Read: Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80; Psalm 58:1-11; Proverbs 11:12-13
The story of Balaam is one of the strangest stories in the Bible. Balaam was a sorcerer that Balak hired to curse Israel because they were headed into his land. Balak was a Moabite and their main god was Baal. Balaam means “many Baals”. The main Baal was represented as the sun. Baal was also the chief god of the Canaanites. Each locality had its special Baal, and the different local Baals were summed up under the name of Baalim, or "lords." Each Baal had a wife, who was a colorless reflection of himself.
God got angry at Balaam because he wanted to go to curse Israel even though he was told he would only be limited to say what God told him he could say. (Reminds me of Jim Carey in “Liar”.)
God even allowed his donkey to see into the spirit while he was blinded proving that he was more blind than a donkey. It did get his attention and put the fear of God in him. The king of Balak wasn’t near as scary as the angel of the Lord with a drawn sword.
Every place that Balak took Balaam to overlook the tribes of Israel was a Baal stronghold. The first place was Bamoth-baal which means “high place of Baal”. There they sacrificed to God and God responded with a blessing instead of a curse.
The next place was Zophim on Pisgah Peak means “watchmen on survey peak”. Interestingly, Samuel was born in Zophim who became Israel’s main “watchman”. Here Balaam said, “no curse can touch Jacob; no magic has any power against Israel.”
Balak told Balaam that if he couldn’t curse them then the least he could do was not to bless them. Balak wasn’t finished. He wanted to take him to one more place and see if he could get a curse from there. Balak was relentless!
He took Balaam to the top of Mt. Peor which means “the opening”. I would guess it was a spiritual portal. We will revisit this place in tomorrow’s reading.
In Luke, Elizabeth has her son and Zechariah’s tongue was loosed when he wrote his name. Everyone knew that this was a special boy. Zechariah prophesied that his son would be God’s prophet who would prepare the way for the Messiah. He would tell the people how to find salvation. No wonder so many people went out to the wilderness to hear what John had to say.
Lord, may we bless what you have blessed and be a light to help people find salvation. May we be as relentless against evil as Balak was against Israel.
In the light of this corona virus I want to remind us not to fear. No plague can come near our dwelling. We can drink poison and it will not harm us. Satan has unloosed a fear campaign to cripple our economy and take away our hope. Don't get duped into believing it. More people have died in Oklahoma this year with the flu than the corona. It is all a smoke screen that Satan has thrown up. Put on your combat boots and walk by faith! It will disappear when we ignore it. Fear is fueled by fear. Faith is fueled by faith!
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