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Jesus Is Coming RICHARD S. HESS, PHD EARL S. KALLAND PROFESSOR OF OLD TESTAMENT AND SEMITIC LANGUAGES t decorate our Christmas (and often manger with a star AtheChristmasthetime, wetheNumberstheand believedtreesmany Jewishourgreat kingscenes)would come shining at top of tree. In time of Jesus, followers of God looked back to words of the book of they prophesied a who forth from their midst. This ancient prophecy was first given by a Gentile wise man, Balaam. Moab's king had hired this prophet from far away to curse his enemy Israel. Instead of curses, however, something different occurred: every time Balaam began to prophesy, God caused him to bless Israel instead. "I SEE HIM, BUT NOT NOW; I BEHOLD HIM, BUT NOT NEAR. A STAR WILL COME OUT OF JACOB; A SCEPTER WILL RISE OUT OF ISRAEL." (NUM. 24:17) In his fourth and final prophecy (Numbers 24:15-24), Balaam reached a climax of praise to God and to His people. When he did, he uttered the promise of a star that would rise from God's people, coming as a warrior who would conquer their enemies and rule over the world. More than one thousand years later, several Gentile wise men would also come from far away because of a star. This time, the star in the sky would point them toward the promised one born in a manger in Bethlehem. He would come as a lowly child and suffer and die for His people's sins. But He was also the Creator of the world—and its King who would come a second time to fulfill the prophecy of Balaam. As we look forward to celebrating the miracle of the birth of God's Son, let us remember and rejoice that the star that signaled the first coming of Jesus will one day dim by comparison to His glorious return to rule the world with peace and justice. 10 DECEMBER DENVER SEMINARY CHRISTMAS 2013 15