February 25, 2020: Day 24 – Numbers 24

The story of this relationship with Balaam and Balak comes to an end this chapter, and it doesn’t end well for Balak.  Balaam does wise up and refuses to follow along with Balak for a third and final sacrifice to try to convince the Lord to turn his eyes favorably upon Moab.  Instead Balaam turns aside and see the soldiers of Israel and seems to be smitten with admiration for them.  He speaks an oracle, not because of the coaxing of Balak but of his own free will, and that oracle speaks well of what will happen with the people of Israel in this situation. 

As you can imagine Balak is furious.  I’m the one who hired you to speak on my behalf and here you go by yourself and bless my enemies.  I promised that I would make you rich, well you aren’t going to get a single penny from me.  Balaam is undisturbed by this and reminds him that he had already warned him that he could have offered all the wealth of his house but it would not persuade him to speak words which did not reflect what the Lord wanted him to say.  He could only say what God wanted him to say.

But don’t worry, he goes on, I will give you an oracle about Moab.  You can almost see Balak hesitate and wanting to say: Nah, that’s okay, I’m good.  The oracle is not good.  It speaks of the destruction of Moab and the rise of Israel.  After Balaam is finished then we simply have each of them going their separate ways.  You should not be able to convince a disciple of Jesus Christ to join your side with either money or power.  It is a lesson that is so powerful for us today as it seems that some within the Christian church in our country have sold their messages of prophecy for a seat at the head table.