5 In our Lord's synagogue sermon in John 6, note how many
Numbers 21—22 below. Chapter 9 will cover Numbers 22:1—23:26, and chapter 10 will cover Numbers 23:27—25:18.
Israel would now confront the Moabites who would adopt a subtle strategy that would bring death to 24,000 Jews.
I. Balaam and God's will (22:1–35)
Notes
1. The king's request—22:1–20 2. The donkey's resistance—22:21–30 3. The angel's revelation—22:31–35
1 We have a translation problem here. The KJV reads, "Israel came by way of the spies," that is, the route the twelve spies took forty years before (Num. 13). The NIV and NASB have transliterated the Hebrew word as "Atharim," assuming it is the name of a city. 2 This vow applied not only to Arad but to all the cities in Canaan. The Jews were commanded to utterly destroy the evil Canaanite culture (Ex. 23:20–33; Deut. 7), and they began with Arad, promising the Lord that they would obey His will. We don't have to make vows in order to receive God's help, but we must do God's will in God's way if we expect to have His blessing. For a description of Israel's destruction of their enemies, see Joshua 10:16–43. 3 Their, "We have sinned," recorded in Numbers 14:40 couldn't have been a sincere confession because they were still rebelling against God and seeking to have their own way. The statement meant, "So we made a mistake, but we can rectify it." Had they truly been broken before God, they wouldn't have left the camp and tried to fight their way into Canaan. 4 Two other books no longer extant are The Book of Jasher (Josh. 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18) and The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and of Judah (1 Kings 14:19, 29). 5 In our Lord's synagogue sermon in John 6, note how many times He spoke of the bread "from heaven" and His coming down from heaven (vv. 32–33, 38, 50–51, 58). The Jews were struck by this claim (vv. 41–42). 6 During the time when Jephthah was judge, the Ammonites claimed that Israel illegally possessed their land, and they wanted it back. But Jephthah knew his history and reminded them of what really happened (Judg. 11:1–28). 7 Inspiration guarantees that what is written in the Scriptures is "God-breathed" and that the text is what God desires. What is recorded includes a variety of literature, including the lies of Satan and of men. Paul quoted from secular pagan writers (Acts 17:28; 1 Cor. 15:33; Titus 1:12), but this doesn't mean that these writers were inspired by God in what they wrote. It only means that the Spirit guided Luke as he wrote the book of Acts so that what He recorded was what God wanted and therefore could be trusted. 8 Several hymns are sung to a Croatian melody adapted by Franz Joseph Haydn for a German patriotic song, including "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken," "Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him," and "We Are Living, We Are Dwelling." The melody of "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" is borrowed from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The Christmas song "What Child Is This" is usually song to the tune of "Greensleeves," an old English melody.
II.Balaam and God's message (22:36—24:25)
1. The first oracle—22:26—23:12 a separated people 2. The second oracle—23:13–26 a conquering people 3. The third oracle—23:27—24:14 a prosperous people 4. The fourth oracle—24:15–19 a royal people 5. Three concluding oracles—24:20—25
III. Balaam and God's people (25:1–18)
1. The sin of Israel—25:1–9 2. The courage of Phinehas—25:10–15 3. The judgment of Midian—25:16–18
IV. Balaam and the church today
1. The way of Balaam—2 Peter 2:15 2. The error of Balaam—Jude 11 3. The doctrine of Balaam—Rev. 2:14
Before studying the details, you may want to read Numbers 22—25 at one sitting in order to get the overall picture. Note also the three important New Testament references in Part 4 of the outline, as well as the following Old Testament references: Numbers 31:8; Deuteronomy 4:3–4; 23:3–6; Joshua 13:22; 24:9–10; Nehemiah 13:1–3.
CHAPTER NINE Numbers 22:1—23:26 PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS— PART I O
C.New dangers—22—25 n Passover night, the people of Israel marched out of Egypt like conquering soldiers, and God buried the pursuing Egyptian army under the waters of the Red Sea. Except for the Canaanites that Israel rashly attacked out of the will of God (14:39–45), every enemy Israel encountered, they defeated: Amalek (Ex. 17:8–16), the king of Arad (Num. 21:1–3), the Amorites (vv. 21–25) and the forces of Og, king of Bashan (vv. 33–35).
But when Israel arrived on the plains of Moab, they faced a different kind of enemy, one who was hidden in the mountain heights and able to call upon the forces of the evil one to assist him. Camping peacefully in the valley, the Israelites had no idea that Balaam was trying to curse them so that the Moabites and Midianites
INTERLUDE T he story of Balaam, the mysterious soothsayer, is given in Numbers 22—25. Because this is a complete unit, we will follow the suggested outline given
Numbers 22 own god, and Balaam knew that Jehovah was the God of the Israelites. Therefore, he went to seek the Lord's will about the summons from Balak.4 It was God who came to Balaam, not Balaam who brought God to himself, and the Lord wouldn't allow him to accept the invitation. God made His will very clear: "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed" (Num. 22:12 niv). Balaam knew that without the God of Israel on his side, he would fail in his assignment, so he told the delegation he wouldn't go with them. However, he didn't tell them the reason: Israel couldn't be cursed because God had blessed them. If he had told this to the delegation, that would have put an end to the negotiations and the princes would never have returned to Pethor.
could defeat them. This scenario reminds us of Paul's warning in Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world [age], against spiritual wickedness in high [heavenly] places."
Satan often comes as a lion who devours (1 Peter 5:8), but if that fails, he will attack again as a serpent who deceives (2 Cor. 11:3). The church today battles against a strong enemy who has an organized army of evil spirits, dedicated to opposing God's people and God's work (Eph. 6:10–20).1 It was this attack of the "principalities and powers" from which the Lord protected Israel as they camped on the plains of Moab.
Undaunted in his pursuit of victory over Israel, Balak sent Balaam a larger and even more impressive delegation of princes with the promise of paying any fee Balaam asked, plus bestowing royal honors on him. Knowing God's will in the matter, Balaam should have refused even to consider this second offer, but the hireling soothsayer was still hoping to find some way to circumvent God's will. In light of the fact that Balaam even considered the new offer, his speech in verse 18 is just so much pious talk. With his lips, he professed to obey the Lord, but in his heart he coveted the money and hoped God would change His mind.
In this study, we will consider two of the four aspects of this evil man's life and conduct and see how they relate to God and the people of Israel.
Balaam and God's will (22:1–35) The key performer in this drama is a mysterious soothsayer2 named Balaam, a Gentile who lived at a place called Pethor near the Euphrates River (v. 5; Deut. 23:4). He had a reputation for success in divination (receiving hidden knowledge, especially about the future) and incantation (the use of occult power to grant blessing or cursing), and he was willing to sell his services to all who could pay his fee.
God came to Balaam and instructed him to go with the princes only if they came to call him the next morning (v. 20).5 The Lord cautioned Balaam, "Do only what I tell you." But the next morning, Balaam didn't wait for the men to come to him; he saddled his donkey and went to the place where the delegation was camped, determined to do his own will. This determination, along with the covetousness in Balaam's heart, made the Lord angry. Balaam was acting like the horse and the mule (Ps. 32:9): he was impetuously running ahead of the Lord and at the same time stubbornly refusing to obey God's clear directions. He knew that Israel was blessed, but he hoped he could curse the Jewish nation and earn the wealth and honors the king had promised him. He was a hypocrite and a double-minded man.
The king's request (vv. 1–21). The Moabites and Midianites became very frightened when they saw the magnitude of the camp of Israel ("they cover the face of the earth," v. 5) and heard the reports of Israel's military victories over the neighboring nations ("as an ox licks up the grass of the fields," v. 4 nkjv). Balak, king of Moab, didn't realize that God had told Israel not to attack Moab (Deut. 2:9) because the Moabites were relatives of the Jews, being descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot (Gen. 19:26–37).
Conventional warfare was out of the question. Moab and Midian needed the help of the devil, and Balaam was in touch with the devil. This confrontation would be another episode in what Donald Grey Barnhouse called "the invisible war," the conflict between the Lord and Satan that began when God cursed the serpent in the garden (3:13–15; see Rev. 12). Balaam must have had a wide reputation as a successful practitioner of occult arts, otherwise Balak wouldn't have ignored both distance3 and price when he sent for him.
The donkey's resistance (vv. 22–30). God was angry at Balaam for defying His will and allowing the love of money to control him. We sometimes use the phrase "dumb animals," but in this case the animal was smarter than her master and his two servants! She saw the angel of the Lord holding a sword and blocking the way, and by turning aside, she saved Balaam's life. Three times she changed the route and three times her master beat her. Balaam was beside himself with anger, and had he been armed, he would have killed his faithful beast. Peter called it "the madness of the prophet" (2 Peter 2:16).
Balak depended on two things to influence Balaam to come and help him: the impressive delegation of important elders from both Midian and Moab, and the wealth they carried to pay his fee. Balaam was definitely a hireling who was interested primarily in money (2 Peter 2:15). Though twice he refused to accept Balak's summons, Balaam deceptively maneuvered around God's declared will so that he could go to Moab and receive his fee.
Why wasn't Balaam shocked when his beast spoke to him "with a man's voice" (v. 16 niv)? This certainly wasn't an everyday occurrence even for a professional soothsayer. Satan spoke through a serpent when he
In those days, people believed that each nation had its
Numbers 22—23 suffer, including Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and Nazi Germany.
deceived Eve (Gen. 3:1ff.; 2 Cor. 11:3), and it's possible that in the past Satan's demons had spoken to Balaam through animals. A person has reached a very low level in life if God has to use brute beasts to communicate His mind.
No nation has been blessed of God like Israel, not only with material blessings and divine protection, but primarily with spiritual blessings to share with the whole world. Paul lists some of them in Romans 9:1–5. Israel gave the world the knowledge of the true and living God, the written Word of God, and Jesus Christ the Savior of the world.
The angel's revelation (vv. 31–35). The same God who opened the donkey's mouth and eyes also opened Balaam's eyes so he could see the awesome angel standing in the road, his sword in hand. Balaam finally did something right and fell on his face before the angel who told him that his beast had saved his life. The angel warned Balaam that he was rushing headlong and recklessly on a wrong path that could only lead to ruin, and Balaam offered to return home.
Balaam's second basic truth was that the Jews were chosen by God and therefore were a nation set apart from the other nations (Num. 23:9). The Lord had declared this to Israel at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:5–6), and the laws that He gave them at Sinai made it possible for them to live like a special people. In his farewell message to Israel, Moses also emphasizes the uniqueness of Israel as the people of God (Deut. 4:20; 14:2, 21; 26:18–19; 32:8–9; 33:3, 28–29) and reminded them that God chose them because He loved them (Num. 7:6–8). See also Leviticus 20:26; 1 Kings 8:52–53; Amos 3:2; and Isaiah 43:21.
His words, "I have sinned," were not evidence of sincere repentance. Pharaoh (Ex. 9:27), King Saul (1 Sam. 15:24, 30; 26:21), and Judas Iscariot (Matt. 27:4) all uttered these words but didn't turn to God for mercy. What good is it to say pious words if your heart goes right on sinning? Listen to David (2 Sam. 12:13; Ps. 54:4; 2 Sam. 24:10, 17; 1 Chron. 21:8, 17) or the Prodigal Son if you want to hear real confession.
Israel's great temptation was in wanting to be like the other nations, and this is what led to their downfall and captivity. Instead of rejoicing in their uniqueness as the people of the true and living God, they imitated their neighbors in their worship and conduct, and God had to discipline them. Instead of letting God rule as their King, they asked for a king "like all the nations" (1 Sam. 8:5), and this brought the nation into all kinds of trouble.
In His permissive will, God allowed Balaam to continue on his journey, but He cautioned him to speak only the messages that God gave him. For the first time, Balaam realized that there was more involved in this adventure than cursing a nation and making some money. As the Lord used the donkey to rebuke her master, God would use Balaam to reveal great truths about Israel and Israel's promised Messiah.6
Unfortunately, many people in the church today have the mistaken idea that being like the world is the way to reach the world. They forget that the church is the people of God, a very special people, saved by His grace. Instead of maintaining separation (2 Cor. 6:14—7:1) they promote imitation (1 John 2:15–17; Rom. 12:2), so that it's becoming more and more difficult to distinguish the people of God from the people of the world. And yet, as Campbell Morgan reminded us, "The church did the most for the world when the church was the least like the world."
Balaam and God's message (22:36—24:25) For the king to hasten out to meet the commoner shows how anxious Balak was to get started in his attack against Israel. Why had Balaam delayed his coming? Wasn't Balak's offer generous enough? Didn't the prophet realize the seriousness of the situation? Balaam didn't defend himself or explain his actions, but he did state clearly that all he could do was declare the words God gave him. The king offered sacrifices to his god Baal and probably gave Balaam some of the inner parts of the animals to use for divination.
Balaam's third emphasis was on the vastness of Israel's camp, even though he was seeing only a small part of it (Num. 22:41). His use of the word "dust" reminds us of God's promises to Abraham and his descendants that they would multiply and become as numerous as the dust of the earth (Gen. 13:16; 28:14). Nations come and go, but in spite of their many trials, the people of Israel have never been destroyed. Instead, they have multiplied and today are found all over the world.
The first oracle (22:39—23:12). The next morning, Balak took Balaam to Bamoth Baal ("the high places of Baal") where they could see the camp of Israel and offer more sacrifices to Baal. Balaam used these sacrifices as part of his sorcery and soothsaying (24:1) and didn't simply wait for God's promised message. In His grace and goodness, God used this evil man and endured his duplicity because He had a special message to declare about His people Israel.
Balaam was sent to curse Israel, yet he ended his oracle by declaring that he wanted to be like Israel! "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his" (Num. 23:10). But you don't die the death of the righteous unless you live the life of the righteous, and that was something Balaam wasn't prepared to do. His love of money so controlled his life that he would do anything to get wealth. Balaam died with the
The message God gave to Balaam emphasized several basic truths about the people of Israel. First, God had especially blessed the people of Israel and they could not be cursed (23:7–8). This was part of God's covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3) and it has been fulfilled throughout their history. God has judged every ruler and nation that has caused His people to
Numbers 23
As long as Israel walked with God and obeyed His will, they were an undefeated people and God did great wonders for them. "And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith" (1 John 5:4 nkjv).
wicked when Israel defeated the Midianites (31:8), and his end was eternal judgment.
When Balak complained about the oracle, Balaam had only one reply: the words came from God and that's what he had to speak. Balaam could have invented a curse and fooled Balak, but the Lord wouldn't allow him to do it, for these oracles would one day be part of God's Holy Word.
Notes
1 It's unfortunate that "spiritual warfare" has been caricatured and discredited by some people as "chasing after demons." It's also unfortunate that some well-meaning people who believe in "spiritual warfare" have developed a theology not consistent with biblical teaching. For balanced biblical presentations, see The Bondage Breaker and Released from Bondage by Neil T. Anderson (Here's Life), 3 Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare by Clinton E. Arnold (Baker), The Adversary and Overcoming the Adversary by Mark I. Bubeck (Moody), Powers of Evil by Sydney H. T. Page (Baker), Spiritual Warfare by Timothy Warner (Crossway), and The Strategy of Satan by Warren W. Wiersbe (Tyndale). 2 In the KJV, the Hebrew word translated "divination" (22:7; 23:23) and "soothsayer" (Josh. 13:22) with reference to Balaam also describes the occult practices of the witch of Endor (1 Sam. 28:8) and the work of the false prophets (Jer. 14:14; 2 Kings 17:17; Ezek. 13:6, 23). Balaam was not a prophet in the biblical sense, even though God used him to deliver true oracles about Israel (Num. 23:2). If God could speak through Balaam's donkey (22:22–30), and communicate His truth to Pharaoh (Gen. 41:15ff.), Abimelech (Gen. 20), and Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4), then He certainly could speak to and through Balaam. Peter calls Balaam a prophet in 2 Peter 2:15, but the context indicates "false prophet." 3 Since Balaam was in Pethor (22:5), the men had to travel beyond the Euphrates to reach him, a distance of perhaps 350 miles. 4 The fact that Balaam called Jehovah "the Lord my God" (22:18) is no indication that he was a true believer in the God of Israel. Through the Holy Spirit (24:2), God gave Balaam the messages He wanted him to declare, but even this was no proof of saving faith. Balaam spoke the Word of God (22:8; 18, 20, 35, 38; 23:5, 16; 24:4, 16), but he did not have saving faith in the God of the Word. See John 11:45–53 for a parallel. 5 The KJV translates verse 20, "If the men come to call thee," and the ASV (1901) reads, "If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them." The Jewish Publication Society translation reads the same way. 6 At least nine times the text tells us that what Balaam spoke was "the word of the Lord" (22:8, 18, 20, 35, 38; 23:5, 16; 24:4, 16; and see 23:12 and 26). The fact that the man himself was devious and covetous didn't hinder the Spirit (24:2) from using his mind and tongue to communicate inspired truth. In fact, that remarkable experience itself should have brought him to his knees in contrition, but he persisted in his sins. 7 The aim of heathen religion was to control the gods and get them to do what the worshippers wanted, whether it was to defeat their enemies or to give abundant harvests. In bargaining with their gods, the pagan peoples went to all sorts of extremes, even to the point of sacrificing their own children. This kind of "worship" was forbidden in Israel, because Jehovah is totally unlike the pagan gods.
The second oracle (vv. 13–26). To encourage Balaam to do what he was hired to do—curse Israel— Balak asked his hired prophet to get a different perspective. He took him to the top of Mount Pisgah where again they offered sacrifices to their gods (vv. 13–14; see Deut. 34:1–4). The fact that Balaam participated in these pagan occult rituals shows the wickedness of his heart. He spoke the Word of God and longed for a righteous death, yet he thought nothing of using enchantments and consorting with Satan (Num. 24:1). He was a double-minded man whose chief desire was to make as much money as possible by marketing his skills.
The first oracle pictured Israel as a chosen people because of the love of God, and the second oracle presents them as a conquering people because of the faithfulness of God. God doesn't lie, so all His promises and covenants are sure; He doesn't change, so His character remains the same. He isn't weak but is able to fulfill what He promises; nobody can manipulate Him or control Him.7 God was with the people of Israel and reigned as their King.
It was God who gave Israel their victories, beginning with their exodus from Egypt. The nation was like an ox in its strength and like a lioness and a lion in its determination to catch its prey and kill it. Therefore, no sorcery could succeed against God's people because God was at work in them and through them. "Oh, what God has done!" (23:23 nkjv).
When God looked upon Israel, He didn't behold iniquity or wickedness and therefore have reason to judge them. They were "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (19:6), even though He had to chasten them for their unbelief and disobedience. Believers today are God's chosen people (Eph. 1:4), hidden in Christ (Col. 3:3), clothed in His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:17, 21) and seated with Him in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:4–6). Because we are "in Christ," God sees us as His own special people (1 Peter 2:5, 9–10), and He deals with us accordingly.
Once again, God turned the curse into a blessing! The battles God's people fight today are not with flesh and blood on earth but with Satan's hosts in the heavenlies (Eph. 6:10ff.), and we can't win the victory in our own strength. We must first of all see ourselves as the people of God, purchased by the blood of Christ, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and "more than conquerors" through Christ (Rom. 8:37). Our protection is the "whole armor of God," and our chief weapons are the Word of God and prayer (Eph. 6:13–20; Acts 6:4).
Numbers 23—24 couldn't curse Israel but he could tempt them into compromise.
CHAPTER TEN Numbers 23:27—25:18 PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS— PART II B
The fourth oracle (vv. 15–19). The preface is similar to that of the third oracle (vv. 3–4), emphasizing that what Balaam saw and heard came from the Lord. It was so overwhelming that it left the prophet prostrate on the ground. You would think that such a remarkable experience with the living God would have brought Balaam to the place of submission and faith, but it did not. It only shows how close an unbeliever can come to the knowledge of the Lord and still reject the truth (Matt. 7:15–23).1 alaam and God's message (Num. 23:27—24:25)
Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, a mountain identified with the pagan god Baal (25:3, 5; Deut. 4:3; Ps. 106:28–29; Hos. 9:10). The usual altars were built and the animals sacrificed, but this time Balaam didn't try to use his sorcery. Instead, he gazed out at the camp of Israel and the Spirit of God came upon him and gave him the third oracle.
The vision is brief and to the point; it focuses on the coming Messiah of Israel and His conquests "in the latter days" (Num. 24:14). The images of the star and scepter speak of Messiah's kingship and reign (Gen. 49:10; Rev. 22:16), and "out of Jacob shall he come who shall have dominion" certainly refers to Messiah (Num. 24:19; Ps. 72:8; Zech. 9:10; Rev. 1:6). While a part of this vision may have been fulfilled in a lesser way in the conquests of David, Jesus the Son of David will fulfill them completely when He returns to conquer His enemies and establish His kingdom on the earth (Rev. 19:11—20:6).
The third oracle (23:27—24:14). The emphasis here is on the contentment of God's people in their own land. The conquest of Canaan is over (24:8–9), their enemies have been defeated, and Israel is enjoying the abundance of God's provision in "the land of milk and honey." The Promised Land is a paradise with an abundance of water, an important commodity in the East, and Israel's dwelling places are situated like beautiful flowers and trees in a garden. Beauty and bounty are seen in the land because of the blessing of the Lord.
But the soothsayer wasn't finished. As he stood on the top of Peor, he had visions concerning other nations and predicted their destiny. Amalek (Num. 24:20) was the first nation to attack Israel after their exodus from Egypt (Ex. 17:8–16), but they would be finally defeated and wiped out by David (1 Sam. 27:8–9; 2 Sam. 8:11–12). The Kenites (Num. 24:21–22) were a nomadic people who lived among the Midianites.2 They lived in the mountainous regions, but their "nest" wouldn't protect them from the invading Assyrians (Asshur) who would take them captive. The fate of the nations is in God's hands (Acts 17:24–28), and no nation or individual could survive apart from His mercy (Num. 24:23).
In the second oracle, Balaam saw God as Israel's King (23:21), but now he sees the nation ruled by its own king who is greater than Agag (24:7). Since the name Agag shows up centuries later (1 Sam. 15:9), it may have been the official name of the rulers of the Amalekites, such as "Pharaoh" in Egypt and "Abimelech" in Gerar (Gen. 20; 26). When Israel was on the way to Sinai, the Amalekites attacked them and were defeated by Moses' prayers and Joshua's soldiers, and the Amalekites became the sworn enemies of the Jews (Ex. 17:8–16).
Which Jewish king is referred to in this prophecy? Certainly not King Saul, who failed to exterminate the Amalekites and died in disgrace. Possibly, it may be David, but certainly it points to Jesus Christ who is "higher than the kings of the earth" (Ps. 89:27). There seems to be a dual prophecy here, for during the reign of Jesus Christ over the promised messianic kingdom, the land of Israel will become like the garden of Eden (Isa. 35).
The predictions in verse 25 are difficult to interpret, but as Dr. Roland B. Allen states, "[O]ne nation will rise and supplant another, only to face its own doom. In contrast there is the implied ongoing blessing on the people of Israel and their sure promise of a future deliverer who will have the final victory."3 It is a remarkable thing that God gave this vision to a covetous Gentile soothsayer instead of to a dedicated Jewish prophet. But He is sovereign in all His ways, and His ways are higher than our ways (Isa. 55:8–11).
Balaam repeats the images of the ox and the lion (Num. 24:8–9; see 23:22, 24), and closes his oracle with a quotation from God's covenant with Abraham (24:9; Gen. 12:3; 27:29). Balak didn't like what he said, especially the threat of being cursed if he cursed Israel. He told the soothsayer to go home, and because Balaam didn't do the job right, he wouldn't be paid. Because Balaam listened to the Lord and spoke only His Word, King Balak concluded that the Lord had robbed Balaam of his reward!
Balaam and God's people (25:1–18) "Then Balaam got up and returned home" (24:25 niv) shouldn't be interpreted to mean that he returned immediately to Pethor, because Balaam was among those killed when Israel slaughtered the Midianites (31:8). "Home" probably means the place where Balaam was staying while visiting Balak.
Balaam agreed to return home, but not until he had delivered his fourth oracle. However, Balaam remained with Balak long enough to engineer the seductive feast that led to the defilement and defeat of Israel. He
The sin of Israel (vv. 1–5). Balaam wasn't able to curse Israel, but he knew how to defile them and seduce them into sin so great that Jehovah would judge
Numbers 24—25
Because of his zeal for the honor of the Lord, Phinehas was given the special reward of a lasting priesthood for himself and his descendants. Phinehas knew nothing about this reward before he acted, so his motive wasn't selfish. He was motivated by his zeal for the honor of God and the authority of His law. Phinehas went with Moses when Israel attacked the Midianites (Num. 31:5–6), so he wasn't afraid of a battle. He also was in charge of the gatekeepers at the tabernacle and had the presence of the Lord with him in his ministry (1 Chron. 9:20). Guarding God's sanctuary was a very responsible task, but Phinehas had the conviction and courage to do it well.
them. Balaam suggested to Balak (31:16) that the Moabites (25:1) and Midianites (v. 6) convene a religious feast to honor Baal, and that they invite the Jews to attend. The feast, of course, would involve idolatry and abominable immorality and would be a flagrant violation of Israel's covenant with the Lord. But Moab was related to Israel through Abraham's nephew Lot, and the Midianites were the allies of Moab, so there was no reason why the Jews shouldn't be "neighborly." What Balaam couldn't do by appealing to the demons, he accomplished by appealing to the flesh and inviting the Jews to "enjoy themselves" at Baal Peor.
This is the first recorded occasion in Scripture of Israel worshipping Baal, but it certainly isn't the last. Baal was the chief of the Canaanite gods and was especially responsible for rain and fertility. Until they went off to Babylon, the Israelites were an agricultural people, and whenever there was a drought, they often turned to Baal for help instead of to the Lord. The Canaanite fertility rites involved both male and female temple prostitutes and encouraged all kinds of sexual immorality. Both the idolatry and the immorality were forbidden by God's law (Ex. 20:1–5, 14).
The judgment of Midian (vv. 16–18). God declared that the Midianites were to be considered the enemies of Israel and had to be killed. The account of Moses' fulfilling this order is in 31:1–24. As we've already noted, Balaam, the man who masterminded the feast, was killed at the same time.
Those who criticize the Lord and Scripture because of these national massacres fail to understand that God had been patient with these wicked nations for centuries (Gen. 15:16) and had given them ample opportunity to repent. He had revealed Himself to them in nature (Rom. 1:18ff.; Ps. 19), and they had heard of the Lord's judgments against Egypt (Josh. 2:8–14). Their religious practices were abominably filthy, and the only way God could remove this cancer was to wipe out the entire civilization. Israel had an important task to perform for the Lord, and the presence of those wicked nations was only a temptation to the Jews to sin.
You would expect the Jews to remember the nation's awesome experience at Sinai when they entered into their covenant relationship with the Lord. They would also be expected to recall the nation's idolatry at Sinai when Aaron made the golden calf and God judged the nation (Ex. 32). That event also involved both idolatry and immorality. Israel was a special people, God's "nation of priests," and they had no business mixing with the pagan Moabites and Midianites and worshipping their false gods.
Balaam and today's church As God's people today, we must not think that the Old Testament narratives are past history and simply interesting stories for us to read. Until the New Testament was written, the only Scriptures the first-century church had was the Old Testament, and from it they were able to get encouragement and enlightenment. These events in Jewish history serve as warnings to us not to disobey the Lord (1 Cor. 10:1–13) as well as encouragements to build our faith (Heb. 11) and hope (Rom. 15:4).
The Lord sent a plague that began to kill the people, so Moses moved into action. Following God's orders, he commanded the judges in each tribe to kill the people who had led Israel into this terrible sin, and to expose their bodies as a warning to the rest of the people. But one special act of judgment helped to bring the plague to an end and save the rest of the nation.
The courage of Phinehas (vv. 6–15). Zimri, a leader in the tribe of Simeon (v. 14), not only attended the idolatrous feast but brought a Midianite woman named Cozbi (v. 15) back to the camp of Israel and openly took her into his tent right before the eyes of Moses and the weeping Israelites at the tabernacle door.4 This was a brazen high-handed sin for which there was no forgiveness. Zimri was a prince in Israel and Cozbi was the daughter of a prince, so perhaps they thought their social status gave them the privilege of sinning.
Balaam is mentioned by three different New Testament writers: Peter (2 Peter 2:15–16), Jude (v. 11), and John (Rev. 2:14). "The way of Balaam" (2 Peter 2:15–16). The second chapter of 2 Peter focuses on the danger of false teachers secretly entering the church and leading people astray. Peter promises that God will judge these deceivers (v. 3), but he also warns the believers to exercise spiritual discernment lest they be taken captive by false doctrine. These false teachers are like Balaam in that they knew the right way but turned from it, they were covetous, and they led people into immorality (v. 14). In fact, as you read the chapter, you will see the characteristics of Balaam exposed.
Aaron's grandson Phinehas left the prayer meeting and went after the couple, killing both of them in the tent with one thrust of his spear. This stopped the plague, but not before 24,000 people had died (Deut. 4:3–4).5 Like Abraham when he offered up Isaac (Gen. 22; James 2:21–24), Phinehas proved his faith by his works, and it was "accounted to him for righteousness" (Ps. 106:28–31).
The "way of Balaam" is Balaam's lifestyle as a
Numbers 25 used the Christian faith as a cloak for their wicked deeds.
soothsayer and false prophet. His motive was to make money and he used his opportunities, not to serve God and His people, but to satisfy his craving for wealth. In other words, he was a hireling who sold himself to the highest bidder. He used "religion" only to make money and to cover up his sinful cravings. He also used "religion" to entice people to sin.
Of course, "reward" was the motivation behind what they did (v. 11), and this could mean a number of things: money, power over people, popularity, and personal sensual pleasure. Judas Iscariot used ministry for personal gain (John 12:6) but ended up a suicide.
"The doctrine of Balaam" (Rev. 2:14). This is the doctrine Balaam followed when he enticed Israel to attend the idolatrous feast at Baal Peor and commit immorality with the Midianites (Num. 25). The world would express it, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Don't be a 'holier than thou' isolationist. Be a good neighbor and a good sport. After all, you live in a pluralistic society, so learn to respect the way other people believe and live." But from God's point of view, what Israel did was compromise and a violation of their covenant made at Sinai.
Balaam knew that God didn't want him to go with the delegation and serve King Balak, but he maneuvered around God's declared will and went to Moab. The British minister F. W. Robertson said, "He went to God to get his duty altered, not to learn was his duty was."6 No matter what he said with his lips, Balaam had a hidden agenda that really wasn't hidden from God at all. If God isn't allowed to rule in a person's life, He overrules and accomplishes His purposes just the same, but the disobedient servant is the loser.
The problem at Pergamos was that the false teachers had gotten into the church and were enticing people to attend the feasts at the idol temples.7 As at Baal Peor, their sin was a combination of idolatry and immorality, but the false teachers didn't present it that way. They taught that God's grace gave His people the freedom to sin, but Jude called it "turning the grace of God into lasciviousness" (Jude 4; and see Rom. 6:1ff.).
God used the "dumb animal" to rebuke Balaam and try to get him on the right track, but Balaam's heart never changed. The sight of the angel of the Lord may have frightened him, but it didn't bring him to surrender and faith. Balak had promised him great wealth and he was going to get it one way or another.
When are we walking on "the way of Balaam"? When we deliberately rebel against the revealed will of God and try to change it. When we have selfish motives and ask, "What will I get out of it?" When we cause other people to sin so we can profit from it. Paul may have had Balaam in mind when he wrote 1 Timothy 6:9–10, words that need to be taken seriously today. "Religion" is "big business" today and it's easy for preachers, musicians, executives, writers, and others in Christian service to become more concerned with money and reputation than spiritual values and Christian character.
The Jews were God's chosen people, set apart from the rest of the nations to serve and glorify Him. They were not to worship the gods of their neighbors or share in their pagan festivities. When they entered the Promised Land, they were to tear down the pagan temples and altars and destroy the idols (Deut. 7; Josh. 23), lest Israel be tempted to turn from the true and living God and start imitating the heathen neighbors. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened after the death of Joshua (Judg. 2:10–3:6).
"The error of Balaam" (Jude 11). Like Peter, Jude wrote to warn the church about false teachers (vv. 3–4). In fact, Jude's letter is an echo of what Peter wrote in 2 Peter 2, so the Lord has given us a double warning. This shows us how serious the danger is and how great is our responsibility to detect and defeat these insidious false teachers. Unfortunately, many professed believers care little about Bible doctrine and easily fall prey to heretical influences. It's a known fact that many members of false cults were once members of orthodox churches. Cultists don't try to win lost souls, because they have no salvation message for the lost. Instead, they capture new converts and bring them into bondage (vv. 18–19).
The doctrine of Balaam is the lie that it's permissible for saved people to live like unsaved people, that God's grace gives us the right to disobey God's law. Throughout the Old Testament, Israel's compromise with idolatry is called "adultery" and "playing the harlot," for the nation was "married" to Jehovah at Sinai. (See Jer. 2:19–20; 3:1–11; Ezek. 16; 23; and Hos. 1–2.) This same "marriage" image is applied to Christ and the church in the New Testament (2 Cor. 11:1–4; Eph. 5:22–33; James 4:4; Rev. 19:6–9). The believer compromising with sin is like the husband or wife committing adultery.
Any teaching that makes it easy and permissible to sin is false doctrine, because the Word of God was given to us to enable us to live holy lives (1 Tim. 6:3–4; Titus 1:1). Paul emphasized the need in the church for "sound doctrine," which means "healthy doctrine" (1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1).8 False doctrine he compared to a cancerous growth (2 Tim. 2:17 nkjv).
Balaam's error was not only thinking that he could disobey God and get away with it, but also in thinking that those he enticed to sin would get away with it. The false teachers in the days of Peter and Jude preyed upon ignorant people and tried to lead them into sin (vv. 10, 13, 18; Jude 4, 8, 18–19), all the time covering everything over with a cloak of "religion." If the greatest evil is the corruption of the highest good, then these false teachers were indeed the greatest of sinners, for they
When Israel killed Balaam centuries ago, they couldn't kill the lies he turned loose in the world, lies that still influenced the Jews after they had conquered