Torah Portion Summary
Last week's parashah (i.e., parashat Chukat) recounted how Sihon, the king of Amorites, and Og, the king of Bashan, tried to prevent the Jewish people from passing through their borders to get to the Promised Land. Both kings decided to wage war against Israelites, and both were decisively defeated.
This week we find Israel encamped along the borders of Moab, east of the Jordan River, finally ready to enter the Promised Land. When Balak, the king of Moab, considered what Israel had done to the Amorites, however, he sought the aid of the neighboring Midianites and sent emissaries to hire a "seer" named Balaam to curse Israel so that they would be defeated in the forthcoming battle.
Haftarh Portion Summary
The Haftarah for Balak comes from the prophet Michah (Micah), one of the Trei Asar, or 12 prophets called by the LORD to call Israel to teshuvah. Michah speaks of She'eirit Ya'akov, the "Remnant of Jacob," a phrase that comes from the verb sha'ar, meaning to be left behind or left over. She'eirit Ya'akov thus refers to the survivors of the descendants of Jacob that have been nearly exterminated (interestingly, She'eirit Ya'akov also refers to the Mashiach, based on Bil'am's prophetic statement (Numbers 24:17) that a "star has emerged from Jacob").
Michah prophetically speaks of the acharit hayamim, when the survivors of Israel's great tribulation and climactic battle of "Gog and Magog" (which will occur just before the Mashiach Yeshua returns) will be a blessing for the surviving remnant of humanity, like the "dew" and like the "rain." This surviving remnant will be saved by the LORD Yeshua and will be unconquerable, as the Lion Himself, King of the Beasts, from which none can escape. (Michah 5:6-8) The LORD thus will purge Israel and "all Israel shall be saved" (Romans 11:26).
The haftarah continues as the LORD appeals to Israel to return to Him. He recounts their history and the leaders He has given them: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. He reminds them that He turned Bil'am's curses into blessings for His chosen people. He has done great things for them so that they "may know the saving acts of the LORD." The haftarah ends with the rhetorical question of "with what shall I come before the LORD and bow myself before God on high?" Michah provides the LORD's answer for us (Micah 6:8).
B'rit Chadashah Portion Summary
The Brit Chadashah reading alludes to the prophecy given by Balaam: darach kochav mi-Ya'akov (דָּרַךְ כּוֹכָב מִיַּעֲקב), "a star shall rise from Jacob," namely the LORD Yeshua our Mashiach, who will "banish ungodliness from Jacob" (citing Isaiah 59:20). This passage also is prophetic of the future restoration of national Israel in the acharit hayamim, when the LORD will reveal Himself to the people at His second coming.
The LORD God of Israel will never forsake His people, and all His promises to national Israel will be fulfilled during the millennial reign of Yeshua as the King of Israel. Yes, Yeshua is coming back to Jerusalem and will restore His original covenant nation to Himself. Unfortunately, Israel will not be ready to receive her King until the Great Tribulation occurs, when finally she will cry out: בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה / barukh haba b'shem Adonai ("Blessed is He (Yeshua) who comes in the name of the LORD").