Numbers 22:5

Numbers 22:5 says, He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:  Balak sent a message to Balaam about the people of Israel and the number of them.  He said they covered the face of the earth, and that they were coming against Balak and the people of Moab.  We as followers of Christ cover the earth today, though our numbers are smaller than the number of unbelievers.  Verse six adds, Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.  Balak asked Balaam to curse the people of Israel so that he might prevail against them.  Balak said he knew that those that Balaam blessed were blessed and that those that he cursed were cursed, which is something God tells us we as Christians have the power to do today, as long as it is done according to God's will.  Verse seven continues, And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.  The elders of Moab and Midian came to Balaam with payment for his divination cursing Israel.  One thing we should never do is attempt to use our relationship with God for material gain.  Verse eight states, And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.  Balaam told them to stay there for the night and he would talk to the LORD about the matter.  We need to make sure that as followers of Christ we always seek His leadership in all that we do.  Verse nine adds, And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?  God spoke to Balaam, and asked him who these men were.  God would have already known this, but He wanted to make sure that Balaam knew.  God always knows who we are dealing with, but we need to make sure we know as well.  Matthew Henry says that Balaam was a prophet, but had started to use his ability for profit, and now God was speaking to him, probably in a dream.  Verse ten says, And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,  Whether God spoke to Balaam in a dream or not, he answered God and told Him who the people were.  When God speaks us, we need to be honest in our answer to Him.  Verse eleven adds, Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.  Balaam then told God what they wanted Him to do, which was to curse the people of Israel.  Verse twelve declares, And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.  God told Balaam that he was not to go with them, nor was he to curse the people of Israel, because they were blessed by God.   We need to be very careful that we are not guilty of cursing our fellow Christians because it is profitable for us to do so.  Verse thirteen adds, And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.  The next morning Balaam told the princes of Moab that God forbade him to go with them, but Matthew Henry points out that he didn't tell fhem that the people of Israel were a people blessed by God.  We need to make sure that we share all that God tells us with the people that He gives us a message for.  Verse fourteen continues, And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.  They returned to Balak and told him that Balaam refused to return with them.