Have you ever been on the right path but then veered off to somewhere you shouldn’t have gone? There is a really interesting story in the Bible about Balaam, who did just that. This first devotion in the A Man and His Donkey series looks at who Balaam was and how he was tempted.
Nuggets
- King Balak of Moab wanted to curse the Israelites.
- Balak tried to enlist the help of Balaam, a prophet of Jehovah.
- Balaam was a typical human, with a touch piety along with a touch apostasy.
- God paid Balaam a visit and told him not to go with Balak’s men and not to curse them.
To read devotions in the title series, click the appropriate button below.
Who Was Balaam?
In Numbers, we take a break from the Wilderness Wanderers’ complaining to meet Balaam. Since he is not an Israeli, this story kind of comes out left field. Still, we can learn much from it.
Let's Put It into Context
“Then the people of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho” (Num. 22: 1 NLT)
The Wilderness Wanderers were inching ever closer to the Promised Land. They hadn’t crossed the Jordan River yet, but they had enjoyed some military victories.
Most notable of theses victories was the Canaanites. “The Lord heard the Israelites’ request and gave them victory over the Canaanites. The Israelites completely destroyed them and their towns, and the place has been called Hormah ever since” (Num. 21: 3 NLT).
Oh, yes. That had put the fear of God into the hearts of the surrounding nations — and this time, we don’t mean love and reverence.
Balak Reacts
“Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, had seen everything the Israelites did to the Amorites. And when the people of Moab saw how many Israelites there were, they were terrified. The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, ‘This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!’ So Balak, king of Moab, sent messengers to call Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor near the Euphrates River. His message said: ‘Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me. Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.’” (Num. 22: 2-6 NLT)
Case in point — King Balak. He was fearful, envious, suspicious, and under the influence of Satan (Babington).
Let’s face it. After 40 years of wandering, the Israelites has to have been very seasoned people. They would have made a formidable opponent — especially since God was fighting on their side. Obviously, they took no prisoners.
Balak wanted to curse the Israelites. Jones explained, “It was supposed that prophets and sorcerers had a power to curse persons and places so as to frustrate their counsels, enervate their strength, and fill them with dismay.” There was some merit in this statement, but men cannot curse those whom God has blessed.
Balak tried to enlist the help of Balaam, a prophet of Jehovah. Munger noted Balak’s desire was “holding to the Oriental custom of devoting an enemy to destruction before battle, … [to] match his enemy even in this respect as nearly as possible.” Maybe he was wanting to pit one of God’s own against God’s own, thinking it would sway the situation to his favor.
We may scratch our heads wondering how a prophet of God’s was not associated with Israel. The answer may be that Balaam resided in the land from which Abraham emigrated. Maybe Abraham’s people knew Balaam’ people and was introduced to the Sovereign God.
Who Was Balaam?
“Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him. ‘Stay here overnight,’ Balaam said. ‘In the morning I will tell you whatever the Lord directs me to say.’ So the officials from Moab stayed there with Balaam” (Num. 22: 7-8 NLT)
Munger also described Balaam as a man of integrity. Kingsley called him “… a wise man, and a prophet of God. Vaughan described Balaam as “… a man who had frequent and extraordinary communications with God. Balaam was undoubtedly a man of great light; and his gifts were rare and transcendent.”
J.J., however, noted that he is generally seen as wicked. J.J. reconciled these two polar opposite opinions by noting that Balaam’s “… conscience would not allow him to act in direct opposition to the will of God; but, at the same time, his heart was not wholly in God’s service.”
Then again, Roberts called him a soothsayer. Why would God even acknowledge Balaam? Roberts stated, “But, as the art of divination was the highest point to which the heathen world had been able to attain in their pursuit of the unseen, so God condescended to meet Balaam, at that special point of spiritual culture, that He might lead him thenceforth to higher forms of truth and nobler modes of worship.”
I think it all boils down to the fact that Balaam was a typical human. Unfortunately, there can be times we have a touch piety along with a touch apostasy. Apostasy means not believing in the state religion or not being a Christian. There are times that we all are lured away from God by the worldview.
If Balaam really was one of God’s own, why did he even consider Balak’s proposition? Wouldn’t he have known even before God told him that “… You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!’” (Num. 22: 12 NLT).
A Visit from God
“That night God came to Balaam and asked him, ‘Who are these men visiting you?’ Balaam said to God, ‘Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message: ‘Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come and curse these people for me. Then perhaps I will be able to stand up to them and drive them from the land.’’ But God told Balaam, ‘Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!’ The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak’s officials, ‘Go on home! The Lord will not let me go with you’” (Num. 22: 9-13 NLT).
God paid Balaam a visit. Isn’t it interesting that God asked Balaam to explain the visit. God knew exactly who they were and why they had been there.
Remember back in Genesis 3? God had asked Adam essentially the same question. “Then the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’”
Both times Satan was there tempting the men. Both times they were required to explain themselves. “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (Rom. 10: 9-10 NLT).
It isn’t that we know God is God and that we are being tempted. We have to say and believe. God gives us the opportunity to confess our sins — and confirm our obedience to Him.
Back to Balaam.
God told him not to go with them and not to curse them. Balaam obeyed — but grudgingly — and sent the men away.
Making the Connections
Balaam had all these nice things said about him. But he was still tempted.
I know. I am having kind of a hard time wrapping my head all around it. Heathen. Soothsayer. Prophet. And one that had “… frequent and extraordinary communications with God …” (Vaughn).
“But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required” (Lk. 12: 48 NLT).
Balaam was given much. Much would have been required of him. More is required of teachers, too. “… for we who teach will be judged more strictly” (Jas. 3: 1 NLT). There is an expectation that I will serve as a good example for you.
But then, we are all witness/teachers to those with whom we come in contact. We are witnesses without uttering a single word. Elliot said it this way: “Every life is a little Bible — a revelation of God.”
Balaam had a lot going for him, but Balak didn’t give up. The next devotion looks at Balak’s second attempt to persuade Balaam to curse the Israelites for him.
Father. We confess with our mouths that You are Lord. We believe Jesus is our Redeemer. Help us when Satan tempts us to follow Your Will. Amen.
What do you think?
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