Your very own...

Reading: Numbers 22

This story is a rather interesting one. Take a read of this chapter, it’s very interesting. Here we are introduced to a man called Balaam. It’s clear that this man is a powerful man because he was personally summoned by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the people Israel.

From the start we see that Balaam is a prophet. The people came to him and he asked them to spend the night as he waits to see what God tells him about this request from Balak. God tells him to not go because Israel is blessed. Balaam relays the message back to the men and they leave to later come back and ask Balaam again, which then he leaves with them the next day because God now told him that it’s ok to go, but He was angry when Balaam went.

——They are blessed——

This story is crazy on so many levels and yet speaks so much value on many levels. The reason why I say this is because Balaam was a prophet. Prophets are supposed to follow God’s directions. Prophets should be on the LORD’s side, well, because they are servants of God. So if God says not to curse someone, or simply, just don’t go, then that should be the end of the discussion. God even gave a reason why He told Balaam not to go. God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”  — “They are blessed”

If someone is blessed and you try to go against them…..yeah….that’s never a good thing. It never ends well. In the previous chapters, Israel wanted to past through cities with no problem as they continue on their journey, but the king of those cities feared them and went to attack them. Israel wanted to pass through peacefully but they were attacked….and because they are blessed, the attacking city completely lost everything, even their lives.

We know that the only reason why Balaam was summoned by the king of Moab was to curse Israel. So because God said to not go, there should be no second question to confirm if you knew clearly that the answer was “NO.” Balaam is really in fact with Israel when you think about it. Why? Well because God is for Israel and Balaam is God’s servant so that means that he is part of the team although he’s far from them.

——Sometimes it’s your very own that tries to set you up for failure——

We really need to be careful of who comes in and out of our lives. To be straight forward, we need to always keep a watchful eye of the ones who say that they have the title of “Christian.” It truly pains me to say this, but sometimes it’s your very own that tries to set you up for failure. Our very own become jealous of us when we succeed, no? How many of you have experienced this whether it be family or friend?

When I read this story, I strongly believe that Balaam was over taken by greed. I mean they offered him a good amount of money to come and curse Israel. I don’t know but something just doesn’t seem right about Balaam in this story because it was a clear act of disobedience from the start. He is a man of God…yet he was lead astray

——Warning——

This is a warning to us too. Just because we carry the title of “Christian” or “loyal friend” or whatever we highly esteem ourselves as, does not mean that we won’t fall for the same kind of temptation. Sometimes people will come against us, but it’s our responsibility to walk in integrity.

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As for what happens to Balaam—we find out a few chapters on (Numbers 31) that he persuaded the women of Moab to prostitute themselves to the people of Israel causing them to sin (v15).

God bless you