And Balaam rose up in the morning,
and saddled his ass, and went with the
princes of Moab. And God's anger was
kindled because he went: and the angel
of the LORD stood in the way for an
adversary against him. Now he was riding
upon his ass, and his two servants were
with him. And the ass saw the angel of the
LORD standing in the way, and his sword
drawn in his hand: and the as turned aside
out of the way, and went into the field:
and Balaam smote the ass,
to turn her into the way.
Numbers 22:21-23
This study about Balaam and about the Doctrine of Balaam takes a very surprising turn a turn that many dispute, is very controversial, it even seems preposterous that a donkey would speak and speak so that he could be heard. Maybe you question this about a talking donkey and cannot understand how and why God would use a donkey to speak. So, then, let us look at this story and see how it too will lead us to understand why God speaks against the Doctrine of Balaam.
First, God told Balaam not to go with the dignitaries from King Balak. God was clear: do not go and do not bring a curse upon Israel. Pretty clear: would you not agree? Remember, Balaam was a seer of a pagan cult from the Euphrates River area and now was being hired to curse Israel by King Balak. Why would Balaam undertake this job? Money, prestige, greed would be the driving force for Balaam to travel some 370+miles just to bring a curse upon Israel. Could not he, as a seer, do this from his home town? Did he have to go to Balak to do what Balak wanted? No! So there must be another reason and that reason can be found that Balaam did not follow the command of God and three times spent time with the men from Balak. Balaam's refusal, as he said, to not even take those gifts offered to him by Balak is a ploy to get even more from Balak, so he feigned to not want anything from Balak. Sort of reminds me of the story about Bre Rabbit when he said to those who wanted to harm him: "do not throw men into the briar bush" but what those men did not know was the Bre Rabbit could go into the briar bush and not be harmed. Bre Rabbit said one thing when he meant another: this is what Balaam was doing for if not then he would immediately obey the words of God. Balaam was not a believer in Jehovah god and only understood God from his belief in the gods of his land that were not supreme gods and could change their mind, etc.
God said "do not go." But Balaam was intent on going and receiving a better reward from Balak. It seems that God saw the intent of Balaam and then if Balaam wants to go against His will then He will let him. God will do the same for you too! So, Balaam rose up in the morning to go to King Balak, but God reminded him that he was to do what God had already told him to do. There is a bull-headedness in Balaam so he persisted in getting what he wanted from Balak and was willing to use the words of God to get that which he wanted. Why else would Balaam keep returning to get new instruction from God?
It is clear what God forbade Balaam to do but Balaam was unwilling to simply do the will of God. We too must be careful to do exactly what God has commanded. Is God changing His mind? No! Remember, Balaam knew the will of God, he just did not want to do it. Balaam wanted to disobey God and go with the men from King Balak for if he went to King Balak he would receive a reward, and knowing that Balak already offered a large gift and reward it seem that Balaam was intent on getting more so he had to go around the will of God.
Let me remind you: God does not approve of everything He allows. God does not approve of murder and yet millions of unborn babies are murdered every year under the word "abortion." God is not pleased with this or with Balaam and his desire to get his way and his way was and is evil. When God allowed Balaam to go to King Balak it was God's permissive will and God's permissive will is to allow men o do those things which He has forbidden. Just because God allows men to sin does not mean that He approves of sin.
Why does God allow sin? God allows you to be human and to use your human brain and to do that effectively, God has revealed what pleases Him. God will use whatever, even sin, to fulfill His purposes. God does not do this so that He will receive glory for God does not need glory from you but you need to glorify God in your life and to that you must follow His commands as He as commanded: nothing added. God may hold back His punishment for a time but there will be a time that God will act against sin. The Great Flood is a good example of God's patience and then His action to destroy sin and if God was not merciful, you would not be here.
Balaam feigned that He was following God's commands but in reality that was not true. Balaam was using God to gain rewards. Greed was in the heart of Balaam. Use God to get and this is done in so many ways even in some so-called Christians today. It seems as those Christians are doing the will of God but their motive belies there words and actions.
So now, Balaam gets up on his donkey and here the story gets strange so I will address this in tomorrows blog God willing.
And they said unto him, Ask counsel,
we pray thee, of God, that we may
know whether our way which we go
shall be prosperous. And the priest
said unto them, Go in peace: before
the LORD is your way wherein ye go.
Judges 18:5-6
God has given you the way: go in it
Richard L. Crumb
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