church of Christ at 26th and Connecticut
Joplin, Missouri

Phone
417-781-2326

1819 E 26th
Jopin, MO  64804

   Worship Schedule

Sunday
    Bible Class              9 am
    Morning Worship    10 am
    Evening Worship      6 pm

Wednesday
     Devotional & Class   7 pm

Upcoming Activities

BALAAM’S WRONGDOING

     In last week’s bulletin, I addressed the topic of Balaam and presented a couple of questions for your consideration.  This week, I want to provide a quick summary of that information, the questions I presented and then I’ll provide the answers.

     As the Israelites made their way toward the Promised Land, they defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan (Numbers 21:21-35).  As a result, Balak, king of Moab, was filled with dread and fear and sent messengers to Balaam to summons him for the purpose of cursing the Israelites.  Balaam inquired of God and was instructed not to go with Balak’s messengers.  Balaam complied with God’s instructions and sent the messengers away.  However, Balak then sent another group of messengers to summons Balaam once again.  This time God granted Balaam permission to go with them…which he did (Numbers 21:20-21).  But, Numbers 21:22 tells us that “…God’s anger was kindled because he went.”  The first question: Why was God angry with Balaam for doing what He had given him permission to do?  When Balaam arrived at Balak’s location, Balak instructed him to pronounce a curse on the Israelites.  However, on three successive occasions Balaam pronounced a blessing on God’s people.  “Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way” (Numbers 24:25).

In Numbers 31 we find that Balaam was killed when Divine retribution was brought against the Midianites.  Then, New Testament references make reference to his error and

sinfulness.  The second question: What did Balaam do that was so wrong?

     Let’s first address God’s displeasure with Balaam when traveling with Balak’s messengers.  Balaam’s error is not found in the fact that he went.  God had told him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you” (Numbers 22:20).  Therefore, the problem had to have been with Balaam’s motives.  Of course, God knows the motives of each individual in each situation.  However, we can only know a person’s motive if other information or evidence reveals it.  In this case, the evidence of Balaam’s motives is found in 2 Peter 2:15.  Peter, within the context of false teachers, uses Balaam as an example saying, “they have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing.”  With his words Balaam had said, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more” (Numbers 22:18).  However, his heart desired the money that Balak was offering.  That money became his motive, his motivation.  As a result, God was displeased with Balaam.

     Even with a desire for Balak’s money, Balaam pronounced blessings upon the Israelites and greatly displeased the Moabite king who wanted God’s people cursed.  It seems that Balaam departed having left Balak fully dissatisfied.  However, notice the reference to Balaam in Revelation 2:14 (within the instructions to the church at Pergamum) – “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.”  Even though Balaam wouldn’t pronounce a curse against the Israelites, he did in fact devise an evil plan and presented it to Balak.  Notice the information found in Numbers 25:1-3 – “While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab.  These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.  So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.”

     It is true that Balaam pronounced blessings even when Balak requested curses.  But, in order to get the money offered by Balak, Balaam devised an evil plan.  God wouldn’t allow him to pronounce curses against His people.  However, Balaam realized that if the people would sin against God, God would be the one to curse them.  So, Balaam instructed Balak to have the women of Moab entice and influence the men of Israel.  And, as a result of their sinfulness “the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.’  And Moses said to the judges of Israel, ‘Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor’” (Numbers 25:4-5).  In the following verses, we find that twenty-four thousand died as a result of a plague that God brought against His people.  (See Numbers 25:6-9)