Reverse The Curse Series

Cancel Culture

Pt. 1 - Reverse the Curse

I. Introduction

Cancel culture is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles – whether it be online, on social media, or in person. Those who are subject to this ostracism are said to have been "cancelled". In an attempt to use popular communication platforms to call out very real, dangerous, destructive and evil behavior like racism and sexual abuse at times movement has gone off the rails and become, as one man said, like the digital equivalent of the medieval mob roaming the streets looking for someone to burn. This movement has targeted the likes of Dr. Seuss, The Paw Patrol Cartoon, and Mr. Potato Head just to name a few. In doing, the cancel culture has in many cases lost credibility with the average American. However, I want to encourage you today to embrace Cancel Culture. Before you dismiss me, I want you to listen carefully.

Text: Numbers 22:1-5, 7, 20, 36-38; 23:3-8, 11 (TLB)

Then the people of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, had seen everything the Israelites did to the Amorites. And when the people of Moab saw how many Israelites there were, they were terrified. The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!” So Balak, king of Moab, sent messengers to call Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor near the Euphrates River.

Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him.

That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.”

When King Balak heard that Balaam was on the way, he went out to meet him at a Moabite town on the Arnon River at the farthest border of his land. “Didn’t I send you an urgent invitation? Why didn’t you come right away?” Balak asked Balaam. “Didn’t you believe me when I said I would reward you richly?”

Balaam replied, “Look, now I have come, but I have no power to say whatever I want. I will speak only the message that God puts in my mouth.”

23:3-8

Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offerings, and I will go to see if the Lord will respond to me. Then I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” So Balaam went alone to the top of a bare hill, and God met him there. Balaam said to him, “I have prepared seven altars and have sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar.” The Lord gave Balaam a message for King Balak. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and give him my message.” So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. This was the message Balaam delivered:

“Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel’s doom.’

But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed?

How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned?

Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!”

Balak, the king of Moab, is frightened by reports of the approaching Israelites and decides to hire Balaam to pronounce a curse upon Israel so that he will be able to defeat them in war. Ancient Near Eastern kings often expected prophets and diviners to pronounce such maledictions upon their foes before battle, and Balaam was apparently known as a famous seer or prophet. Balaam was a hired gun. He was a soothsayer. A prophetic voice for hire. He would work with any god or communicate with any god for a price. He was not a believer. He was not a member of an Israelite tribe. He was a magician. A pagan if you will. He sets out to earn his reward. A curse to get the coins. Balaam gets to the hilltop and sees the Children of Israel spread out ready for war. Balak demands that Balaam curse the Israelites. The scene I read to you repeats 3 times. On three different occasions Balaam attempts to do what he was paid to do which was curse Israel. Instead, Balaam pronounces incredible blessings over Israel and ultimately flips the script and curses Balak and all the forces gathered with him.