Dr. Richard L. Strauss
August 18, 1974
Satan never really gives up in his efforts to destroy the people of God. The Apostle Peter taught us that "the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8), and he exhorts us to be sober, to be vigilant, looking out for him because we know that's how tricky and sneaky he is. The Apostle Paul taught us that he seeks to gain the advantage over us (2 Corinthians 2:11), and he taught us in Ephesians 6 that he does it through "wiles" (Ephesians 6:11). That word means "deceitful schemes." But we are not ignorant of his devices, Paul says. Devices. That's a word that means a "plot." We're not ignorant of them.
When we study the Word of God, we see in operation every evil trick Satan ever devised. Satan hasn't come up with anything new in 2000 years and all his schemes are right here in the Book. If we get familiar with the Word of God, we'll know how to be sober and have full control of our God-given resources. We'll know how to be vigilant—awake and alert and watchful—so we will not be devoured by this one who has evil, deceitful plots and schemes against us.
When we look at the Word and understand his devices, it drives us to the spiritual dressing room where we put on the whole armor of God by which we can successfully take our stand against the devil (Ephesians 6:11-17).
For the last two weeks we've been studying one of Satan's most famous attempts to destroy the people of Israel, the ones through whom Messiah would come. This was his aim in Old Testament days: to destroy Israel. In fact, it's still his aim. But on this occasion in the book of Numbers, he's using a pagan soothsayer by the name of Balaam to conjure up a demonic curse and therefore unleash all his fury and demonic power against the nation Israel.
Now Balaam wants to do this. Oh, he wants to do it with all his heart and soul. He longs for the money that King Balak of Moab has offered him to curse Israel. But he's smart enough to know he cannot curse Israel without Jehovah's permission. Every time he tries to get that permission, God instead puts in his mouth blessing in place of cursing. And this pagan soothsayer has uttered four of the most majestic prophecies in the entire Old Testament: prophecies concerning Israel's separation—her distinction as a great but separate people. Prophecies concerning Israel's standing—that is, the doctrine of imputed righteousness. Israel was accepted to God on the basis of the individual faith of Israelites and God imputed to them His righteousness. And then there was a great prophecy concerning Israel's splendor as Balaam views Israel settled in her land. And then the greatest of all: the prophecy concerning Israel's Savior, the Star out of Jacob. The One who would come and not only redeem Israel but the world.
Now when Satan was hindered by God's power from directly oppressing God's people, he turns to a different approach. Instead of trying to get a soothsayer to curse Israel, he decides to seduce them through the love of the world and the lust of the flesh. That's where we are in our story today in Numbers chapter 25.
"And Israel remained in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel" (Numbers 25:1-3).
Now let's see whether we can reconstruct the story a little and see how all this happens. It looks as though it started when the women of Moab invited the men of Israel to a great festive banquet. After 40 years in the wilderness eating only manna, that banquet sounded pretty good to those Israelite men. And they didn't seem to question why the hostile Moabites suddenly became so friendly and hospitable. They just went to their festive banquet. It turned out to be a religious festival: a sacrificial festival in worship of their pagan idol gods. But the Israelites joined right in and enjoyed that delicious food.
Worship of Baal assumed a rather lewd and licentious form at times and that's what it obviously did here. There probably was entertainment in the form of sensuous and suggestive dances by women in various degrees of undress. Even the Israelites could not resist the seduction of these beautiful women. Before the day was over, they were freely participating in the vilest expression of Baal worship, which was religious prostitution. The people of God were guilty of unbelievable degradation involving two of the most hideous sins described in the Word of God: immorality and idolatry.
1. Balaam's Sinful Recommendation
Who was behind this sinister plot, this gross scheme to bring the children of Israel down to their knees, whereas before they could not be cursed? Well, Satan is behind it, of course. But who is the human instrument that Satan used? Turn over a few pages to Numbers 31, because we don't find out the answer to that question until we get to Numbers 31. The story of this gross scene is told in Numbers 25, but all the facts are not fully revealed until Numbers 31. Look at verse 16. It's talking about the Midianites, and I'll explain that in a moment.
"Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor"—Baal Peor, one of the gods of the Moabites—"and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord" (Numbers 31:16).
Who is responsible for this plague among the Israelites? Balaam—that Mesopotamian soothsayer. This is Balaam's sinful recommendation. There are many wicked men described in the Scripture, but I don't think there is one so despicable as this one, Balaam. He evidently left Balak where we left him last week, despondent and distressed over his failure to secure Balak's riches, but he hadn't traveled very far before this Satanic scheme dawned on his corrupted mind. As a matter of fact, he hadn't traveled any farther than the highlands east of Moab, where some nomadic tribes of Midianites were living. Evidently, he stopped and shared his plan with the Midianites then came back with them to Balak and explained to him his plan.
Satan's trap was set and baited. Balaam knew that while God would never permit Satan to destroy Israel, God Himself would certainly discipline His people if they sinned to this degree. If they were led into sin, God would discipline them. So Balaam's sinful recommendation is: get the children of Israel to sin. Encourage them to sin and God will do what I could not do and Satan was not free to do. God Himself will do it. And sin they did.
One Israelite who happened to be a prince from the tribe of Simeon took a Midianite woman right into the camp and right into his tent for the purpose of committing adultery, in plain view of Moses and the other spiritually-minded Israelites who were weeping in front of the tabernacle over this gross sin.
"And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting" (Numbers 25:6).
A thousand men had already been killed because of this flagrant rebellion against the will of God. We understand that by comparing something that Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10 with the figures here in Numbers. It seems to be a contradiction at first sight, but 1000 fell on one occasion and then 23,000 more. Because of this thing that this man did, 23,000 more fall by a horrible plague that God sent among the people. Were it not by a courageous act by a man named Phinehas—who happened to be a priest and the grandson of Aaron—his courageous act in purging the nation of this festering sore (Numbers 25:7), God only knows how many more would have lost their lives. What Satan could not accomplish by direct oppression he succeeded in doing by tempting God's people to love the things of the world and lust after flesh. The love of the world and the lust of the flesh. They longed for the sumptuous feasts of the Moabites and they lusted after the beautiful woman of Moab and Midian.
Satan's tactics do not change, dear Christian friend. He's using the same kinds of sinister schemes today that he used thousands of years ago. And when his other procedures fail, he tries to get us hooked on these two magnetic lures: idolatry and immorality. They are two of his favorite schemes.
Idolatry is a little different today than it was in their day. We're not tempted to bow down and worship other gods as they did, but we are susceptible to the New Testament form of idolatry. Paul explains that in Colossians 3.
"Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5).
The New Testament form of idolatry is a love of the things of the world. Oh, how Satan wants to get us hooked on them. He wants us to fall in love with the things of this world. If he can get our hearts set on material things and tie up our time and our talents and our money—the things that could be put to work for God get tied up in the things of this world—then he's got us right where he wants us. He considers it a great victory. He knows the work of God will grind to a standstill. Oh how many Christians have been diverted from some original commitment to Jesus Christ because they let Satan get their eyes off of spiritual goals and onto financial and material goals.
God may have to remind us that we've misplaced our ambitions. And when God reminds us, it isn't always very pleasant. That is driven home to our minds with great force through the story of Balaam. It isn't always very pleasant when God has to remind us of our sin. God's woodshed is no picnic. It's a tough place to be and some Christians walk into it with their eyes wide open knowing that what they're doing is sin: following after the things of the world, setting their hearts on material things, tying up all their time and their talents and their money in accumulating the things of this life.
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1). Set your mind on the things which are above, not on the things on the earth.
Idolatry. It's one of Satan's lures. But it's not the only one. The second one was immorality. This is the same old immorality as it always was. The idolatry takes a new form but the immorality isn't any different. It starts with a wandering eye, looking—maybe at pictures in magazines or movies, or maybe just something in the flesh. There is a lot of female flesh exposed in this day and age, not only in movies and magazines but almost everywhere we turn—especially here in Southern California on the beaches and in places of amusement, and I find even in the church there is an awful lot of female flesh exposed sometimes. It begins with the wandering eye.
And it continues with unclean thoughts mulled over and over—meditated on and coddled and nourished in the secret of the soul. Oftentimes it consummates with the act, a moment of pleasure that may destroy a lifetime of productive service for Jesus Christ. If I were free to and had the time to, I would tell you stories of people I know personally—pastors, board members, Sunday school teachers, choir directors, Bible college professors. I even know of a Bible college president who today is on the rocks spiritually speaking and he has no ministry for Jesus Christ; Satan has permanently side-tracked him through the lusts of the eye. The lust of the flesh. Immorality. And not one of us is invulnerable.
We need to be aware of Satan's devices and sensitive to his smallest and most innocent lures. We must refuse to let our eyes and minds linger on the things that produce temptation and ultimately destroy us. We must absolutely refuse and take our stand by God's grace and flee these things, as the Apostle Paul says.
James wrote, "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (James 1:14-15).
You say, "I can't help it. That's the way God made me." No, it all starts when we fix our minds on these things and meditate on them. That old sin nature grows stronger and stronger and gets its claws deeper into us until we ultimately are destroyed spiritually speaking. We need to trust the power of God's Spirit for victory over these things. Satan will, if he can, use these very things against us. May God help us to resist him.
2. Balaam's Sudden Retribution
God's not going to hold Balaam guiltless for his part in this whole thing. Do you remember that praiseworthy aspiration that Balaam uttered during his first prophecy? He said, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!" (Numbers 23:10b). That's a very noble ambition and it was still possible for Balaam, even after a dastardly act like this one. Even after such a vile and sinful suggestion that led God's people into sin and into God's discipline by death to 24,000. Even then, Balaam could have been forgiven if only he had acknowledged his sin and trusted God's provision of salvation. He could still die the death of the righteous. Will he? Let's trace his story over to Numbers 31 again.
"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 'Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Israel. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.' So Moses spoke to the people, saying, 'Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for the Lord on Midian'" (Numbers 31:1-3).
Because of their part in this Satanic plot, they too were to bear the wrath of God. This source of Satanic temptation to Israel was to be righteously removed. "Take vengeance for the Lord on Midian" is the way Moses puts it to the people. So they get 1000 men from each tribe (verse 5).
"Then Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from each tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and the signal trumpets in his hand. And they warred against the Midianites, just as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed all the males. They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword" (Numbers 31:6-8).
He wanted to die the death of the righteous. But Balaam was found in the camp of the wicked and he died the death of the wicked. Under the disciplinary, judgmental, condemnatory hand of God when His wrath was poured out against sin. To be found in the camp of God's enemies certainly indicates that this man had refused to repent and he had taken his stand with Satan.
There is a similar reference over in Joshua. We looked at it before but maybe we should look at it one more time and see it in the chronological sequence of the story. We looked at this at the beginning of our story to see what kind of a person Balaam was.
"The children of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, among those who were killed by them" (Joshua 13:22).
God meted out vengeance on this evil man. Balaam's bloody body lying cold on that battlefield in Midian has some eloquent things to say to us. It's not enough to aspire to the death of the righteous; one must also share the life of the righteous. Eternal life is God's gift through His Son Jesus Christ. It's not enough to know great doctrines; Balaam did. It's not enough to utter great prophecies; Balaam did. One must put his personal trust in a great Savior. Balaam did not do that and he died the death of the wicked.
You know, I'm afraid there are many, many people today who admire true Christians. I know not everybody does; there are some who hate true Christians. But there are many unbelievers who do admire Christians. They wish that they could have that faith, that peace, that confidence, that assurance that their Christian friends have. And some even say, "Oh, when I come to the moment of death, I surely hope I can be that serene and have that kind of peace." But they aren't willing to admit their sin or to put their trust in the death of Jesus Christ as the payment for the guilt and penalty of that sin. They know they ought to do it. They think that someday they really will do that. But they never do. If you're in that category, don't put it off! If you've been coming here and watching other believers, and you know you need Jesus in your life, don't put it off! Trust Him today. If you continue to put it off, your day of retribution may come as swiftly as Balaam's came. Then it will be too late.
3. Balaam's Scriptural Review
The New Testament mentions Balaam three times. I'd like to conclude this series on his life by looking briefly at these three New Testament passages. They form an assessment or appraisal of his character.
Each time Balaam is mentioned in the New Testament, it is in an evil light. The three evils of Balaam are his way, his error, and his doctrine.
a. Balaam's Way
(2 Peter 2:15-16)
"They [false teachers] have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet" (2 Peter 2:15-16).
These false teachers had gone astray, like Balaam. The wrong way. I don't think there's any question about Balaam being an unbeliever according to this description of him. He's gone astray, he's on the wrong road, and he's gone mad. We know from the story that it's Satanic madness. But what is Balaam's way? Well, it says right here: he "loved the wages of unrighteousness."
He was willing to turn his back on his own conscience and on the clearly-revealed word of God for the sake of monetary gain. I wonder whether there could be some Balaams listening to me today? They've turned from God's way and have followed the way of Balaam because they love the wages of unrighteousness. Maybe they've set their minds on making their piles of money or on climbing the ladders of success. They've poured all their energies and abilities into it and they've given no place in their lives to God. The Lord Jesus Christ is a stranger to them. Besides that, in all probability they've robbed their families of their love and attention and time.
If you're in that category today, you may have a big bank account but I can be fairly certain that your life is rather empty and meaningless, and you're searching for something to find fulfillment. You see, cold cash without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and without warm loving relationships with other believers, is very cold indeed. I wouldn't want to be in that category by any stretch of the imagination.
There is only one answer, friend, and that is to let Jesus Christ come into your life. Acknowledge your sin and He'll bring a warmth to your life and a purpose to living that you never knew was possible. Get off of Balaam's way. It's a dead-end street. He loved the wages of unrighteousness.
b. Balaam's Error
(Jude 11)
"Woe to them [false teachers]! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah" (Jude 11).
Obviously the same idea is here: greedily, for profit. The idea is that he's living to get the things of this world and spiritual things are of no value to him. But I think there may be more here in the error of Balaam than just running greedily, for profit.
What does Jude mean here by saying the error of Balaam? What error or mistake did Balaam make in his thinking? The New Scofield Reference Bible
He didn't understand what Isaiah wrote. "But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6a). He didn't understand that righteousness which is apart from the law which is by faith in Jesus Christ that Paul wrote about in Romans 3. He certainly didn't understand Ephesians 2:8-9, which Paul would write many years later.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
He didn't understand that salvation was paid for and given freely to those who would admit their need and accept it in the Person of God's Son.
Furthermore, I think Balaam acted on the mistaken notion that outward, token submission to the will of God was sufficient. There was really no need for an inward transformation of life. As long as on the outside he maintained a facade of submission to the will of God, everything was OK. Technically, he obeyed God. Remember those beautiful words? "Give me a whole houseful of silver and gold, and I still won't say anything except what God tells me to say." Those are beautiful words. Looks good on the outside, doesn't it? But his soul was rotten and depraved on the inside. I'm afraid there are a lot of Balaams around today. They go to church week after week and give some money. They maintain a facade; they want to be known as religious persons—it's good for business or whatever it is they're trying to attain in life—but inwardly their souls are unchanged. Their spirits have never been made alive to God by faith in Jesus Christ. They're dead in trespasses and sins.
They may be very religious, and very moral and ethical people. Nicodemus was. He was one of the best individuals in the world of his day, religiously speaking. But Jesus said, "Nicodemus, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). There's got to be a change on the inside. External submission to religious rules and regulations won't do it in God's sight. Lots of people who don't understand that have fallen into the error of Balaam.
c. Balaam's Doctrine
(Revelation 2:14)
There is one more New Testament reference. Unfortunately, the church at Pergamum had some Balaams in it. God forbid. What a curse on a local church. Jesus said:
"But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality" (Revelation 2:14).
What is the doctrine of Balaam? He taught Balak to tempt God's children with idolatry and immorality. I'm afraid there are a few Balaams in the institutional church of Jesus Christ today, propagating a new morality, a new ethical standard that claims it's all right to disobey God in certain kinds of situations. They encourage sin. That's what they are: Balaams.
You know, it occurred to me as I was thinking over this passage that we might have some Balaams in fundamental churches like ours. People who wink at sin; people who rationalize it away and say, "I know that's what the Bible says but you don't know my situation and how bad my home is. I had every reason to do what I did." And by their example, they are teaching other Christians—young believers—to sin. They're putting a stumbling block before others by their manner of life. They are dishonoring the Lord and teaching others to do the same. They ought to keep reading in this passage in Revelation.
"Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth" (Revelation 2:16).
That's a pretty stern rebuke, isn't it? May God help us to realize that true spirituality is more than an outward facade. It's an inner being that's absolutely sold out to Jesus Christ and totally surrendered to Him, and wants His will at all costs as it is revealed in His Word. It's a being that allows the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit and obedience through our lives.
God speaks rather sternly about Balaam. It's not a happy subject. I hope you're not one of his relatives because if you are, you're in the wrong family. You need to become a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ and yield your life to Him. Turn it over to Him. Say, "Yes, Lord Jesus, I want to live for Your glory. And if that means getting rid of some of the sin in my life—all the sin in my life—I'm ready to do it. Here is my life, Lord. Take me and use me." Let's bow together in prayer.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that You'll speak with power and conviction to our lives. Lord, there are certainly some here who need to know Jesus personally. He's a stranger to them. They have no concept of the forgiveness of sin by the shed blood of the Savior. God, save them now. We pray that believers who have shunned this exhortation week after week to yield their lives to Jesus Christ who continue to manifest the works of the flesh—oh, God, I pray that You'll just grab hold of us in these moments. Don't stop shaking us and convicting us until we surrender all to Jesus Christ and are willing to follow Him wherever He leads us.
A Word to Christians
While we're in an attitude of prayer, may I speak to both Christians and non-Christians? Christian, why not confess that sin and yield your life? Get on God's route and live a life that honors Him.
Trusting Jesus as Your Savior
My unsaved friend, thank you for coming. We're so grateful to you for being here and listening. But that's not enough. You know you need Jesus Christ and you've been toying with this but putting it off. Why not do it today? "Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. I believe You died in my place and paid for my sin, and I need You as my Savior. Come into my life right now and save me." He'll give you eternal life and fill you with assurance and confidence and the absolute knowledge that someday you're going to spend eternity in His presence. You can settle that right where you sit in the sanctuary of your own soul. That's where it all happens: inside your being. Won't you make that transaction today? Lay your sins on Him and let Him give you that righteousness. Just trust Him and invite Him into your life.
Closing Prayer
Father, we pray that some would do that and in these moments silently pray in their own souls, "Save me now." Thank You for the promise of Your Word that those who call upon You shall be saved, and those who open the door to You shall enjoy Your personal presence in their lives, with both the forgiveness and the life that that involves. Save some, we pray, right now, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
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