Let us first consider what these parables show us concerning the church. "Behold, a people that will dwell alone, /And will not reckon themselves among the nations!" (23:9b). This indicates that the church is composed of a separate people, a particular people, a people sanctified to God. The church is not mixed with the nations but stands alone. "He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob;/Nor has He seen trouble in Israel" (23:21a). This indicates that, in the sight of God, the church is perfect, having no iniquity. The church is perfect because the church is in Christ. "How fair are your tents, O Jacob,/Your dwelling places, O Israel!" (24:5). This indicates that in appearance the church is beautiful. In summary, we see in the first parable that the church has a particular standing; in the second parable, that the church is perfect in the sight of God; and in the third parable, that the appearance of the church is fair, beautiful.

Balaam's fourth parable contains a prophecy concerning Christ (24:17). A church that is sanctified, perfect, and beautiful is a church that is full of Christ. The church can be holy, perfect, and beautiful because the church has Christ. Christ is the content of the church. Christ is the constituent of the church and every part of the church. In the church as the new man Christ is all and in all (Col. 3:10-11).

The Christ prophesied in Numbers 24:17 is not an earthly Christ but a heavenly Christ. He is the Star that comes forth out of Jacob and the Scepter that arises out of Israel. Out of the church comes forth the Christ who is the Star, and this Star is the Scepter. This means that the heavenly Christ is the authority in the universe. Today Christ is our Star, but in the future He will be the Scepter, the One with universal authority.

In Balaam's prophetic parables we see not only certain aspects of Christ and the church but also many of the riches related to the church. The church "has as it were the horns of the wild ox" (23:22; 24:8). This indicates that the church is victorious. The church is also likened to a lion and a lioness (23:24; 24:9). This is a further indication that the church is victorious. Numbers 24:6 and 7 speak of "valleys that stretch afar," "gardens beside a river," and water that flows from buckets. This reveals that the church is like a garden, that the church has valleys, and that in the church there is an abundance of water.

Ephesians is a heavenly book on the church, but we do not find in Ephesians the aspects of the church presented in Balaam's parables in Numbers 23 and 24. Ephesians does not tell us that the church is a garden by a river or that in the church water flows from buckets. Moreover, Ephesians does not reveal that the church has valleys or that we in the church are lions and lionesses. In the church there are lions that can devour the enemy. Even Moab realized that God's people are like an ox that licks up the grass of the field (Num. 22:4). If we see the church as it is revealed in Numbers, we will not despise the church or look down on the church.

Seemingly Numbers is merely a book of history concerning Israel's journey in the wilderness. However, the intrinsic contents, the intrinsic constituents, of this history are nothing other than Christ and the church.

Having seen the picture of Christ and the church presented in Numbers 20—24, let us now go on to consider 25:1-18.