In the 22nd chapter of Numbers, we see Balak, king of the Moabites, sending an emissary of elders from Moab and Midian to Balaam the soothsayer, with payment and a request for a curse to be pronounced over the Israelites (v. 5-6). Balaam takes the request to God, Who responds first of all with a question:
"What men are these with thee?" (v.9) God apparently recognizes Balaam, but claims no relationship or recognition of any sort with the men who have approached Balaam. I believe that question was meant to tell Balaam that he was treading on dangerous ground just to be talking to these men.
Neverthess, Balaam asks for a curse. God says:
"Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people, for they are blessed." (v 12)
Balaam obeys the Lord and sends the emmissaries on their way back to Balak. But Balak tries again, and this time ups the ante for Balaam by adding the enticement of power and fame:
"...I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people," (v.17)
Now Balaam has already heard what the Lord had to say, but Balaam pushes the Lord (much as a young child pushes his mother or father, testing the boundaries in an effort to get what he wants.) So Balaam replies:
"If Balak would give his house full of silver andgold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more." (v. 18-19) In other words, I've already told you want the Lord said, but I really want to have all that you offer me, so let me just ask again in case God has changed his mind and will allow me to have my cake and eat it too. Balaam's desires have kicked in and even though he later gives a performance that appears to be of obedience, these desires will still gain control of him in the end.
God's response to Balaam: "IF the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do." (v. 20)
So what does Balaam do? Exactly what Balaam wants to do, ignoring what God has said altogether. Rather than wait to see IF the men call him to go wtih them, Balaam just saddles up his donkey and rides out with the emissary from Moab.
The result is wrath from God that appears before a spiritually blinded Balaam in the form of the angel of the Lord with His sword drawn in His hand, ready to slay Balaam. The angel of the Lord blocked Balaam's way as "an adversary against him." (v. 23)
It was Balaam's donkey who saved Balaam's life as she saw the angel of the Lord and turned first this direction and then the other in an attempt to avoid the sword-carrying angel. When the angel trapped the donkey into a narrow place of no escape the donkey just collapsed on the ground under Balaam. Meanwhile, Balaam is seen beating his donkey at every turn. (v.23-27)
Then we have a most remarkable incident: God enables the donkey to speak to Balaam; after which Balaam's eyes, blinded with his sin, are opened and he can see the angel of the Lord with sword drawn standing before him, causing him to fall flat on his face on the ground. (v. 28-31)
The next command that the angel of the Lord gives to Balaam is critical (remember that it is believed that "the angel of the Lord" is the pre-incarnate Jesus, further verified by the fact that it is HIS word only that is to be spoken):
"Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak." (v.35)
Chapters 23 and 24 of Numbers are filled with four prophesies spoken by Balaam, the fourth one being specifically about Jesus. Thus to this point, Balaam speaks what the Lord puts in his mouth. BUT, we know from the scripture in Revelation 2:14 and in what follows in chapter 25 of Numbers that Balaam did not remain obedient to speak only the words of the Lord. We find instead, that he, at some point that the Bible does not date for us, advises Balak that the way to overcome the Israelites is to tempt them away from their God using the Midianite prostitutes called "daughters of Moab" to draw them into their cult worship which involved of course, sexual acts performed for Baal-peor, the "Lord of the Opening." It was a devastatingly treacherous thing that Balaam did, and it took amazing gall to do so having met personally the angel of the Lord and narrowly escaping death for his sin.
And that is the very picture of self-deception that we are looking for.
Balaam disobeyed God. He was given a way of escape from his sin by his faithful donkey, but chose instead to beat the donkey (three times). His eyes are opened. He even confesses his sin. And is saved from death.
But he takes what has been mercifully and graciously given to him (his very life) and though following obediently for a short time (four prophecies), he turns yet again to finally receiving that payment from Balak (perhaps it was all the silver and gold that he had continually hinted at receiving) and providing the information (words NOT of the Lord) that made him after all a false prophet. He fulfilled the meaning of his own name: devastator of the people.
Resulting not only in his own death due to his own self-deception (chapter 31) but also the deaths of 24,000 Israelites from the plague that ensued amongst them as the wrath of God burned against them just as they themselves had burned with lust for the Moabite god. It is important to note as well that this was a type of "group" self-deception. Another type of deception that we should be aware of: when what seems good to one, must be ok for the others...as they follow one another into death rather than becoming the "odd man out."
But there was at least one "odd man out" in their midst, and it is because of him that the plague claimed only 24,000 rather than hundreds of thousands more. One man (although surely not the only man) who remained obedient to God when all the world seemed to be going mad with their covetous and adulterous actions against God.
We will discuss Phinehas in the next posting; for what we have most to learn about will come through him.
It was Balaam's donkey who saved Balaam's life as she saw the angel of the Lord and turned first this direction and then the other in an attempt to avoid the sword-carrying angel. When the angel trapped the donkey into a narrow place of no escape the donkey just collapsed on the ground under Balaam. Meanwhile, Balaam is seen beating his donkey at every turn. (v.23-27)
Then we have a most remarkable incident: God enables the donkey to speak to Balaam; after which Balaam's eyes, blinded with his sin, are opened and he can see the angel of the Lord with sword drawn standing before him, causing him to fall flat on his face on the ground. (v. 28-31)
The next command that the angel of the Lord gives to Balaam is critical (remember that it is believed that "the angel of the Lord" is the pre-incarnate Jesus, further verified by the fact that it is HIS word only that is to be spoken):
"Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak." (v.35)
Chapters 23 and 24 of Numbers are filled with four prophesies spoken by Balaam, the fourth one being specifically about Jesus. Thus to this point, Balaam speaks what the Lord puts in his mouth. BUT, we know from the scripture in Revelation 2:14 and in what follows in chapter 25 of Numbers that Balaam did not remain obedient to speak only the words of the Lord. We find instead, that he, at some point that the Bible does not date for us, advises Balak that the way to overcome the Israelites is to tempt them away from their God using the Midianite prostitutes called "daughters of Moab" to draw them into their cult worship which involved of course, sexual acts performed for Baal-peor, the "Lord of the Opening." It was a devastatingly treacherous thing that Balaam did, and it took amazing gall to do so having met personally the angel of the Lord and narrowly escaping death for his sin.
And that is the very picture of self-deception that we are looking for.
Balaam disobeyed God. He was given a way of escape from his sin by his faithful donkey, but chose instead to beat the donkey (three times). His eyes are opened. He even confesses his sin. And is saved from death.
But he takes what has been mercifully and graciously given to him (his very life) and though following obediently for a short time (four prophecies), he turns yet again to finally receiving that payment from Balak (perhaps it was all the silver and gold that he had continually hinted at receiving) and providing the information (words NOT of the Lord) that made him after all a false prophet. He fulfilled the meaning of his own name: devastator of the people.
Resulting not only in his own death due to his own self-deception (chapter 31) but also the deaths of 24,000 Israelites from the plague that ensued amongst them as the wrath of God burned against them just as they themselves had burned with lust for the Moabite god. It is important to note as well that this was a type of "group" self-deception. Another type of deception that we should be aware of: when what seems good to one, must be ok for the others...as they follow one another into death rather than becoming the "odd man out."
But there was at least one "odd man out" in their midst, and it is because of him that the plague claimed only 24,000 rather than hundreds of thousands more. One man (although surely not the only man) who remained obedient to God when all the world seemed to be going mad with their covetous and adulterous actions against God.
We will discuss Phinehas in the next posting; for what we have most to learn about will come through him.
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