Saturday, February 18, 2017

Errors of Balaam Revisited 507 - 8 - 4

Per CM there are three errors of Balaam:

Errors of Balaam

• “Way of Balaam”: making religion his source of wealth.

• “Error of Balaam”: attempting to oppose God’s will and curse Israel

• “Doctrine of Balaam”: marriage with the world. One, “Way of Balaam”: making religion his source of wealth.

• “Way of Balaam”: making religion his source of wealth:
Balaam was a soothsayer, a “prophet for profit,” for hire. Balak, king of the Moabites, feared the Israeli so he sent messengers to Balaam and asked him to curse Israeli. Balaam eventually agreed to use his ability contrary to God’s will and curse Israel.
Peter compares false teachers to the prophet Balaam, 2 Peter 2:15-16, "15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages (G3408) of unrighteousness (G93); 16 But was rebuked for his iniquity (G3892): the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 

Wages, Strong's G3408, pay for service, good or bad, hire, reward, wages.
unrighteousness, Strong's G93, from the root G94; (legal) injustice (properly the quality, by implication the act); moral wrongfulness (of charater, life or act): - iniquity, unjust, unrighteousness, wrong. G94 unjust; by extension wicked; by implication treacherous; specifically heathen: - unjust, unrighteous.
iniquity, Strong's G3892, From the same as G3891; transgression: - iniquity. G3891, to be opposed to law, that is, to transgress: - contrary to law.

• “Error of Balaam”: attempting to oppose God’s will and curse Israel:
Balaam made several attempts to curse Israel, however, he ended up blessing them in accordance with God’s word including this Messianic verse. Numbers 24:17, “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.”

• “Doctrine of Balaam”: marriage with the world:
Finally, he used the doctrine of Balaam, “to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel,” to cause them to be unfaithful to God so He would then “turn His hand against them.”

“Numbers 25:1-3 Although Balaam's name is not mentioned in this chapter, we learn in Num_31:16 that he was responsible for the terrible corruption of the children of Israel that is described here. All of Balak's rewards could not induce Balaam to curse Israel, but they finally did persuade him to corrupt Israel by causing some of the people to commit harlotry and idolatry with the women of Moab. Often when Satan cannot succeed in a direct attack, he will succeed in an indirect one.”
[Believers Bible Commentary]


Today we have the televangelists many of whom have gone the way of the “Doctrine of Balaam.” Like Balaam they are “hireling” marketing their gift of being persuasive speakers. Their doctrine of “Name it and claim it” tickles the ears rather than convicting the listeners of their sinful nature and the need for redemption. Most of these televangelists run the risk of “Sacrificing eternal riches for temporal gain.” Eventually they will stand in judgment for casting stumbling blocks before their followers.

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