Balaam and Balak

Sermon Notes:

Introduction: (47)

Good evening.  I am Jeff McLamb; an elder at Faith Builder’s church. 

We are so pleased that you have tuned in to this service.  I know that God has something special for you that will be revealed through His Word, if you open your heart to Him.

Today, I am going to share with you one of the first challenges I ran into when studying the Word, shortly after I gave my heart to Jesus and declared HIM Lord. 

I’m going to read Numbers 22 pretty quickly, summarize Numbers, 23 &  24, and share with you a little about what God spoke to me though this.

I hope this blesses you, as it has me.

Numbers 22:1 (6:45 minutes).

Balak Summons Balaam

Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.

Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.

The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:

“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

 “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’ ”

But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”

The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.  They came to Balaam and said:

“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me,  because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”

But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.  Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.”

That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”

Balaam’s Donkey

Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.  But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.  When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.

Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides.  When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.  When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff.  Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.  The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared the donkey.”

Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”

The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.  Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”

 “Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”

________________

 

Summarize Numbers 23 -24 (1:32 minutes)

King Balak tries three times to get Balaam to curse Israel. 

 

Balak keeps taking Balaam up on different high places to build alters and make sacrifices, hoping that this new alter would inspire God to allow Balaam to curse Israel.  

 

But Balaam only speaks what the Lord Gives him to speak.  And each time this infuriated the King more and more.  

 

After the third blessing time blessing Israel (instead of cursing them). 

 

Numbers 24 Continues ...

 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,  ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord—and I must say only what the Lord says’?  Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”

 

 

So here is what troubled me; beside a donkey talking like Eeyore; but that's a topic for another day.

 

This seemed important. 

Because if someone like Balaam whom communicates with God more clearly than me,

and appears to follow God's instructions without exception,

where does that leave me when struggling to find God's plan for me and walking that walk? 

If Balaam can mess up so bad, can I? 

 

What did Balaam do that was so bad that the Lord wanted to kill him over?

 

He came to God before making a big decision,

asked His advise,

delivered God’s word and turned the King's people away,

when they came back the second time,

he told them “No” again.

Consulted God again; just in-case.

God told him to Go with them and say only what he says.

       He did exactly as God instructed.

 and in numbers 22 – 24 he did not deviate.

 

So why was God’s angel wanting to kill Balaam saying “I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.”

 

 

When you search scriptures for Balaam, you find

 

Numbers 25:1 

While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women,  who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods.  So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

 

Numbers 31:16 

They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people. (at least 24,000 died).

 

2 Peter 2:15

They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, ^f who loved the wages of wickedness.

 

Jude 1:11

Like Balaam, they deceive people for money.

 

Revelations 2:14

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.

 

 

--------------------------

Now scripture doesn't record when Balaam threw stumbling blocks in front of the Israelites,

it certainly records that it was his love for rewards that caused him teach Balak how to get the Israelites to walk away from their blessing. 

 

Numbers 25 records that because of Balaam telling Balak how to get Israel to walk away from their blessings,

It resulted in …

       God bringing a plague on Israel, killing at least 24,000 people.

       Balaam was eventually killed by the sword because of it.

      

 

Balaam’s motivation was personal gain and pride.

 

And although recorded in Numbers 22, he did exactly what God told him to do, he went down in history for putting his personal ambitions above God’s, for prestige and reward.

 

In fact, Balaam may be one of the most referenced “bad guys” from the old testament referenced in the new testament.

 

Sometimes we rationalize God's instructions for us like Balaam probably did.  

"OK, God told me that can't curse Israel, he didn't say that I can't tell Israel's enemies how to get Israel to walk away from their blessing". 

 

 

 

So what can we take away from this story …

 

Among many things, the one that I found profound was …

 

If you go and do something for God with Selfish ambitions, 

God may bless the Kingdom work, despite of you. 

But just as with Balaam and the Israelites, 

you may bring destruction on your life and the ones whom God calls you to protect.

 

Sometimes, in our love for God, we want to do Big God things for the Kingdom. 

The ideas sound good. 

You feel like this is something that you can really make a difference in. 

You have a strong desire to do it. 

You have an excitement whenever you think about it.

 

Say, you want to start a Bible study in your home. 

Do you want to do it?  Sure.

Does God want you to spread the Gospel?  You bet!

Do you have the talents to get it done?  No Doubt!

 

However, what is the deep, hidden, inner motivation for doing it?

 

Is the deep seated motivator, selfish ambitions?

Do you have a desire for people to look up to you?

Do you have a desire for people to look at you as a leader?

Do you desire to speak into peoples lives and influence them?

Do you want people to look to you when they need advice?

Do you have ambitions of personal gain?

                                                             

If you do … Tread Carefully  …  your path is reckless.

 

How about this. …

You see the people up on stage giving glory and singing or playing their hearts out.

You think, I can do that. 

       I have a better voice than some of them …

You think, your rich singing talents could sure be used on the stage.

       People always tell you that you have a beautiful voice; like a songbird.

Surely, you can be a blessing to the Kingdom in this way...

 

So, what is it that you want out of being on stage?

Do you want to show people how beautiful your voice is?

Do you crave the attention or respect?

Do you deep down desire for people to admire you?

 

If you do … Tread Carefully …  your path is reckless.

 

You see, sometimes you may be doing the right thing with the wrong ambitions or a prideful heart.

God may still use you to bring about his will and plans, but it may destroy you in the process.

 

Or maybe God has already showed you the path you are supposed to take and you may have already started that journey. 

And now, somewhere down the road, you find yourself looking back ....

*  Where is the love I once had?

*  Where is the joy and peace?

*  You think, I remember when I used to hear God so clearly ....

*  I Remember when ...   I Remember when ….

 

It could be that somewhere along the road, you have let a high place or a stronghold slip into your life.  And although you seem to be going the same direction God called you to, you have gotten off path.

 

It's so important to continuously search your heart, or even better,

to be sensitive and vulnerable enough to God to allow him to search your heart

and show you the things that you need to change to be more effective for him.

 

 

Psalm 139:23

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

That’s about all the time that I have today in this session.

 

However, Pastor Barb has a series she started on June 13^th called “Can you hear me know”, which starts off in self examination …

 

She does a wonderful job in diving in deep on this topic and I know it will bless you.

 

I encourage you to jump into that series and let the Word change your heart and mind,  So that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

 

We will try to put a link to that series on this video.

 

 

 

There may be some of you out there who don’t know what Gods perfect plan is for your life,

because you don’t have a personal relationship with Him. 

You may not have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

 

Jesus died and rose from the dead to bear your sins upon him,

so that you wouldn’t have to die and be punished for them.

 

Romans 10:9 says

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”

and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified,

and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 

 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

 

If you would like to begin your walk ..with Jesus and have certainty that you will go to heaven when you die. 

And be able to walk out your life here on Earth, fulfilling Gods perfect plan and purpose for you,

please join me in this prayer inviting Jesus into your heart.

 

Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you died for my sins; for my mistakes. 

Thank you that you rose from the dead, and are now sitting at the right hand of the Father, lifting me up in my struggles.

Jesus I give you my heart, please live inside of me.

I will serve you forever, declaring you Lord of my life.

Make my heart sensitive  to you, so that I may know your desires for me.

Thank you for writing my name in the Lambs book of Life and for adopting me into your family.

In Jesus’ Name.

 

Praise God, if you prayed this prayer with me now, and meant it with all your heart.  Let someone know, that you gave your heart to Jesus today.

 

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified,

and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 

 

And join us at Faithbuilders Church on 949 E. Bell Road on Sundays 9am and 10:30, so we can equip you with the tools needed to live a successful Christian life.

 

God Bless you.