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Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – 2

Previously

For those of you who missed Part 1 of our story of Balaam, we began by noting Balaam’s best inaugural speech in Numbers 24, to which we will return chronologically in Part 3. Now turning back to some background and the beginning of our story, King Balak of Moab sent diplomats to Balaam to urge him to prophesy against Israel, whose tribes have invaded nearby Canaan.

Numbers 22:

… Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. 4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying,

“Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. 6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

Some beckoning!

This foreign king gives great compliment to a prophet living miles away in another land (modern day, Iraq). We may be familiar with a western perspective from Egypt of the Hebrew people crossing of the Sea of Reeds. Perhaps we recall the fall of the major Canaanite city, Jericho. But let’s look at these events as reported to a Prophet living by the Euphrates River. The invasion of Canaan by the Hebrews coming into Canaan looks different from the west beyond Moab.

… 9 And God came to Balaam…

What happens next, of course, is that Balaam listens to God and tells Balak’s ambassadors, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

Later they return with a more money for Balak’s campaign.

20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” 21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

Seems fairly simple for a man to whom God speaks – a man who princes and kings know hear, a mere mortal who speaks the word of the Lord.

So Balaam joins the entourage of important men for their long return journey to Moab. King Balak believes inviting Balaam will be the inauguration (under good omens) of a new era in his land near the Jordan.

22 But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary.

Wait just a minute

Something’s wrong here. Why would God be angry with Balaam; for the Lord had said, “go with them?”

Balaam’s attitude at a second return of more men with more political promises of riches in Moab must have swayed his original steadfastness to just send these politicians of Balak back home empty-handed. Look closely at some of the detail leading to Balaam’s return on this second journey of the Moabites and Midianites.

Prior to the first diplomatic mission to Balaam:

7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand… 13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

I see no mention of acceptance of their ‘fees for divination.’

Second Diplomatic Junket

Take a look at Balaam’s challenge of the second mission of these diplomats from the Jordan River valley, a land promised to Israel by the Lord.

15 Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, 17 for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’”

Hear once more Balaam’s reply the first time: “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” (No room for negotiation in his words.)

Listen to the subtlety of his second reply:

“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. 19 So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

If I’m a negotiator in the middle east, it sure sounds like an opening to me.

‘I’ll sleep on it. I’ll ask the Lord again. (Maybe God will change His mind.)

Do you ask the Lord to command you twice?

In response to these high officials coming again to him with promises of power and influence, after already having received the Lord’s answer, Balaam went to the Lord once more. “Are you sure.” he asked?

Do we ask the Lord, “Are you sure?” Of course we do (even though the Lord’s command to us is clear).

Pethor on the Euphrates – 400 miles from Moab

Now comes the familiar story of Balaam’s journey with the princes and diplomats to the powerful capitals of their kings. It could be (if the Lord would allow) a great career move for Balaam.

Now the prophet, distracted by men of influence and dreams of earthly riches, misses the Lord’s message for him. In fact, Balaam’s procession to this inauguration puts him in great danger.

Balaam and his Donkey

You probably know this story and like many, smirk at its absurdity.

Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field.

And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall.

So he struck her again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam.

And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

Balaam’s hopes for the inauguration

Balaam certainly expected a reward at the end the journey of about 400 miles. rather than trouble at the beginning. Perhaps this new year will offer us opportunity to consider Balaam’s failure to go forward without listening to God.

[ctt title=”Do your New Year\’s goals include God?” tweet=”What path does the LORD lead you to follow this year?” coverup=”6Gmbd”]

28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.”

Again, let’s overlook the humor for a moment of an ass rebuking a prophet of God. And while we are at it, let’s not be so quick to miss that God can make an ass speak that is obedient to His will, when a man will not speak God’s will (as a prophet is expected to do).

30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. 32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me.

Are your ways contrary to the Lord?

The leaders of Midian and the leaders of Moab led lives in opposition to the Lord. Their sacrifices to idol gods offended the Lord. (Surely Balaam knew of this.)

Like Abraham he was willing to travel this great distance. Unlike Abraham, Balaam traveled because he refused to listen to command of the Lord. Even so, the Lord was merciful here and spared Balaam’s life.

Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – To be continued…

January 13, 2017
Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – 1

Prophesy of a man with eyes to see

Numbers 24:

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down with his eyes uncovered:

5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be in many waters;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;
he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall break their bones in pieces
and pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion
and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?

[ctt title=”Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.”” tweet=”The LORD God of #Israel” coverup=”We237″]

Looking back on election

Let’s look at an ancient analogy about changes of political winds all too frequent throughout history.

The inaugural event spoken by Balaam son of Beor illustrates hope for one group of hearers present, but not those who elected Balaam to his present situation. Backing up some (two chapters), we see Balaam’s nomination by powerful men with entirely different motives.

You may need to map out some unfamiliar geography and history for understanding this election.

First, understand that Balaam’s journey to Moab may have been about 400 miles from Pethor on the Euphrates. Yes, even then wars and skirmishes between nations surrounding Israel frequently involved foreign intervention. Balaam’s family may have been Canaanites who migrated to Mesopotamia, perhaps even to flee from local war of invading warriors.

Election

Israel (Jacob) claims election by God as a people set aside for the LORD. The LORD had led Israel by the hand of the prophet and leader, Moses [Mosheh]. מֹשֶׁה

Joshua then defeats Canaan and begins capturing the lands promised to Israel [Jacob], son of Isaac, son of Abraham.

We now glance into these tumultuous times of trouble in the middle east, just east of the Jordan during the campaigns of Balak, Balaam, Og, Sihon and other forgotten men of the 14th c. BC.

Balak Summons Balaam

Numbers 22

Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. 2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel…

Conflict between local leaders in the middle east (nothing new) and one leader, Balak, reaches out to foreign powers to fight Israel. Some mysterious power of Balaam is known, yet what if not known is something Balaam sends back as a message.

… So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’”

These men of influence, likely with bribes for Balaam, return to Balak saying that Balaam will not come; but Balak orders them to make the long journey again promising even more riches as is typical of the diplomacy of influence.

… God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” ²¹So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

Now the seer or prophet Balaam embarks on a potentially perilous journey of many miles into unknown outcomes of the middle east.

Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – To be continued…

January 7, 2017
The Time Is Near For Our Church – Pergamum
The Revelation of Jesus Christ

John to the seven churches

Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.

“Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, … to Pergamum…

16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

“Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.

20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Christ, our risen Lord and Savior holds in His right hand the angels of the churches. Christ, our returning Lord and Savior stands in the presence of His golden churches – the believers to be taken-up along with those who have gone before us.

Yet each letter to the churches is specific to a group of believers: praise for faithfulness and call to continued faith. For not all who say, “Lord, lord,” will be taken-up. Not all who say, “Lord, lord,” will stand as a light of witness as a lampstand on His right. For some will be separated to the King’s left and He will say of those who did not glimmer with the light of Jesus, “I never knew you.”

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. – Matthew 25:46 KJV

Therefore: The warnings for the seven churches are addressed to the saints of every generation until the last.

You with ears to hear, let the scripture of Revelation speak to your eternal soul.

City of Science … and Satan?

Pergamum

Pergamon’s strategic location along both land and sea trading routes contributed to its prosperity. Pilgrims from all over the Mediterranean region would flock to the city to engage in commerce or to visit the famous Ascelpion, a center of medical treatments.

Perched atop a windswept mountain along the Turkish coastline and gazing proudly—almost defiantly—over the azure Aegean Sea sit the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Pergamon.

The modern visitor approaches the site from the steep and winding road that leads from the modern Turkish city of Bergama just a few miles away. Upon reaching the ruins, the commanding panoramic view from Pergamon’s 1,000-foot-high perch makes it easy to understand how this city once dominated the entire region.

Antipas, a Christian bishop of Pergamum, was believed to have been martyred here at the end of the first century A.D., around the time when many scholars believe the Book of Revelation was composed. The execution of their bishop certainly would not have endeared the city to its Christian inhabitants, and the Biblical reference to the city is reflective of the general tension between Christian and pagan communities at the end of the first century A.D. – 7/16/2013 article excerpt- Sarah Yeomans

Revelation 2:12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
Mention of this “sword” occurs only once outside of Revelation. It is a very large sword.
1. properly a long Thracian javelin, also a kind of long sword wont to be worn on the right shoulder
Simeon, after having dedicated the baby Jesus said: “For my eyes have seen Your salvation .” – Luke 2:30

Then Simeon turned to Mary and also prophesied: “yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also…” – Luke 2:35a
13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

Persecution of first century Christians, familiar to us by fictional accounts of actual incidents in Rome, were common throughout the Roman Empire.

The martyrdom could have taken place at this famous pagan temple or in their large amphitheater.

Pergamum or Pergamos is just one city where Christians were persecuted and killed for cruel sport. (Ephesus, as you may recall from Paul’s later letters, is another.)

14 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. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent.

John 15:19 [The words of Jesus:]

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Jesus expects the church to be different from the world. We are NOT like the worshipers of idols and unbelievers.

Christ reveals through John “some there who hold the teaching of Balaam.”

Do you recall the donkey speaking to the Prophet to preserve his life from the sword of the angel?

Numbers 22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand…

IF a Prophet of God may risk execution for disobedience, surely a Christian in a faithful church may also be warned for standing too close to sin.

Once again the issues are idol worship, sexual immorality, and false teaching.

Has anything changed from these temptations up to this 21st century, dear faithful believer?

Yet, be encouraged that our All-Powerful risen and returning Lord may wield a large sword in your defense against the world, IF you remain faithful.

* In verse 15:
- 1. Notice that the church in Ephesus hated the “deeds” of the Nicolatians (2:6)
- 2. Now in this church in Pergamos, (the infiltrated church), it has become “doctrine” = teachings!
- 3. Ephesus hated their deeds as the Lord hated their deeds. Now Pergamos allows what God hates!
- a) The Lord has always hated when anyone “lords” over His people but Himself!!
Revelation 2:16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

Repent! But IF NOT, come I to you without delay, indeed to war against the same with the edge of the sword of my mouth. {see concordance}

* Verse 16:

1. Repentance is not mere “I’m sorry!” It must be a change of heart and actions!

2. If we, as the Lord messengers and servants, do not admonish and stand for the truth, HE WILL!!!

* Commentary of John Brown

17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

* b) A white stone with a new name!

(1) No one knows for sure what this allude to but there used to be a custom of voting for an accused criminal with a black and a white stone.

(2) If the white stones outnumbered, the criminal was set free!

(3) Through our faith in Jesus as Lord as Savior, the white stone has been cast, we have been set free!!

(a) And along with that freedom as slaves to this world, we have been given our FATHER’S name! It will be written in the Lamb’ Book of Life!!!

NEXT: Thyatira
October 3, 2013