Sending a Mixed Message

God had told Balaam he was not to go to Balak or curse Israel because God had blessed them.  If they forced him to go, he was not to say anything but what Got told him.  Balaam had gone anyway, and both the angel of the Lord and his donkey warned him that he was going against God.  When he arrived, Balak asked him why he had delayed.  After all he would have been willing to pay whatever he wanted, in Numbers 22:36-37.  “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.  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?”

It would have been the perfect time to tell him, God said, “…thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.”  Instead, Balaam temporized, leading Balak, hoping God would change his mind so he could still get paid, in Numbers 22:38-23:4.  “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.  And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.  And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

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.  And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.  And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.  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 showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.  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 did not change his mind ot please either Balaam or Balak, as numbers 23:5-10 shows us.  “And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.  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.  How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?  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.  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!”

Balak felt that Balaam had just led him on and was angry that he hadn’t cursed them, in Numbers 23:11.  “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.” 

Balaam explained he could only say what God commanded, in Numbers 23:12.  “And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?”

Balak still thought in terms of the prophet telling God what to do instead of God controlling the prophet.  It was obvious Balaam wanted the money  so he gave him another chance to earn it.   Numbers 23:18-24 describes the second prophecy.  “And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?  Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.  God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.  Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!  Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.”

Balak was very angry at this point, telling him that if he couldn’t curse them, he shouldn’t bless them either.  Balaam repeated his statement about only doing what God said, in Numbers 23:25-26.  “And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?”

Balak still wasn’t convinced it was God’s command.  If he really believed God would not curse the people, why would he keep trying to curse them?   Though he insists God has the final say, by offering sacrifices for Balak, Balaam has left the impression that God’s commands can be changed.  As a result, Balak would try one more time.    Sadly, because Christians do not make it clear what God has said, many people today think God’s word is not final.