Balaam Numbers 22

Numbers 22:1 "And the children of Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho."

Israel gets a glimpse of their gateway into Canaan. Jericho will become a place of remembrance and the stuff of children's songs. Twice they went to Kadesh but did not enter Canaan, the first time was because of unbelief, the second time Edom would not let them pass. So now we see another way in.

First though we have to deal with Balaam for a few chapters. Balaam was a prophet but not in the sense that you think of Elijah or Isaiah. He served as the messenger of God but still was not very spiritual.

Balak is another character we must address. He was king of the Moabites. v4.

Balak looked down from the mountain on the congregation of Israel and knew he would need some help defeating them. He must not have known that Israel was protected by the Lord for he called Balaam to put a curse on them. v5.

Balaam took the messengers into his home. v8 "...Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me; and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam."

I think it would have been better if Balaam had sent them away but he didn't.

v9 "And God came unto Balaam and said, What men are these with thee?"

So Balaam starts explaining to God why they are there. He gives title to Balak but the children of Israel are only 'a people' . He tells God what Balak said:

v11 "Behold there is a people come out of Egypt which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them: peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out."

Obviously, Balaam is in the dark about the big plan. He also still has the 'position of honor' in his mind that Balak promised. But the Lord told him not to go and not to curse the people. He then told Balaam they were blessed. v12.

There is some back and forth. Balak sends more messengers and instead of Balaam telling them to go away he tells them to wait and see what God says. God told him to go ahead but only to speak the words told him by God. Balaam should have taken the first command for he is shown to be dummer than a donkey in the next verses. Some divide God's will in perfect and permissive. Perfect being what he wants someone to do but because of freewill, permissive is what he allows even though it may anger him if the person goes ahead after being told not to the first time.

v21 "And Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab."

Psalm 107:6 "Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses."

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