Although its natural connotation is "one who conquers the people," it can have a positive, possessive sense: "the people's conqueror," that is, a champion of the people, one who fights for the people's best interests. He probably kept an ear to the ground for any unusual things happening and had reports of such sent to him. From what we know of Balaam's general character, the second seems more likely. The New Testament frequently mentions it in the same context as Sodom and Gomorrah and Israel's sins caused by Balaam and Korah. Christ implies that all three are the same basic heresy under different guises. His injury does not cause him to consider at all that God may be trying to get his attention. numbers - Did Balaam die a righteous death? - Biblical Hermeneutics Its, Introduction The Bible, as a collection of sacred texts, has fascinated and inspired countless generations throughout history. As Rabbi Neil Gillman has taught, all (or at least most) God-talk is metaphorical. Despite the rebellions of Israel, God will not only make Israel great and prosperous, but He will also complete His planeven to the coming of the Messiah as King of kings (Revelation 19:11-16). It is presented to us as an inducement to do something. The people of Israel also killed Balaam, the son of Beor, with a sword. Some things in God's Word are difficult to understand (II Peter 3:16), but the Bible nowhere tries to produce doubt, confusion, or division by any means (I Timothy 6:3-5; II Timothy 2:14). . And then in verse 20, God tells him quite specifically, "Only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.". Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?. What can we learn from Balaam's life? I assume that Balaam had positive traits as well. Balaam, you are not looking ahead to the consequences! A person cannot creep close to a sparrow, as they fly at the slightest movement. So Balak sweetens the offer, tempting Balaam with, Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. If it was good for Balaam, then it was good! You can read the portion of Balaams story that involves his donkey, in context, in Numbers 22. The second time, the angel stands in a narrow path with walls on both sides. Our weekly email connects you to the latest content and resources. Balaam refused to make any pronouncement other than what God says. A stray arrow happened to hit Josiah, and he was taken from the battlefield, mortally wounded. Was Balaam An Israelite? |Q&A - Patterns of Truth Perhaps he sent his son, possibly his firstbornthe heir to the throne. Stay here overnight, and in the morning I will tell you if God has come to me in a dream or a vision to tell me what I can do!". He made no money. He starts off by asking him, "Who are these men with you?" (II John 6, 9-11), Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. I've gone the wrong way, and I need You to open the path for me.". In our modern way, we have turned it around: "Well, the Bible doesn't say that you can't do this." Who was Balaam in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Perhaps he thought, "Well, I've talked to her enough. What do the seven churches in Revelation stand for? He considered himself a devotee of every god, believing that he could communicate, work, and curse for any god. And the story of a talking donkey is in good companyalong with a burning bush (Exodus 3:2) or gentle breeze (1 Kings 19:12)as proof of the miraculous mouthpieces God can choose. The story of Balaam is a fascinating exploration of divine revelation and communication. When one examines the Torah 's description of Balaam's character, taking the text according to its plain . A vast army was camped on the borders of his territory. Has our present society reached this nadir of behavior? Clearly, Balaam's instruction included getting the Israelites to commit idolatry and sexual immorality. [3] If this is correct, we ought to translate our verse as El brought them/him out of Egypt; like the horns of a wild ox does he have! Particularly noteworthy is the fact that Els general epithet was Bull., The Bible itself repeatedly demonstrates that ancient Israelites either acknowledged the existence of, or outright worshipped, more than one god/God, and that, eventually, some of these gods coalesced in the minds of the Israelites into the one God of Israel familiar from the Bible and later Judaism.[4]. (I John 3:10), By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. It is almost as if he failed to hear God say, "If the men come to call on you." We might call it bending the rules. In this way, the whole East Bank of the Jordan River became Israelite territory. Balaam wanted to do all these thingsto have a relationship with God, to be able to bless and curse, to be a real prophetbut he never wanted to obey. The inclusion of four prophecies or oracles attributed to the Mesopotamian soothsayer Balaam has troubled some Bible students through the years. The soothsayer reminds him that he warned him from the start that he "could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of [his] own will; but what the LORD says, that [he] must speak" (Numbers 24:13). Balaam loved the wages of unrighteousness. Maimonides attempts here to describe God without epithets of any kind, in as dispassionate a formulation that he can possibly muster in what he considered to be a popular medium. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Numbers Chapter 22 Thousands of Bibles, books, and studies starting at 30% off -- Shop ChurchSource.com now! And His commandments are not burdensome. Scholars surmise soothsaying to be Balaam's "family business" from his wide reputation as well as the meaning of his and his father's names. It would have been quite honorable for Balaam to have entertained the next king of Moab in his home. The first two reasons are easy to understand with Balaam being a pagan prophet. The donkey is the "prudent man" here, and blind Balaam is "the simple." . And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:11-12). Nevertheless, the whole story of Balak and Balaam was all very unnecessary. Richard T. Ritenbaugh To end Balaam's willfulness, God sends an angel to block the path. He functioned by self-interest rather than by belief or standards. More like the gentle donkey, and less like Balaam, lets seek Gods voice and follow it. His father's name, Beor, means "burning," another allusion to destruction. Doesnt God detest things like sorcery, divination and witchcraft? Just as we believe the angel spoke to Mary about her immaculate conception, because Jesus was real in the flesh and rose from the dead, we can believe that Balaams donkey actually spoke. All rights reserved. While we have long passed the time when we would consider praying to El as a separate divine entity, the imagery associated with God in these prayers resonates much more with the mythic descriptions of El than they do with Maimonides dispassionate descriptions of an unmoved mover. Proverbs 22:3 says, "A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished." But Balaam knew where his power came from. Balaam has already been told by God what His will is, but he will keep asking until he gets the answer he wants (reminds me of a child). Despite deep flaws, David was a man of God. I'm taking my shingle down. . Starting the Prompt Design Site: A New Home in our Stack Exchange Neighborhood, Statement from SO: June 5, 2023 Moderator Action. Balaam's Prophetic Utterances Like Peter says in 2 Pet 2:15 he loved the wages of wickedness. When others tempt you to curse or harm others, even if great reward is offered, consider the reward you already have in Jesus. He is so self-possessed, so full of self-interest that he cannot think beyond the end of his nose! He may have had an interest in them from a local history standpoint. Balaam was a diviner from Pethor, a city located near the Euphrates River. Until recently, they had themselves been subject to the Amorites and had suddenly been freed by Israel's conquering of Sihon and Og of Bashan. He had set himself up as an enemy of God, and he never turns himself around. Others put it as, "There is no 'Thus saith the Lord' about this" - though there may be dozens of verses that say that one should not do it because of this, that, or something else. Probably the most difficult part of the question is that Balaam did refer to God as "my God" ( Num. And in an unsettling reveal of Balaams true nature, Balaam beats the frightened donkey back onto the path. . 5Then the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak ." 6So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab. How could there be a pre-Mosaic Yahweh-worshipper living near the Euphrates (, He seems to know nothing of Moses and the Israelites. The Reason God Chose Joseph The Father Of Jesus, Balaam's Story in the Broader Biblical Narrative, Implications for Contemporary Christian Theology, Balaams Misstep: A Lesson in Obedience and Faith, What is the Doctrine of Balaam? Given a planet map, can plate tectonics be determined? That's what God does best! Balaam was a diviner from Pethor, a city located near the Euphrates River. As Isreal approached this region, God had told them not to mess with the Moabites and the Edomites because they were distant relatives of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 2:8-9). As we reflect on Balaams story, let us remember the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:14 (NKJV): For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.. Why, then, did God use Balaam? Instead, Balak makes some sort of alliance with the Midianites, who, as the book of Judges details, became a thorn in Israel's side. Balaam, Us, And the 3 Wills of God - No Longer Lukewarm What if, instead of blessing them, their God was to curse them? In each response, Balaam inquires of God after constructing altars. The Bible tells us that Balaam was the son of Beor (Numbers 22:5), living in Pethor near the Euphrates River. Consider I Peter 2 in terms of what Balaam did. He is terrified, but he does not beseech God for mercy. Through this incident, we see in Balaam that even His enemies must yield to God and the outworking of His plan. What Is the Work of God Now? This is obviously a miraclethere is only one other place in the Bible (Genesis 3, the serpent to Eve) where an animal speaksyet Balaam acts as if it happens to him every day! A Remarkable Spiritual Gift | Open the Bible It only takes a minute to sign up. The word of God is true, and the account of Balaam and the Moabites is historical record. Because of this, Balaam tells Balaks officials that the Lord will not allow him to go with them. And why, after going to the trouble of leading them out of Egypt with such a strong hand (verse 22), would He allow them to be defeated just before reaching their destination? He certainly knew about Israel, about Israel's God, and what He had done miraculously for Israel for forty years. However, if a demon did communicate with him and was behind his sorcery, it makes Balaam even more evil. Stack Exchange network consists of 182 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. From James Prictchard,Ancient Near Eastern Pictures Relating to the Old Testament(1969). See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. One can even argue that these papers' definitions of Nicolaitanism spurred and intensified the scattering of the brethren. Farewell. Frankly, the religion of Balaamhis doctrine or teaching, his way of lifewas the dominant religion of the time, just as Protestantism is dominant today. Cain, Lamech, and mankind in general never took God into account when they committed their iniquities. One of the main things about Balaam's character is that he was greedy for wealth and prestige. What do you think it would take for God to go against his promise? For, as the verse goes on to say, He is with Israel as their King! She's a writer, editor, marketer, formerCrosswalk.com Faith Editor, and author ofWisdom at Wit's End: Abandoning Supermom Myths in Search of Supernatural Peace. He may have known about Israel, about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, perhaps even of some of God's instructions to Israel. The physical fornication produced spiritual fornication, which is idolatry. On such a pivotal part of His plan, God would not be forced or cajoled to change His mind. God, at this point, let the course of events take place naturally. Jesus calls us the salt of the earth, and part of its meaning is that we are the preservative in this world. . Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I escape safely. Like many people's lives, the story of Balaam is complex. God says, "That's perverse. For the purpose of this exercise, lets focus on a single verse, a refrain, actually, that occurs twice in our parasha (Num. Balaam tries to do to the donkey what God was trying to do to him! In His Olivet Prophecy, Jesus says: "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (II John 10-11), Immediately, then, Balaam becomes complicit in the sins of Balak. TheTorah.com is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.We rely on the support of readers like you. He does not see God at all in this, though the donkey does. A truly righteous individual would never even think of causing others to sin. However, there are huge principles - love toward God, neighbor, and self; not defiling the temple of God's Spirit; slow suicide - that people totally ignore. [10] It is likely that Maimonides has chosen his opening words to deliberately hint at the personal, most intimate name of God: The opening letters of each word ( ) yield the Divine name, YHWH.. [11] Maimonides did not intend the Mishneh Torah for the intellectual elite alone, something he did intend for the Guide for the Perplexed. Those who believe the word to refer to hierarchy assume that a conqueror would rule as a tyrant or dictator, whether he is called king, emperor, president, chancellor, or first citizen. Balaam was a diviner from Pethor, a city located near the Euphrates River. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him?" John T. Willis; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977), 242261. But they did not! His fame as a seer had spread far and wide, attracting the attention of Balak, the king of Moab. The apostle says false prophets have "eyes full of adultery." She was totally out of character! In effect, God is saying, "Balaam is going to do what he wants to do, and I'm not going to stand in his way because he's set his mind on destruction." As recorded in Numbers 21, they had just defeated the Amorites under King Sihon, and they had smashed themcrushed them! Well, Balaam used his freedom, his liberty, as a cloak for vice. Happy in their numbers, which made them both honourable and formidable. Lets look at what is declared in Deuteronomy, after God holds his blessing on the Israelites firmdespite the desires of Balak and Balaam. He did not believe God. Is that not basically selfish? Balak wanted Balaam to put a curse upon the Israelites so as to stop their progress. Yet, the dumb donkey, a lowly beast of burden, saw God at work and deferred to Him, and by its submission, the donkey made it possible for "blind" Balaam to see (compare Isaiah 42:18-20; Matthew 11:5; Luke 4:18; John 9:39-41; Revelation 3:17-18). Balaam and the End-Time Church (Part 2). What Is a False Prophet? But hold fast what you have till I come. We are the clayHe is the Potter! It is found in Numbers 22,23,24. It is used as an inducement, and we have to be very careful because it is so incessantly shoved in our faces. ." Finally, when the men return to Balak, all they say is, "He is not coming.". These events, of course, set up the prophecies in the next two chapters, but they also highlight the two main themes of the story. Balaam wants the pot of gold and the honor! 89027, 2023 Paradise Publishing DBA Viral Believer. He probably entertained themperhaps he performed parlor tricks for them. [3] How is the divine name El being used in the Balaam orations? He was attempting to impose his will on God, and make God change for him! Can't you see Me working?" Ancient references to Balaam consider him a non-Israelite, a prophet, and the son of Beor. It is an important part of his character. God finally killed Balaam. Nadab and Abihu made a fatal mistake. The condition was only if he was asked again, but he was not asked again yet went anyway. 22:6, NIV). God, however, refused to listen, and he was angry with Balaam for not rejecting Balak's proposal outright from the very first (Numbers 22:12). www.simplybible.com Copyright Ron Graham 2005, "I must be careful to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth. Balaam lived just a stone's throw away from this place of future fame. Israel was not going to invade, devastate their land, kill their people, and take all their wealth. They were functioning by human nature, and it was only natural for them to think that, if two or three million people came in, they would eat up everything and take over the territory, but that is the irony of all this. of The intrusion of the Israelites alarmed Balak, king of Moab. because he allows us to sin so that we can . Maybe the most intriguing detail here is that the word adversary is, in Hebrew, satan, which means generally "adversary, enemy, foe." He made him free to do a certain thing, which was to go with the men, but He put a condition on it: "If they come to you." She was bound to answer me sometime." ", "Kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality", "turn to God from idols, to serve the living God", "Do not go with them. It is precipitant." He feared the Israelites would attack, and he wanted Balaam to put a curse on them. Many biblical names are simple common names within the culture and time in which the person lived. Response? Why did Lota prophethave sex with his daughters? He received permission from God in one small area, under a certain circumstance, and Balaam interpreted it as freedom to do generally as he pleased. Truly, grace is a wonderful thing. Conversely, if we consider the donkey to stand for those who actually see God at work, we can notice a few things: The donkey is persecuted for her obedience. He thought he could bribe Him by giving Him sacrifices, cajoling Him, making a deal with Himinto cursing even His own people. [5] See, for example, Mark S. Smith, The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1990). There was enough room, however, for the donkey to turn aside, which is what she did. All of this could have been avoided with a little bit of communication between Balak (the Devastator) and Moses. numbers - Was Balaam a true follower of Yahweh? - Biblical Hermeneutics Balaam was one of those people who, if you give him an inch, he takes a mile. (I Peter 2:15-16). In his Anchor Bible Numbers commentary, Professor Baruch Levine concludes, [W]hat is eminently clear is that the poems speak for themselves, and that the narratives are predicated upon a different casting of Balaam.[2]. The man is totally oblivious to what is going on. He is heedless to anything else. His father's name, Beor, means "burning," another allusion to destruction. Balaams story reminds us that God can and does reveal Himself to anyone He chooses, regardless of their background or beliefs. . Note: "In the night season the angel of God came to Balaam with the message, 'Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed' (Numbers 22:12). God gave him conditional permission to do something. The story of David, the young shepherd boy who became one of the most powerful and beloved kings in Israels history, is one of the, When one reads the Bible, some of the details found within the Holy Scripture are entirely awe-inspiring! US citizen, with a clean record, needs license for armored car with 3 inch cannon. Despite Balaks insistence, Balaam could only bless the Israelites, not curse them, because he could only speak what God put in his mouth (Numbers 23:12). In Numbers 24:1 we learn an additional piece of information: Balaam had been seeking omens to make his predictions. Here puny Balaam was trying to match wits with the God of all the universeand he thought he could win! Why? prove this assumption faulty. Professor Mark Smith of New York University has long studied the process through which the various gods and goddesses that were worshipped in the Bronze and Iron Ages gradually became identified as the God of Israel. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! It never comes to mind that God may be telling him something. It shows us that God can reveal Himself in unexpected ways and to unexpected people. Numbers 23:1 Commentaries: Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven What Peter had been telling his readers to do was submit - submit to government; submit to the king; to governors; to anyone in authority - for the Lord's sake, because that is what God wants us to do. What would be the point in Balaam pronouncing a curse, if God was going to give ablessing? [2] Baruch A. Levine, Numbers 21-36: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. You shall not go with them. Word had gotten around that Balaam was skillful at cursing people. In 22:18, Balaam refers to God in even more personal terms, as "the LORD my God." Balaam a non-Israelite nonetheless seems to know Yahweh, the God of Israel. God continuously warns Balaam, "Do not go beyond what I tell you to do," and every time, Balaam tries to anyway. A false prophet. The name of a Parshah is generally based on its first words, and therefore this Parshah is called " Parshat Balak," but the truth is that it should be called Parshat Balaam.Without a doubt, Balaam is the hero of the Parshah, all of which revolves around his personality and actions. Over and over the leaders of Moab asked Balaam to have another go at divining the message they wanted. Wasn't it Balaam who was led by the Spirit to prophecy blessings over Israel? rev2023.6.27.43513. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. (II Thessalonians 2:10-12, 15). They were from the same general area near Haran, which was less than fifty miles away. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. What the Bible says about Jesus later says to the Pergamos church, "Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate" (verse 15). It is also interesting that it is a very negative, destructive name (like Balak's, "devastator"). While this may apply literally, it can also more generally describe unfaithfulnessa willingness to abandon an agreement if they feel it is in their interest to do so. Salem Media Group. Instead of loving righteousness, Balaam "loved the wages of unrighteousness" (2Peter 2:15-16). The Bible itself does not define Nicolaitanism. He is more concerned about the antinomian spirit, the attitude of lawlessness, that allows these sins to infest the church. He did not want to live as the righteous but to die as righteous. Another idea that surfaces here is that he thought he could manipulate God. The significance of Balaams story in the broader biblical narrative. Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, and from the traps of the workers of iniquity. The NetBible expositors notes seem to think so: In the light of subsequent events one should not take too seriously that Balaam referred to Yahweh as his God. He was willing to do anything to get his way. It demonstrates Gods sovereignty over all nations and peoples, not just Israel. . MT+SP=LXX. We have two choices. ", It is probable that he did not expect God to say a word to him. He is like a daredevil, like Evel Knievel, who without thought or fear, endangers his and others' lives for his own selfish purposes. Some have even conjectured that Balaam himself may have been a Hebrewa descendant of Eber, though not of the line of Abraham, because the people who lived in that general area were closely related. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed". Second, Balaam's encounter with the Angel brings out the other theme: The supposedly "spiritual" person is often blind to what the simple see plainly. The baru did not consider themselves devotees of any one god but of every god. [2] It does not quite mean "perverse"; the preferred meaning is interesting: "to precipitate; to be precipitant; to push headlong; to drive recklessly. Since at least the days of Abraham, God had been foretelling what He would do for His people, and there was no way He would renege on it now that it was about to unfold! In the main, these papers defined Nicolaitanism as the belief and practice of hierarchical government, the scapegoat for all the church's problems, with an emphasis on tithing and using a paid ministry. In the eventual battle between Israel and the Midianites Balaam is killed while fighting on the side of Balak (Numbers 31:8). They had made it all up in their own heads; their fears were figments of their imagination. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. You shall not curse them. He was willing to set aside principle (if he had any) to achieve his goals. However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you (Deuteronomy 23:3-5). here I see the Permissive Will of God. It actually surfaces in Revelation 2:6, where it speaks of the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which God hates, but it is more clearly stated in verse 14 to the church in Pergamos. How could God use Balaam as a prophet when he was guilty of divination He warns us, "Do not use this freedom to do evil. Get professional Bible Software For Free Here! For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to this page. Can't you see Me? This God could bring ten plagues upon the people of Egypt and could find water in the desert for 2.5 or 3 million people. He even talked to God, and God talked back to him! However, Balaam does not think about God at all. [1] Richard Elliot Friedman, Who Wrote the Bible? And his taking license came back to bite him severely in the end. The virtually unique parallelism of el/YHWH in the first poem (Num 23:8) suggests that usage of the name el in the Balaam poems is discrete, not epithetical, and El, not YHWH, is the deity empowering Balaam, whose words Balaam heard and whose visions he beholds. In like manner, there are those who think, "Well, because the Bible does not say 'Thus saith the Lord,' it is okay!" Another reason is that the incident involving Balaam is more important than most people think. However, biblical scholars have long understood that is also the proper name of the old chief god in the ancient Canaanite pantheon, El (or Il). 3 Important Reminders from the Story of Balaam and His Talking Donkey. Jesus kept it for us!". BALAAM was a diviner whose reputation for pronouncing effectual curses and blessings had spread far beyond the borders of his native land. Balaam rode his donkey along with the Moabites to go curse the Israelites. Tap a Lookup below to generate a list oflessons. But instead he says, "Why don't you stay the night? Nevertheless, it is doubtful that many of us would pray using them, especially in an hour of great need or trauma.
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