THE ERROR OF BALAAM – MAKING PROFIT FROM THE WORK OF THE LORD – PART 1 Jude 1:10-11b
{{Jude 1:10 “These men revile the things which they do not understand, and like unreasoning animals, they are destroyed by these things which they know by instinct. Jude 1:11 Woe to them for they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.”}}
Last time we looked at Cain and Korah. Jude speaks about the way of Cain and the rebellion of Korah, and these two incidents were linked with the vile false teachers, likened to unreasoning animals by Jude, and to those who follow their animal instincts. Earlier he called them accursed children, and dreamers, defilers of the flesh, and rejecters of God’s authority. When writing to the Galatians after the false teachers had caused havoc in the churches of Galatia, Paul said this to them – {{Galatians 1:8 “Even though we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed,”}} and for good measure, he repeated it. God has no tolerance whatsoever for any deviation from His gospel and to His declared truth.
There are three parts to verse 11; two are done and today we look at Balaam. We are going to see just what sort of man this fellow was. I might say that this message is probably longer than my usual speaking time, so I may hold some of it off until next time. You will need to turn to the passages, as I intend reading quite a bit of Numbers and other sections. Before we begin, we need to note what Jude said – “rushed headlong into the error of Balaam” and we intend to expose that error. It is a serious error, and many are contaminated with that same error today.
When Jehovah delivered the Jews from Egypt, we see every possible means of attack against them by the devil who wanted to destroy the holy people so that the seed, that is Christ, would not be born because His death and resurrection spells the defeat for Satan. The devil tried to destroy them by grumbling and complaining, by immorality, by rebellion, by false prophets, and by disobedience. They are but few of the devil’s weapons. On this occasion with Balaam, he raised up a foreign power to attempt total ruination for the Israelites. Let us now look at the passage and I will comment while we go along. We begin our reading in Numbers chapter 22.
[A]. THE SETTING
Numbers 22:1 “Then the sons of Israel journeyed and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho. Num 22:2 Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.”
Num 22:3 Moab was in great fear because of the people for they were numerous and Moab was in dread of the sons of Israel, Num 22:4 and Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field,” and Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. Num 22:5 He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor which is near the River, in the land of the sons of his people, to call him saying, “Behold, a people came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. Num 22:6 Now, therefore, please come, curse this people for me since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed,”
Numers 22:7 so the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand and they came to Balaam and repeated Balak’s words to him. Num 22:8 He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will bring word back to you as the LORD may speak to me,” and the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam. Num 22:9 Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” Num. 22:10 and Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent word to me, Num 22:11 ‘Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt and they cover the surface of the land. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” Num 22:12 God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You shall not curse the people for they are blessed,” Num 22:13 so Balaam arose in the morning and said to Balak’s leaders, “Go back to your land for the LORD has refused to let me go with you,”
Now, so far, this had happened – The devil was using Balak to destroy the whole Jewish nation in the wilderness through a curse. He hired Balaam who had the traits of godliness about him, but he was offered money by Balak to curse the Jewish people. Balaam said he would seek God’s will in all this and God unequivocally told him not to go with Balak’s men. God added further, that the people were blessed and were not to be cursed. The passage indicates that Balaam rejected the offer claiming the Lord refused to let him go.
Do you know the word “hankering”? It means to long after, to really crave, to desire. I want you to keep something in your mind here. Although Balaam refused to go with the men to Barak, do you think he was hankering after the money that Balak was prepared to give him? Where do you think his priority was? After that, the messengers returned to Balak and reported what had happened, so he sent another delegation, more distinguished that the first, and this was Balak’s message to Balaam -
[B]. BALAAM’S NEXT TEST
Numbers 22:17 “for I will indeed honour you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then, curse this people for me,’”
This second request was no different from the first except that more honour and riches were added. Now we have Baalam’s answer, verse 18 –
{{Numbers 22:18 “and Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God, Num 22:19 and now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the LORD will speak to me.”}}
On face value, this answer of Balaam’s seems good. He indicates that no matter how much money is poured on him, he would not do anything contrary to God’s will or to any command that God has given him. Do you like that answer? Would it be in line with the answer you would give? What he is saying, is that no matter what comes along, no matter what changed circumstances there are, he would never do anything contrary to God’s commands. We would say that was a solid Christian position, wouldn’t we? However, Balaam did say something a little bit disturbing found in verse 19. He wanted to know what else the Lord would say to him. Why do you think that was? The Lord had been direct in the first place. Let us read on to the next three verses.
{{Numbers 22:20 “God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them but only the word which I speak to you shall you do.” Num 22:21 Balaam arose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab, Num 22:22 but God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.”}}
Look carefully at the verses just done. God gave Balaam further instructions to go with the men, but just to speak the words God spoke to him. Now he had God’s permission to go with these Moabites (evil nation as we know from the prophets). Then, the donkey was saddled, but surprisingly in verse 22, God was angry with him because he was going, especially when in verse 20, it seems God is giving him the permission to go. What is going on here?
Remember the word “hankering” I mentioned earlier? Look at verse 19 where Balaam told the men he would wait to see what else the Lord would say to him. O, we all wish sometimes the Lord would say more to us, to reveal more, but for Balaam, this was different. He secretly wanted to go with the men, and I think the riches and honour were the great incentives for him. Now, Balaam would not compromise his position as a prophet, would he?
I will share with you, the way I would resolve this, and why God would seem to say one thing in verse 20 and a different thing in verse 22. We need to go back to verse 12, and I want you to look at that carefully. God’s expressed will to Balaam was that he was NOT to go with the men or to curse God’s people. That is all God told him and it was enough! It was just the same as “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15) as part of the 10 commandments. It needed no further qualification or clarification. God spoke it and that should have settled the matter. Balaam did not need to know more. “Do not go with them” was all he needed to know, but Balaam was not satisfied with God’s word. He wanted more. All that is revealed in God’s word, IS the total truth; all that is not declared, is mere speculation. Balaam wanted to modify or manipulate the words of God to him.
God knew this for He knew what was in the heart of Balaam and that he was hankering after the riches and honour that Balak could supply. Therefore, for that reason, He then told Balaam to go with the men. Because Balaam did not obey the voice of the Lord in the first instant, then God was angry with him because he was being disobedient. When we are disobedient to what God has said, and pursue what we know is wrong, then we go against God’s word and God is angry. God was angry with Balaam, but because all this was to be to the detriment of His people, the Jews, then God was going to intervene. We will now read on –
[C]. THE CLEVER DONKEY REBUKES STUBBORN BALAAM
{{Numbers 22:23 “When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way. Num 22:24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. Num 22:25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself to the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck her again. Num 22:26 The angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right hand or the left. Num 22:27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick,
Numbers 22:28 “and the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
Num 22:29 Then Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now,” Num 22:30 and the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” and he said, “No.” Num 22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand and he bowed all the way to the ground, Num 22:32 and the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary because your way was contrary to me, Num 22:33 but the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you just now, and let her live.”}}
Verse 29 would suggest that Balaam was a vain man concerned how others might see him. That is pride. Pride always wants the elevated position. It is just like wicked Haman from Esther who wanted all to see his importance. Balaam’s reply was, “Because you have made a mockery of me,” and his anger would have killed the donkey if the man had held a sword. A donkey in the hands of the Lord, is far superior to a donkey of a man. Balaam was the real donkey. In verse 25, as the donkey pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so the Lord sometimes must press our feet when we walk from His proper way.
The talking donkey is mocked as much as Jonah being in a whale, though “whale” is not mentioned by Jonah, but it is no less credible than making the whole physical universe we see, from out of nothing, because at some time in the undated past, there was nothing where the universe is today. In verse 31, God opened Balaam’s eyes to see reality. The Lord must do that to us too, and may we invite our Lord to do that for us, as we need to live in spiritual reality. If we don’t live on the spiritual plane then we will become as wayward as Balaam.
Remember the Jude verse for today is “rushed headlong into the error of Balaam,” and this bad prophet was rushing headlong into performing evil but the Lord stopped him. We don’t want to rush headlong into trouble. Note in verse 32 God told the prophet that He Himself had met Balaam as an adversary to him, because he walked contrary to God. If we turn to our own devices, God will be contrary to us, not in wrath, but in correction through love, to restore us back to the proper way. Verse 33 indicates how close Balaam was to being killed. If it was not for an obedient donkey, Balaam would have died as a disobedient donkey, and the obedient donkey would have lived. Let us continue with the text -
[D]. THE PATH TO COMPROMISE
{{Numbers 22:34 “Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. Now then, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back,” Num. 22:35 but the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you shall speak only the word which I shall tell you,” so Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak.”}}
We see here the confused state of the prophet. If we knew nothing else of Balaam, then we would think he was a good man of God, but we must lot lose touch with our Jude verse that says otherwise. False teachers can be very convincing in their speech and their ways. All this needs discernment, something which I may lack at times or often, but I know its importance. We all need discernment especially regarding the shepherds who set themselves up over God’s people. (We need to be discerning about those over the church). Let us continue -
{{Numbers 22:36 “When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab which is on the Arnon border, at the extreme end of the border. Num 22:37 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not urgently send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really unable to honour you?” Num 22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak,” Num 22:39 and Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth, Num 22:40 and Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent some to Balaam and the leaders who were with him. Num 22:41 Then it came about in the morning that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal and he saw from there a portion of the people. Num 23:1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here,” Num 23:2 and Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. Num 23:3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me and whatever He shows me I will tell you,” so he went to a bare hill. Num 23:4 Now God met Balaam and he (Baalam) said to Him, “I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.” Num 23:5 Then the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus,” Num 23:6 so he returned to him and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab.”}}
Keep your finger in the place and look at verse 38 where Balaam continues with his pious talk. Some would say that Balaam was genuine, but he was not, but the major thing is this – God has the tightest reign over Balaam’s mouth at this point.
Now to one very serious matter – look at verse 40 and now we are going to see the compromise. Balak sacrificed to the pagan deities, those horrible gods of Moab, mainly Chemosh and Baal, and sent some of the offering to Balaam. Now let us consider verses 1 and 2 in chapter 23. It was Balaam’s idea to build these altars on the high places of Baal, and Balak did what was requested and the two of them sacrificed together. This was a gross abomination, for the professing man of God is offering up sacrifices on the altars of Baal. Balaam offered sacrifice to Baal and had no qualms doing it with Balak who was the enemy of God’s people. There is no greater compromise than that; no greater evil than to mingle the things of God with the things of Satan in an unholy marriage. Our God is a jealous God.
We will end there today and next time continue the Jude account of this awful man, Balaam.
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
