The book of Numbers is of course, given to "numbering" the people. They were numbered by their tribes and later smaller groups of 100. No small task. In addition to all this numbering, sacrifices as pointed out in Leviticus were still going on. Laws and rules were being given. A busy place to be sure, this "wilderness."
In the middle of all this activity we discover this verse; "...there shall come a Star out of Jacob" (Num 24.17)
I found this curious. Except to say our study is "Making much of Jesus," and we are looking for Jesus in each book of the bible. So, why would the author of this book say this?
One must understand "Jacob." Jacob was given another name in (Gen 32.28), "Israel." Jacob had twelve sons who were to be the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. The High Priese wore a breastplate of twelve stones over his tunic that represented the twelve tribes. Twelve, in numerology, is a perfect number symbolizing God's power and authority. Twelve also denotes completeness.
Then, one must examine "Star." We know in (Gen 1.16, 15.5, 22.17) the "star(s)" are many. We discover a specific Star noted in (2 Pet 1:19), the "day star." This is, of course, the sun.
Students were made aware that the brightest star in the daytime is our sun.
It was logical to point out, the brightest star, "the sun." Then, it followed to talk of the One who is brightest of all, the SON.! Being the smart kids they are, the students grasp the double meaning immediately.
To find Jesus in this verse, was not very hard if one looked at it in the following way based on the previous explanations:
"...there shall come a Star (Jesus) out of Jacob (Israel)"
And there He is!
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