Balaam, son of Peor, was a non-Jewish diviner, magician, dream interpreter, and gentile prophet. Christian historians have characterized him as one with many talents but lacking morality, as described in the Bible. Yet, according to the Talmud (Jewish religious text), Balaam had a unique gift of knowing the precise time of God’s anger toward mankind.[1] While there are many stories associated with Balaam from outside biblical sources, many have a commonality regarding the belief that Balaam had a unique gift for the prophetic to know God’s will, but used it for selfish gain and notoriety. Unfortunately, he was not devoted to the things of God. While there are many false prophets in the world today, as there were during biblical times, it is important not to be deceived by those who give accurate prophecies. Just as a broken clock is right twice a day, it is the same with spiritually broken prophets. The Bible says: “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29). Therefore, just a person is operating in a God-given gift does not mean they are in right standing with God.
*1 Kings 13:11-25 tells the story of an old prophet in Bethel who lied to a young prophet from Judah by claiming to receive a Word from the Lord to change course from what God had originally told the young prophet. It caused the young prophet’s death due to his disobedience of believing a false word that was not from the Lord.
During the time of Moses, Balak, king of Moab, was fearful of the Israelites. He had heard the stories of how the Lord had rescued His people from Egypt, their victories over various nations, and he feared their numbers, for God had made them into a mighty nation (Numbers 22-24). He called on the prophet Balaam to put a curse over them. However, God told Balaam that He was not to put a curse on the Children of Israel. Despite what God said, Balaam still wanted to do as he saw fit. God spoke through the donkey that Balaam was on, and he was not able to curse Israel but was only able to bless them. “Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times, to seek to use sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness” (Numbers 24:1). Unfortunately, Balaam was not done and was responsible for leading the children of Israel into idolatry. God hates idolatry of any form, and Israel suffered as a result of it. "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” (Numbers 31:16).
God likened the teachings of Balaam to that of the Nicolaitans. Some things were creeping into the church during that time, and it caused the church to compromise its standards regarding the laws of God. He wanted them to repent and turn from their wicked ways. They were going to be rebuked by the sword of His mouth, which was the Word of God. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Those who are faithful, God promised to give hidden manna— that is food from Heaven. And they will have a new name upon a stone given to them only understood by the one to whom it is given.
Traits of Balaam
1. Prophet of divination-- Divination is trying to discover information regarding future events or secret things through supernatural methods. Many cultures, including ancient Mesopotamian civilizations, Babylonians, Africa, Greece, China, and more, have used divination for centuries. Divination includes but is not limited to interpreting omens, symbols, tarot cards, crystal balls, or events believed to show the future from a supernatural source.[2] In modern times, people use psychic hotlines, tarot card readings, astrology, horoscopes, Yoga, Ouija boards, christals, burning sage, and more to know the future, silence the mind, or attempt to contact the dead. Balaam was such a person who used divination and was good at his craft. The Bible says: “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” (Numbers 22:4b-6). Again, note that a false prophet can give accurate predictions, curses, etc. The devil has so much influence in this area because he gives one enough truth to get them hooked, yet enough error to have one lost.
2. A soothsayer – A soothsayer supposedly sees and foretells the future through the use of divination. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, Sooth is an archaic word meaning truth or reality.[3] Yet, remember that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, and any other source is unreliable, even if some of what they say is not erroneous. The Lord did and still does not want His people partaking in such things and people who practice them. The Bible says: “ Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 18:10-13). One must be careful of what they listen to in many of today’s churches because divination by soothsayers cloaked as leaders of God has entered many pulpits, causing many to forsake holiness for monetary gain and more.
3. Prophet for hire – Balaam was a prophet for profit. He was hungry for money and allowed greed to overtake him. The Bible says: “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” (Numbers 22:7). Too often, many churches get caught up in money via the prosperity gospel that is often not taught correctly according to the Word. This is not to say believers are not to give, for the Lord loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:20). Yet, there are more sermons about money than salvation, repentance, holiness, and living one’s life as a living sacrifice unto the Lord. Yet, the Lord always had a rebuke for leaders’ greed. The Bible says: “Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, they seek their own gain” (Isaiah 56:10-11). God is more interested in one’s salvation than one’s bank account. It is better to please the Lord than to have all the money in the world.
4. A prophet who lacked empathy – Balaam was aware of the challenges the Israelites faced after coming from Egypt. Yet, he did not care, nor did he allow it to check the greed in his heart. He was only concerned about himself and what he could gain financially. The Bible says: “…A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me” (Numbers 22:5b). When we allow greed to prevent us from empathizing with the needs of others, we are no longer operating under the guidance of the Holy Spirit but under the power of Satan.
5. Prophet of manipulation – The Lord had already told Balaam that He would not curse the Children of Israel. Nevertheless, when King Balak sent more distinguished men with more money, Balaam went to the Lord again as if he could manipulate God to change His mind. The Bible says: “ Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first… “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” (Numbers 22:15-20). A person can say the right thing but have ulterior motives. The Lord reads hearts and minds, for He is the sovereign, just Judge.
6. Led people away from God – While Balaam could not curse the Children of Israel himself, he advised King Balak on how to allow them to bring about a curse upon themselves. Let’s reread what Jesus said about Balaam. The Bible says: “You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin” (Revelation 2:14). Idolatry is in the church, and one of its many cords involves people being entangled in sexual sin (fornication, masturbation, adultery, homosexuality, sodomy, and more). Jesus rebuked the church’s tolerance for this behavior. The Bible says: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
7. They do not lead with pure motives. Although Balaam acted as if he was going to do what the Lord required of him, he did so with impure motives. This provoked God’s anger, and the angel would have struck him if it had not been for the donkey. The Bible says: “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
[1] The William Davidson Talmud, "Zevachim 116a:22," Sefaria: a Living Library of Jewish Texts Online, accessed April 25, 2025, https://www.sefaria.org/Zevachim.116a.22?lang=bi.
[2] Find Astrologer Editorial Staff, "Divination: Techniques, Traditions, and Modern Relevance," FindAstrologer, last modified June 25, 2024, https://www.findastrologer.com/divination/.
No comments:
Post a Comment