’s covenant to bless the world was taking on God Himself.

The ultimate fulfilment of God’s covenant with His people was Jesus. He came to rule and reign over the world. In His first coming, we see a star. At His second coming (spoilers from Revelation), prophecies declare He’ll come with a sceptre. He’s fulfilled the first one, so we can be confident in the second!

How does a coming ruler bring us encouragement at Christmas time? The world is in turmoil. There is political upheaval in democracies. There are wars and conflicts between economic Davids and Goliaths. There is systemic injustice and evil. It seems there is no hope or relief. Yet, in the very mouth of someone hired to spread conflict and fear, we hear a prophetic promise. It foretells of one who would be the ultimate ruler, who would deal with injustice and evil. It brings such comfort right now to the unrest of our time. Yet, as I reflect, wars and injustice are nothing new. They have been the constant for thousands of years. How much comfort have these words brought throughout those years? What would it look like to trust that God sees all, knows all, and will work in the midst of the chaos of our time to bring about His kingdom’s rule and reign?

A prayer: “Lord, thank You that You came in peace to reconcile humans to Yourself. Thank You that You’ll come again to take Your rightful place as King. Bring the reign of Your kingdom to all people in all places. Your kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit! (Romans 14:17). Thank You that You are trustworthy and true, and that we can place our hope in You to overcome the evil of this world. Amen.”

What if you let Jesus’ rule start to impact your life now, not just when He returns? How can His example of love, peace, and restoration guide you to be kind and reconcile with those around you? You could reach out to someone you know who is struggling with hopelessness and remind them of the peace and justice that Jesus brings. Are there areas in your life where you can actively participate in God’s kingdom work—whether through generosity, prayer, or standing against injustice? Let the hope of Christ’s return shape your actions today.

Christ is King now, and will return to be King over all people: every tribe, nation and tongue. What an opportunity we have now to live in that kingdom, and invite as many people as we can to experience it while we await Jesus’ return.