UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS
A look at Balaam
INTRODUCTION: Balaam is a character who exhibits a purely human trait that some of us may very well have had, and even now struggle with, the willingness to do wrong if the price is right! Balaam was overcome with greed, and greed makes us do some unrighteous things.
2 Peter 2:15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
Paul would later instruct Timothy concerning the qualifications of deacons, and as such would deal with this issue of greed ….
1 Tim. 3:3
not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
1 Tim. 3:8
Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.
Money, in and of itself is not evil or filthy, yet it can be obtained in evil and sordid ways
I BALAAM THE DISOBEDIENT PROPHET – NUMBERS 22:1-22
A Not a prophet, but a prophet
1 Was not a prophet of Israel
2 Claimed God as his own
Numbers 22:18 But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
3 Had a huge reputation
a Lived in Pethor of Mesopotamia
b Ability was known in Moab – 350 miles to the southwest
4 Was not a true prophet
a Intermixed idolatry and Judaism
Numbers 22:41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he saw part of the people.
Numbers 23:1-2 Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." 2Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
B Balaam visit
1 Balak’s group arrives
Numbers 22:6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed."
2 Balaam seeks God’s permission
Numbers 22:12 But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed."
a God spoke to Balaam
b Balaam refuses the invitation because God spoke to him
Numbers 22:13-14 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s princes, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you." 14So the Moabite princes returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."
IMPORTANCE OF KNOWN WHY THERE WAS A NO!
§ Balaam said know because the Lord said so.
§ Balak’s princes did not communicate that part of the message.
§ Balak thought his price was too low.
§ Balak will up the price and put temptation in fromt of Balaam again
Numbers 22:15-19 Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16They came to Balaam and said: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 17because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me." 18But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God. 19Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the LORD will tell me."
c Balaam reveals his insincerity
1) Does not dismiss them
2) Seeks to change the mind of God
Scripture refers to Balaam as an evil man:
2 Peter 2:15-16 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey--a beast without speech--who spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
Jude 1:11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.
Rev. 2:14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.
Numbers 31:16 "They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD’S people.
d God gives Balaam His conditions
Numbers 22:20 That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you."
1) If they come go with them
2) Speak what I tell you to say
e Balaam disobeys God – Peter calls it “madness”
1) Did not obey God’s first condition
II BALAAM AND THE DISOBEDIENT DONKEY – NUMBERS 22:23-35
Proverbs 13:15 Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.
A Balaam’s disobedience brings the judgment of God
1 In the form of the Angel of the Lord
Numbers 22:23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.
Numbers 22:33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her."
a God has judged this way before – with Moses
Exodus 4:24-26 At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him. 25But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. 26So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)
1) Over the issue of obedience
2) Over the issue of circumcision
B Balaam’s encounters with the Angel of the Lord – 22:23-27
1 Reveals the anger and cruel nature of Balaam
2 Reveals that piety is only skin deep
C Balaam’s Donkey Speaks – “uttered”, to speak like a parrot
1 Wants to know what evil it had done – 22:28
2 Balaam responds in anger – 22:29
3 Donkey inquires about his disobedience – 22:30
D Balaam sees – 22:31-33
1 Balaam was far more disobedient than the donkey
2 The donkey was protecting Balaam
E Balaam yields
1 Acknowledges the authority of the Angel
2 Balaam receives new instruction
3 Balaam deals with the dilemma of his disobedience
III BALAAM’S EPILOGUE
A Balaam never became a true prophet of God
B Balaam taught Balak how to seduce the men of Israel and bring God’s wrath on them
Numbers 25:1-5 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, 2who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. 3So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the LORD’S anger burned against them.
4The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD’S fierce anger may turn away from Israel."
5So Moses said to Israel’s judges, "Each of you must put to death those of your men who have joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor."
Numbers 31:8 Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba--the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
Numbers 31:16 "They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD’S people.
C Balaams fate – he died fighting against Israel
1 Cannot have both the favor of God and the pleasure of sin
