Numbers 24:17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob.”

Balaam, son of Beor, was an unlikely preacher of the gospel. A prophet for hire, he would deliver a message from any god—as long as the price was right. 

Balak, king of the Moabites, hired him to curse Israel as the nation moved toward the Promised Land. Fearing this new people in his territory, Balak sought Balaam’s spiritual “insurance” before going to war.

Balaam hoped to manipulate God—utter the curse, collect the fee and move on. But God turned the tables. Instead of Balaam controlling the Lord, the Lord used Balaam to serve His own purpose.

In doing so, Balaam caught a glimpse of the coming Savior’s glory. What he saw was not for his time, nor even the near future. It would unfold more than a thousand years later—in a Bethlehem stable and on a cross outside Jerusalem.

Yet Balaam never truly saw with his heart. Though he spoke of the promised star, his faithless actions later led Israel into idolatry and sin. Even after witnessing God’s power firsthand, Balaam’s spiritual blindness remained.

That same blindness is common today. As Christmas nears, people see the Savior’s image but not His meaning. They go to Christmas Eve services, glance at nativity displays, hum along to “Silent Night,” and yet never look deeper. The baby in the manger becomes a decoration rather than the reason for Christmas itself.

We, too, need the reminder. The child in the manger is not part of Christmas—He is Christmas. Our Savior is not distant or symbolic; He is near, present in our worship, our songs and our celebration.

God revealed Him to Balaam as “a star will come out of Jacob.” That image still shines true. Stars rise above the horizon. They draw the eye upward, standing out against the darkness. In that same way, Jesus stands above every other “star.”

During His life on earth, He seemed anything but a star. He wasn’t rich, powerful or privileged. Crowds of fans didn’t pay millions of dollars to see him. When He appeared before rulers, it was not as a guest of honor but as a condemned man.

Faith, however, sees through the humility. It recognizes the divine light shining through His poverty, His compassion and His sacrifice. His glory is not the fleeting fame of this world but the eternal glory of love—love so complete it gave up heaven itself for our salvation.

And like every star, His brilliance stands out most clearly against the darkness. As human as Jesus looked and acted, he was nothing like the world he came to save. Against sin’s shadow, His perfect life and truth shine brightly. He lights the way through the world’s night, guiding us back to God.

This Christmas, look beyond the glitter and glow. The true star of Christmas still shines—not from Hollywood or the stage, but from Bethlehem’s manger and Calvary’s cross. Don’t just see Him. Believe Him. Follow where He leads. 

Nourish your faith in between Sundays by reading more of John’s writings at BitsOfBread.org.