As we move forward in the book of Numbers, we are told a very intriguing story. There we are introduced to Balaam. He is a very evil prophet, albeit not truly false. He did hear from God and spoke God’s words at times. However, he was truly evil and later showed his colors. Often, he was spoken of as evil throughout the Old and New Testaments, his name represents the true evil nature. However, God used Him as well to foretell of Jesus and the star in the sky presenting His birth.
But what can we learn from Balaam? I believe there are many lessons within these chapters. Lessons of God’s Sovereignty, Glory, Righteousness, Justice, and His Unwavering Faithfulness to His covenant. For even when humanity is faithless, God is faithful to complete all that He has planned of mercy and Grace while upholding His perfect righteousness and justice. So, let us begin our study of Balaam with eyes wide open and hearts yearning to see God’s Glory in all that happens yesterday, today and throughout eternity.
In Search of a Really Evil Prophet
Then the sons of Israel journeyed on, and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho. 2 Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 So Moab was in great fear because of the people, for they were numerous; and Moab. was in dread of the sons of Israel. 4 Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will eat up all that is around us, as the ox eats up the grass of the field!” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
5 So he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, at Pethor, which is near the Euphrates River, in the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, “Behold, a people came out of Egypt; behold, they have covered the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. 6 Now, therefore, please come, curse this people for me since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I will 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: 1-5 (NASB).
Balaam, the Evil Prophet Revered the Name of Yahweh
So, the men went to seek Balaam. Well known for his ability to curse a nation for the gods and to prophesy with great accuracy. However, his powers are from evil sorcery and not from the LORD. Yet, he seemed to realize that YAHWEH was truly LORD; although, he never follows after him.
Thus it is with many teachers, preachers, and leaders who know who God is but choose to go against Him or use His messages for financial gain. Now also of importance here. The Moabites are the descendants of Lot and his oldest daughter. (Genesis 19:37). So, we do see the devastating long range results of sins.
The Moabites wanted someone powerful to curse the Israelite, so to destroy the nation. This was the desire also of Satan and his demons to prevent the birth of the Savior as planned. But even Balaam could not curse the people of God.
Even Evil Prophets Speak the Truth Sometimes
Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Even if 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.
19 Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the LORD will say to me.” 20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise and go with them; but you shall do only the thing that I tell you.” 21 So Balaam arose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the leaders of Moab. Numbers 22: 18-21 (NASB)
Balaam was speaking very righteously. He did speak the truth that he cannot do anything unless God says so. Yet, how quickly he got up to go with them when he believed God said yes. He was hoping that he could still convince God to condemn the people and he would gain great money and riches. We know this was his motive because we read of him later in 2 Peter 2.
Many Evil Prophets Have Followed Balaam
But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their indecent behavior, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 2 Peter 2:1-3
Peter goes on to say that God has judged such in the past in the days of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah. He will rescue many yet to come from the trials to come. But the unrighteous He will judge one day. Particularly His judgement will pour forth to those who indulge the flesh in corrupt passion, distort His words and despise His authority. Peter goes on to write of these evil prophets.
Reckless, self-centered, they speak abusively of angelic majesties without trembling, …They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions as they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having hearts trained in greed, accursed children; 15 abandoning the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the reward of unrighteousness; 16 but he received a rebuke for his own offense, for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet. 2 Peter 2
You see, God knew His heart and His intentions were only evil. How many evil prophets surround us today, enticing our children and the people with their evil crafts?
God Will Accomplish His Plan.
22 But God was angry that he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the road as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, the donkey turned off from the road and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey to guide her back onto the road. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a stone wall on this side and on that side.
25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck her again.
26 Then the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right or to the left. 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 staff.
I Have No Excuses, Even a Donkey Can Speak for God
28 Then 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?” 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “It is because you have made a mockery of me! If only there had been a sword in my hand! For I would have killed you by now!” 30 But 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 in the habit of doing such a thing to you?” And he said, “No.” Numbers 22.
God Speaks Again to the Evil Prophet
Then God opened the eyes of Balaam so he could see the angel standing in the way. Once more God reminds Balaam that he can only say what God tells him to say. Furthermore, God let Balaam see the fierceness of the angel before him. That was a reminder to do what he is told. It says that he repented, but not a true act of repentance either. It was like someone caught with his hand in the cookie jar saying, “I am sorry—but not really.”
Three times Balaam tells Balak to build seven altars and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for a burnt offering. Each time he does this from a different vantage point on top of a different mountain, in hopes God would change his mind. The King is very complacent in performing these rituals. Most likely there is some remembrance within his history as well of sacrifices and a God of sevens (completion). Although frustrated, he even suggests some of the places to curse the Israelites from. Yet, each time God answers Balaam with a greater revelation of His Steadfast Covenantal Love for the people. Even after all they have done, he calls them righteous before Him. Righteous because of His Grace and His declaration.
Numbers 23: (NKJV)
“Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram,
From the mountains of the east.
‘Come, curse Jacob for me,
And come, denounce Israel!’
8 “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
And how shall I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him;
There! A people dwelling alone,
Not reckoning itself among the nations.
10 “Who can count the dust of Jacob,
Or number one-fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,
And let my end be like his!”
Here God reiterates His covenant to Abraham and to Jacob that the people would number more than the dust of the earth (GEN 13:16)
Second Prophecy: Numbers 23 (NKJV)
“Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor!
19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do?Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
21 “He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The LORD his God is with him, And the shout of a King is among them.
22 God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox.
23 “For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’
24 Look, a people rises like a lioness, And lifts itself up like a lion;It shall not lie down until it devours the prey, And drinks the blood of the slain.”
What Amazing Grace Displayed
God did not count their iniquity against them. These words God gave to a Moabite King, through an evil prophet and yet, they are true for us today. Whomever knows Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are counted as though righteous. All our sins washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ who then clothes us with His righteousness eternally from the moment we truly repent and accept His gift of salvation.
7He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the sons of Israel. 8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always contend with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our guilty deeds. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our wrongdoings from us. Psalm 103 NASB
Third Miraculous Word from God to Balaam and Balak
2 And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
3 Then he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened,
4 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:
5 “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel!
6 Like valleys that stretch out, Or Like gardens by the riverside, Like aloes planted by the LORD, And Like cedars beside the waters.
7 He shall pour water from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters. “His king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 “God brings him out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox; (Therefore) He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones And pierce them with his arrows.
9 ‘He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’ “Blessed is he who blesses you, And cursed is he who curses you.”
Who sees the vision of the Almighty. And who falls down with eyes wide open—This evil prophet saw a great vision of the prophetic future of Israel in the end times. God placed Balaam with the ability to see through the eyes of the Holy Spirit, although, not converted to faith himself. Therefore, never with the Holy Spirit’s power indwelling him. Yet he gained the ability to see the vision with the Holy Spirit revealing it.
The Fourth Prophecy is Amazing For Us
“The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened;
16 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, And has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:
17 “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.
18 “And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, While Israel does valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, And destroy the remains of the city.”
One day a Star shall come out of Jacob. A Scepter shall rise out of Israel and justice will reign over all the earth. Jesus will return and just as the Star announced His Birth, we know the rest will be victoriously fulfilled.
Hallelujah, what a Savior we have!
Sad to say, with all that was revealed to him, Balaam still chose to turn away. We know he told King Balak that what he must do is entice the men with beautiful women and they would deny God following after and worshiping other gods. That he did, but God still prevailed over the victory for His people. Oh, yes, many were punished and the nation had to be cleansed many times over from the evil of sin that would invade. But we know He wins.
Beware of evil prophets all around us. But rest assured
If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you win in the end.
Much like Balaam, God even used Caiaphas to speak the truth about Jesus—though Caiaphas was unaware. Even thought he was the high priest, he proved to be an evil prophet proclaiming a truth beyond his own knowledge.
49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor are you taking into account that it is in your best interest that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish instead.” 51 Now he did not say this on his own, but as he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation; 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. Matthew 7 (NASB)
And Let Us End with This Song of Praise
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Serve the LORD with jubilation;
Come before Him with rejoicing.
3 Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving,
And His courtyards with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
5 For the LORD is good;
His mercy is everlasting
And His faithfulness is to all generations.
Psalm 100 (NASB)
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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