This morning, I read about the Unicorn in my Septuagint version of the Old Testament. There are 2 references to it as it relates to the story of Balaam speaking with God and reporting back to Balac.
As I looked at these creatures being referred to, at first they looked like a relative of a deer, larger and stronger, perhaps like a moose. They appear brown in color and have a single horn.
Attributed to the Unicorn of reference are untamed strength, power, and Divine majesty, often associated with God’s deliverance of Israel and the strength of His people.
Balaam, who is an oracle for the Moab king, relays this to Balac, who is seeking to curse and destroy the children of Israel.
“…It was God who brought him out of Egypt. He has, as it were, the glory of the unicorn.”
Balaam has made a whole burnt offering on 7 altars to gain access to speak to God and relay God’s words to Balac. Balac hopes to get a new answer so he might destroy the Israelites by warring, but a second time:
“God led him out of Egypt. He has, as it were, the glory of the unicorn: he shall consume the nations of his enemies and drain their marrow…”
This Unicorn is not a white mythical horse with a magic horn. It refers to a powerful creature with great strength and Divine majesty.
The specific biblical references to unicorn are:
- Numbers 23:22 and 24:8: Describing the strength of Israel/Balaam’s prophecy as having the strength of a unicorn
- Deuteronomy 33:17: Referring to the majesty of Joseph, stating his horns are like the horns of unicorns.
- Job 39:9-10: Questioning if the unicorn can be made to serve or plow, highlighting its untamable nature.
- Psalm 22:21: A plea for deliverance from the “horns of the unicorns.
- Psalm 29:6: Describing God breaking the cedars of Lebanon, making them skip like a calf and Lebanon/Sirion like a young unicorn.
- Psalm 92:10: Exalting one’s horn like that of a unicorn.
- Isaiah 34:7: Prophesying that unicorns will come down with bulls in a context of judgment.
The story relays that the Israelites do not have divination and enchantment. The power they have is real, directly from God.
As you might guess, these are followers of Baal, who is an aspect of Lucifer.
