Balaam (Part 03) – (Num 22:5-14) – Balaam’s First Meeting with the Princes of Moab

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Num 22:5-14 – Balaam’s first meeting with the princes

1. Because of his irrational fear, Balak calls for Balaam and exaggerates the supposed danger, saying that Israel covered the face of the earth (Num 22:5).
2. Balak asks Balaam to curse Israel for him so that he can drive them out of the land (Num 22:6).
3. What Balak didn’t realize is that cursing Israel would bring the curse of God upon him (Num 24:5, 9; Gen 27:29).
4. If Balak was wise, instead of trusting in men (Jer 17:5; Psa 146:3; Psa 118:8-9), he would have gone to the God of heaven for help (Psa 107:13).
5. Balaam was a soothsayer (Jos 13:22).
6. Soothsayer – 1. One who speaks the truth; a truthful or veracious person. Obs. 2. One who claims or pretends to the power of foretelling future events; a predictor, prognosticator.
7. Balak was foolish to trust in a pretending prophet instead of the God of heaven.
8. Balak sends the elders of his country with a bribe (rewards of divination) for Balaam and they tell him the words of Balak (Num 22:7).
9. Balaam apparently had a reputation for loving the wages of unrighteousness (2Pe 2:15).
10. Money answers all things (Ecc 10:19).
11. False prophets/teachers will divine for money (Mic 3:11; Isa 56:10-11; Tit 1:11).
12. Balaam was like one of the princes of Israel later in their history who could be bribed with gifts and rewards to pervert justice (Isa 1:23).
13. But a true man of God cannot be bought for money (Act 8:18-20; Tit 1:7; 1Pe 5:2).
14. Balaam tells them to stay the night while he goes and asks God about it (Num 22:8).
15. What was there to ask God about?
16. Why did Balaam feel the need to ask God if he could curse His people?
17. Note: when you are tempted to sin, never pretend to be pious and ask God if it’s okay.
18. Have you ever counseled a fellow Christian against a foolish decision that they were contemplating, only to have them respond that they are “praying about it”?
19. “Never put a question mark where God puts a period.” (Unknown)
20. God comes to Balaam and asks who the men were who were with him (Num 22:9).
21. God obviously knew who the men were (Psa 147:5).
22. But God sometimes “plays dumb” and asks questions to which He already knows the answer (Luk 24:17-20; Joh 4:16-17; Joh 6:5-6).
23. When God starts asking questions, it’s likely not to make small talk, but rather interrogation (Gen 3:9-13; Gen 4:9-10).
24. Balaam answers that Balak sent a message unto him (Num 22:10).
25. Notice how Balaam doesn’t exactly answer God’s question directly.
26. Balaam would have made a great politician.
27. How frustrating it must be for God to deal with feebleminded sinners who can’t even answer His questions directly!
28. Balaam relays to God Balak’s message to him (Num 22:11).
29. God answers Balaam in no uncertain terms and says that he is not to go with them, nor to curse Israel (Num 22:12).
30. Sometimes God’s answer to our prayers is “no”.
31. This doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love us — it rather means that He loves us enough to not let us do something that will harm us.
32. Sometimes God says “no” to help us learn to rely on His grace to get us through a hard time (2Co 12:7-9).

iii.    Sometimes God says “no” because He has a greater plan that must be accomplished (Luk 22:42).

1. Remember God’s answer to Balaam because much of the remainder of this study is based on it.
2. Balaam sends the messengers back saying that the Lord refused to let him go with them (Num 22:13).
3. Balaam clearly understood God’s command to him, in that he promptly and unequivocally told them he could not go with them.
4. At this point, Balaam is outwardly appearing as if he is a righteous man.
5. The princes of Moab then return to Balak and tell him that Balaam refused to come with them (Num 22:14).