Numbers 23-25

Balaam made some mistakes. He should never had been in Balak’s presence in the first place. He disobeyed God, and as a result had to endure three tests he wouldn’t have had to face had he stayed put. But, dear ones, there is a precious lesson here I don’t want us to miss.

Remember Balak was dangling great wealth in front of Balaam if he’d only put a curse on Israel for him. I think some people might wonder why Balaam didn’t just throw out a meaningless string of words that sounded like a curse. That could have made him a rich man, and it would have appeased Barak.

Plus, Barak was a king. If he didn’t like what Balaam said, or if Balaam refused to say the words it could have meant Balaam’s death. So there’s that.

Balaam put himself in a difficult position. But here’s what spoke to me today:

Earlier Balaam had tweaked God’s Words. (see chapter 22). He edited what God told him to say to Balak’s representatives which opened the door for trouble. Then, after meeting the angel of God on the road, Balaam faced Barak with a renewed determination to surrender to the Words of God no matter the outcome.

Balak said: Curse Israel
God said: Bless Israel

So when Barak heard a blessing instead of a curse, he was livid. Balaam’s reply to the king was:

“Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?” (23:12) Then again, “Didn’t I tell you, whatever the Lord says I must do?” (23:26) And, “I will say whatever the Lord says.” (24:13)

Side note: I love how God gently restored Balaam kind of like he did Peter after Peter denied even knowing Jesus. Both men sinned by what they said or didn’t say. So God gave them repeated opportunities to speak the truth. God is so good!

What changed Balaam from being someone who could misquote Gods Words, into a man totally surrendered to the integrity of God’s Words? I believe it was that personal encounter with the angel of the Lord, AKA the pre-incarnate Jesus.

Let me ask all of us: How seriously do we consider the Words of God, those written in the precious Book we hold in our hands? I think we need to ask ourselves if we tend to omit certain verses that offend us. Do any of us change the meaning of the text in order for it to fit our skewed world-view, or the popular opinions of the day?

Or do we consider whose Words these are. Balaam asked, “Shouldn’t I say exactly the words the Lord puts in my mouth?” Shouldn’t we echo that and say, “Shouldn’t I say exactly the words the Lord has put into print in the pages of the Bible?” Those ARE God’s Words!

Another side note: I knew a woman who told me “God told me I was going to live in this apartment complex.” Years later and never having lived there she said, “God told me I was going to live in this high-rise.” Friend, beware of anything that starts out with “God told me” if what follows is not Scripture. Just beware.

I believe if we have an encounter with the living Lord, the way Balaam encountered Him on the road, we will also have a renewed respect for God’s Word, and a determination to let God’s Words speak for themselves.

Consider Psalm 19:14:

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

May the words of our mouths be God’s Words, used exactly the way God said them. May we meditate on the Words of God as found in Scripture and not on someone’s opinions on the meaning of those words.

If we, like Balaam determine to “say whatever the Lord says,” according to Scripture, our words will be acceptable to God, and His Word will never return void.