Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20020804.htm

JESUS CHRIST IN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY
Part III: Christ's Predicted Rule By Jacob And Victory Over Paganism
(Numbers 24:17, 19 with Matthew 2:1-12)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

When we Christians view the dramatic growth of paganism and pagan witchcraft in Western Civilizations, it is easy to become discouraged:

(1) A church member recently shared with me a news report concern the Archbishop of Canterbury's involvement in an ancient pagan Druid ceremony at Stonehenge. Apparently assuming the ceremony was merely an initiation into an artist's and musician's guild with no apparent ties to the ancient Druid religion, this leader of the Church of England unashamedly participated in the ceremony.

The believer who gave this information to me expressed his sorrow at the demise of Western Civilization in the face of paganism. He was appalled that the head of the Church of England would so think nothing of identifying so publicly with the trappings of old paganism!

(2) The Supreme Court's Roe vs. Wade decision in 1972 that legalized abortion on demand was set specifically on pagan beliefs: Justice Harry Blackman, author of the 64-page document explaining the court's decision, noted two main sources opposed to abortion: the oath of Hippocrates (that medical doctors used to quote) and Christianity. Yet, since "ancient religions did not bar abortion,'" and since the Christian view was barred from the court's consideration due to "separation of Church and state," the Court ignored the Hippocratic oath and "omitted two thousand years of Judeo-Christian influence and reached back into paganism to find a basis for its moral judgment." (The Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation, The Rebirth of America, p. 86).

However, as late as 1986, over the head of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court were the Ten Commandments with the great American eagle protecting them, and Moses was included among the great lawgivers in Herman A. MacNeil's marble sculpture group on the east front. The crier who would open each session would also close it with the words, "God save the United States and the Honorable Court.'" (Ibid., p. 68)

The drift from Christian to pagan views in the highest court of the land is apparent, and can discourage the believer in Christ.

Is there any ENCOURAGEMENT about God's victory over pagan witchcraft and evil Satanism that we can use today?

(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "It is tempting as a believer in Christ to be disheartened at the expansion of paganism and witchcraft in Western Civilizations. I need encouragement God will WIN out over such an evil entity!"
  1. Jesus explained to the disciples on the road to Emmaus how He fulfilled Old Testament Messianic prophecies, Luke 24:25-27.
  2. As these men were edified by Christ's exposition of those passages (Luke 24:32), we also view them, following the list of prophecies named in the Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, s. v. "Messianic Prophecies."
  3. The prophecy of Christ's being a STAR to SIGNIFY His RULE as KING in the CONTEXT of Numbers 24:17, 19 reveals His ultimate CONQUEST of PAGANISM and WITCHCRAFT (as follows):
    1. The message of the prophecy of Numbers 24:17, 19 reveals Christ's predicted arrival as king through Jacob's line would give conquest of Israel over her oppressive national opponents in Moab and Edom.
    2. However, that conquest involves a GREATER WAR between God and Satan relative to Israel's history (as follows):
      1. God and Satan were in combat at the fulfillment of the Numbers 24:17, 19 prophecy in Matthew 2:1-12 (see also Rev. 12:3-5, 9):
        1. Balaam's prophecy of a "star" picturing the "scepter" of a king in Israel was fulfilled at Christ's birth where a star appeared to attract magi from the East to the "king of the Jews," Matt. 2:1-2.
        2. Yet, wicked king Herod tried to use the magi to lead him to this "king of the Jews" so he could kill Christ, Matt. 2:7-8, 16, and we know from Revelation 12:3-5, 9 that Satan was the one motivating Herod to commit this murder attempt!
        3. However, as Revelation 12:5 shows, God protected the infant Jesus, and Mtt. 2:12-23 shows how He did it in using dreams and angelic messenger to guide the magi and Joseph to do so.
      2. This Numbers 24 event was just one episode in a WAR between God and Satan regarding Israel's welfare down through history specifically relative to pagan witchcraft, cf. Genesis 11 -12:
        1. At the tower of Babel, the world's peoples sought to live totally independent of God by rallying around a conceited, self-help form of paganism centered in a ziggurat with its top a pagan temple possibly including a zodiac of the stars, cf. Genesis 11:4; "Babel," Creation Ex Nihilo, June-Aug., 2002, p. 31-32.
        2. However, God divided their single language into multiple languages to retard the development of this paganism (Gen. 11:6-8), and then began the nation Israel using Abraham to establish a godly kingdom in CONTRAST to such pagan witchcraft and rebellious, Satanic evil (Genesis 12:1-3).
      3. Indeed, the very CONTEXT in which the Numbers 24 prophecy was GIVEN reveals an intense conflict between God and Satan:
        1. The Numbers 24:17, 19 prophecy was given 430 years after God had begun to build the nation Israel through Abraham (Gal. 3:17), and as Israel stood poised to enter the Promised Land.
        2. To hinder Israel, Satan led Moab's king Balak to hire a pagan magi, Balaam to put a witchcraft curse on Israel, Num. 22:1-6; cuneiform tablets discovered in 1933 at Mari of the Euphrates Valley verify the existence of such a pagan cult to which Balaam belonged, cf. Bible Knowledge Com., O.T., p. 241.
        3. Thus, Balaam's oracles were couched in pagan symbolism where a star typified the birth of a king beneath the quadrant of the sky where it appeared, cf. Z.P.E.B., vol. Five, p. 512-513.
        4. So, in grace, GOD let Balaam use this pagan symbolism of the "star," but forced him to predict a blessing on Israel's future king, Christ (Num. 22:1-41). When pagan magi later found that star God in grace supplied, He led them to Jesus miraculously by moving that star, revealing they were going to the Creator's king, so they rejoiced and worshipped Jesus as God, Matt. 2:9ff.
      4. Then, Balaam's prophecy predicted CHRIST would conquer Moab and Edom, nations Satan would try to use to destroy Israel versus God's plan begun at Genesis 11-12 (Numbers 24:17, 19)!
    3. Thus, for Balaam as a pagan magi to be forced by God to predict Christ's CONQUEST as KING through Jacob's line was for GOD to foreshadow the ultimate defeat of paganism and witchcraft and even of SATAN'S forces BEHIND it all, and that in Christ's RULE!
Application: (1) For eternal life, as did the magi at Christ's birth, we must BELIEVE in Jesus Christ to receive eternal life, John 3:16. (2) Then, like the magi converts to CHRIST, we can REJOICE with GREAT JOY in our salvation, and (3) REST ASSURED God will one day defeat all pagan witchcraft!

Lesson: As NOT ONLY the PREDICTION, but even the CONTEXT of the PROPHECY about Christ's coming as KING through JACOB'S line revealed His final VICTORY over PAGAN WITCHCRAFT and SATAN who fuels it, we can be SURE Christ will CONQUER PAGANISM and WITCHCRAFT, and thus be ENCOURAGED in our devotion to Him! >

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 (1) Josh McDowell's book, A Ready Defense contains the testimony of a former anonymous Satanist who was led to faith in Christ by Leander Penner, a missionary with Greater Europe Mission.

Having gone into Satanism though originating in a Christian church, this Satanist was faced with the command of Satan's forces to commit suicide July 26, 1960 as his life was judged to be of no use.

Terrified of death, he roamed the streets of his city on July 25, 1960 desperately searching for a way to be free from his bondage.

He chanced upon a tent meeting being conducted by Leander Penner. As he spoke, the missionary happened to say, "Only Christ can break the power of Satan.'" This meant much to the Satanist, and he pushed through the crowd to ask, "Is there hope for a sinner such as I? Preacher, if what you say is true, I want deliverance. Pray for me.'"

Josh McDowell relates how through extensive prayer and witnessing, Mr. Penner that night and the next day worked with this Satanist, urging him to put his trust in Christ. When the man finally did receive Christ, he reported, "Christ's power won, and a feeling of peace flooded my soul. I knew that I could live.'"

That former Satanist later worked at a Bible conference center helping to print and distribute gospel tracts. His daily prayer, as reported by McDowell, is, "Please, Lord, let me be a blessing to someone still bound by Satan.'" (Ibid., p. 460-462)

(2) The Hebrew Bible I use was given to me by a son of a Nigerian witch doctor: he signed his name in the Bible's front with "Byang Kato" and dated it "May 20, 1972." Dr. Kato had just before received his doctorate from the Dallas Theological Seminary and had previously won the Lewis Sperry Chafer Award as the most spiritually effective Christian in the student body. So, the SAME YEAR the United States Supreme Court appealed to PAGANISM over Christianity in its Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion on demand, the son of a former PAGAN witch doctor in Nigeria bought a Hebrew Bible and signed it as his own! That signature stands as PROOF to ME that, no matter WHAT happens in our culture, GOD still conquers paganism as PAGANS look to HIM!