Thursday, April 7, 2016

Numbers 31

"...Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword...Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lordin the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord." vv.8,16

Read chapter 31
We see Balaam again, well dead but the damage he caused.  He didn't get to die the death of the righteous liked he'd hoped for himself in his first oracle (23:10).  We learn something more of Balaam, even after he prophesied blessings over Israel four times and then finally went home by Balak's anger and order, that he caused the children of Israel to sin by use of Moabite women.  This is a great stumbling block that Israel and believers are to guard against Balaam's doctrine and way throughout all of scripture.  In Revelations chapter two to the letter to the church in Pergamos John writes, "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."  So the quick curse the Balak wanted didn't work, but the slow but steady deception and accommodation for evil led to the downfall of Israel that Balak wanted all along.  When we see Balaam's way, teaching, doctrine, error be mention by Peter, Jude, and John in the New Testament we need to be careful because that evil way is still prevalent today.    "Today, that philosophy, that teaching, that doctrine of Balaam promotes compromise and accommodation. Tolerate that which is evil that which God hates in the church. We see in the church worldliness, carnality accepted and promoted and platformed with Christian musicians, Christian artists, Christian authors, Christian preachers tolerating sin and fleshly behavior and getting paid lots of money to promote it, to live that lifestyle" (Nancy DeMoss, reviveourhearts.com)

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