Balaam’s Council was His Curse

Balaam’s Council was His Curse

 

Recently I wrote a post about Balaam meeting an angel on the way to Moab to curse the Children of Israel.  Read the post here.   I had prepared the lesson for our Prayer meeting, but was asked to save it for another time.  - - - so the lesson was resting. 

On short notice, I was asked to teach the Bible Study on Sunday at my church.  I had the lesson about Balaam that had been saved so I realized God wanted it for this occasion.

As I prepared with additional material, something new was revealed to me in my study.

I was reading in Revelation where Jesus said He hated the “COUNCIL of Balaam,” and this was interesting to me.  What was Balaam’s council? 

As it turned out - - Baalam and the King of Moab realized that God would not allow them to curse the children of Israel so they devised another plan.   Balaam counseled the Moabites to make friends with the Israelites and involve them with their wicked daughters.   

The women would invite the Israelites to the feasts of their false god, offer the weak minded men strong drink and encourage them to bow down to the idols.  To please the women, these foolish men did as they were told. 

Balaam’s curse was his council; “Wine Women and Song.” 

The Scripture surrounding the doctrine of Balaam and its tragic results is given in

(Numbers 25:1-3)   Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab.  They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.   So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel. 

The Israelites, after entering into the land of Moab, began to commit fornication with the “women of Moab,” to eat meat sacrificed to idols, and bow down and worship the false gods of the Moabites.  In order to put a stop to these sins and stay the hand of God’s judgment upon the entire camp of Israel, Moses instructed the Judges over each tribe to slay every Israelite who had “joined himself to Baal-peor.”  Because of their sins, twenty-four thousand Israelites perished under God’s judgment.  (24,000 now that is a lot of people.) 

What caused the Israelites to depart from the one true and living God who had delivered them from Egypt and begin serving false gods and following the idolatrous ways of the Moabites?   

The answer is given in - -

Numbers 31:16:  Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. 

As previously seen, Balaam could not curse Israel.  Only beautiful prophecies filled with blessings flowed from his lips when he was called into Moab by King Balak.  But Balaam did succeed in leading the Israelites astray through his counsel.  The Israelites, through the counsel of Balaam, were led to commit fornication, eat things sacrificed to idols, and bow down before other gods.  And because of these sins, the judgment of God fell upon His people. 

It is recorded in the book of Revelation, John experience a vision while in prison, and he saw Jesus who spoke to him.  Jesus was speaking about the different churches and of one – Jesus said this: 

     Revelation 2:14-15  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.   

We might ask who were the Nicolatians?  The answer was that the Nicolaitans were false teachers.  They mixed made-up opinions and personal ideas in with their teaching creating confusion and a watered down gospel. They left out doctrine they did not like.  

Paul warned in Galatians 1:8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 

Now you would think you could trust angel to bring you a true message, but beware if the message does not line up with the Word of God.  Angels have been known to bring messages on golden plates, and present another book that followers of certain groups claim is better or just as good as the Bible. 

There are many factions who claim to be “religious” with another book, another doctrine, one that leaves Christ Jesus OUT as God.  They may refer to God as your “Higher Power” and you are free to make up who ever you like to be that god for you. 

I say nonsense and it is a watered down version with distilled water.  

The group may acknowledge Jesus as a prophet, but do not teach him crucified, risen, coming again, and sending us the Holy Spirit to indwell.  Often they do not believe in a literal hell and want nothing to do with the blood of Jesus. 

(Paul was writing to Christians ) - - Romans 2:2-5  And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice wicked life styles. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.   

Be on your guard for those who seem so nice and want to share with you their materials will present at first something that appears good.   

Keep yourself untainted and steadfast in the Word of God and you will not be deceived.

So what do we avoid?

1.     Being unequally yoked with unbelievers.

2.     Avoid committing fornication or other sexual sins.

3.     Do not align yourselves with other gods that do not adhere to the Bible and its teachings.  Beware of Eastern meditation and types of exercise that seem helpful but are cunning to pull you into Spiritism.

4.     Attend a Bible Believing Church and join a Bible Study group who study God’s Word.