|
Balaam
Eli was reduced to hear from a child, but Balaam was reduced to hear from a mute ass! The Lord did put Balaam in derision before the saving help of a donkey, and why? To show the shame of a man worthy of God-sent deceptions! To show that deceptions do render geniuses of intelligence decidedly, both deaf and blind, and that “The Deception of God” is a demonic dimension making men dumber than a donkey. How did Balaam merit for himself such a demoting deception?
|
The elders and rulers of Moab came before Balaam with the “rewards of divination” with them, requesting of him that he would curse the Israelites that were quickly approaching their land (Num. 22:7). Balaam sought the Lord for His word concerning their request, and God’s answer was brisk, brief, and clear – “Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed” (Num. 22:12). Balaam obeyed the word of the Lord and told the elders, “Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you” (Num. 22:13). The King of the Moabites, named Balak, sent mightier princes than those who were formerly sent and gave the pledge of whatever honour or riches Balaam desired, if only Balaam would curse Israel. Balaam answered, “I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more” (Num. 22:18). Balaam said this with his mouth, but his heart went after the reward of unrighteousness. He desired the greater rewards which were now laid before him. He should not have, but he received the men for the night. He should have turned them away, but he wanted to seek the Lord for another word, if haply the Lord would change His mind and allow Balaam to curse Israel. Balaam, knowing the will of God already, sought to hear another word from God, but it was so that he could fulfill his lusts, and because of this, unbeknownst to Balaam – God deceived him. Balaam fell under “The Deception of God”, in that, his death sentence came through an answer to his prayer:
|
“And God came to Balaam at night, and said unto him, 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” (Num. 22:20).
|
God answered Balaam’s prayer! He gave Balaam a change from the former instruction which was “more” (Num. 22:19) than what was commanded as obedience at the first: “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…” (Num. 22:21-22). Balaam did what was told him by the LORD! Is that wrong? The Lord answered Balaam’s prayer request, but Balaam would learn to regret that he had made this request! His request was motivated by his own sinful lust for money. God, knowing the hearts of all men, gave Balaam the judgment he deserved according to his heart, and shockingly, answered his prayer by giving him another command. Balaam had the perception that he was still in the favor of God! God is a heart-searching, motive-discovering, discerner, alive today, and in the NT dispensation He also saith: “I will kill her children with death; and all the Churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works” (Rev. 2:23). God sent the command to Balaam to go, and Balaam went, because God wanted Balaam to go forth on his course to walk into a God-ordained execution. What is terrifying about this is that Balaam was deceived by God! Men emboldened by their lusts, and persistent in flesh-born prayerful requests, deserve deceptions. Balaam thought that he was obeying the Lord, and Balaam was obeying the Lord (in one sense), but this obedience was to his death when he thought it was to the furtherance of his life. Read the entire passage carefully:
|
“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 ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again. And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again” (Num. 22:22-34)
|
Balaam is a foundational example, serving well to warn all men of God’s deceptive powers for judgment. Many shall become followers of Balaam. Many will become prophets who “find no vision from the LORD” (Lam. 2:6-9), and also, when any vision comes from the LORD, it is to their destruction. With such prophets as this who are under a delusion, likewise it is written of the King and Priest: the Lord “hath despised in the indignation of His anger the King and the Priest” (Lam. 2:6). These are days when “the law is no more” (Lam. 2:9), when “the Lord hath cast off His altar, He hath abhorred His sanctuary” (Lam. 2:7). God has been aggravated by the incessant insincerity of religious men, men that pray in unfounded, bold, and unholy liberties before a God. Whatever they are thinking, their thoughts are overflowing without caution in what they are speaking, and look, they go quickly to God and tell all their heart to Him, but God doth otherwise warn – “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the House of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God” (Eccl. 5:1-2). That which is before the House of God on earth, it is before the presence of the God, the God of all the earth, dwelling in the holiness of heaven, and this awful loft Balaam did not heed. Balaam and Israel, lo, they uttered their sinful requests before God, and behold, “their way [became] dark and slippery”, for “the angel of the LORD [did] persecute them” (Ps. 35:6)!