Contending for the Faith
Balaam - Part Two of Three
Balaam
Continued from Part One, which can be read here…context is always essential!
Jude reminds us that part of contending for the faith involves safeguarding ourselves, our families, and our Churches from ungodly individuals who infiltrate congregations by masquerading as strong, godly figures.
Jude gave us three markers to remember when we consider Cain, Balaam, and Core.
I. Rash Words - they speak hastily and without consideration.
“But these speak evil of those things which they know not”
II. Reprobate by Nature
“but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.”
III. Rushing to Reward
“Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.”
Cain sought to gain acceptance outside of righteousness.
“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door.” (Gen 4:7)
Balaam sought the honor and wealth of the world while denying the word of the LORD.
Core was the first ecumenical. He proclaimed that “everyone is holy” and “God is among us all”
Where Did Balaam Err?
Let’s look at Balaam in light of these three markers.
Rash Words
Reprobate By Nature
Rushing to Reward
Numbers 22 reveals that Balaam was considered a soothsayer practicing divination, and that the ones he blessed would be blessed, and those he cursed would be cursed.
He communicated with God, and God spoke to him. He gave prophetic utterances and spoke words that God gave him for Balak.
If we use the example of Balaam in determining who should lead our churches, he appears to be a prime candidate. There’s just one glaring problem.
Balaam is an ungodly man.
He appears to hear from God. He seems to speak for God. He appears to be a prophet and teacher. He has all the vestments of a modern televangelist. He’s willing to bless and curse in the name of God for the right price. Balaam is a dangerous threat to the people of God because he is willing to destroy God’s people if it brings him honor and riches.
Balaam looks like a Genuine Believer, but his heart and his mind are far from the Lord.
Rash Words?
Can we find any examples of Balaam speaking without considering the end results or consequences? Sure. I suggest you read the entire story of Balaam, which is found almost entirely in Numbers 22-25.
Behold! A people has come out of Egypt, which covers the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to overcome them and drive them out. And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed. And Balaam rose up in the morning and said to the leaders of Balak, Go into your land, for Jehovah refuses to let me go with you.
(Numbers 22:11-13)
I wanted to go with you, but God won’t let me. He refuses.
“And they came to Balaam and said to him, So says Balak the son of Zippor, Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me. For I will raise you up to very great honor, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then and curse these people for me.
And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more.
But please now stay here also this night so that I may know what more Jehovah will say to me. (God told me no, but let me check again)
And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, If the men come to call you, rise up, go with them. But still, the word which I shall say to you, that you shall do.
(Numbers 22:16-20)
Let me check with God again. Maybe he has changed his mind.
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
(Numbers 23:19)
“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.
And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
(Numbers 22:31-35)
Balaam fails to repent, and he knows that what he is doing displeases the Lord. He wants to go forward anyway. God has already said, “Don’t Go. Don’t curse the people, they are blessed.”
Continued in Part Three…
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