BALAAM AND BALAK

NUMBERS

CHAPTER 23

            It's great to have you join us again here at Daily Bread and we're anxious to tell you what happens next in the story about Balaam and Balak. 

            When we ended last time, Balak had taken Balaam up to a high place (a place of worship) where the Moabites worshipped a false god called Baal.  From there, they could see the children of Israel and Balak hoped that if Balaam could just see how many Israelites there were, then he would surely curse them for him.

            Balaam told Balak to build him seven altars and get seven bull calves and seven rams ready, and they offered one of each on the altars.  Balaam told Balak, Stand by your burnt offering and I'll go, and maybe the Lord will meet me. Then, whatever He shows me, I'll tell you.

            Balaam went to a hilltop and God met him there.  Balaam said, I've prepared seven altars and offered a bull calf and a ram on every one of them.  Well, God was about as interested in those offerings as you would be in getting a hamburger from a couple of guys who were discussing murdering your children.  The Lord didn't acknowledge the offerings but instead, He put words in Balaam's mouth and said, Go back to Balak and speak the words that I've put in your mouth.

            When Balaam returned, Balak was standing by his sacrifice, with all the leaders of Moab.  Balaam began to speak the words that the Lord put in his mouth:  Balak the king of Moab brought me here saying, Come, curse Jacob and come defy Israel.  How could I curse who God hasn't cursed?  How could I defy who the Lord hasn't defied?  From the top of the rocks and the hills I see Israel, and his people will live in safety alone and not be like other nations.  Who can count the number of them, who can count even a quarter of Israel.  Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! 

            Balak was furious with Balaam and said, What have you done to me?  I hired you to curse my enemies and look, you've blessed them completely!  Balaam answered him, Shouldn't I obey and speak the words that the Lord put in my mouth?

            But Balak persisted to Balaam, Come with me to another place where you can see the people of Israel better, there's so many you'll only be able to see the outer numbers of them, then you can curse them from there!  He brought Balaam to the top of Pisgah, which means, The hill, and built seven more altars and offered a bull calf and a ram on each altar.

            Balaam told Balak again, Stand here by your burnt offering, while I go meet the Lord over there.  Once again, the Lord put words in Balaam's mouth and when he returned, Balak asked what the Lord said.  Balaam said, Get up Balak and listen to me.  God isn't a man, that He should lie and He's not the son of man that He needs to repent.  Don't you believe He'll do what He says or do you think He's spoken and He won't do what He said?  Look now, I received the commandment to bless Israel, and He has blessed them.  I can't undo it.

            God hasn't seen sin in Jacob or wrong in Israel.  The Lord his God is with him and the shout of a king is among them.  (Could this be prophecy of Jesus?  They had no king at that time)  Balaam continued, God brought them out of Egypt.  Israel has strength like the strength of an unicorn.  There isn't any magic against Jacob or any curse against Israel, but at this time the thing that will be said about Jacob and Israel is, Look what God has made!  God's people will grow strong like a lion and he won't rest until he eats of the prey and drinks the blood of the slain.

            Balak said to Balaam, If you're not gonna curse them, then at least don't bless them either.  But Balaam said, Man, didn't I tell you that I have to do all that the Lord says?  Balak wouldn't give up still, C'mon, I beg you, come with me to another place and maybe it'll please God that you can curse them for me from there!  (Some people just never learn.)

            So a stubborn Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor and once again Balaam told him to build yet seven more altars and he did, offering a bull calf and a ram on each.  You're probably shaking your head right about now, closing your eyes and going, Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, seeing how futile this plan of Balak's is.  You'll sure want to join us again next time as we find out the rest of the story of Balaam and Balak, right here at your Daily Bread.

The scripture passages below all refer to this story of Balaam and Balak:

Deuteronomy 23:3-5 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:  Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.  Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.

Joshua 13:22 Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.

Joshua 24:9-10 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:  But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.

Judges 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Nehemiah 13:2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Micah 6:5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

II Peter 2:15-16 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

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