“Where a pure river of life flows” by L. Michael Morales

“Closing Numbers with the vision of Israel in the land, with each tribe’s inheritance divinely bounded and secured for all generations, recalls the splendorous third vision of Balaam, who, when he saw ‘Israel dwelling according to his tribes’, was overwhelmed by the Spirit of God to erupt with praise— the paradisal dwelling places of Israel, with their palm groves and riverside gardens, were a foretaste of Israel’s life in the land (24:1–6):

“When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, and he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters.” (Numbers 24:1-6)

The vision points God’s people to life in a new creation, lived before the face of God and the Lamb, where a pure river of life flows, feeding a tree of life that bears twelve kinds of fruits, twelve months of the year, and whose leaves are for the healing of the nations— when God’s people, adorned as a Bride for her Husband, will feast at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 21–22).

Uncover my eyes, that I may observe wonders out of your Torah,
And we will praise you, YHWH God of hosts,
To Whom be glory and eternal dominion!”

–L. Michael Morales, Numbers 20-36, ed. David W. Baker and Beth M. Stovell, vol. 4b, Apollos Old Testament Commentary (London: Apollos, 2024), 4b: 496. Morales is commenting on Numbers 36.