The error of Balaam
Jude 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Jude 1:11(NLT) What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.
Introduction : Welcome to speaking Scriptures. May God send His words into our lives for healing and against every form of destructions in Jesus name. Today, let us consider Error of Balaam as recorded in the Scriptures.
An error is what has been done incorrectly or wrongly. An error can have grave consequences especially when committed intentionally for profit.
KJV version of our text as regards to Balaam mentioned greed as a factor to Error of Balaam and NLT version clearly stated Balaam deceived people for money.
Who was Balaam ? What error had he committed ? What was the repercussion ? What can we learn from Balaam’s error so as not to follow his path ?
Remember Scriptures are written for our admonition and warning. Paul wrote to Church at Corinth in;
1 Corinthians 10:11(NLT) These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
We are living at end time and we need to take heed to these warnings. The Holy Spirit will grant us understanding in Jesus name.
Who was Balaam? Read Numbers chapters 22-24
Mr. Balaam Beor was a false prophet, a diviner, a soothsayer who specialised in blessing and cursing people by evil sacrifices.
Balaam means “Devourer” And Beor means “Burning” What an evil name?
Numbers 22:1-6 (NLT) Then the people of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, had seen everything the Israelites did to the Amorites.
And when the people of Moab saw how many Israelites there were, they were terrified. The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field! ”So Balak, king of Moab, sent messengers to call Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor near the Euphrates River. His message said:“Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me. Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse. ”
Balak Zippor was the king of Moab who hired Balaam Beor a diviner to come and curse the children of Israel, who were God’s chosen like you are as born again Christian and among chosen generation now.
The name “Balak” means “Devastator.” And “Zippor” means ” Sparrow.” Sparrow is a bird that is difficult to get closely because they fly at the slightest movement.
What an evil name again?
🛑 Then, a Devastator (or destroyer) that is difficult to get combined with a Devourer that is Burning to attack the children and the chosen of God going towards the promised land.
One Prayer point as we continue:
🙏 Father, deliver me and my family from every Destroyer and Devourer along our way to the promised eternal life with you in Jesus name.
What error had Balaam committed?
God visited Balaam, a soothsayer.
Numbers 22:9-12 That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men visiting you?” Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message: ‘Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come and curse these people for me. Then perhaps I will be able to stand up to them and drive them from the land.’” But God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!”
This is where I know that God speaks with satanic agents to warn and lead them rightly because God does not delight in the death of sinners but to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Balaam disobeyed Express command of God not to go at all. Balaam pretended he would not go but considering the rewards from Mr. Balak Zippor, he went to ask God again if he can go and God answered him according to idol of greed in his heart.
Numbers 22:15-22 Then Balak tried again.This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to help me. I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!” But Balaam responded to Balak’s messengers, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the lord my God. But stay here one more night, and I will see if the lord has anything else to say to me.”That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.” So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along,
❓Why was God angry with Balaam? Why did God send Angel to block his way?
🛑 Do you know what? Anytime anyone goes to God and asks for approval of a sinful desire that God has spoken against before, God will give a go ahead answer to the detriment of the Enquirer. It will no more be a perfect will of God but the Permissive will of the sinner
Hear the Scriptures in Ezekiel 14:3-4 (NLT) “ Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign lord says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the lord, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves.
Let’s hear other Scriptures that spoke on Error of Balaam for:
1️⃣ Cursing children of God
Deuteronomy 23:3-5 “No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants for ten generations may be admitted to the assembly of the lord. These nations did not welcome you with food and water when you came out of Egypt. Instead, they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in distant Aram-naharaim to curse you. But the lord your God refused to listen to Balaam. He turned the intended curse into a blessing because the lord your God loves you.
🙏 I pray for you today, every intended curse against you and your family shall turn to blessings in Jesus name.
2️⃣ Also for joining ally to war against children of God, Balaam is considered an enemy of Israel.
Joshua 24:9-10 Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, started a war against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to curse you, but I would not listen to him. Instead, I made Balaam bless you, and so I rescued you from Balak.
🙏 I decree by the word of God, your adversaries shall not be heard by God in Jesus name
3️⃣. Unrighteous Earnings to curse God’s chosen ones
2 Peter 2:15-16 They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice.
🙏 Every unrighteous earnings that will cause sorrow in your life and family shall be banished in Jesus name
4️⃣ Counsel leading children of God to sin
Revelation 2:14 “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.
🙏 The Lord shall deliver you and your family from every evil counsel of sins that leads to destruction in Jesus name
From these few verses that we have gone through, a few character traits are apparent which led to the error.
We need to examine our lives and watch out as we follow our leaders who adopt doctrine of Balaam for gain in ministry.
Let’s list these character traits according to the Scriptures.
1️⃣ He was covetous of wealth and power.
2️⃣ He was a practitioner of occult art.
3️⃣ He was personally sinful.
4️⃣ He led others into sin. It wasn’t that he just sinned himself, but he got other people involved in sin.
5️⃣ He was not quite sane.
Several Christians are in the ministry following the path and error of Balaam. They know what God says concerning a matter, such as money, marriage and business, but they pretend and declare publicly like Balaam to do God’s will but in their hearts they know what they want. They satisfy human nature by craving for wealth and power to their lustful desires. Men of God are making bread out of stones, using the name of God to make money from brethren.
Do you know that despite what brethren went through during pandemic period, some lost their jobs, some were not paid salaries thereby finding it difficult to feed, yet supposed Christian leaders were working out how money should not stop coming to them from impoverished Church members, they organised programs that look like soul winning but in reality, it is money making. Programs that look like soul sustenance but it is actually income sustenance.
❓Was agitation to re-open churches during pandemic due to love for perishing souls or the concern for income from offerings? Who can declare that he/she loves God’s children more than God? God cannot be deceived, it’s only men that are vulnerable to deception. Jesus knows those among us whose teachings are after the order of Balaam.
What was the repercussion of Balaam’s error? Death.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death.
Death can be physical, spiritual or eternal. Once death occurs spiritually before physical death, eternal death is inevitable.
Joshua 13:22 Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.
Conclusion: As we check out for these traits of Balaam in our lives to prevent error that leads to death, let us also take heed and disallow anyone with the doctrine of Balaam to make us trip or fall from the faith.
The counsel given to Balak by Balaam made Israel to fall and brought death through plaque to children of Israel.
Numbers 31:16 “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the lord’s people.
Remember Balaam said and prayed in Numbers 23:10
Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
⚠️ 🛑 But Balaam died the death of the wicked.
It is not what is said but what is done. If we follow several men of God by their enticing words, we shall be deceived.
Let us watch out for what they do and the fruits produced before we can follow their counsel. As a matter of fact, we should look unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith.
Apostle Paul himself told Corinthians Church in 1 Corinthians 11:1(NLT) And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
🙏 The Almighty God by His Spirit will enable us follow His written words than making men our standard in Jesus name.
✋ Maranatha
