In Numbers 24 Balaam is for the third time asked by Balak to give him a blessing. But Balaam remains faithful to the Lord. This time he gives the greatest blessing of Israel than he has given before. His blessing includes the triumph of Israel over Moab, Edom and others. Balak repeats that if only Balaam would have given him a blessing he would have made Balaam rich. But Balaam says that it doesn’t matter if wealth is promised he must be faithful to the word of God.

In Numbers 24 the men of Israel defy the commandments of the Lord and have relations with the women of Moab. They begin to make sacrifices to their gods. God becomes angry commands Moses to kill the chiefs of the people and sends a plague on them. Phinehas a priest of Israel sees one of the men taking a Midianite woman into his household. He kills the man and woman. God stops the plague because of his faithfulness and blesses Phinehas and his descendants.

God sends Israel against Midian.

Acts 21 opens with Paul landing in Tyre on his way to Jerusalem. He is warned by the disciples there not to go to Jerusalem right away. Paul goes to Caesarea and meets Philip the evangelist who has four daughters who have been given the gift of prophecy.

Another prophet Agabus tells Paul that if he goes to Jerusalem he will be bound by the Jews there and will be handed over to the Gentiles. The people urge Paul not to go. But Paul says he is ready to be bound and even die for the name of Jesus. The people pray that the Lord’s will is done.

Paul and his companions arrive in Jerusalem and visit James and the elders. He tells them of all that God has done with the Gentiles. They praise God. Then they tell Paul about the lies that have been spread about him, that he is disobeying the law. They encourage him to go through a purification ritual in order to prove that he follows the law. Paul does as he is advised but the Jews continue to stir up the crowd with more lies.

They capture Paul and start a riot. The tribune arrests him and tries to find out what the charges are. There is too much shouting for him to get a clear accusation. Paul speaks to the tribune in Greek, explains who he is and asks to speak to the people. We find out what he says tomorrow.