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Balak had heard of Balaam's superior powers by which he could curse
people and nations, and he wanted to hire him to curse Israel.
The Israelite army had attacked and defeated many neighboring nations,
and Balak feared Moab would be their next conquest.
Some of the princes of Moab were chosen to search for Balaam and offer
him a great deal of money if he would pronounce a curse upon Israel.
When they found Balaam, they said to him, "Balak, king of Moab, has
sent us to you to help us against our enemy! There is an army of
people who have come out of Egypt, and they are a real threat to the
people of Moab! They cover the face of the earth, and we are not able
to prevail against them! Look! We have brought money to make you rich,
and it is yours if you will agree to put a curse upon those people!"
The offer was very tempting to Balaam, and he replied, "Stay here
tonight, and I will ask God if He will permit me to do what you ask."
The princes of Moab agreed to wait until the next morning for Balaam's
answer.
During the night, God awakened Balaam and asked, "What kind of men are
these who have come to you?"
Balaam replied, "They are princes of Moab! Their king, Balak, sent
them to me for help against an army of people who have come out of the
land of Egypt! They are so great in number that they cover the face of
the earth! Those men asked me to go with them to Moab and put a curse
upon those people so that the Moabites will be able to overcome them
and drive them away from their land!"
In His directive will, God said to Balaam, "You shall NOT go with the
men! Neither shall you curse the people, because they are blessed!"
When Balaam arose the next morning, he said to the princes, "Go back
to Moab without me! God has refused to allow me to go with you!"
The princes were very disappointed, but they returned to Balak and
told him that Balaam refused to help them.
In desperation, Balak sent more princes who were more honorable than
the first group. When they stood before Balaam they said, "Our king
has sent us to you with these words "Let nothing keep you from coming
to help us! Not only will I reward you handsomely, but I will also
promote you to a high position of authority in Moab! You may ask
whatever rewards you will if you will curse the people who are
threatening us!"
Balaam responded, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and
gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God. However, stay
here tonight, and I will ask the Lord again about the matter."
Once more God spoke to Balaam in the night, and this time He used His
permissive will to test him. He said to Balaam, "In the morning when
the men call for you, get up and go with them, but you will speak only
the words that I will give you!"
Balaam couldn't help thinking about the reward, and by the next
morning he became so obsessed with the idea of becoming a rich man,
that he was determined to pronounce a curse upon Israel and receive
the rewards for his divination. When he arose the next morning, he
took two of his men, saddled his ass and went after the men.
Now God's anger was kindled against Balaam, and the angel of the Lord
stood on the road with a sword in his hand to prevent their going.
Balaam did not see the angel of the Lord, but the ass did! She turned
aside into a field, and Balaam whipped her, attempting to turn her
back onto the road again. This time the angel of the Lord stood in her
way, and He placed a wall on either side of her! The ass thrust
herself against the wall, crushing Balaam's foot as she did.
Once more, Balaam took his whip and beat the ass severely, and she
began to move forward. By this time the angel of the Lord went further
down the pathway and stood in a narrow place to prevent the ass from
turning in either direction. The ass didn't know what to do, so she
fell down under Balaam.
Balaam became enraged! He took his staff and began to beat his
faithful animal once more, and the Lord opened the mouth of the ass.
She spoke to Balaam and said, "What have I done to you that you have
beaten me these three times?"
By this time, Balaam was nearly insane with anger, and he wasn't even
shocked to hear the ass speaking to him! Instead, he answered her and
said, "I have beaten you because you forced your will against mine! I
wish I had a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!"
The ass said, "I'm your property! You have ridden upon me ever since
you first owned me! Was I ever disobedient to your will before?"
Balaam replied, "No!" Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw
the angel of the Lord standing there with his sword drawn, and Balaam
fell flat on his face!
The Lord said to Balaam, "Why have you beaten your faithful beast
these three times? I went out before you to stop you because your
thoughts are evil! The ass saw me and turned away! If she had not done
so, I would have killed you and saved her alive!"
Balaam was afraid when he heard that, so he humbled himself and said,
"Behold, I have sinned! I didn't know it was YOU who was trying to
prevent me from going. If you are still displeased with me, I will not
go to Balak."
(Balaam knew that he was actually speaking to the Lord and not to one
of God's angels. The term "Angel of the Lord" can refer to an angel in
some instances, and sometimes He takes a physical body in which to
deal with individuals. To identify which, you must understand the
context of the story)
Using His permissive will once more, the Lord said, "Go with the men,
but you shall speak only the words that I give you!"
Balaam went with the princes of Moab, and as soon as Balak was told
that the men were in sight he went out to meet them.
Balak greeted Balaam, and said to him, "What took you so long to make
up your mind to accept my offer? Don't you realize that I am a very
wealthy and powerful man and that I am able to give you a position of
honor among my people?"
Balaam replied, "Well, I have come to you, and if you will permit me
to speak, I will say the words that God puts in my mouth."
After he heard Balaam's response, Balak went to the city of
Kirjath-huzoth and offered a sacrifice to his gods. Then he sent for
Balaam and the princes of Moab and took them up to a high place where
they could see one quarter of Israel's army.
Balaam said to Balak, "Have your people build seven altars here, and
offer an ox and a ram on each of them. Meanwhile, I will go to a place
apart from you and get instructions from the Lord."
CHAPTER 2
When Balaam was alone, the Lord spoke to him and said, "Behold, I have
put my words in your mouth! Now return to Balak and speak only the
words I have given you!"
Balaam went to the place where Balak and the princes of Moab were
waiting by the burnt sacrifices, and he said, "Your majesty, you have
brought me out of Midian and have asked me to curse and defy the
Children of Israel. The Lord has told me that He has blessed them, so
how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? This is what the Lord
has given me to say: "From the top of these rocks, I see the Children
of Israel. They have been separated from all nations unto Me, and the
number of them is like the sand on the seashore."
In total frustration and desperation, Balak threw up his hands and
shouted, "What have you done to me? I brought you out here to CURSE my
enemies! Instead of cursing them, you have BLESSED them!"
Balaam replied, "God has overruled your desire to have His people
cursed! Must I disregard the words of the Lord my God?"
Balak responded, "Come over here to another place and try again to
curse my enemy! We will build seven more altars and offer sacrifices
to your God."
Then Balaam replied, "Stay here, and I will go and ask the Lord what I
should do."
When Balaam was alone, the Lord came to him a second time and put
words in his mouth, and when Balaam returned to Balak, Balak
questioned, "What words did the Lord say to you this time?"
Balaam answered, "Rise up and listen to the words of the Lord, Balak!
God is not a man that He should lie! Neither should He change His mind
about the people whom He has blessed! God has brought these people out
of Egypt for a special purpose, and there is no enchantment or
divination that can be used against them! They shall be victorious
over their enemies, and by doing so they will demonstrate the power of
God to every nation!"
Balak interrupted, "SAY NO MORE! Don't curse them or bless them for
me!"
Balaam said, "Didn't I tell you that I must speak only the words that
the Lord has given me to say?"
Still determined to have his way, Balak said, "I won't be satisfied
until we try one more time to curse the people who are camped in the
valley below! Come with me to the top of Mount Peor, and we will build
seven altars on which we will offer burnt sacrifices to your God!"
Knowing that the Lord was pleased to bless Israel, Balaam set his face
toward the wilderness where he could observe the Israelites abiding in
their tents, according to their tribes.
As he stood there thinking about the situation, the Spirit of God came
upon Balaam and he spoke beautiful words about the Children of Israel
and the future blessings that God has prepared for them.
Balaam's final words from the Lord to Balak were, "Blessed is he who
blesses Israel, and cursed is he who curses Israel!"
Realizing at last that it was useless to try to entice Balaam to curse
the Children of Israel, Balak became very angry and said to Balaam, "I
called you to curse my enemies, and three times you have blessed them!
NOW, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! I wanted to promote you to a position of
honor, but the Lord has prevented you from receiving that honor!"
Balaam replied, "When your messengers first came to me with your offer
of great rewards, I told them I could speak only the words that the
Lord gives to me. Now I willleave you and go back to my own people in
Midian.
Balak and the princes of Moab rose up and returned to their place.
Soon after Balaam's encounter with Balak, the Lord sent the Israelites
to fight against the Midianites, and Balaam was one of the casualties
who died on the battlefield.
Balaam did not receive the rewards he hoped to gain, but he was
obedient to the Word of God.
The End
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