BALAAM


A. "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 11
  1. These words are remarkable:
    1. Pointing out the evil of three types of sinners - Cain, Balaam and Core
    2. Each of these perished; though their sins were of a different type
  2. The burden of this message is as the title indicates - BALAAM
    1. The history of Balaam is found in Num. 22;23;24; Duet. 23:4
    2. Peter, Jude and John deal with Balaam as a historical presence - 2 Pet. 2;15; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14
B. THE LIFE OF BALAAM IS TYPICAL OF MANY PROFESSED CHRISTIANS, INCLUDING SOME PREACHERS
  1. Balaam - who was he?
    1. He was the son of Beor
    2. Dwelt at Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people
    3. He was a prophet and a diviner of soothsayer - Josh.13:22; Num. 23:24
  2. Why the Bible mentions him:
    1. He was greedy of covetous; this fact was well known in his days - Balack knew it - Num. 22:7-21
    2. Greediness or covetousness is one of the sins that has ruined many lives; Examples: Judas - Matt. 26:15-16; Simon the Sorcer - Acts 8:18-23; Gehazi - 2 Kings 5:20-26; the prophet Isaiah speaks of some preachers as - "greedy dogs" - Is. 56:10-11
    3. He was a double-minded man - a prophet and a soothsayer - something a true follower of God can never be - Matt. 6:24
    4. This double-mindedness made him very unstable, changeable - James 1:8; 4:8; Hos. 10:2
  3. The man who heard an ass speak:
    1. That was a most remarkable experience, no other human being heard an ass speak to him
    2. The ass saw the angel of the Lord, but not Balaam - Num. 22;23-28; 25:27
C. A TIME LESSON FOR GOD'S PEOPLE
  1. The way of Balaam:
    1. Had its true origin in the heart of a beautiful angel - Is. 14:12-17; Ez. 28:12-18
    2. Selfishness is the very root of all evil; its deadly influence can be traced throughout the experience can be traced
    3. His doctrine was "get gain by compromise" - Num. 24; Rev. 2:14
  2. God did not allow Balaam to curse God's people - Balaam blessed them instead:
    1. Wrote Paul, "For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth" 2 Cor. 13:8; Balaam learned this the hard way
    2. For if God be for us, who can be against us - Rom. 8:31-39
    3. Here is a truth that should be taken to heart by us because there are times when it seems that the adversary has the upper hand against us and the message; yet, experience shows, that in the end even the wrath of men will praise the Lord.
  3. When we think of the way of Balaam, let us remember four specific facts in that man's life:
    1. He allowed greediness to ruin his life; in this he typified untold human wrecks; Examples: Mother Eve - Gen. 3:6; Achan - Josh. 7:20; Ahab - I Kings 21; the man of God - I Kings 13
    2. He had a double standard - served God and also the greediness of his heart; how often do we see people attempt to serve the Lord and at the same time attempt to enjoy the pleasures of sin
    3. God was merciful to him; He could have destroyed him, but He did not - but warned him; even allowed him to preview the coming of the Messiah - Num. 24:3-9, 17
    4. But Satan used Balaam to lead many of the Israelites to commit whoredom, and God had to destroy many of them - Num. 24:1-8
    5. Satan is ever ready to use persons of great influence to harm the cause of God - compare Acts 21:28-30; 2 Tim. 4:1-6; with I Tim. 4:1-6


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