Man is unique among all of God’s creation in that he has the ability to learn from history. . Man has the ability to record events as he lives them and so leaving a record for future generations. The Bible is the very best in recording past history from which we can learn. We can learn from the good conduct of others. Also, we can learn from the mistakes and bitter experiences of others. It is wonderful that we don’t need to have those same bitter experiences in order to learn and profit. Paul taught this is Romans 15:4 and 1 Corinthians 10:11. In this lesson we want to examine the mistakes of a unique man with hope that we can learn and avoid the same mistakes. The man is the prophet Balaam. What mistakes did he make?

1 – Balaam loved money (Numbers 22)

• Moab and Midian (ancient relatives of Israel) form an alliance and try to hire Balaam to prophesy a curse against Israel.

1. They came with the diviner’s fee in their hand; e.g., a fee that was paid to soothsayers and fortune tellers. See Numbers 22:7.
2. God wanted to bless Israel. See Numbers 22:12. This should have ended the matter once for all.

• However, when more princes came promising more money and honour, Balaam wanted very much to go with them. See Numbers 22:15-17.

1. His answer in verse 18 was a good one. No amount of money or place of honour is worth the compromise of one’s convictions. Also, no amount of threats or persecutions should cause us to compromise our convictions.
2. Balaam has a very real inward problem; the same one Judas had; the love of money. 2 Peter 2:15 & Jude 11.

2 – Balaam wanted to see what more the Lord had to say. (Numbers 22:19)

• It is hard to understand here why God tells Balaam to go, and then becomes angry with him when he goes. See Numbers 22:20-22.
• However, God had plainly spoken to Balaam, “You shall not go with them,” but Balaam was not satisfied with that. He wanted more.

1. There was a man in a saloon that had far too much to drink. When asked for another drink, the bartender replied with the age old question, “Don’t you think you have had enough?” The drunk replied, “But I want more than enough!”
2. God had stated enough to Balaam, but He wanted more than enough. This shows his lack of honour and respect toward God.

• Human nature doesn’t change.

1. God has revealed His will about how to obtain forgiveness of sins but people want more. See Acts 2:38.
2. God has revealed His will about music in worship but people want more. See Ephesians 5:19.
3. God has revealed His will about divorce and remarriage but some want more. See Matthew 19:9.
4. Honour and respect toward God demands that we do exactly as God ordained, no more and no less. Look at the example of King Saul. See 1 Samuel 15:18-23.

3 – Balaam’s experience with his donkey

• Three times his donkey tries to avoid the angel. See Numbers 22:23- 27.
• God causes the donkey to speak. See Numbers 22:28-30. This is rather amusing.

1. Evidently Balaam is so wrapped up in his anger that he doesn’t realise that he was talking with a donkey!
2. When a donkey starts talking to us, we need to recognise that something strange is going on!
3. Radio commentator Paul Harvey tells of an experiment involving a young chimpanzee who would always try to slip out of his cage when the door was opened. Scientists thought this young chimp was very intelligent, so far as chimps go, and was a good specimen to teach communication skills. For fourteen years, project directors abhorred diligently and patiently with this chimpanzee, providing things in its cage to enable it to form certain syllables. Finally the day arrived when it seemed that the chimpanzee was actually going to construct a sentence from the symbols it had been learning. Word went out, and other scientists crowded into the room and gathered around the cage. At last, the first message from the world’s most pampered, most cared for, most patiently trained chimpanzee was about to come forth. Millions of dollars had been spent on this project. The scientists could hardly contain themselves as they pressed around the cage. They watched breathlessly as symbols were formed into words and into a sentence. The chimpanzee said, “I want out!”

• The angel gives instructions to Balaam. See Numbers 22:31-35. Balaam tells Balak that he will speak only the Word of God. See Numbers 22:36-38.

4 – Balaam three times blesses Israel instead of cursing them

• Balak becomes angry with Balaam and sends him away without a reward. See Numbers 24:10-14.
• From all of this, it might appear that Balaam wasn’t such a bad character after all. However, this is not the end of the story.

5 – Balaam teaches Balak how to put a stumbling block before Israel. (Rev. 2:14)

• Numbers 25:1-9 immediately follows the story of Balaam.

1. Balaam knew that the way to cause God to curse Israel was to get them to sin.
2. Balaam tried to turn God away from his people and failed. See Deuteronomy 23:3-5 and Joshua 24:9-10.
3. However, he was successful in turning the people away from God.
4. When Israel sinned at Peor, God sent a plague, killing 24,000.

• Later, when there was war with the Midianites, Balaam was also killed with the sword. See Numbers 31:8-16. Notice that it was “through the counsel of Balaam” that these women caused Israel to sin. Vs. 16.
• Never under any circumstances should we teach or encourage others to do wrong. We should never encourage or condone anyone in doing something we would not do ourselves.

6 – Balaam did not practice what he preached

• Not once was Balaam labelled a “false prophet.”

1. He was a prophet of God and revealed the mind of God.
2. His problem was that he didn’t live up to his own words.

• He made several good statements, but didn’t follow any of them.

1. Numbers 22:18-19 – The love of money is the root of all evil. See 1 Timothy 6:10.
2. Numbers 22:38 – If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. See 1 Peter 4:11.
3. Numbers 23:10b – This should be our goal. See Revelation 14:13.

• Remember the Lord’s words against the scribes and Pharisees. See Matthew 23:2-3. Let us first remove the beams out of our own eyes, and then we can help others.

We can learn from the life of Balaam. We need to be on guard against internal corruption. It is that subtle internal contamination that will destroy us. See Proverbs 4:23. We need awesome respect for what God says. If God has revealed Himself on a matter, let us accept it as is, and do not “seek what more the Lord has to say.” We should never teach, condone, or encourage others in doing wrong. We need to speak forth words of truth and abide in them.

Categories: Numbers