Last week God set the stage for our introduction to Balaam by leading Israel to their first victories in the Promised Land. The Israelites learned that God was on their side and they would win battles if they obeyed the Lord. The Israelites for once were setting a good example of trusting God and overcoming evil. In this 22nd chapter of Numbers, Israel is in the country of Moab. Because of the previous conquests of Sihon and Og, Moab was filled with dread and their king was terrified. (Numbers 22:2-3)
The people of Moab are descended from Lot, Abraham’s nephew who lived with him when he received the Promise from God. (Genesis 12:4, Genesis 19:29-36) These people conceived in sin grew in sin until it was time for God to deal with them through Israel.
FEAR
King Balak was panicked. He was searching for answers. He did not want his people to be wiped out like the Amorites who had been living in the kingdoms of Sihon and Og. He knew that if he fought Israel, they could conquer his land. Balak made a choice. He sent a message to a man known to hear from gods. Perhaps Balak was a man known for powerful curses, like a medicine man or voodoo priestess. “The character of Balaam continues to be a conundrum in biblical study. From the early Fathers to the most recent interpreters, many have argued that he was a good prophet who went bad or a bad prophet who attempted to go right…Rather than see Balaam as a true believer caught up in greed, it is better to understand that he was a sorcerer…for whom the God of Israel was just another deity he might manipulate...He was in for the surprise of his life.” (Expositor’s Commentary p. 887-8)
It was heard that whatever Balaam blesses is blessed and whatever he curses is cursed. What an interesting choice of words the King of Moab used! The Abrahamic Covenant from the one true God says that God will bless those who bless His people and He will curse those who curse them. (Genesis 12:1-3) This invitation from Balak had the potential to curse Balaam rather than Israel. King Balak recognized the power of Israel, but not the power of Israel’s God. He thought Balaam could curse the people of Israel camped at his doorstep and then Moab would be able to defeat them and run them off. The fear that Balak had regarding Israel was a sickening dread, terror, a violent emotion. Ironically, the king of Moab had no idea that Israel had no intentions of attacking his country because God had forbidden aggression into any of the area God had previously given to the descendants of Lot. (Deut. 2:9) (Expositor’s Commentary p. 886)
How ironic! Balak was worried about something that would never happen. Sometimes I live in dread of something happening that may never happen. I rob myself of the peace of God. I have a choice to lay down my fears and walk in the freedom of trusting my God to have my best interests in store for me or I can hold on to my anxiety and drive myself nuts. It is a frequent struggle I engage in. I pray for strength and an ability to change my thoughts to positive ones and often arrive at a good place, but the process is a waste of the peace of mind God has for me. There are so many verses about anxiety and giving it to Jesus, because He cares for me (1 Peter 5:7, Philippians 4:6-7), and I try to bring them to heart when I find myself straying down the path of fear.
The action Balak took to combat his fear was sending the message to Balaam. When the messengers King Balak had sent to Balaam arrived at the prophet’s home, he needed a night to sleep on it. God then had a conversation with Balaam. He told Balaam not to go with the messengers to king Balak. Why can’t Balaam go with the messengers? God protects His people. He is our protector, shield, fortress, rock and every source of defense for us. When Satan wanted to destroy Job’s testimony and prove that he only loved God because he was blessed, he could only do so with God’s permission. (Job 1:9-12)
Balaam told the messengers that the Lord refused to let him go to Balak. (Numbers 22:13) How did Balak respond to the fact that Balaam did not return with the first set of messengers? He sent a second delegation. These were more numerous, more distinguished and offered a rich reward.
Balaam said that he couldn’t go against the Lord, no matter the reward. But then he told them to stay another night so he could see if He will tell him anything else. How should Balaam have responded? If you asked your mom or dad a question and they said no, how would they respond if you asked again? I know my mom would have gotten angry and said, “I already told you no!” Why do you think Balaam asked again?
He may have thought God was giving him the green light because another set of messengers came. Can you think of a time that you looked at circumstances and misinterpreted the will of God? Pray for a better choice next time.
What might be another reason Balaam didn’t just send the second set of messengers away? He really wanted to go. The promise of riches was luring him in. God desires our obedience. It is the lifeblood of our relationship with Him. Disobedience can cause a rift between us and God. We need to confess our sin of going our own way to maintain a right relationship with God. (see 1 John 1:9) Even if Balaam thought he would give God the money for divination, this was not a justification for persisting in this direction. God says that to obey is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).
What did God tell Balaam the second time he sought His will? Balaam had already received an answer from God. He did not need to ask again. He wanted the answer to change. “When the Lord has clearly revealed his will to us, our role is to accept and follow it, not engage in false piety by attempting to circumvent our duty through asking for a second opinion.” (NIV Application Commentary p. 695)
In our humanity, we can do the same thing. We can look at circumstances and interpret them from the perspective of trying to get our own way.
Can you think of a time that you prayed for God to give you or allow you to do something that he had already forbidden in His word or made clear in another way that it was not His will for you?
I am a planner. I do not do well with plans falling through. More than once when a plan was falling through for me, I would not let it go. Instead of trusting God for making, changing or cancelling my agenda, I usually pushed for my will and my way. I would often end up having a miserable day or being sad if I couldn’t make it happen. Not only that, but I usually lost the opportunity of having a good testimony of trusting God with my plans to others involved. I still struggle with this at times, but I have gotten better at letting go of my agenda if things are just not working out; instead, I look for what God would rather I do or appreciate that He might be protecting me from something harmful.
That and other choices are up to us. We can choose to obey God and not look for circumstances to turn around so that we can have our way. Good character is said to be built through a series of good choices. Strong faith is also built through consistently choosing to trust in the Lord.
Comments
Post a Comment