Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

February 23
Monday


THE UNSEEN
WORLD

READ:
Numbers 22:21-31
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The Angel of the LORD
[was] standing in the
way. __Numbers 22:23
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Did you know that the microbes on just one of your hands outnumber all of the people on the earth? Or that millions of microbes could fit into the eye of a needle? These one-celled, living organisms are too small for us to see without a microscope, yet they live in the air, soil, water, and even in our bodies. We constantly interact with them, even though their world is completely beyond our senses.

The realities of the spiritual world are also often not visible to us humans, as the prophet Balaam discovered. He was trudging along the road with his two servants when his donkey "saw the Angle of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand" (Num. 22:23). To avoid the angel, the animal walked into a field, crushed Balaam's foot against a wall, and lay down with Balaam still on her back. Balaam was angry and struck the donkey. He didn't realize something supernatural was going on__ until God opened his eyes (v.31).

The Bible tells us that a spiritual world does exist, and we may sometimes encounter realities from that realm__both good and bad (Heb. 13:2 eph. 6:12). Because of this, we are encouraged to be watchful, prayerful, and prepared. Just as God rules the world we see, He also rules the unseen world.
__Jennifer Benson Schuldt

```````````````Heavenly Father, help us to be strong in You````````````````````
```````````````and in the power of your might. Open our````````````````````
````````````````eyes so that we may see the spiritual```````````````````````
`````````````````````realities You have for us.````````````````````````````
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All that is seen and unseen is under
God's sovereign power.

***************************Today's Bible Reading __ Numbers 22:21-31******************************
21 So Balaam rose in the
morning, saddled his donkey,
and went with the princes of
Moab. 22 Then God's anger
was aroused because he
went, and the Angel of the
LORD took His stand in the
way as an adversary against
him. And he was riding on
his donkey.... 23 Now the
donkey saw the Angel of the
LORD standing in the way
with His drawn sword in His
hand, and the donkey turned
aside out of the way and
went into the field. So
Balaam struck the donkey to
turn her back onto the road.

24 Then the Angel of the
LORD stood in a narrow path
between the vineyards, with
a wall on this side. 25 and when the
donkey saw the Angel of the
LORD, she pushed herself
against the wall and crushed
Balaam's foot against the
wall; so he struck her again.

26 Then the Angel of the
LORD went further, and stood
in a narrow place where there
was no way to turn either to
the right hand or to the left.

27 And when the donkey saw
the Angel of the LORD, she
lay down under Balaam; so
Balaam's anger was aroused,
and he struck the donkey
with his staff. 28 Then the
LORD opened the mouth of
the donkey, and she said to
Balaam, "What have I done
to you, that you have struck
me these three times?"

29 And Balaam said to the
donkey, "Because you have
abused me. I wish there were
a sword in my hand, for now
I would kill you!"

30 So the donkey said to
Balaam, "Am I not your
donkey on which you have
ridden, ever since I became
yours, to this day? Was I
ever disposed to do this to
you?" And he said, "No."

31 Then the LORD opened
Balaam's eyes, and he saw
the Angel of the LORD
standing in the way with His
drawn sword in his hand;
and he bowed his head and
fell flat on his face.