Balaam
Garland M. Robinson
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. ... Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” — Rev. 2:12-14,16
Some in the church at Pergamos were holding to the “doctrine of Balaam.” The Lord was against that — he hated that. He hates everything that is not according to a “thus saith the Lord” — the Scriptures.
The Bible matters.
New Testament authority matters. We must live by it or we will be judged and condemned by it. We must take heed to the Lord’s precious Word and everything he hates, we must hate.
The word “doctrine” means teaching, instruction, and/or that which has been taught. Therefore, the doctrine of Balaam is not the teaching “about” Balaam, but rather, what Balaam “taught” — the instruction, direction, guidance, counsel, he gave.
The text reveals what that teaching was. He taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication. The Lord hated all three!
Fortunately, the Bible gives the history regarding the incident of Balaam and Balak. A lengthy account is given in the book of Numbers chapters 22-24. His name and wicked deed is recorded many other places throughout the Bible: Numbers 31:7-8,16; Deuteronomy 23:3-5; Joshua 13:22; Joshua 24:8-10; Nehemiah 13:1-2; Micah 6:5; 2 Peter 2:12-16; Jude 11.
It would certainly be helpful to review what the Bible says in all these texts. But space will not allow an extensive examination in this short piece. I’ll leave it to you to study and familiarize yourself with the story. Our focus here is on Balaam’s teaching, instruction, influence, and counsel. It is needful that we recap the gist of the story.
The Israelites wondered in the wilderness for 40 years before they entered the land of Canaan. On one occasion they pitched their camp in the land of Moab. Balak, the king of Moab, sought to hire Balaam from far away Mesopotamia to come and curse the children of Israel.
However, God told Balaam not to go, but when Balak offered him great honor and reward, Balaam conceded and went (Num. 22:12-17). His heart was set on himself, not on God. His intent and purpose was so evil that on his journey the angel of the Lord was standing in his way to kill him but Balaam’s donkey saved his life and speaks to him (Num. 22:21-35). Nevertheless, he continues on.
Four separate attempts were made by Balaam to curse the children of Israel, but on each occasion God caused Balaam to bless them.
However, Balaam was intent on receiving the reward promised him. If he could not bring God’s displeasure upon the Israelites by cursing them, he would figure out another way.
He found that way in the counsel he gave to Balak. It was namely this, if you can cause Israel to sin, God will turn from them. Balaam’s counsel was to get the Israelites to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab and to offer sacrifices to their gods.
Israel will be so defiled that God’s wrath will not be held back. That’s exactly what they did. They joined the Moabites in their worship (Num. 31:16; 25:1-3).
Moabite worship included whoredom with temple prostitutes, involving the Israelites in immorality, fornication, lewdness, and lasciviousness. Their worship included idolatry, involving Israel in sacrilege (defilement, disrespect, desecration, irreverence). These sins were a direct violation of the commandments received at Mt. Sinai. As a result, God sent a plague upon the Israelites and 24,000 of them died (Num. 25:4-9).
Balaam’s counsel to Balak was to be a stumblingblock to God’s people — encouraging/influencing them to sin. Shall we not learn from this shameful incident?
The Bible matters.
New Testament authority matters. We must live by it or we will be judged and condemned by it. We must take heed to the Lord’s precious Word and everything he hates, we must hate.
The word “doctrine” means teaching, instruction, and/or that which has been taught. Therefore, the doctrine of Balaam is not the teaching “about” Balaam, but rather, what Balaam “taught” — the instruction, direction, guidance, counsel, he gave.
The text reveals what that teaching was. He taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication. The Lord hated all three!
Fortunately, the Bible gives the history regarding the incident of Balaam and Balak. A lengthy account is given in the book of Numbers chapters 22-24. His name and wicked deed is recorded many other places throughout the Bible: Numbers 31:7-8,16; Deuteronomy 23:3-5; Joshua 13:22; Joshua 24:8-10; Nehemiah 13:1-2; Micah 6:5; 2 Peter 2:12-16; Jude 11.
It would certainly be helpful to review what the Bible says in all these texts. But space will not allow an extensive examination in this short piece. I’ll leave it to you to study and familiarize yourself with the story. Our focus here is on Balaam’s teaching, instruction, influence, and counsel. It is needful that we recap the gist of the story.
The Israelites wondered in the wilderness for 40 years before they entered the land of Canaan. On one occasion they pitched their camp in the land of Moab. Balak, the king of Moab, sought to hire Balaam from far away Mesopotamia to come and curse the children of Israel.
However, God told Balaam not to go, but when Balak offered him great honor and reward, Balaam conceded and went (Num. 22:12-17). His heart was set on himself, not on God. His intent and purpose was so evil that on his journey the angel of the Lord was standing in his way to kill him but Balaam’s donkey saved his life and speaks to him (Num. 22:21-35). Nevertheless, he continues on.
Four separate attempts were made by Balaam to curse the children of Israel, but on each occasion God caused Balaam to bless them.
However, Balaam was intent on receiving the reward promised him. If he could not bring God’s displeasure upon the Israelites by cursing them, he would figure out another way.
He found that way in the counsel he gave to Balak. It was namely this, if you can cause Israel to sin, God will turn from them. Balaam’s counsel was to get the Israelites to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab and to offer sacrifices to their gods.
Israel will be so defiled that God’s wrath will not be held back. That’s exactly what they did. They joined the Moabites in their worship (Num. 31:16; 25:1-3).
Moabite worship included whoredom with temple prostitutes, involving the Israelites in immorality, fornication, lewdness, and lasciviousness. Their worship included idolatry, involving Israel in sacrilege (defilement, disrespect, desecration, irreverence). These sins were a direct violation of the commandments received at Mt. Sinai. As a result, God sent a plague upon the Israelites and 24,000 of them died (Num. 25:4-9).
Balaam’s counsel to Balak was to be a stumblingblock to God’s people — encouraging/influencing them to sin. Shall we not learn from this shameful incident?
The people of Israel were tempted to sin. When we place ourselves in a situation where we’re going to be tempted to sin, we’re not headed in the right direction.
Temptation can make us weak and more prone to give in to temptation. Why would any child of God place themselves in the middle of a situation where temptation is great? We ought to stay as far away from it as possible. God’s word says, “abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22). “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation” (Matt. 26:41). “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:24).
When we fight temptation and refuse to yield to it, we keep ourselves pure and our mind on the right track. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (2 Peter 2:9).
Paul said, “this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). That means we do not put ourselves in the middle of temptation. That’s staying away from it.
We can overcome. The Lord will help us. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]” (1 Cor. 10:13).
Temptation can make us weak and more prone to give in to temptation. Why would any child of God place themselves in the middle of a situation where temptation is great? We ought to stay as far away from it as possible. God’s word says, “abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22). “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation” (Matt. 26:41). “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:24).
When we fight temptation and refuse to yield to it, we keep ourselves pure and our mind on the right track. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (2 Peter 2:9).
Paul said, “this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). That means we do not put ourselves in the middle of temptation. That’s staying away from it.
We can overcome. The Lord will help us. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]” (1 Cor. 10:13).
Balaam’s doctrine (counsel) was to compromise. The Israelites compromised both their morals and their worship. Compromise with wickedness is never good. The Lord’s way is an exclusive, singular, unique way. It does not allow union and participation with any but the way of truth and holiness.
Denominations are wrong in Doctrine.
Those who sit at the feet of denominational preachers are told to receive Christ as their “personal Savior” or pray the “sinner’s prayer” in order to be saved. According to John 1:12, those who believe in Christ are not automatically sons of God, but are given the power (right, privilege) “to become” sons of God.
The Lord’s way does not allow compromise with Religions of the World. In the political correctness of today, the march-word is “toleration” — “truce.” The only thing considered wrong in this man-made philosophy is to say there is only one exclusive way and all other ways are wrong.
The world allows compromise with all religions. However, the Lord and master of the universe says, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the father but by me” (John 14:6).
That excludes all religions of the world except Christianity. I’m sorry, but that is not my opinion. That is not just the way I see it. That is the way that is RIGHT.
It is the Lord that made us and not we ourselves (cf. Psa. 100:3). Therefore, His way is right. What He says, is the way it is! That makes no allowance for Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam or any other religion in the world. They are wrong — they’re all wrong — every last one of them.
They are man-made, not haven-made. To compromise with them is the way that leads to the eternal death of our soul. It may “seem right” to a lot of people, but the end thereof are the ways of death (cf. Prov. 14:12; 12:15; 16:25; 30:12).
The Lord’s way does not allow compromise with Denominations. Though there are similarities between the Lord’s church and denominations (unlike world religions), it is still compromise to join them in worship and practice (fellowship). The Lord says NO!
The principle of Ephesians 5:11 is very clear: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” The Lord did not say we can have a little fellowship with them. He said no fellowship with them.
Instead of fellowshipping them, He said reprove them. That is, we expose them for what they are, show the error of their way, make it clear where they stand and whom they serve.
Though they claim to be “believers“, they have never obeyed the Gospel nor do they worship in truth — according to God’s word (John 4:24). Therefore, Christians cannot be joined with them. Instead, we are to come out from among them and be separate (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14-17).
Denominations are wrong in Name.
They wear names of men, methods or philosophies — names representing forms of government, doctrines and practices. The Lord’s church wears the Lord’s name, not the name given by men. The Lord’s name is above every name (Phil. 2:9). It is at the name of Christ that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess (Phil. 2:10). Disciples were called “Christians” first at Antioch (Acts 11:27). There is no other name by which men can be saved (cf. Acts 4:12).
Denominations are wrong in Authority.
They have councils, conferences, synods, disciplines, manuals, creeds and traditions. However, the Lord’s church has the divinely, inspired word of God. It is infallible — our guide to heaven (2 Tim. 3:16-17). It furnishes all we need to be pleasing to God (2 Peter 1:3).
It is the document by which we will be judged when we stand before the Lord (John 12:48). No other book will be opened from which we will be judged (cf. Rev. 20:12).
We show our respect for the authority of Christ when we respect and obey his word. It doesn’t make any sense to be a member of something religiously that does not demand scriptural authority for everything they do (cf. Col. 3:17).
According to the Bible, a sinner is saved from sins ONLY when he BELIEVES (Heb. 11:6; John 8:24), REPENTS of his sins (Acts 2:38; 17:30), CONFESSES Christ before men (Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10), and is BAPTIZED for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). This is the ONLY plan taught in the Bible by which one can be saved from past and alien sins.
The Lord’s church is not a denomination. It is not part of a whole or one of a series of units, but the ONLY church that one can read about in the Bible.
Christ promised to build HIS church (Matt. 16:18), not a man’s church. He died for HIS church (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25), not anyone else’s church. Christ is the Savior of HIS body which is the church (Eph. 5:23; Eph. 1:22-23). He’s not the savior of any other body.
Since denominationalism is man-made (not being authorized by God), we must be members of the Lord’s church in order to be saved. We must faithfully serve Christ in His kingdom.
The Lord’s church is not allowed to compromise with denoinational groups nor even churches of Christ who are not sound in the faith. Sadly, there are many congregations among us like those mentioned in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 with whom the Lord is not pleased. If they don’t repent and come back to the truth, they will be condemnded. The faithful must not compromise with them. This is made very clear in 2 John 1:9-11:
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”
Balaam’s counsel was to compromise with the enemy. God’s faithful children today must not compromise with the enemy. A great number of churches of Christ today are in apostacy or heading that way. Many of them don’t even realize it. It’s been so long since they have heard the “whole cousel of God” (Acts 20:27) that they have drifted far from shore. We need to work to bring them back. James says “...he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:20).
posted by HPEDIE | 12:41 PM
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