God or Money

Many say that money is the root of all evil. There is a verse in the Bible that says the love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10) Peter wrote about experts in greed and compared them to Balaam, our false prophet from Numbers we have been studying. (2 Peter 2:13-16) Peter is talking about false teachers and their destruction.  Peter says in this passage that Balaam loved the wages of wickedness. Passages like this which mention Balaam help us to see more of the character of Balaam who is hearing from God and blessing the Israelites. Looking at Numbers alone can leave a bit of a mystery as to whether Balaam was a true prophet or not. However, Peter and other writers help us to see that Balaam was restrained by God, first through the donkey speaking and then by the very hand of God. 

Peter was talking about the false prophets of his time and says they seduce the unstable. The unstable is the term used in the NIV, but the English Standard Version says “unsteady souls”.  These are people who are more easily seduced because they are still baby Christians, growing in the Word. God is not pleased with those who would lead His children astray. Peter says the false teachers have left the straight way and followed "the way of Balaam, son of Bezor, who loved the wages of wickedness.” (2 Peter 2:13-16) So the way of Balaam seems to be running after money.   

In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, Jesus says, ““No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) Jesus also asked, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” Matthew 16:26 What does it mean to gain the world but forfeit our souls?  It is to put money first.  To skip church to go to work; to withhold tithes from God because you need it; to live with your boyfriend to save money; to cheat on your taxes; to be dishonest for gain.  Can you think of any other examples? 

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul says that greed is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5) Anything we put before God is an idol. God encourages us to be hard-working and provide for our families. That is not greed. When we pursue riches and luxuries to the detriment of our commitment to God, care for our loved ones, and our very health, there is an imbalance. Sometimes people have no choice but to work extra hours at their jobs but if this is constant and you cannot convince your employer to lighten your load, it is time to look for another job. 

Another reference to Balaam in Scripture is found in the book of Jude. “Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.” (Jude 1:11) What do you think is “Balaam’s error”? Cain is the son of Adam and Eve who killed his brother out of jealousy. Cain did not give his best to God. Korah was jealous of the priesthood and spoke against Moses and Aaron in his rebellion. Balaam is compared to people rushing for profit, so again we read of this love of money.  

The final piece of the puzzle of Balaam is found in Revelation 2:14.  These are God’s words to the church at Pergamum, “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.” 

“The ‘way of Balaam’ is to make a market of one’s gift. A Christian who does this begins to put himself in the ‘show’ business. The ‘error of Balaam’ is seeing only the standard of natural morality and never discerning God’s ways.  When a Christian follows his own common sense morally, rather than the dictates of the Word of God, he falls into this error. The doctrine of Balaam’ is teaching the corruption of God’s people. Balaam taught Balak to corrupt the people by enticing them to marry the women of Moab. In modern terms, the doctrine of Balaam is any teaching that tries to strike a compromise between corrupt worldliness and Christian profession.   

After God has entirely sanctified you, everything is against you to put you to death. Heed the disastrous example of Balaam and stay true to your Lord.”  (Oswald Chambers, Devotions for a deeper life p. 109) 

Beware of making a market of your gift as Mr. Chambers says here. Our gifts are to serve the body of Christ, the church. Make every effort to avoid the error of following your own thinking and not consulting the Bible, which is the error of Balaam. Man’s wisdom is nothing compared to God’s. Finally, think about ways that you might be employing the doctrine of Balaam in your life. We never want to be an instrument of corruption and compromise. Help others to see truth and live by God’s word. 

“Balaam described himself as one whose eye is open, who hears the words of God, who has knowledge of the Most High…and whose eyes are uncovered. This was the divine ideal for a prophet, which Balaam was experiencing because God had taken control of him. If he has chosen to accept this ideal during the rest of his life, his story would have turned out a lot differently.” (NIV Application p. 715) 

You and I need to have eyes that are open to God’s work in and around us. We need to hear the words of God.  When we study the Word, it should be life-changing. We should have knowledge of the Most High, which we can; through His word. We need to fall prostrate before Him with eyes uncovered and let Him speak through us. Balaam can be our example of what NOT to do.