Thursday Night Bible Study

Numbers 22-Numbers 23 (Click scripture reference for audio access)

"The Subtle Attempt"  •  6.21.12  •  Thursday Night Bible Study, Calvary Christian Fellowship

Intro.

- Israel's march toward Canaan has been fraught with conflict. It was never going to be another way! They did not threaten or provoke, but God's people will always be opposed!

- Arad the Canaanite, Sihon and Og all came out against Israel, aggressive and powerful, but no match for the people of God.

- Arad and Sihon came out predictably aggressive, while Og came out in a surprise attack. Their attacks were overt and plain to see. What we see next is covert and not seen.

- We'll draw conclusions at the end. Let's take a look at verse 1.

Text

• Numbers 22:1-4 : "Then the children of Israel moved, and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho. Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel. So Moab said to the elders of Midian, 'Now this company will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.' And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time." : Israel is exceedingly close now to moving into Canaan which has drawn the attention of the local rulers.

- Balak is the King of the Moabites. The Moabites were cousins of the people of Israel through Lot and the Midianites were cousins through Moses' second wife Keturah.

- Far from being lovers of God, they had been subjugated to Amorite control and therefore, partakers in their occultic religion.

- Balak has been watching, as Israel took territory in the mighty nation of the Amorites.

- In Moses' song in Exodus 15:15, he prophecied that trembling would overtake Moab and we see that this is indeed the case. They were filled with fear, afraid for their lives! 

- Their victories were complete, leaving nothing behind and this little coalition was next!

- Ironically, in Deuteronomy 2:9, it had already been revealed to Israel that Moab was not to be harassed. That was not known by Balak, whose fears alone set up this entire episode.

• Numbers 22:5-8 : "Then he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying: 'Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.' So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. And he said to them, 'Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.' So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam." : Balak knew that military might was not the answer. He needed spiritual help. Balaam, not an Israeli, was a prophet for hire in that region.

- He is famous among the house of the King as one who blesses and curses. Invoking a curse on an enemy was standard fare before battle. In Balak's mind this is his ony hope of survival.

- When the messengers came, fee in hand, they waited out the night for the Lord to speak to Balaam. Whether he intended to hear from God or not, God did in fact speak to Him.

• Numbers 22:9-14: " Then God came to Balaam and said, 'Who are these men with you?' So Balaam said to God, 'Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.' And God said to Balaam, 'You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.' So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, 'Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you.' And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, 'Balaam refuses to come with us.'" : God lays it down clearly for Balaam. These people are blessed, you can't go! This is a clear cut and simple case.

- Insted of reporting what the Lord said fully, Balaam softens it by saying that the Lord refused to give him permission! That's a way to spin things! Balaam's answer leaves the door open.

- When God says "no" to something and you know He says "no," you had better know to say "no!" This is the simplest and best way to live!

• Numbers 22:15-21 : "Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than they. And they came to Balaam and said to him, 'Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.' Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, 'Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.' And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, 'If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.'  So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab." : Balak spared no expense. He is offering carte blanche! "Whatever you say to me" is a blank check coming from a King.

- Balak got the message that Balaam sent: "Let's keep negotiating and see where this goes!"

- The honor of man is a test! It's hard to resist when such things are thrown your way.

- Balaam's answer sounds very pious. "Even if you filled my house with silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God to do less or more!"

- Balaam is already going against the word of the Lord! He has already said "no" and he has not said that! Balaam was letting his love of money guide his decisions.

• Numbers 22:22-27 : "Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.  Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again. Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff." : God was angered because Balaam went. God had already let him know that these people were blessed.

- God's anger was focused and He now stood in opposition in the form of the Angel of the Lord. He has appeared in 3 other places in the Old Testament thus far.

- In Genesis 16, He appeared to Hagar in the wilderness and she named the place "The God Who Sees." He appears again in Genesis 22 to stop Abraham from slaying Isaac.

- The third appearance took place when He spoke to Moses out of the burning bush in Exodus 3. Each time, the Angel of the Lord speaks with authority to whom He appears.

- Each time, the person that He appears to sees and understands who He is. That is except for Balaam. Why is that? He is blinded by his own pursuits.

- Balaam can't even see when God is standing right in front of Him! He is rushing headlong toward what God does not want him to do!

- The Angel of the Lord stood as an adversary to him and the donkey saw this! The donkey turned aside, crushed his foot and then just sat down. Balaam struck the donkey each time.

- Consider this for a moment: The man who is supposed to see can't see, so he punishes the one who can! This is what happens when one follows sin.

- A baby Christian can discern what God wants, but the one in sin just keeps lashing out!

• Numbers 22:28-35 : "Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, 'What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?' And Balaam said to the donkey, 'Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!' So the donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?' And he said, 'No.' Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. And the Angel of the Lord said to him, 'Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.' And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, 'I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.' Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, 'Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.' So Balaam went with the princes of Balak." : There are certainly times in the Bible where a person is confronted with something impossible to our thinking. A talking donkey!?

- But notice, it is the Lord that opened the mouth, loosening her tongue and allowing her to speak. This is not so hard to do when you are God!

- This is a dramatic scene, the point of which is to say, "this is what a person who is running after sin needs in their life!" Sometimes, you need a donkey's perspective!

- Did the donkey really speak? Balaam was answering with real words. He carries on this argument with his donkey! And the worst part about it is that he lost!

- After the conclusion of that conversation, Balaam's eyes are opened to see the true danger!

- The Angel of the Lord stood in front of Him and told him: "You are so insensate, you have struck a donkey three times for what she could see that you could not!"

- Why was the Angel of the Lord standing there? Because Balaam's way was perverse, crooked or twisted before Him.

- Balaam was using what relationship he had to God for something other than conformity to His standards and obedience to His will.

- Balaam, caught in a place that God never intended him to be, makes a confession of his sin, as most do. He is confessing because he is caught and vows to turn back if that is desired.

- Instead, God is going to use this occasion to teach Balaam a lesson. You will speak what I speak to you and it will get really uncomfortable for you!

• Numbers 22:35-40 : "Now when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the territory. Then Balak said to Balaam, 'Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?' And Balaam said to Balak, 'Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.' So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth. Then Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him." : Balaam will only speak what God puts in his mouth to speak, which now puts him in a precarious predicament. He is onsite, with an anxious King, being paid a lot of money.

- Doing what God calls you to do there is much more difficult than to say no at the beginning!

• Numbers 22:41-Numbers 23:6 : "So it was, the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from there he might observe the extent of the people. Then Balaam said to Balak, 'Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.' And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Then Balaam said to Balak, 'Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.' So he went to a desolate height. And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, 'I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.' Then the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, 'Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.' So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab." : Balaam came up onto the hill and looked down upon the people of Israel as they camped. Imagine: 3.5 million people!

- He came to this place of desolation and waited upon the Lord as the seven altars were prepared. When he received his word from the Lord, he returned to the waiting princes.

• Numbers 23:7-10 : "And he took up his oracle and said: 'Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, From the mountains of the east. ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!’ How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him; There! A people dwelling alone, not reckoning itself among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!'" : One can only imagine the smiles turning to frowns as Balaam comes out and brings God's message. This people, far from being cursed, has an enviable future!

- They are like the dust of the earth, a promise fulfilled that God had promised Abraham! His descendants would be innumerable like the dust of the earth! Balaam acknowledges that.

- They don't even consider themselves a nation! They are wanderers and God has kept them!

- Balaam wanted to die like the righteous, but he did not want to live like the righteous! That's the problem that most people have! They want heaven, but they don't want to give up Earth!

• Numbers 23:11-17 : "Then Balak said to Balaam, 'What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!' So he answered and said, 'Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?' Then Balak said to him, 'Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there.' So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. And he said to Balak, 'Stand here by your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.' Then the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, 'Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.' So he came to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, 'What has the Lord spoken?'" : You have to admire Balak's perseverance and yet, it's also a warning to us.

- The enemy never quits! He is never put down. He never changes his mind or heart toward you! You will always be the target of his malice.

- Balak says, "Let's try it from over here." Same ceremony. Seven altars and burnt offerings and Balaam waits for the Lord's word.

• Numbers 23:18-24 : "Then he took up his oracle and said: 'Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor! God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a King is among them.  God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox. For there is no sorcery against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’ Look, a people rises like a lioness, and lifts itself up like a lion; It shall not lie down until it devours the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.'" : God's word to Balak was that He could not be bribed by several attempts. He would not simply change His mind!

- Other gods of men's making could be persuaded by greater and greater gifts. Our God is not a man! He won't change. What He speaks will take place and therefore, Balaam is stuck!

- He cannot reverse God's blessing on Israel! God has looked over the people of Israel and He has not observed iniquity in them, nor wickedness in them!

- Whoa hold on a minute! I have seen wickedness in them! God knew their sin, but chose not to account it to them. Yes, many fell for their sins, but God forgave on the basis of His covenant!

- For all that time in the wilderness, God did what none of us would have done: Stay!

- This God was with them and nothing could stand against them. There was no sorcery or divination that would work!

- Ultimately, Israel will be led by a lion who will not stop until it's prey is devoured and the blood of the slain is drunk! Who does that picture? Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah!

• Numbers 23:25,26 : "Then Balak said to Balaam, 'Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all!' So Balaam answered and said to Balak, 'Did I not tell you, saying, ‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do’?" : Balak finally said, "Balaam, just shut up!" If you can't say something evil and terrible then don't say anthing at all!

- Every time he opened his mouth it got worse for Balak! The same is true today when people come against you. God turns their wicked intentions against them!

Conclusion

- A few conclusions for us tonight. The enemy will attack you in overt and covert ways! Israel did not know that this was going on when it was going on.

- Moses included this for them to see the extent of God's protective hand! Even when you don't know what's coming against you, know that He knows!

- For those who would mock Balaam, don't be in a rush to judge. You too have gone after money, lust, approval, or any other number of lesser motivations.

- The easiest route is to know what God says to do and then to simply do it! If you persist in wanting to sin, He will let you, but every step down the road will lead to greater difficulty in obedience.

- Throughout, God gave Balaam a way out, to graciously exit, but he refused each time. Don't be a Balaam!