What the Lord Speaks, That I will Speak
If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord to do either good or bad of my own will; what the Lord speaks, that will I speak. (Numbers 24:13)
Num. 22, 23:11-24, and 24:1-13; Deut. 23:4-5; Neh. 13:2; Micah 6:5; Jude 11
What Is God Saying?
The record of Balaam is a strange blend of nobility and covetousness. He is enlightened, "The oracle of him whose eye is opened, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down but having his eyes uncovered." (Num. 24:4) We also note that the Spirit of God came upon him (24:2), and he spoke some of the most remarkable prophecies in the Bible, such as Num. 24:17. The plot thickens. He is not an Israelite. He lives on the distant Euphrates. His reputation for cursing and blessing (a profitable business then) came to the attention of Balak, King of Moab, who urgently needed help. Israel was crowding him on the Western front.
Three times, Balaam refused the commission to bring a curse upon Israel. He said, "How can I curse when God has not cursed?" (23:8) This took some internal fortitude, but Balaam always did what he did for money. He turned down the payment only because he feared what God would do if he didn't. That is why Jude (11) refers to Balaam's error as the lust for gain. Balak and Balaam reached a stalemate. "All right," said Balak, "If you won't curse them at least don't bless them." They parted. Mission unaccomplished.
There is a sad ending for this potentially heroic figure (Num. 31:8, 16). By his advice, the Israelites were seduced into worshiping Baal with disastrous consequences. Balaam perished miserably. He had caused others to sin.
How Does This Apply To Us?
The saying comes to mind, "Reputation is won by many deeds and lost by one." God revealed his purpose. He kept preventing Balaam from yielding to the lure of gold, but there was always that weakness just below the surface. Even when facing Balak with courage, he still "abandoned himself for the sake of gain." With his shameful end, he started one of the darkest chapters of Israel’s history. Balaam is a classic example of not going with God all the way.
Pray With Me
Lord, give me the daring of Balaam, but even more, I ask that You keep me from the final weakness that marred his witness and spelled his doom. Let the dawn of a life devoted to Your Word linger with me through the day's heat and trial. When the shadows lengthen, let the light of Your Word still shine. When the evening comes, let the truth of Your Word still be faithfully spoken.
From Balaam, we learn that even though one has deep convictions about the Word of the Lord, temptations to act against it can be powerful. To join with the enemies of God can seem attractive and easy. Only a constant awareness of my riches in Christ can shield me from looking with a covetous eye on ‘Balak's house, full of silver and gold.’ Only a deep trust in Your perfect Word can keep me from the rashness of my own will. Only what the Lord speaks shall I speak, for only this brings salvation and blessing and hope.
O God, meet with me today as You met with Balaam on the heights where he saw only Your glory and heard only Your voice. Then, fortified with Your Truth and encouraged by the reality of your final victory, let me return to all the ‘Balaks’ I shall ever meet, saying, "God is not human, that he should... Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?"
Conviction in the Word means no compromise with the world. Your message is unchanging and unchangeable. Your light is unfading, unfailing, and unbending. May it be "a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" to the very last step of the very last mile until heaven's morning breaks. Then I shall see and possess the riches of glory, the reward of the face, the smile, the presence of my sovereign Lord.
In His wonderful name. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
We need to hear what God says to Balaam. We need Balaam's visions of the holiness and power of God, but we also need to remember the flaw in his character. We must listen to God and obey his word. We must stay free of covetousness. We should pray at the heights with Balaam so that we might see God's glory, and we should pray to avoid Balaam's error. "The love of money is the root of all evil." Prayer is for receiving the blessing of God and avoiding the curse of sin.
