That is, Balaam did hear from God, and God did give him some true prophecies to speak. Seldom are we as prompt to deal with sin. As it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. 8 And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day. The number seven was regarded as significant among the Greeks and Romans, as well as among the Israelites. the message of the man whose eyes see clearly. 10 And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. Balaam returned and told Balak: "My message was to bless: When He blesses, I cannot reverse it. In the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses reiterates the Law that was given at Mount Sinai to the second generation of Israelites, who are about to possess the land of Canaanthe same people who fall into sin in Numbers 25. First, I am amazed at how quickly this sin occurs. CHAPTER 23. an act of worship. No wonder church attendance was good among these pagans! Balak was a king of Moab who appears in the Old Testament in Numbers 2224. They were finally prepared to enter the Promised Land, and they camped at the border of Politics makes strange bedfellows Moab. The statistics are alarming when it comes to how many pastors are leaving the ministry. There, at the tent of meeting, stood virtually all of Israels leaders; yet when they saw what was happening, they did nothing either. Balak trapped the people of Israel by [encouraging] them to eat food sacrificed to idols and to sin sexually. If their brothers had turned away from worshipping God in truth, the Israelites knew that Phinehas was the man to deal with it. God spoke to Balaam by means of a donkey, Balaams donkey. 11 Keep that which I am commanding you this day. 11 And they took all the plunder and all the booty, both people and animals. 13 No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. . The nation had been seduced and had fallen into spiritual harlotry. 27 Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified. 4 He must manage his own household well and keep his children in control without losing his dignity. Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. In Numbers 22:3 we learn that Israel had become numerous, which made the Midianites and Moabites nervous. Comment:The story of Balaam and Balak takes up three chapters of the Book of Numbers (22-24). 4 For every creation of God is good and no food is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. Hear me, son of Zippor.19God is not a man, so he does not lie. 17So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough, just as you are, in fact, without yeast. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with . 44 In this case, Eli verbally rebuked his sons, but took no further action when they ignored him, as he should have done. Go to People in the Bible or Women in the Bible. These instructions, so clearly and so recently set down, were cast aside by the worship the Israelites engaged in with the Moabites and Midianites. And so when we come to Numbers 25, we do not expect to hear any more about Balaam. Indeed, some commentaries seek to persuade us that Moses did not depart from Gods command. Because the Moabites and the Midianites had cursed Gods people rather than bless them, they brought a curse upon themselves. As I look back to Numbers 21, I find that the Israelites were attacked on a number of occasions, and in each case God gave the Israelites the victory. Do not taste! God had ordered capital punishment for those who had willfully broken His law. 30 You must keep my charge to not practice any of the abominable statutes which have been done before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. He built seven altars there and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar. 7 When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he got up from the midst of the assembly, took a javelin in his hand, 8 and went after the Israelite man into the tent and thrust both the Israelite man and the woman through to her belly. If the man brought this Midianite woman to his brethren, then we would have to assume that his family was at their tent, and not at the tent of meeting. While the whole community of Israelites was at the tent of meeting, this Israelite family seems to have stayed home, to meet this fellow and his bride (or at least his lover). And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. It is not a matter of personal liberty; it is forbidden (see Acts 15:29; 21:25). Launched Shavuot 5773 / 2013 | Copyright Project TABS, All Rights Reserved, script type="text/javascript"> We are to manifest Christian unity within the faith, but let us beware of those unions which join belief with unbelief, which join true worship with false worship. 1 When Israel dwelt in Shittim,34 the people35 began to commit fornication with the daughters of Moab. There are many possible explanations, but it would be good to keep in mind that in Numbers 25:9 we are told the total number of Israelites who died in the plague. This was an abomination to God and would thus bring a curse upon them. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave (Proverbs 5:3-5). 14 And Moses was furious with the officers of the army, the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 3 As they do in the land of Egypt in which you have been living, you must not do, and as they do in the land of Canaan into which I am about to bring you, you must not do; you must not walk in their statutes. It is as though the author is suggesting that the nation is acting in unison. This dramatic response brought the people back under control and spared them from much more extensive punishment. For some time the plague had been taking its toll among the Israelites; thousands were dying. Balak, Numbers 22:225:9 D'Var Torah By: Kristine Garroway, Ph.D This week's Torah portion centers on the story of Balak, King of Moab and Balaam, a foreign prophet. The Corinthians seek to justify eating meats offered to idols because they wish to indulge themselves in the festive dinners of their heathen neighbors (not unlike the Israelites gladly accepted a dinner invitation from the Moabites and Midianites in Numbers 25). So the plague was stopped from the Israelites. 5 But the LORD your God was unwilling to pay heed to Balaam and he changed the curse to a blessing, for the LORD your God loved you (Deuteronomy 23:3-5). The purpose of this was to create in himself the two into one new man, thus making peace, 16 and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed. 46 For this expression, see also Isaiah 54:10; Ezekiel 34:25-26; Malachi 2:5. 4The Lord issued the following command to Moses: Seize all the ringleaders and execute them before the Lord in broad daylight, so his fierce anger will turn away from the people of Israel., 5So Moses ordered Israels judges, Each of you must put to death the men under your authority who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.. 5 But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness. The Corinthians are caught up in a self-indulgent lifestyle, and thus they insist upon attending those ceremonies where false gods are worshipped, and where delicious meats are servedmeats offered to idols. Balak knows that Balaam's words are effective. Or are you a Balaam, who knows a great deal about God, but does not know God personally, and whose destiny is eternal destruction? b. He doesn't write the script, as it were. The word that God puts in my mouth is the word I shall speak. But I have a few things against you: You have among you those who follow what Balaam taught Balak. Balak's Sacrifices. 2 Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. Paul temporarily granted the Corinthian view that idol-meats were not a problem, since there are no other gods. We should recall that on this occasion Moses commanded the Levites to take their swords and to kill friends and neighbors (Exodus 32:27). In order to win the prize, the contestant must exercise great self-control. I will speak the word and God will confirm it to you. There was also a human response. The seduction of the Israelites and the death of 24,000 is, at its roots, the result of one mans counsel. 9.) Zimri had chosen to disobey Gods commands and was in the act of committing spiritual and physical immorality. 16 When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end. 18 Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others. Its style is like a slapstick comedy, deliberately funny in its depiction of talking donkeys, angels unaware and the inevitable humor of mere mortals trying to subvert the will of the divine. Shouldnt you have been deeply sorrowful instead and removed the one who did this from among you? They are utterly consumed with terrors. Want the Verse of the Day sent to your inbox? If not dealt with decisively, this often leads to sexual immorality. Does this not suggest that Israel would be blessed through Phinehas, and does it not further illustrate the fact that while we are under the curse, our one chance at having peace with God is to be one of the descendants of our Lord, who has made peace with God for us? And because of their immorality and idolatry, God was angry (Numbers 25:3). He is not human, so he does not change his mind. It would appear that the leaders did little or nothing to deal with the idolatry and immorality of the people. And therefore when Balaam lost his design this way he tried it another way with greater success, but still used to the same method, in provoking their own God to destroy the Israelites, Num 25. These are general statements, which may help us to understand why God would call for the execution of all of Israels leaders. And so the women who engaged in immoral acts with Hebrew men invited them to their temple ritual.. The spices of Egypt were no more. I do not wish to underestimate just how tempting a dinner invitation would be to the Israelites. 6 And we have different gifts, according to the grace given to us. Improve this question. The Torah's Three Balaams Balaam wears three distinct hats in Numbers: Num. Num 25:1-5 - Balaam teaches Balak how to destroy Israel Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altarsBalak, being a heathen, would naturally suppose these altars were erected in honor of Baal, the patron deity of his country. But the Canaanites incorporated sexual immorality into their religion, as (can you believe it?) The altars were either, 1. Are you a Phinehas, who trusted and obeyed God, and who was rewarded for his faith? We may be grateful that He did. A person cannot creep close to a sparrow, as they fly at the slightest movement. 9 And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. 36 The translators note in the NET Bible reads: The verb simply says they called, but it is a feminine plural. It is often after one has taken his stand in this manner that others follow. Balak tried to engage Balaam for the purpose of cursing the migrating Israelite community. The womans father was Zur, one of the Midianite leaders who was later killed by the Israelites (Numbers 31:8). Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. Leviticus 18:6-23 then specifies what the practices are which God has forbidden, and they are virtually all related to sexual purity. He opens his mouth to curse, but instead, blessings upon the Israelites come out of his mouth. Why would God command Moses to put all of the leaders of the people to death publicly? Balaam appears to change Gods mind with respect to his going to meet with Balak, but as he learns on his journey, he persists in his efforts at great peril to himself. Balaam found that it was impossible to induce God to curse those whom He had blessed. If this logic were valid, eating meats offered to idols would be wrong for a different reason. God would never go back on His Word; Balaam had said so himself (Numbers 23:19). 20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why as though you lived in the world do you submit to them? He told his guests, the elders from Moab and Midian ( Numbers 22:7) to return without him. Surely every leader has not committed this sin of harlotry. that Paul gets to the heart of the matter at handself discipline vs. self-indulgence. A man who loves the Lord encounters a woman whom he finds attractive. And if God did command that all the leaders be publicly executed, why does Moses command something less than this in verse 5? The self-indulgent Corinthians have developed a line of reasoning that seems to justify the satisfaction of their appetites. 4 but in the end she is bitter like wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Oops! One word is found in 1 Corinthians 12:28, and it is often rendered administrations. The NET Bible renders it managements, which I rather like. How does Joshua 24:9 say Balak fought Israel? 17 Command those who are rich in this worlds goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, that are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. In 1 Corinthians 12:7, the gift of administration(s) is, I believe, a supportive gift. He was a leader over the people of a clan of Midian. So I stopped destroying all Israel as I had intended to do in my zealous anger. He promised to bless His people when they obeyed His law, and to curse them when they rebelled against Him (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28-31). It is the following verses which serve to explain Gods command more precisely. 25While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove,[f] some of the men defiled themselves by having[g] sexual relations with local Moabite women. The final lesson I wish to highlight is the faithfulness of God and the fickleness of men. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. It was not the leaders who committed this specific sin, but their children. He orders that the offenders be put to death, and he does not specifically require that their bodies be publicly exposed. Jeremiah 6:21 Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. 13 And Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went out to meet them outside the camp. Gods wrath had been provoked, and thus He had sent a plague upon Israel. That, in my opinion, is what administration is all about. Go back to your land: Balaam said the right words. However, this is not the natural interpretation of the Hebrew, and most commentators suppose the death of the chiefs is being called for. Wenham, Numbers, p. 186. In Leviticus 18, very specific laws are set down which regulate the sexual conduct of Gods chosen people, the Israelites. Balak, the newly elected king of Moab, had been put in charge of the plans. The divine response was the covenant of peace God made with Phinehas and his descendants. But I do wish to point out that we are often most vulnerable at those times when we are not under direct attack. The story of Balaam is found in the book of Numbers, chapters 22-24. 7 So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. The pattern is so consistent and so frequent, it is entirely predictable. The only person who is said to have acted in response to Israels great sin was Phinehas. According to the Apostle Paul, there is a lesson to be learned from our text. Some of the corruption was undoubtedly being practiced by Israels leaders. (an angel of the Lord, Num. The one with this gift stands behind, so to speak, helping, facilitating, and coordinating ministry. As many Americans expressed their desire to leave the president in office, so the Israelites refused to remove their leaders from office, even though God ordered not only their removal, but their execution. When the first generation of Israelites worshipped the golden calf, God threatened to wipe out the entire nation, but due to the intercession of Moses, the nation was spared (Exodus 32). In chapters 22-24, Balak, the king of Moab, employs Balaam, a diviner from Mesopotamia, to manipulate the God of Israel so that He will curse the Israelites, rather than bless them. 4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but threw them into hell and locked them up in chains in utter darkness, to be kept until the judgment, 5 and if he did not spare the ancient world, but did protect Noah, a herald of righteousness, along with seven others, when God brought a flood on an ungodly world, 6 and if he turned to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah when he condemned them to destruction, having appointed them to serve as an example to future generations of the ungodly, 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man in anguish over the debauched lifestyle of lawless men, 8 (for while he lived among them day after day, that righteous man was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) 9 if so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials, and to reserve the unrighteous for punishment at the day of judgment, 10 especially those who indulge their fleshly desires and who despise authority (2 Peter 2:4-10). 50+ reference books. How clever Satan is, to take what God has condemned as contrary to religion, and make it a vital part of religious worship. Was the oracle concerning his death fulfilled according to the inspiration of the Lord? Verses 17 and 18 set the scene for the rest of the Book of Numbers. On his journey to meet the princes of Moab, Balaam is stopped by an angel of the lord after beating his donkey. God told Moses that Ammonites and Moabites "shall not enter into . 11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the fleshwho are called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision that is performed in the body by hands12 that you were at that time without the Messiah, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. The story ends with Balak and Balaam each returning to their homes (24:25). He was a leader over the people of a clan of Midian. 4 And the LORD said to Moses, Arrest all the leaders of the people, and hang them up before the LORD in sun,37 that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israelites, Each of you must slay those of his men who were joined to Baal-peor. 17 You will not make molten gods for you (Exodus 34:11-17, emphasis mine). Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than they. But the minute Balaam chose to deliberately oppose Israel and bring the nation under Gods wrath, Balaam disappears. No one appears to suspect impure motives on the part of the Moabites. [2] Num. If Christians were willing to participate in heathen worship rituals, is it any wonder that they would act like pagans at the Lords Supper? He devours all the nations that oppose him. Balaams Advice: If You Cant Beat Em, Join Em. 14Now I am returning to my own people. Balaam, non-Israelite prophet described in chapters 22-24 of the Book of Numbers, the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible ( Old Testament ), as a diviner who is importuned by Balak, king of Moab, to place a malediction on the people of Israel, who are camped ominously on the plains of Moab. Even Moses seems to have done nothing more than to order the judges to locate the guilty and see to it that they were punished. Without a doubt, Balaam is the hero of the Parshah, all of which revolves around his personality and actions. They are gods whose minds can be changed, whose wills can be influenced, even manipulated. Fortunately, the satisfaction of Gods anger and the termination of the plague is also the result of one mans courage. He was hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse the Israelites, but instead, he blessed them. Remove the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness (Proverbs 25:5). Phinehas was a leader because he was willing to stand alone, and to act alone, when no one else was willing to do what was right.
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