Balak sends for Balaam

Numbers 22:1–21
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The key person in this passage is a mysterious soothsayer named Balaam. He was a Gentile who lived at a place called Pethor near the Euphrates River (v. 5). He had a reputation for receiving hidden knowledge and the use of occult power to grant blessing or cursing and sold his services to all who would pay his fee. Peter warned against “the way of Balaam,” Jude against “the error of Balaam” and John against “the doctrine of Balaam” (II Peter 2:15; Jude 11; Revelation 2:14).God evidently considers these warnings necessary and appropriate for Christians even today. Yet Balaam, in his day, was a genuine prophet (note II Peter 2:16), possessed great knowledge concerning God, and even received direct revelations from God. What, therefore, were his way, his error, and his doctrine?

1. “The way of Balaam” was a readiness to use his high spiritual gifts and privileges for “The wages of unrighteousness” (II Peter 2:15), being willing to preach something contrary to God’s Word for personal gain.
2. “The error of Balaam” was his willingness to compromise his own standards of morality and truth in order “greedily” to accommodate those of his pagan friends (Jude 11).
3. “The doctrine of Balaam” which even in John’s day was already infiltrating the church, was to use his own teaching authority to persuade God’s people that it was all right for them to compromise their standards, even “to commit fornication” (Revelation 2:14) with their idol worshiping enemies.

Balak, king of Moab became very frightened when he heard the reports of Israel’s victories over the neighboring nations and called on Balaam to use his powers with the God of Israel to place a curse on Israel, promising to pay any fee he asked, plus bestowing royal honors on him (vv. 2-6).

Application

With his lips Balaam professed to obey the Lord, but in his heart he coveted the money and hoped that in some way he could circumvent God’s Will. Lord, help me to never be like this!