The story of Balaam and Balak is one of the most entertaining and tragic tales in the Old Testament. Their paths crossed when Balak called on Balaam to curse the Israelites.
Balak feared this nation, which had escaped Egypt and conquered its neighbors. He wanted to battle them on a supernatural level instead of a physical one.
Balak appealed to Balaam and said, “Come now, curse this people for me, since they are stronger than I; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed” (Numbers 22:6).
The elders of Moab and Midian brought payment for Balaam’s services. They asked him to come and help with Balak’s problem.
Balaam said he needed time to think. After leaving the ambassadors, God met with him and asked who the men with him were. Balaam explained, but God told him he couldn’t curse the Israelites because they were blessed by God.
God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed” (Numbers 22:12).
Balak didn’t accept Balaam’s refusal and sent more riches and higher-ranking people to persuade him. Once again, Balaam took time to meet with God while they waited.
God answered him: That night God came to Balaam and said to him, “If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but do only what I tell you to do” (Numbers 22:20).
It’s essential for modern readers to understand that Balaam was not a believer in God, unlike Moses. Balaam was actually the pagan counterpart to the faithful Moses in the Old Testament.
His goal was to manipulate any god he dealt with to get what he wanted. Balaam didn’t serve God at all. The only reason God intervened and spoke to him was out of grace and to reveal His character to a pagan man.
The next day, Balaam traveled with the men to meet Balak. His journey includes an encounter with a talking donkey, which will be covered in tomorrow’s article.
Reflections
The story of Balaam and Balak is an old tale. We might find it amusing and think it has no relevance for us today. However, we should reconsider that view. The core issue here is a human tendency to try to manipulate God.
We live in a very self-centered culture, and I’m no exception. Sometimes, when I can’t sleep, I try to turn those sleepless nights into moments of prayer.
I remind myself that Jesus didn’t have a comfortable bed, air conditioning, or indoor plumbing. If Jesus could live through that, then it’s okay for me to be awake in the middle of the night and using that time to talk to God.
Instead of resting in the Lord until we actually rest, we often look for other solutions for a sleepless night.
This is a small example of how, when God doesn’t meet our needs, we turn elsewhere. Whether we’re bored, tired, or fearful, we often seek fulfillment in places other than the Lord.
Balak’s fear led him to Balaam. He offered Balaam a lot, including sacrificed animals and other gifts, to get what he
wanted.
There are many lessons in this story, but the biggest one is not to let our needs control our actions. Instead, let’s allow Jesus’ guidance to shape our attitudes and behaviors. Living this way with God, we can’t go wrong.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 