Trickery Of Satan - The Doctrine Of Balaam

Revelation 2:14

But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

Who is this Balaam?

Balaam was a Midianite. His story begins in Numbers 22. Let me tell you in simplest form. When the children of Israel came to the east of the Jordan River in preparing to cross over into the land God had promised them, Balak, the king of Moab, was afraid to attack them. To defend his kingdom, he sent messengers to Balaam and offered great riches if he would manipulate the God of Israel and pronounce a curse upon Israel. He intended to weaken the military power of Israel, so that the he might defeat them in battle and chase them out of the land.

Numbers 22:6 - Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall 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. (Numbers 22:6)

This tells us about the reputation of Balaam. Balak sent messengers with a very attractive offer (Numbers 22:7).

Balaam sounded very genuine at first.

Numbers 22:8 - And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

He got the answer from God as well.

Numbers 22:12 - And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

God’s answer was very direct - You shall not go.

Balaam seemed to accept this answer willingly. He answered the messengers saying, ‘“Go back to your land, for the LORD has refused to give me permission to go with you.” (Numbers 22:13).

However, the story does not end here. Balak was not ready to accept that reply from Balaam.

Numbers 22:15 - Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than they.

Sometime worth noticing here was that he now sent some of the most important men of the kingdom to the prophet. Probably, Balak knew the character of Balaam.

They make an even more attractive offer.

Numbers 22:18 - Then 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 go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.”

A good answer! He should have sent the messengers right away with that answer. But no! He doesn’t do that. Instead he says:

Numbers 22:19 - Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.

Was he trying to change the mind of God? He already has the answer from God. Doesn’t he mean to say, “Lodge here tonight, and I’ll go to God again to check if He has changed His mind”?

Hear the Lord’s reply:

Numbers 22:20 - And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you – that you shall do.”

Has God changed his mind? Definitely not! Then why does God ask him to go with the men now?

This is what is known as the permissive will of God. There are certain things that you can keep nagging God about that He’ll permit you to do. We have many such instances in the Bible.

1. Genesis 17:18 - And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”

Was Ishmael in the very plan of God? Not at all! Right from the start, the blessing was promised to Abraham through a child that would be born to Sarah. Even at the start of Genesis 17, God appeared to Abram and spoke about the covenant blessing that would come through Isaac. But Abraham makes a prayer to God to bless Ishmael.

God does answer this prayer as well.

Genesis 17: 20 - And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

Even today, the world is witnessing the strife between the two.

2. God intended to feed the Israelites with manna in the desert. However, the people wept in the hearing of the Lord for meat.

Numbers 11:4-6

Now the mixed multitude who were among them [c]yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? 5 We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”