Balaam
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
I began to name this the ‘Bible Person Study’, but chose to go with the ‘Bible Character Study’. I hesitated to name it that, as I don’t want to diminish the fact that these are real people we’ll be examining. But the reason that it’s named the Bible Character Study is because we’ll be focusing on the person’s character throughout. But don’t forget that these were real people, with real lives that made real choices that had real consequences.
I. Balaam’s Nature
I. Balaam’s Nature
((What is their History / Background?)
A Gentile with No Prior History
Almost in the same vein as Melchizedek, who appeared out of nowhere and was gone in like fashion, came Balaam and left much the same.
However, the impact of these two men could not have been more different.
Melchizedek was a Godly man, while Balaam is a man used of God. This may sound similar, but in truth they are (in this case) miles apart.
A Gentile with No Prior History
II. Balaam’s Notoriety
II. Balaam’s Notoriety
(What they are known for?)
A Famous Soothsayer (Num. 22:6)
This man had a reputation that by his word, he could cast out blessings or cursings.
What the basis of this belief - whether truth or false, only God knows.
(Ill.) There was this episode of Gunsmoke where a fellow stumbled upon a like four dead outlaws and it was believed that he had taken them all down. I’m not sure if he got his reputation that way or Satan used him like Cleo from the late-night 1-800 commercials
But either way, he got this reputation
Hired to Curse, Forced to Bless (Num. 22-23)
Balak - king of the Moabites (Num. 22:4) was in league with the Midianites desired that Balaam would put a curse on the Israelites, as he didn’t see much hope in a natural victory - as the Israelites just whipped the Amorites, which had previously whipped the Moabites (Num. 21:26)
But if you read through Num. 23-24, you’d see that three times Balak took Balaam to various sites to overlook the Israeli encampments so that Balaam would look down upon them and curse them, however, each time Balaam had to utter a blessing instead:
The first spoke of a Chosen People (Num. 23:7-10)
The second of a Conquering People (Num. 23:18-24)
The third of a Content People (Num. 24:2-9)
At the end of Ch. 24, Balaam and Balak part ways… but that’s not the end of the story
Led the Israelites Astray (Num. 25:1-3; 31:15-16; Jos. 22:17; Psa. 106:28-29; Hos. 9:10; Rev. 2:14)
The rest of the story is told in these verses listed here. What happens next is:
The COI yoke up with the Moabite women
They are invited (and go) to feast & sacrifice to false gods (Num. 25:1-3)
God brought Judgment upon His people (Num. 25:4-9)
This sin was well remembered by the COI:
Joshua 22:17 “Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord,”
Psalm 106:28–29 “They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, And ate the sacrifices of the dead. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: And the plague brake in upon them.”
Hosea 9:10 “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: But they went to Baal-peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; And their abominations were according as they loved.”
God blamed Balaam for being the instigator of this great sin:
Numbers 31:15–16 “And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.”
Revelation 2:14 “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”
Balaam Led the Israelites Astray
III. What Makes him Noteworthy
III. What Makes him Noteworthy
(What Lessons we can Learn from them?)
God sees Beyond the Superficial (Num. 22:18; 31:15-16; Rev. 2:14)
Balaam is really an interesting character to study - because on the surface, he seems like a pious, Godly man.
Numbers 22:18 “And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.”
‘I must hear from the LORD’ Numbers 22:19 “Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more.”
Then he says: Numbers 22:38 “And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.”
Then he does speak blessings of the COI.
It’s not until you read further throughout Scripture that you get the full story that you see what lied underneath. The truth was, Balaam was a wicked man, who looked religious. He was much like a Pharisee in that respect.
This leads us to this lesson - you may fool men, but you’ll not fool God!
God not only sees what you do in public, but in private as well.
God not only hears the words from your mouth, but knows the intent of your heart.
There’s a lot of people that superficially, they look religious and right with God - however, they are as wicked as the day is long!
God sees Beyond the Superficial
Half-Truths will get you in Trouble (Num. 22:12-13)
As we look here in this passage, look at what God said: Numbers 22:12 “And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.”
But now look at Balaam’s response: Numbers 22:13 “And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you.”
He didn’t tell them why. God gave Balaam reason for not going, but Balaam kept that to himself. He could have prevented the whole second interaction and his ending up in the situation he found himself in in Num. 31 had he told the whole truth.
Oftentimes we get ourselves in trouble by only acknowledging half-truths.
God’s Answers Needn’t be Repeated (Num. 22:22)
After Balaam refused to go the first time, Balak sent a bigger ambassage & bigger promises to try and persuade Balaam to go. It would have been easy for Balaam to say ‘Listen boys, I told you no! God said no, so I’m not going!’. Instead he gave his pious answer and told them to ‘wait till I hear from God’.
But here’s the thing - God hadn’t changed His mind! Balaam even said as much in his second parable: Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie; Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
The reason Balaam looked for another answer was because he wanted what he wanted - regardless of what God wanted! AND IT’S THE SAME REASON WE DO THE SAME!
There are times when God says ‘Yes or No’ and we don’t like the answer, so we ask again.
God’s Answers Needn’t be Repeated
When you Converse with a Donkey, Seek Help (Num. 22:28-30)
(Ill.) Listen, I talk to my animals all the time - that’s not the problem. It’s when they talk back.
The miraculous thing in this passage is not that the donkey spoke, but that Balaam didn’t miss a beat and spoke back! Then only to threaten the life of the donkey!
So whenever you begin having conversations with your animals - it’s best to seek help somewhere.
When you converse with a Donkey, seek Help
Don’t Abuse those who Love and Protect You (Num. 22:32-33)
On a more serious note, we see that this donkey loved her master. She endured three beatings, why? Because she loved him & desired to keep him from harm.
This image reminded me of what some parents endure.
Consider the Donkey:
She was bearing the burden of Balaam
She was thought of as stupid (at least dumber than Balaam)
She endured abuse - just because she tried to protect him
Parents bear the burdens of their children
Sometimes (teenagers especially) will look at their parents like they are dumb - or at least not as smart as them.
Then when that parent sees danger in the path of the child, they stop or steer them away - only to be abused for their act of love and compassion.
REMEMBER - THE DONKEY SAW A LOT CLEARER THAN BALAAM DID!
In addition to that, tell me - which one was wiser, the donkey or Balaam?
Lastly, after it all is said & done, Balaam came to see what the Donkey saw. Children typically grow up and grow wiser and understand their parents on down the road a ways…
Don’t Abuse those who Love and Protect You
The Love of Money Leads to Ruin (2Pet. 2:15-16; Jude 11)
2 Peter 2:15–16 “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.”
Jude 11 “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.”
Balaam’s love of money is what led to his ruin.
1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
I see multiple applications for this:
First would be the televangelists
One of the first thoughts concerning Balaam is to think of the Creflo Dollars, Kenneth Copeland, Jesse Duplantis, Joyce Meyers - all these false, ungodly teachers who pimp out God for profit.
Second would be the average Christian
Those who rob God of His Tithe & Offerings
Those who put Job before God
Malachi 3:8 “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.”
It’s not a matter of if you’re giving or not - it’s a matter of if you’re giving back what is God’s. If you’re not it’ll certainly lead to ruin
Ruin of ministries
Ruin of home & family
Jesus said: Luke 20:25 “And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.”
We make sure to pay our tax so we don’t get in trouble with the IRS, yet oftentimes we rob God and think there will be no consequences to it!
The Love of Money leads to Ruin
Knowing Truth and Following Truth are Two Different Things (Num. 24)
In v2 we see that ‘The Spirit of God came upon him’ - this was different from the times before. He knew that God was speaking to him & through him. But even afterwards, he went against God & his people.
I believe there are a multitude of people who KNOW the truth of Jesus, but REJECT that truth, just like Balaam.
I tell people all the time it’s one thing to know the story of Jesus, it’s another to trust in the Jesus of the story!
Knowing Truth & Following Truth are two Different Things
God can use the Ungodly to Bless the Godly (Num. 22-23; Rom. 8:28)
Some tend to think that given the pious attitude and the fact that God used Balaam to somehow think that Balaam was a man of God - but that’s not the truth. He was an ungodly man whom God used - and that’s not a contradiction.
God has used Ungodly men for Godly purpose many times:
He used Judas, Pilate, Caiaphas, Saul, Pharaoh, etc… God will use the ungodly to bless the Godly, as the Bible says: Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
God can use the Ungodly to Bless the Godly
A Superficial, Self-Serving Life Ends Empty (Num. 31:8)
Because Balaam sought to honour self rather than God
Because Balaam has a superficial relationship with God
His life was of no positive effect. He’s remembered for the damage he did to God’s people, not any good.
It might have looked good at the time, but ultimately was found to be just that - appearance, and not truth!
A Superficial, Self-Serving life ends empty
God will Judge the Watchman and the Watched (Num. 25:1-9; 31:16; Eze. 33:1-6)
Ezekiel 33:1–6 “Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.”
Balaam wasn’t necessarily a watchman, but certainly had the power to be - but instead he chose to instruct and help the heathen rather than God’s people.
But what I wanted to point out is the fact that God did bring Judgment down upon the people, and ultimately against Balaam himself.
The thing is, we all as Christians have a responsibility to watch and sound the trumpet to the lost. If we don’t, they will be judged - but so will we!
God will Judge the Watchman and the Watched.
Conclusion
Conclusion