Numbers 23:1

Numbers 23:1 says, And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.  Though God had told Balaam not to prophesy against, or curse Israel, he was still allowing Balak to believe that he was going to.  He told Balak to have seven altars built and to prepare seven oxen and seven rams.  When we know what God has told us not to do, we don't need to do anything but obey Him.  Verse two adds, And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.  Balaam thought he could win over God by offering sacrifices to Him, and Balak was willing to do whatever he said and even participate with him in doing whatever he was doing.  Matthew Henry says Balaam was still looking for the reward from cursing Israel and enjoying the power that Balak was given him.  We must never allow power and material wealth to be a driving force in our life as we claim to be followers of Christ.  Verse three continues, And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.  Balaam told Balak to stand by his burnt offerings, which they really were, and not God's burnt offerings, which they weren't, because they were not offered for the right reason.  If we give something to God today in hope of convincing Him to do what we want, especially if He has already told us that we are not to do it, it is our sacrifice and not His.  Verse four states, And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.  God met Balaam, and Balaam bragged about what he had done for God, though it had really been done for his own benefit and not really to honor God.  There is no purpose in our telling God what we have done for Him if our purpose is to get Him to do what we want instead of doing what He has already told us to do.  Verse five adds, And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.  God put His word in Balaam’s mouth and told him to return to Balak and speak God's word, and not what Balak wanted to hear.  We can only speak God's word if we are to remain faithful followers of Christ, and should never just say what the world wants to hear.  Verse six adds, And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.  Balaam returned to Balak, who stood by his burnt sacrifices along with all the princes of Moab.  Balaam had the attention of all those in power, and he possibly felt that he had great power at that moment, but God was still in charge.  Verse seven says, And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.  Balaam stated why he was there, and that was to curse Jacob and defy Israel, at the request of Balak.   Verse eight adds, How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?  Balaam then asked how he could curse those that God had not cursed and defy those that God had not defied.  This is the question that we need to ask today, with the understanding that instead of coming to curse people that Jesus said that He came to seek and save those who were lost.  Verse nine continues, For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.  Balaam said he saw God from the top of the rocks, and that the people of Israel would dwell alone.  They would not be defeated by any other nation as long as God was with them, nor will we be defeated by any earthly power as long as we are obedient to God.  Verse ten concludes, Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!   Balaam then spoke of the vastness of the people of Israel and asked who could count them, and said let him die the death of the righteous.  This should be our goal as Christians today.  Verse eleven states, And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.  Balak asked Balaam what had he done to him, blessing Balak's enemy, Israel, instead of cursing them, but it was God Who was blessing them and not Balaam.  We cannot curse what God has blessed.  Verse twelve adds, And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?  Balaam asked if he should not take heed of what God had put in his mouth.  We need to always take heed of what God says and only speak what He tells us to, as followers of Christ, even if it may be the opposite of what we want to hear.

  

Numbers 22:36

Numbers 22:36 says, And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.  Balak went to meet Balaam when he heard he was almost there.  He evidently thought Balaam was going to do what he wanted him to do.  People will still go out of their way to get Christians to do what they want them to do, without any concern about whether it is God's will or not, if they think they will benefit from it.  Verse thirty-seven adds, And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?  Balak then basically asked Balaam what took him so long to get there, since Balak was going to richly reward him for doing what he wanted Balaam to do.  We should never allow people to think that they can buy our services as followers of Christ, no matter how much they promise to reward us materially.  Verse thirty-eight states, And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.  Balaam should have told Balak that God had already told him not to attempt to do what Balak wanted in the name of God, but he instead said that he could only say what God told Him to say.  We need to be clear when it comes to proclaiming God's word that we can only proclaim His truth, no matter what someone may offer us to do otherwise.  Verse thirty-nine adds, And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.  Balaam went with Balak to Kirjathhuzoth, when he should have simply turned around and gone home, considering that he shouldn't have been there to start with.  If we find ourselves in a place that we know God doesn't want us to be as Christians, we need to turn around and leave.  Verse forty says, And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.  Balak was still trying to flatter Balaam.  We should never allow anyone to think that as followers of Christ that we can be bought with flattery or material riches.  Verse forty-one adds, And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.  The next morning, Balak brought Balaam up to the high places of Baal, a false god worshipped by many people.  Matthew Henry says Balak might have done this thinking that Balaam would be better able to pronounce his curses on Israel from higher up, or closer to God, or maybe that he wanted to be higher up so that he could see the curses take effect.  No matter what the reason someone wants us to go there, we should stay out of places of the worship of false gods, especially if they think we are going to use our relationship with God to benefit them, whether it is God's will or not.  Knowing what God had told him, Balaam had no business going along with Balak. 

Numbers 22:22

Numbers 22:22 says, And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.  Though we were told that God told Balaam he could go, it was more likely his own determination that this was what God said.  Now that Balaam was on his way, an angel of the LORD stood in his way because God’s anger was kindled against him, which it wouldn't have been if God had really given him permission to go.  We may at times convince ourselves that God has given us permission to do something simply because that is what we want to do, but I believe He will always let us know when we are wrong.  Verse twenty-three adds, And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.  Balaam did not see the angel standing in the way with his sword drawn, but his ass, or donkey did, and turned away into a field, where Balaam beat her to get her to go where he wanted to go again.  In this case, Balaam was indeed dumber than a donkey, and if we are trying to do something that we know God doesn't want us to do, then so are we.  Verse twenty-four states, But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.  As Balaam continued on, the angel of the LORD stood in his way in a vineyard with walls on both sides.  There was very little way to turn aside, so turning around would have been the only option.  God will limit our opportunity to sidetrack around His opposition if we continue to go against His word.  Verse twenty-five adds, And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.  Once more, the ass saw the angel and attempted to get away, running into the wall and crushing Balaam’s foot.  Balaam once again beat her to get her to go where he wanted to go, evidently without thinking that God might be trying to tell him something.  If we are determined to do something and think that God has given us permission when He hasn't, then we need to at least be aware when He sends us warnings that He hasn't.  Verse twenty-six says, And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.  The angel went a little further ahead, to a narrow place where there was no room to turn aside and get around him.  God will ultimately make it nearly impossible for us to go against His will without directly confronting Him.  Verse twenty-seven adds, And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.  Once more, the ass saw the angel, and this time, with no way around, fell down under Balaam, who then beat her with his staff.  The ass was trying to save Balaam, and was being beaten for doing so.  Sometimes, we may treat people who attempt to get us to turn around when we are going in the wrong direction the same way.  Verse twenty-eight declares, And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?  God enabled the donkey to speak, asking Balaam what she had done to deserve being beaten three times.  Verse twenty-nine adds, And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.  Balaam told the donkey it was because the donkey had mocked him, and that if he had a sword, he would kill the donkey.   Evidently, he did not find it strange that the donkey was talking, which only God could cause to happen.  If we are determined to do something contrary to God's will, we may overlook even the strongest warnings that God sends us that we need to turn around.  Verse thirty states, And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.  The ass asked Balaam if she had not been his loyal ass and had she ever done anything like this before in the time Balaam had ridden her, and Balaam said no.  Sometimes, people may turn against loyal friends if they are trying to get them to turn away from doing something that God has told them not to do.  Verse thirty-one adds, Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.  God then opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the angel standing in his way with a drawn sword.  If we are receptive to God's word, He will always open our eyes to what He is telling us, and in this case, He was atelling Balaam that he was not to go to Balak to do what he wanted Balaam to do.  Verse thirty-two states, And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:  The angel then asked Balaam why he had beaten his ass three times, since the angel had stood in his way since Balaam was perverting God's word.  Since Balaam could now see the angel, God spoke to him through the angel.  Sometimes, it may take us awhile to listen to God, but He will always be telling us by various ways if we are going against His will that we need to turn around.  Verse thirty-three continues, And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.  The angel then told Balaam that the donkey had spared his life three times by turning away from going where Balaam was determined to go, because the angel stood ready to slay him.  If someone trys to keep us as followers of Christ from doing something against God's will, we certainly don't need to get angry with them about it.  Verse thirty-four states, And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. Balaam finally acknowledged that the angel of the LORD stood in his way, and said if his actions displeased him, that he would turn around.  It really wasn't the angel who was displeased, but God, for Whom the angel was but a messenger.  Our going against God's will as Christians always will displease God.  Verse thirty-five adds, And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.  The angel then gave Balaam permission to go on with the men to Balak, but to only speak what God told Him to speak to him, and Balaam went on his way with them.  As long as we are speaking God's word, I believe He will allow us the freedom to do so anywhere, but if we begin to use God's word for our own profit, we put ourselves in real danger of being rebuked by God.

Numbers 22:15

Numbers 22:15 says, And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.  Balak once again sent princes to Balaam to get him to do what he wanted him to do instead of what God had told him to do.  We are told that there were more of the princes this time and that they were mote honorable.  Balik appealed to Balaam's pride by sending more, higher ranking men to him, and Matthew Henry said probably with more money to offer him.  We should not be surprised if the people of the world flatter us today as followers of Christ to attempt to draw us away from doing His will, and sometimes they may even tempt us  with more money.  Verse sixteen adds, And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:  These princes said that Balak asked that Balaam not allow anything to prevent him from coming to him and doing what he wanted Balaam to do.  This would have included God, since Balaam had already told Balak that God prevented him from coming.  Once God forbids us from doing something, no amount of flattery or money should cause us to do it.  Verse seventeen continues, For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.  Balak promised Balaam very great honor and anything he wanted if he would just come and curse the people of Israel, God's chosen people, which God had already forbidden him to do.  No amount of honor or money should tempt us to do something contrary to God's will today.  Verse eighteen states, And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.  Balaam stood firm in his obedience to God at this point, saying even a house full of silver and gold would not get him to go against God's will.  We still need to stand firm in our obedience to God today, no matter how much the world may offer us to go against Him.  Verse nineteen adds, Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.  Balaam again asked the princes to stay for the night while he sought God's will, which had already been revealed to him previously.  If God has already told us what to do, we do not need to let prestige or money change our mind about it. Sometimes we say we are seeking God's will, when in reality we are just seeking His endorsement of what we plan to do.  Verse twenty continues, And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.  God this time told Balaam to go with them, but to only say what God told him to say.  He was not now being sent to do what Balak wanted him to do, but to share God's word instead.  God did not change His mind about Balaam going and cursing the people of Israel, but only told him that if he was determined to go, which his asking God once again about something that should have already been settled, then he could go, but he was still to obey God in what he said.  We may be allowed by God to find ourselves in the wrong place, but even if we are we must remain true to God's word.  Verse twenty-one concludes, And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.  Balaam rose up early and went with the princes.  Since he knew God had not changed His mind about what Balaam could do when he got there, there was really no need for him to go.  We need to be careful that we don't allow ourselves to be tempted to go somewhere that God has already told us not to go.

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.  

Numbers 22:1

Numbers 22:1 says, And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.  The people of Israel camped in Moab on this side of the Jordan.   They were a large group of people, and they were noticed by others.  Still, they were under God's order not to harm the people of Moab.  We are on the other side of Jordan today, not to the promised land of heaven, and we are under God's order not to harm those who oppose us as followers of Christ, no matter how large our number may be.  Verse two adds, And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.  Balak had seen what the people of Israel, under the leadership of God, had done to the Amorites.  What people should see us doing as Christians today is leading others to Christ, and they should have no reason to fear us.  Verse three continues, And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.  The people of Moab were afraid and distressed because of the great number of the people of Israel.  It would be nice if there were enough Christians today that other people at least respected us.  Verse four concludes, And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.  The Midianites said that the people of Isreal would lick them up like an ox licked up the grass of the field.  If they had been looking to God for guidance, they would have known they had nothing to fear.  If people of the world fear us as followers of Christ today, it is because they do not look to God for understanding of who we are and Who He is.  God's purpose is not to destroy, but to redeem, the lost people of the world, and that should be our goal as well.  Yet, I believe that too often we seem to look forward to God destroying those that we do not like, and we want to be a part of their being destroyed.

Numbers 21:21

Numbers 21:21 says, And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,  Verse twenty-two adds, Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king’s high way, until we be past thy borders.  The people of Israel asked Sihon the king of the Amorites for permission to pass through their land by way of the highway, using nothing of the Amorites resources as they passed through.   As followers of Christ, we cannot just assume we have the right to use the things of this world that belongs to others without their permission.  Verse twenty-three continues, And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel.  Sihon refused their request, and went to war with them instead.  We need to be prepared for the people of the world to refuse reasonable requests from Christians and to have them go to war with us instead.  Verse twenty-four states, And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.  Israel defeated the Amorites all the way to Jabbok, where the people of Ammon lived, who were a strong people.  Even if some of those who oppose us today a Christians are stronger than others, if we are acting under God's guidance, they cannot defeat us from an everlasting perspective.  Verse twenty-five adds, And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof.  The people of Israel took all the cities of the Amorites, and lived in them.  Verse twenty-six continues, For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon.  Hesbon was mentioned, because it was the city of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, which had been taken from the king of the Moabites.  Even those who are at war with Christians may also be at war with each other.  Verse twenty-seven says, Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:  Verse twenty-eight adds, For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon.  Verse twenty-nine continues, Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.  Verse thirty continues on, We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba.  People spoke proverbs about Sihon defeating the Moabites and taking Hesbon.  It is not unusual to hear of some country taking, or at least attempting to take, possession of some other country today, but ultimately they will all lose if they are not following God by having put their faith in Jesus Christ.  No matter who is in charge in this world, God has insured us as followers of Christ that the final victory is ours through our faith in Him.  Verse thirty-one concludes, Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.  The people of Israel then lived in the land of the Amorites.  We are really just living in the world today as Christians, even if we happen to possess it physically.  This world will never be our everlasting home.  Verse thirty-two states, And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.  Moses then sent spies to Jaazer, and they took the cities there.  Verse thirty-three adds, And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei.  The people of Israel then turned and went up by the way of Bashan, and Og, the king of Bashan went to war against them.  Even if we defeat one enemy of God, we should expect another to arise until Christ returns to claim His people.  Verse thirty-four continues, And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.  God told Moses to not fear Og, because God had delivered him into Moses's hand.  The people of Israel did not just go to war with these other kings, but when these kings went to war with them, the people of Israel had God on their side.  As followers of Christ today, if we are at war with the world, it should be because they initiated the war, and we must continue to live by faith in God, and if we do, we know that the ultimate victory is ours.  Verse thirty-five concludes, So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.    Moses and the people of Israel totally destroyed Og and his people and took possession of their land.  As long as we are followers of Christ, one day all our enemies will be defeated and we will take possession of our heavenly home, even if it is not in this lifetime.