Numbers 24:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Your dwellings are admirable, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel, resemble sturdy oak trees, lush gardens by rivers, and the shrubs that the Lord Himself has planted, akin to majestic cedars beside the waters. These phrases are recorded in the Book of Numbers by Moses, yet they were proclaimed by Balaam, who, despite his prophetic gifts, faltered before the end of his days. Nevertheless, I have not shied away from utilizing the sincere words spoken by Balaam in the text of the true Prophet, as they reflect a time when he remained steadfast in faith, not swayed by the allure of wealth and power from the heathen king. At that moment, he prophesied about Christ and His atoning death and glorious resurrection, as evidenced in the following verses: ‘He lay down like a lion; who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you’ (Num. 24:9). Balaam stood atop the heights of Phogor, gazing upon the encampment of the Israelites at the conclusion of their forty-year journey through the wilderness, proclaiming: ‘Your dwellings are excellent, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel!’ It is astounding that after such a perilous and lengthy journey, the encampments of the Israelites could be perceived as radiant as those captured in the seer’s words. What did he witness? What did he express? I have noted earlier that through the metaphor of the slumbering lion, the king of beasts, Balaam recognized Christ, the Sovereign of heaven and earth, the Son of God, who lay in the slumber of death and could only be raised by His own divine authority. Therefore, this vision compelled him to exclaim, ‘Blessed are those who bless you,’ which rightly pertains to Christ, the sole Source of grace for all who honor Him through faith. With this understanding, we might discern that even within the visible representation of the Israelite camp, the seer glimpsed with his spirit the Church of God and of Christ; thus, it is no surprise that he articulates its beauty with admiration. What a magnificent ‘house’ it is! It is unsurprising, for God abides within it. The Church is also like a ‘bush,’ signifying its transient state: ‘for we do not have here a lasting city, but we seek the one to come, which is in heaven’ (Hebrews 13:14). It resembles a ‘radiant oak tree,’ as it is constantly overshadowed by God’s grace. It is akin to a ‘garden’ near a river, nourished perpetually by the living water of the Holy Spirit and the teachings of Christ, growing spiritually and yielding the fruits of righteousness. It stands ‘like the tents which the Lord has established,’ firm and indestructible as His handiwork: indeed, the Lord Himself declared, ‘I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it’ (Matt. 16:18). ‘Like cedars by the waters’ (Num. 24:6), always green and flourishing: thus, it never loses the life gifted to it by the inexhaustible seed of the Word of God, continually sustained by the Holy Spirit; ultimately, it constantly ascends toward heaven, seeking unification with its Head, Christ, to become fully heavenly. Should anyone suggest that the inspiring words of the seer pertain merely to the tabernacle within the Israelite camp, this does not contradict our interpretation; for the tabernacle can also serve as a reflection through which the Church may be contemplated. The grandeur of the Church’s spiritual beauty evokes my thoughts of the present-day splendor of this temple, renewed by the diligence of the children of the new Israel who cherish it, echoing the diligent efforts that erect and adorn it visibly, as well as the works of grace that bestow upon it an invisible, profound beauty, rendering it a mysterious dwelling of God. May that ancient seer join us here; or if he desires a wider perspective, let him, instead of the impure height of Phogor, ascend the blessed elevation of the Kremlin, and behold the numerous temples, ancient and new, preserved in splendor or restored with the same ancient diligence: truly, I believe he would be moved anew, exclaiming once again, ‘Your dwellings are admirable, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel!’ Blessed be God, who does not abandon His people through the abundant presence of His grace! Blessed are God’s people, who do not forsake Him through their faith and yearning for His grace! Extend Your mercy to those who lead us, O Lord; may our sins and unfaithfulness never separate You from us, but rather, may Your grace, which we seek in Your holy places, fill our hearts with its strength and comfort, driving away all that opposes You, and building us up ‘into a habitation for God through the Spirit’ (Eph. 2:22). For the encouragement of faith, I find it fitting to present, brethren, a few affirming testimonies from the Word of God regarding the enduring grace of God within the Church of Christ, from its inception until the end of the age. The first testament comes from Jesus Christ Himself, ‘the faithful and true witness’ (Rev. 3:14), who proclaimed, ‘I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it’ (Matt. 16:18). ‘I will build’ implies the intention to establish the Church before it becomes a reality. The Lord, in His divine incomprehensibility, often likens His glorious works to ordinary human endeavors, and here He compares Himself to a builder or architect contemplating the construction of a house. Among other considerations, He must ensure the building's strength and forewarn potential threats. Thus, the Church’s Founder gazes into the future, recognizing that the gates of hell, opened by Adam’s transgression, will unleash new forces of evil against the nascent Church during and after its inception: waves of persecutors, clusters of heretics, and various temptations. What if the foundation suffers such detriment that its purpose is thwarted, and the glory of the Divine Creator is not upheld? Yet glory be to Him forever! He foresees and devises perfectly: ‘I will build,’ He asserts, ‘My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’ Her adversaries may rise against her; they may manifest strong opposition at times, tearing at her faithful; she will endure affliction, but resolutely ‘they shall not prevail against her.’ For how long? Certainly, until the end of the age. For if they could ever succeed, He who sees all of time could not affirm decisively that ‘they shall not prevail.’ But through what means does the Church attain victory and remain invincible? Undoubtedly, by the power of God, by the grace of God. Therefore, if the forces of hell cannot overcome her, it signifies that the power and grace of God will always be present within her, continually effecting salvation. The second affirmation of this truth can be derived from the Revelation of St. John the Theologian, which prophetically outlines the Church of Christ’s fate until the end of the age. In this Revelation, we witness the true Church represented first by twenty-four elders surrounding the Divine throne (Rev. 4), worshipping ‘Him who lives forever and ever’ (Rev. 4:9); subsequently, perhaps as Christianity expands, as one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed with the seal of the living God; then ‘in the multitude that no one can number, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb’ (Rev. 7:9); further, as a temple with an altar and worshippers that John is instructed to measure (11); also, as a woman ‘clothed with the sun,’ adorned with the light and virtue of Jesus Christ, ‘the light of the world’ (Jn. 8:12), crowned with stars symbolizing the divine knowledge of the Apostles, with the moon under her feet representing human wisdom (12); and before the marriage of the Lamb, she is depicted as ‘His bride,’ adorned in the righteousness of the saints (19); culminating with a depiction of her as ‘the holy city’ after the first resurrection as ‘the beloved city’ (Rev. 20:8), and finally, renewed into ‘the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven’ (Rev. 21:2). Notably, the visionary, amidst the most perilous times for the Church, portrays her as miraculously preserved from harm. For instance, the serpent ‘persecuted the woman’ but could not capture or destroy her; instead, ‘she was given two wings of a great eagle, so she could fly away into the wilderness’ (Rev. 12:14). God’s providence orchestrates circumstances such that earthly events favor the Church’s peace and safety; thus, ‘the two wings of the great eagle perhaps representing royalty, carry her respectfully above all malice and evil into the wilderness, her haven’ (Rev. 12:14), not merely a physical desert, but an increasingly internal ‘desert’—growing further from the world and closer to God; for the Church’s ‘true place’ is nearness to God and communion with Him. This signifies that divine grace is inexhaustible and ever-present ‘in Christ,’ enduring even in the perilous times faced by the Church, remaining inseparably with her until the end of the age. A third testimony to this enduring truth is found in these words from the Holy Apostle Paul: ‘And He, that is, Christ, provided the Apostles, the Prophets, the Evangelists, the Pastors, and Teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ’ (Eph. 4:11-13). To fully grasp the power of this proclamation, let us envision asking the Apostle: how long will there be in the Church ‘Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the saints and for the work of ministry’? He would respond, ‘until we all achieve the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, reaching perfect maturity, to the measure of the fullness of Christ.’ Thus, as long as there remain those on earth who have yet to attain the unity of faith and the fullness of spiritual maturity—those still in need of the knowledge of the Son of God—there will also be Pastors and Teachers within the Church for the edification of the Saints; and since this fulfillment cannot occur without the all-holy grace of God, it is assured by the Apostle that it will consistently accompany the Pastors and Teachers in the Church, until it brings all the chosen to salvation. Another affirmation of the unceasing presence of grace in the Church is highlighted when the Apostle urges the Corinthian believers to approach the sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood with reverence, stating: ‘For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes’ (1 Cor. 11:26). Herein lies an important truth encapsulated in the little word ‘until.’ To comprehend it more clearly, consider the Apostle’s words in response to the question: How long will Christians partake of the sacramental bread and cup of the Lord, proclaiming His death? According to the Apostle, the answer is: ‘until He comes.’ This indicates that the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ will be inviolably administered in the true Church until the Second Coming of Christ, or, in other words, until the end of the age. Recognizing that this cannot occur without the sacred grace of the priesthood, it becomes evident that both the mystery of grace and the order of the priesthood will endure constantly within the Church, flowing forth even to the bounds of the kingdom of glory. These affirmations assure us, brothers, even in these latter days of the Church, as in the earliest days, I can confidently utter the words of the Holy Apostle Peter: ‘Beloved, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ’ (1 Pet. 1:13). Pay no mind to those who disparage the Church, claiming that grace has been exhausted within it, or suggesting that the priesthood has dwindled or collapsed. To those estranged from the Hierarchy, ask: if the root withers, how can new branches flourish? If they assert, unfoundedly, that the grace of the Hierarchy has perished, how can the grace of the priesthood endure, which is akin to a branch without a root?

In the future, he perceives the splendor of Israel's abodes, likening them to the refreshing valleys, the shaded gardens by the rivers, the aromatic scarlet trees planted by the Lord Himself, and the grand cedars near the waters. This joyful ode to the beauty of the dwellings of Israel can, at its most immediate level, reference the loveliness and richness of the promised land, which flowed with milk and honey. However, the prophet's vision reached far beyond this, capturing the spiritual allure of the gracious kingdom or church of Christ, which is symbolically depicted in the Scriptures through images such as the Lord's helicopters, as suggested in the Savior's parable. Consequently, this passage from Balaam’s parables is embraced in the Orthodox Church as suitable readings leading up to the Nativity of Christ.

As the oaks provide shade, the analogy drawn between Israel's tabernacles and towering oak trees signifies that God's people, amid the surrounding pagan world, embody a refreshing vision akin to an oasis in a desert of sand and stone, adorned with lush woods. The traveler fortunate enough to find this oasis experiences coolness, rejuvenation, and tranquility. Each member of the chosen community shares in this blessedness, where they discover all that is necessary to meet their spiritual and physical needs under God's gracious provision. Among this same community lies the promise of divine blessing for all nations, as from within it will spring forth a branch from the root of Jesse, casting its shadow over the earth and offering rest to all who toil and bear burdens.