Numbers 22: 21-39

Note: This is the outline that Tom used in his Summer Series presentation of Characters of the Old Testament.

Balaam – Sorcerer King (outline only)

·        Background: Israelites in desert almost 40 years.  Ready to cross over into the promised land.  They have just defeated in battle the Amorites and the army of Og.

·        They are now camped on the plains of Moab.  The king of Moab – Balak … is pretty wigged out.  He is petrified that the Israelites are going to do to him and his people what they did to the Amorites – annihilate them! 

·        So he sends for me – the greatest of all soothsayers and prophets. Actually I was one of only seven gentile prophets mentioned in the bible.    I had a really powerful rep. I was world famous, if I do say so myself!

·        I was pretty good at putting down pretty powerful curses – for the right price.  As a matter of fact my name, Balaam, which means in Hebrew: “destroyer of people.”

·        Anyway, this delegation sent by Balak comes and says that Balak will pay me handsomely IF I come and put one of my big-time curses on the Israelites. This sounds good to me.  One thing I did love – that was MONEY! 

·         I tell them to hang out till morning and I would try and work something out with the Lord and let them know.

·        God says no!  He tells me I couldn’t put a curse on the Israelites for they were blessed.

·        Okay, I was a little bummed – cuz it would have been a pretty big pay day for me … but God said it … so … I told them NO.

·        Then Balak sent more distinguished princes to plead with me and tell me that I could write my own check if I did what Balak asked. 

·        Again I told them that if God says NO, how could I go against that … BUT … told them to spend the night and if God had any more info for me, I would let them know.

·        In so many words God said I could go with them (probably because I whined a lot) BUT that I could only say what he told me.

·        Ah, there was a chance … I told my assembled entourage and off we went.

·        That’s when the donkey story comes in … So I’m riding my donkey to meet with King Balak … and suddenly my faithful donkey, Bess, veers off into a ditch…

·        I’m already in a bad mood at having to stay up so late - basically begging God to let me come … I was tired … and now Bess was acting strange … so I hit her and told her to get back on the road.

·        Anyway, now we are back on the road and going between two vineyards and what happens?  Bess presses against one of the walls and crushes my foot … okay, it wasn’t really crushed – but it felt like it.

·        Now I was really steamed – so I hit her again … this time harder.  Stupid donkey!

·        Then a little while later Bess just sat down. This was becoming a habit – and I had had it with her.  So I hit her again…

·        This time Bess spoke to me … “What have I done to you to make you beat me these last three times?”

·        (A brief aside: did you know that this is one of only two animals that ever speak in the bible.  Do you know who the other one is?  The serpent/snake)

·        Now you would think I would have been shocked at Bess talking … but I guess I was so tired … and angry … and frustrated … well, it seemed natural … so I replied:

·        “You are making a fool out of me… what do all these princes from Moab think of me and my powers if I can’t even control my own donkey?  Why, if I had a sword I would kill you right where you stand, I mean sit!”

·        And Bess replied – “Hey I have been your faithful donkey for years, have I ever acted like this before?”

·        I had to admit he hadn’t.  Then the Lord opened my eyes … and I saw what Bess had seen all along … it was the angel of the Lord – with his sword drawn.

·        Immediately I fell to my knees … and the angel told me that the donkey actually saved my life.  Each time Bess had gone one way or the other it was because the angel of the Lord was in the way – with his sword drawn.  Who knew?! 

·        The angel said that he had come to stop me from going where I was going – because God was pretty mad that I was going … I guess I shouldn’t have asked a second time.

·        He said that if Bess hadn’t turned away those three times – I would have been toast …

·        I got the point and told the angel that hey, I never even saw him – but if he didn’t want me to go on – I would gladly turn back…

·        But the angel said to go ahead but to be careful to speak ONLY what God told me to say.

·        I wish they would make up their mind!!!

·        When Balak saw me coming – he was overjoyed.  And I’m sure he thought all his troubles would soon be over.

·        The next morning I instructed Balak to have seven altars built and we sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one – as an offering to God.  Then I went off to see what God had to say …

·        I have to admit I was hoping that God had a pretty good curse for the Israelites --- I would be a wealthy man if he did. God did come to me – but he wanted me to bless the Israelites, not curse them.

·        When I went to Balak – all that could come out of my mouth was a blessing on Israel, not a curse.  I couldn’t even curse them if I tried … God put the words in my mouth.

·        Suffice it to say, Balak was not at all pleased!  So we went to another place on the mountain and built 7 more altars with a bull and ram sacrificed on each… and I went off to get a message from God … It was basically the same.

·        This time Balak said – “okay if you can’t curse them, at least don’t bless them!”

·        I told him … “I have to do whatever the Lord says. Hey, don’t kill the messenger!”

·        Balak wanted us to try one more time … I think he thought that maybe cursing was all about location, location, location … more altars, more sacrifices …

·        Different location, but same result.  Balak was really mad now – “I asked you to curse the Israelites – but you blessed them – three times!  Forget any reward I had promised you.”

·        I was pretty bummed … but I could only do what God said … I tried to curse them – but God kept putting blessings in my mouth. What could I do … I couldn’t curse Israel …

·        And before I left … God had one more prophesy to share with ol’ king Balak…this time it was a curse – against the Moabites and king Balak.  I couldn’t help it … it was a God thing.

·        I figured my big payday was long gone now … but maybe it wasn’t too late to turn things around…

·        There must be a way to undermine Israel … I put my thinking cap on … and came up with a plan to get them in trouble.  I convinced Balak that the thing to do was to send a delegation of Moabite women, who were Baal (or idol) worshippers, on a “good-will” visit to the Camp of Israel.

·        When the men of Israel saw the alluring Moabite women, they would fall for the bait – and the women and get involved in all sorts of immoral behavior, the worshipping of idols, and the eating of meat sacrificed to idols (which all were BIG NO-NOs)

·        And it worked … to a point.  God was very dismayed with these Israelites and smote 24,000 of them!

·        And I earned my fee – not by cursing Israel but by the art of influence.  We see it today all around us.

·        Of course in the end, Israel conquered the Moabites and the Midianites and in the battle – I was killed – by the sword.  It wasn’t pretty!

·        So what do we learn this time???  There’s the obvious ones: When we try to make a profit off of our relationship with God … it just might not turn out like we want.  

·        Don’t assume ill-gotten gains will make you happy … Balaam lost his life as a result.

·        And then there’s the not so obvious ones like: Be careful about doing the right thing for the wrong reason. (of course there is something to be said for: “Fake it until you feel it.”)

Like Balaam, we live in a world where many gods (small g) coexist. We all want a god that is right for us. We want a God who:

Is comfortable; who will say “yes” to all our prayers; will bless friends/curse enemies; let us do what we want; does what we want.

But that is not who God is… nor should be.  God is not a trivial god. 

·        Truth is, sometimes we are called to bless those we might prefer to curse.  Maybe we need to pray for those who irritate or anger or annoy us. 

·        Maybe we need to pray a blessing on those we don’t understand … or those we fear.  Maybe if we spend more time blessing and less time cursing … life will be more peaceful.  More loving.  We could start with our families… and our communities … then our country … and our world. (kind of like VBS – serve family, friends, neighbors, community, Jesus)

·        It is so easy to curse those we don’t understand … maybe it is time to do something different. We need to remember that we are all made in the image of God and loved and valued equally by God.

·        Balaam … was swayed by the material things of this world and lost out on the real blessings of a life with God.   May we not do the same.

·        AMEN!