Balaam
Balaam was a non-Jew living in the city of Pethor in Mesopotamia.
He was a poet and a prophet of sorts, but he doubtless belongs
to the Midianites. See Numbers 22 and following for his story.
Balaam possessed some knowledge of Jehovah, the true God; and
he acknowledged that his superior powers and knowledge as a prophet
came from God. Balaam had become somewhat famous, and he became
conceited and covetous.
The Israelites Encounter with the Midianites
The Israelites had camped in the plain of Moab on their second
approach to the land of Canaan. Balak, the king of Moab, entered
into a league with the Midianites against the Israelites. He sent
messengers to Balaam with money to pay him to place a curse on
the Israelites.
Topic: MOABITES
Balaam did not trust the messengers and asked them to spend the
night so that he could consult with God. And God expressly prohibited
Balaam from going back with the men to Moab, so they returned
to Balak.
Balak sent some very high officials on another mission to Balaam;
and Balaam was promised great reward and much honor. Balaam replied
that he could not be tempted by reward but that he would speak
what the Lord would reveal. The ambassadors spent the night and
Balaam again talked to the Lord. Because of Balaam's persistence,
he secured permission from God to accompany Balak's messengers,
with the understanding that God would dictate what Balaam would
speak.
In the morning Balaam proceeded with the princes of Moab, but
"God's anger was kindled against him", and an angel
barred his way on the road to Moab. Balaam did not see the angel,
but the donkey Balaam was riding saw him and shied away into a
field. Then, when Balaam tried to keep the donkey on the trail,
the donkey squeezed Balaam's foot against a wall. Finally, the
donkey fell down. Balaam became enraged and beat the donkey with
a stick. The donkey then questioned Balaam about the beating.
Then Balaam was able to see the angel. The angel accused Balaam
of perverseness, but told him to go on to Moab but only to speak
the things God would tell him.
When Balaam met Balak, he told him that he would only speak what
the Lord told him to. According to Balaam's direction, he and
Balak erected seven altars upon each of which they offered a ram
and a bullock.
But then, three times Balaam tried to speak a curse against Israel,
but his very speaking was overruled by God. Instead of cursings
coming out of his mouth there were blessings and magnificent prophecies,
reaching forward in time until they told of "a Star rising
out of Jacob."
Balak was very disappointed, to say the least. So to assuage Balak's
feelings, Balaam advised him that since he could not curse Israel,
the Moabites could do just as much damage to Israel by seducing
the Israelites to commit fornication with them. And a great deal
of damage was done over several generations by this practice.
A battle was fought between the Israelites and Midianites, and
Balaam sided with the Midianites and was slain. See Num. 31:8.
Balaam comes down in history as the prototype of the typical hireling
prophet eager only to commercialize his gift. 2 Pet. 2:15;
Titus 1
The "doctrine of Balaam" mentioned in Rev. 2:14
was the teaching of the mercenary prophet to abandon godly separation
and character in favor of worldly corruption and conformity. Balaan
taught Balak to corrupt the people that he could not conquer.
He was ignorant of God's principles, and too self-centered to
use his gift properly.