Blessings & Curses: Numbers 22-1-21
When the children of Israel were on their journey to the promised land, they moved and camped in the plains of Moab which was on the side of the Jordan river across from the city of Jericho. The inhabitants of the land had heard of their exploits and how the God of Israel had delivered them. The Moab people were very upset and afraid. The king of Moab, named Balak, sent his princes to call on the services of Balaam who was a practitioner of divination. Divination was the art of revealing the future and using supernatural means to cause good fortune or curses. Although Balaam sought supernatural knowledge and acknowledged God, he was not called a prophet of God in the Bible but a diviner.
In the old testament the practice of divination was against God’s law. In Deuteronomy 18:10-11 God tells the Israelites that when they come into the promised land they are not to follow the ways of those nations. They are not to practice divination, witchcraft, fortune telling, consult spirits, interpret omens or use sorcery.
Balaam was hired for a fee to put a curse on the Israelites. He had the reputation of successfully blessing or cursing people. King Balak sent his princes on a long journey to get him. He told the princes to stay the night while he sought a word from God. God asked Balaam, “Who are these men with you?” Balaam replied that they came from King Balak and were sent so he could accompany them and put a curse on the people who had come out of Egypt. King Balak wanted to defeat and push them out of Moab.
God told Balaam not to go with the princes and said, “you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” In the morning Balaam sent the princes of Balak back home to tell the king that God had not given him permission to leave. He left out the message that God had blessed the Israelites and he was not to curse them.
The king sent back more honorable and important people to ask Balaam to return with this group and he promised Balaam honor and whatever he wanted. Although God had told him “no” the first time, Balaam said, “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.” However, he said he would seek what God had to say that night. Again Balaam sought God and this time God said, “If the men come to call you, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto you, you shall do.”
The scripture does not say whether the men the next day came to call on Balak or if Balak got up himself and got ready to go. The next verse says that Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. The next verse says that God’s anger was aroused because he went with them. Balak disobeyed God and his heart was set on getting wealth. Perhaps he thought he could place the curse, make a lot of money, and it wouldn’t make a difference because the Israelites were blessed. But God told him not to curse them when He told him not to go.
Have you prayed and felt that God was telling you what you should do, but deep down you wanted a different answer? Perhaps you were praying about taking a certain job that would pay more but it would take up your Sundays and you couldn’t go to church or you would be working so much and wouldn’t be spending enough time with your family. Perhaps there’s a toxic relationship or bad influence in your life that you know you need to end, but you are afraid of being alone. Have you been tempted to read a horoscope to get guidance on what you should do rather than seeking God. Have you given God scenarios like “if you want me to do this then make this happen…?”
Read the rest at https://litwithprayer.substack.com/p/blessings-and-curses?sd=pf