Numbers 22:1-21 - Heeding God’s Word

Numbers 22:1-21

Balak Sends for Balaam

1 Then the children of Israel moved, and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho.

2 Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel. 4 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. 5 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! 6 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.”

7 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. 8 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.

9 Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

10 So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11 ‘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.’”

12 And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

13 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.”

14 And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

15 Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than they. 16 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; 17 for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’”

18 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. 19 Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.”

20 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.” 21 So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

This fear of God’s chosen and mighty people approaching his land filled Balak the Moabite king with dread that they will be next to be locked up like grass by ravenous oxen.  As they camped across from Jericho, he was desperate to stop them anyway he could as he thought of the recent destruction of the Amorites.  Balak therefore sent messengers to get Balaam to come and stop these people come out of Egypt through the parted sea that drown the mighty army with her chariots.  He asked this man of God to come and curse God’s own people in how desperation and dread!  They went and offered the seer money and the answer he gave the next morning was based on the word of God to him, that he could not go and do such a thing.  God had told Balaam that He had blessed the people he was asked to curse and so he told the messengers that he had no permission from the LORD to go with them to curse whom God had blessed.  The king sent even higher worldly authorities under him to persuade Balaam to come and curse them but he refused them at any price.  The odd thing happened in a dream that night as if God told him to go with them and speak the prestige words He would tell Balaam to say.  He arose in the morning and went with them, not understanding that this was a test of listening and heeding God’s original word of command to not go because Jesus had blessed Israel and did not go back on His word.  If Balaam had understood the character of God and His immutable word, he would not have complied with the erroneous request to go, dream or no dream.  This would anger the LORD but in His sovereignty it would still work for the good of God’s people and mercy for the seer who could not yet see these things.  Do we ever know what God’s word tells us not to do and find a reason to do it anyway and credit that erroneously to God in opposition to what we know He already told us as it is written?  May we not repeat the mistake of Balaam (2 Peter 2:15, Jude 1:11, Revelation 2:14) who caused others to stumble by changing God’s word for personal gain, but heed what we read and hear from God and trust that over any dreams or other urging or reasoning.  We are to heed God’s word and stay the course of faithfulness in trusting and obedience to all He shows us in the scriptures.