Doctrine of Balaam - Part 1
by Walter Giddings
December 24, 2023
Relevant Scripture: Revelation 2:14
(Jude :10-11). Go to the next to the last Book on God’s Library shelf, the Book of Jude. We will be reading chapters 10 and 11. Jude is a book of 25 chapters. Most people do not hear the Book of Jude preached in churchianity. Why is that?! A few years ago, I heard a radio preacher declare his own incompetency to reading and explaining the books of Jude and 1 John. Why?! Is The Book of Jude full of references to the Older Scriptures, Genesis unto Malachi? Is The Book of 1 John full of references to The Book of Genesis? What if you and I were to spend four years in seminary being taught that you will teach church members that The Books from Genesis unto Malachi are outdated, done away, of lesser value than The New Testament Books from Matthew unto Revelation? How prepared would we be to preach and teach anything from the Greater Part of The Bible? Can we see our 4-year experience in seminary would be “corrupting”?
p 10 But these speak evil of those
things which they know not: but
what they know naturally as brute
beasts, in those things they corrupt
themselves.
c 11 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 gainsay-
ing of Core.
Jude chapter one.
Verse 10. When was the last time we ran into people who “speak evil of those things which they know not”? Does the mainstream media, you know, the power brokers that have all the Babel bucks, “speak evil of those things which they know not” in an ongoing daily assault?! Some of us find the off switch on the Roman Gregorian Sabbath! But the power brokers who engage in power buyouts have gotten to our families and friends who are only too eager to parrot them, and to “speak evil of those things which they know not”! The power brokers have been stealing our grand and petit jury votes for years. They are stealing on a much-increased scale our election votes. And they are messing with our voting with our feet, and our voting with our wallets. And finally, they are messing with our off switch!!
What a way to “wear out the saints of the Most high”! [Daniel 7:25]
Verse 11. This verse in The General Epistle of Jude summarizes a multitude of Scriptures, chapters even! And the preachers, corrupted in the seminaries, are helpless at dealing with it! All of Jude’s summary are in the Older Scriptures, Genesis unto Malachi. In Verse 11, the underlined words are appropriate titles for three Sermons that are almost never preached in Churchianity. (Jeremiah 50:6-7). The seminary trained preachers lead the flock astray to the world’s Jesus, and not to The Good Shepherd of The Bible!
c 6 My people hath been lost sheep :
their shepherds have caused them to
go astray, they have turned them
away on the mountains: they have
gone from mountain to hill, they
have forgotten their resting place.
p 7 All that found them have devour-
ed them: and their adversaries said,
We offend not because they have sin-
ned against the LORD, the habitation
of justice, even the LORD, the hope
of their fathers.
Jeremiah chapter fifty.
Out of those three Sermon Titles, The error of Balaam for reward is the subject matter of this Lesson (Revelation 2:14). The Title of our Lesson is found in one of the seven letters to the seven churches in The Book of Revelation, “the church in Pergamos”:
14 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 stumb-
lingblock before the children of
Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto
idols, and to commit fornication.
Revelation chapter two.
“Doctrine.” What does the word “doctrine” signify? What English synonym most closely represents the meaning of the word “doctrine”? What does “doctrine” mean?
And what Law of Bible Study are we using to explain the meaning of “doctrine”?
The Pastors and Elders are immune from this pop quiz. Pew sitters, this is your chance to shine as Berean Christians: explain the word “doctrine”.
Where should we go to find the definition of “doctrine”? What is our answer? When we study The Scriptures, are we learning Godtalk? Or should I say, are we learning upper case “G” Godtalk? Does studying The Scriptures teach us how to talk to Our Heavenly Father? Would The God of the Bible fail to define His Terms for His Children? In finding the definition of “doctrine” should we go no further than verse 14?
In verse 14, immediately following the words “doctrine of Balaam”, appears the relative pronoun “who”, which introduces 3 things Balaam “taught” Balac to do! Is “doctrine” teaching?
Where do we find this History in its complete telling? Where do we find what Balaam taught Balac to do in Bible History?
Just in case the corruption of treating The Scriptures, from Genesis unto Malachi, as of lesser importance, should still linger with us, we should go to John 5:45-47.
Does Jesus war against this corruption?
c 45 Do not think that I will accuse
you to the Father: there is one that
accuseth you, even Moses in whom
ye trust.
p 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye
would have believed me: for he
wrote of me.
c 47 But if ye believe not his writings,
how shall ye believe my words?
John chapter five.
“But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” Is the credibility of The New Testament or The New Covenant based squarely upon the credibility of The Old Testament or The Old Covenant? Can we see Jesus warred against this corruption?
(Numbers 22). Shall we do what many churchianity preachers feel inadequate to do? Shall we listen with a ready mind, and search The Scriptures daily whether these things are so? After the Israelites had wasted Sihon, king of the Amorites in Heshbon, and Og, king of the Amorites in Bashan, and had totally occupied their cities and villages, they pitched camp east of the Jordan River by Jericho on the plains of Moab (22:5-6). The Moabites, sore afraid of the Israelites who had defeated the Amorites, their captors, were terrified at being vastly outnumbered by them. Balak their king had heard of Balaam the prophet and sent for him.
c 5 He sent messengers therefore unto
Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor,
which is by the river of the land of the
children of his people, to call him, say-
ing, Behold there is a people come
out from Egypt: behold, they cover
the face of the earth, and they abide
over against me:
p 6 Come now therefore, I pray thee,
curse me this people; for they are
too mighty for me:
peradventure I shall prevail, that we
may smite them, and that I may drive
them out of the land: for I wot that
he whom thou blessest is blessed,
and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
And the elders of both Moab and Midian went, carrying the rewards of divination in their hand and spoke unto Balaam the words of King Balak. Balaam lodged the men overnight so that The LORD would speak unto him. God came, and asked, “What men are these with thee?” Balaam replied, From Balak, King of Moab, to say:
11 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 over-
come them, and drive them out.
c 12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou
shalt not go with them; thou shalt not
curse the people: for they are blessed.
In the morning Balaam told them, “The LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.”
The princes of Moab told Balak, “Balaam refuseth to come with us.” Balak sent princes more honourable than the first group and said he would promote Balaam to very great honour, and to name his price (Verse 18). Is there anything wrong with what Balaam answers here in verse 18?
18 And Balaam answered and said
unto the servants of Balak, If Balak
would give me his house full of silver
and gold, I cannot go beyond the
word of the LORD my God to do less
or more.
(Verse 19). Is there anything wrong with what Balaam answers here in Verse 19?
19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry
ye also here this night, that I may
know what the LORD will say unto
me more.
What was it that Balaam wanted to know? This is not an unimportant question. It is important because of what happens next!
(Go back to Verse 12). What did our Heavenly Father tell Balaam the 1st time King Balak’s messengers came? Did The LORD, the God of Israel, and Balaam, tell Balaam, “Thou shalt not go with them”? What else did the Father say?
12 ... Thou shalt not curse the people:
for they are blessed.
What happened next? (Verses 20-21).
20 And God came unto Balaam at
night, and said unto him, If the men
come to call thee, rise up, and go
with them; but yet the word which I
shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
p 21 And Balaam rose up in the morning,
and saddled his ass, and went with the
princes of Moab.
What was it that Balaam wanted to “know” the “more”? (Verse 22).
22 And God’s anger was kindled be-
cause he went: and the angel of the
LORD stood in the way for an adver-
sary against him. Now he was riding
upon his ass, and his two servants
were with him.
Does God ever leave himself without witness? [Acts 14:17] The princes of Moab and Balaam’s two servants: are they witnesses to these events? What is an “adver- sary”? The underlined word “adversary” is translated from H7854 satan, saw-tawn’ an opponent, especially with the definite article prefixed. When I survey the enemies stacked against me, I see Satan and all his unholy horde as my 3rd greatest enemy! I lump them all together as my 3rd greatest because they display more unity than many Christians! (That ought not to be so.) And Satan is a formidable foe! My 2nd greatest enemies are my family and friends. And they are my most difficult mission field. My greatest enemy is the most difficult to overcome. I do not want him to gain resurrection. I love the new man within me. I do not want that old man in me back.
Can we even imagine having our Heavenly Father as our Satan?! (Verses 23-27).
c 23 And the ass saw the angel of the
LORD standing in the way, and his
sword drawn in his hand: and the
ass turned aside out of the way, and
went into the field: and Balaam
smote the ass, to turn her into the
way.
p 24 But the angel of the LORD stood
in a path of the vineyards, a wall be-
ing on this side, and a wall on that
side.
c 25 And when the ass saw the angel
of the LORD, she thrust herself unto
the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot
against the wall: and he smote her
again.
p 26 And the angel of the LORD went
further, and stood in a narrow place,
where was no way to turn either to
the right hand or to the left.
c 27 And when the ass saw the angel
of the LORD, she fell down under
Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was
kindled, and he smote the ass with
a staff.
By this time, would the princes of Moab notice that Balaam was not keeping up with them? Certainly, Balaam’s two servants would notice that Balaam was having some unusual trouble with his ass (Verse 28). According to The Scriptures whose eyes were opened?
28 And the LORD opened the mouth
of the ass, and she said unto Balaam,
What have I done unto thee, that thou
hast smitten me these three times?
The next verse, Verse 29, has mystified me for a time. Balaam does not seem to miss a heartbeat. He answers the ass’s question:
29 And Balaam said unto the ass,
Because thou hast mocked me: I
would there were a sword in mine
hand, for now would I kill thee.
Who here has had his pony not go where he wants him to go? We understand that can be a frustrating experience. It usually happens when it is most convenient for the devil to withstand us, and rarely occurs when it is less inconvenient to us. “The dumb ass speaking with man’s voice,” puts a question to Balaam that is on point, and goes to the heart of the matter:
30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am
not I thine ass, upon which thou hast
ridden ever since I was thine unto this
day? was I ever wont to do so unto
thee? And he said, Nay.
Does Balaam answer the donkey again? What is Balaam’s answer? Why did Balaam smite his donkey three times (the last time with his staff) if she never “wont to do so”? How is it Balaam failed to look for the unusual reason she was “wont to do so” now? (22:31-33).
c 31 Then the LORD opened the eyes
of Balaam, and he saw the angel of
the LORD standing in the way, and
his sword drawn in his hand: and
he bowed down his head and fell
flat on his face.
p 32 And the angel of the LORD said
unto him, Wherefore hast thou smit-
ten thine ass these three times? Be-
hold I went out to withstand thee,
because thy way is perverse before
me.
c 33 And the ass saw me, and turned
from me these three times: unless
she had turned from me, surely now
also I had slain thee, and saved her
alive.
How would we react if God opened our eyes to the invisible dimension, which is largely invisible to us in our lifetime because of Adam’s Fall, only to find an angel, a ministering spirit, a messenger sent to slay us for our perversity? Would we be terrorized? What could we do? (Hebrews 4:13). What could we say? Would we pray the sinners’ prayer? Would we ask Him to be merciful unto us wretched sinners?
13 Neither is there any creature that
is not manifest in his sight: but all
things are naked and opened unto
the eyes of him with whom we have
to do.
Hebrews chapter four.
(Numbers 22:34). How sovereign is our God, the God of our Fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Is our God Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent?
In His All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and Everywhere Sovereignty could he easily raise up another in our place? Did Paul ask the Roman congregation, “who hath resisted His will”? [Romans 9:19] Could our God raise up another in Balaam’s place? Did God at first raise up Balaam? How did Balaam take it?
34 And Balaam said unto the angel
of the LORD, I have sinned; for I
knew not that thou stoodest in the
way against me: now therefore if it
displease thee, I will get me back again.
Does this mean that the LORD is content to use Balaam for now in His Family Business? (Verse 35).
35 And the angel of the LORD said
unto Balaam, go with the men: but
only the word that I shall speak unto
thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam
went with the princes of Balak.
Numbers chapter twenty-two.
When Balaam arrived, Balak questioned him: “Am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?” [verse 37] Terrorized by his near miss with the death angel Balaam immediately answered him by setting limitation: “the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak” [verse 38].
On the morrow Balaam went with the King to Kirjathhuzoth. On the following day King Balak took Balaam up unto the high places of Baal so that he could view the whole of the Israel encampment on the plains of Moab. In chapters 23 and 24 Balaam delivers four Oracles according to The Word of the LORD! He obeys! Balak said, “What hast thou done unto me?” After the 2nd Oracle Balak exclaimed, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all” Upon the 3rd Oracle, Balak’s anger was kindled. He said, “Flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour” Balaam concludes the 4th Oracle advertizing what Israel shall do to King Balak’s people in the latter days :
25 And Balaam rose up, and went
and returned to his place: and Ba-
lak also went his way.
Numbers chapter twenty-four.
Numbers 23 and 24 are filled with midtime and end time prophecies, better reserved for studies on prophecies. The very important prophecies given in these two chapters do not help us answer our question: What did Balaam teach Balak, king of the Moabites, to do?
Prior to this Lesson we have been studying the captivities of Israel to see what light they shed on our American Captivity. The thought occurred to me that without a thorough familiarity with “the doctrine of Balaam” we will fail to grasp the nature of our captivity, and worse, draw the wrong conclusions.
Of necessity, when we run out of time, the 2nd Lesson is in order. To be continued, God willing, on our next available occasion.
Bibliography
Revelation 2:14
Jude : 10-11. “the error of Balaam for reward”.
Jeremiah 50:6-7. “they have sinned against the LORD”.
Revelation 2:14. “Balaam .. taught Balac to cast a stumbling block”.
John 5:45-47. “if ye believe not his [Moses’] writings ...”.
Numbers 22:5-6. “curse me this people”.
Numbers 22:11-12. “thou shalt not curse the people”.
Numbers 22:18. “I cannot go beyond the Word of the LORD”.
Numbers 22:19. ”the LORD will say unto me more”.
(back to Numbers 22:12). “Thou shalt not curse the people”.
Numbers 22:20-21. “the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do”.
Numbers 22:22. “an adversary [satan] against him”.
Numbers 22:23-27. “the ass saw the angel of the LORD”.
Numbers 22:28. “the LORD opened the mouth of the ass”.
Numbers 22:29. “thou hast mocked me”.
Numbers 22:30. “was I ever wont to do so (?)”.
Numbers 22:31-33. “surely now also I had slain thee”.
Hebrews 4:13. “him with whom we have to do”.
Numbers 22:34. “I have sinned”.
Numbers 22:35. “only the word that I shall speak unto thee”.
Numbers 24:25. “Balaam .. returned .. and Balak also went his way”.
