Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Berean's Corner, the podcast where we go
through books of the Biblechapter by chapter and verse by
verse, wherever you are in theworld.
Thank you for joining.
Grab a glass of water, a cup ofcoffee or tea and let's get
into today's lesson.
Welcome back, thank you forjoining me.
(00:32):
As always, open your Bible toNumbers, chapter 23.
We are continuing thissituation between Balaam and
Balak, numbers, chapter 23,.
The title of today's lesson isthe Prophecies of Balaam and
Balak.
Numbers, chapter 23,.
The title of today's lesson isthe Prophecies of Balaam.
As always, I hope that you allare doing well and you're ready
to get into today's lesson.
(00:52):
Excuse me, it is an interestingone, as all of these stories
are with Balaam and Balak.
So we will get into today'slesson, numbers 23, and let's
read.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
So we will get into today's lesson, numbers 23,.
And let's read Numbers 23.
Balaam said Build me sevenaltars here and prepare seven
bulls and seven rams for me.
Balak did as Balaam said andthe two of them offered a bull
and a ram on each altar.
Then Balaam said to Balak Stayhere beside your offering while
(01:24):
I go aside.
Perhaps the Lord will come tomeet with me.
Whatever he reveals to me, Iwill tell you.
Then he went off to a barrenheight.
God met with him and Balaamsaid I have prepared seven
altars and on each altar I haveoffered a bull and a ram.
The Lord put a message inBalaam's mouth and said Go back
(01:46):
to Balak and give him thismessage.
So he went back to him andfound him standing beside his
offering with all the princes ofMoab.
Then Balaam uttered his oracle.
Balak brought me from Aram, theking of Moab, from the eastern
mountains.
Come, he said, curse Jacob forme.
Come, denounce Israel.
(02:07):
How can I curse those whom Godhas not cursed?
How can I denounce those whomthe Lord has not denounced?
From the rocky peaks, I seethem.
From the heights, I view them.
I see a people who live apartand do not consider themselves
one of the nations who can countthe dust of Jacob or number the
(02:28):
fourth part of Israel.
Let me die the death of therighteous, and may my end be
like theirs.
Balak said to Balaam what haveyou done to me?
I brought you to curse myenemies, but you have done
nothing but bless them.
He answered.
Must I not speak what the Lordputs in my mouth?
(02:51):
Then Balak said to him Comewith me to another place where
you can see them.
You will see only a part, butnot all of them and from there
curse them for me.
So he took them to the field ofZophim on the top of Pisgah,
and there he built seven altarsand offered a bull and a ram on
(03:13):
each altar.
Balaam said to Balak Stay herebeside your offering while I
meet with him over there.
The Lord met with Balaam and puta message in his mouth and said
Go back to Balak and give himthis message.
So he went to him and found himstanding beside his offering
with the princes of Moab.
(03:34):
Balak asked him what did theLord say?
Then he uttered his oracleArise, balak, and listen.
Hear me, son of Zippor, god isnot a man that he should lie,
nor a son of man that he shouldchange his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
(03:54):
Does he promise and not fulfill?
I have received a commander tobless he has blessed and I
cannot change it.
To bless he has blessed and Icannot change it.
No misfortune is seen in Jacob,no misery observed in Israel.
The Lord, their God, is withthem.
The shout of the king is amongthem.
(04:15):
God brought them out of Egypt.
They have the strength of awild ox.
There is no sorcery againstJacob of a wild ox.
There is no sorcery againstJacob, no divination against
Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob andof Israel See what God has done
.
The people rise like a lioness,they rouse themselves like a
(04:37):
lion that does not rest till hedevours his prey and drinks the
blood of his victims.
Then Balak said to BalaamNeither curse them at all nor
bless them at all.
Balaam answered Did I not tellyou I must do whatever the Lord
says?
Then Balak said to Balaam Come,let me take you to another
(05:00):
place.
Perhaps it will please God tolet you curse them for me from
there.
And Balak took Balaam to thetop of Peor, overlooking the
wasteland.
Balaam said Build me sevenaltars here and prepare seven
bulls and seven rams for me.
Balak did as Balaam had saidand offered a bull and a ram on
(05:21):
each altar.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Now this chapter is about Balaam, who is not a godly
prophet but an evil prophet forhire.
He is famously known in thebook of Numbers here in the Old
Testament, but was mentioned inthe New Testament as well.
We're going to look at thosebriefly.
Peter mentions him.
Turn to 2nd Peter.
2nd Peter, chapter 2.
(05:50):
We're actually gonna look atthree passages in the Old
Testament, so the first one willbe 2nd Peter, chapter 2.
Okay, sorry, sorry about that,my, my pages are sticking.
(06:15):
Second peter, chapter two, andwe are looking at okay, I'm
there.
Second peter, chapter two, andwe are looking at verses 15 to
17, forsaking the right, excuseme, forsaking the right way.
They have gone astray, havingfollowed the way of Balaam, the
son of Beor, who loved the wagesof unrighteousness, but he
received a rebuke for his owntransgression, for a dumb donkey
(06:39):
speaking with a voice of a manrestrained.
The madness of the prophet,speaking with a voice of a man
restrained.
The madness of the prophet.
These are springs without waterand mist, driven by a storm for
whom the black darkness hasbeen reserved.
Jude said he was a heretic.
So go over, go to your right, acouple of books to Jude and
(07:01):
let's see what Jude had to sayabout him.
Jude, verse 11, said Woe tothem, for they have gone the way
of Cain and for pay they haverushed headlong into the era of
Balaam and perish in therebellion of Korah.
And then Jesus said he taughtpeople immorality.
A couple pages to the right andgo to revelation, revelation
(07:25):
chapter 2, and notice verse 14,the words of jesus.
But I have a few things againstyou.
This is talking about thechurch at pergamum, because you
have there some who hold theteaching of balaam, who kept
teaching balak to put astumbling block before the sons
of Israel, to eat things,sacrifice the idols and to
(07:45):
commit acts of immorality.
So we see that this Balaamcharacter was not forgotten.
Now we're talking a long timefrom now, from the time that
these events happened in numbers, to the times to the time that
Peter wrote his epistle to whenJude wrote, that Peter wrote his
(08:06):
epistle to when Jude wrote andthen when John wrote Revelation.
We're talking a long time fromnow and Balaam will still
remember it and the things hedid.
Now we will break this chapterdown into 14 parts.
Part number one Balaam toldBalak to build him a false altar
.
Notice verse one.
Then Balaam said to Balak,build seven altars for me here
and prepare seven bulls andseven rams for me here.
(08:29):
Now it is clear that Balaam istrying to come across as if he
knows the Lord, as if he's agodly prophet.
We know that in the land thathe's in now, this is what they
do they sacrifice unto the Lord.
They made, they made altars andsacrifice, and I believe this
is what Balaam is trying to.
You know he's trying to showhere.
Part two Balaam said perhaps theLord will meet with me.
(08:53):
We notice this in verses twoand three.
Balak did just as Balaam hasspoken, and Balak and Balaam
offered up a bull and a ram oneach altar.
Then Balaam said to Balak standbeside your burnt offering and
I will go.
Perhaps the Lord will come tomeet me.
And whatever he says, excuse me, whatever he shows me, I will
(09:15):
tell you.
So he went to a bare hill.
Notice the Balaam uses the nameof the God of Israel, hebrew
3068.
So he is pretending to know God.
Remember I mentioned that inthe previous part.
That's what he is doing here.
So when Balaam said to Balak,let me see, I'm going back to
(09:38):
verse 3.
He said Balaam said to Balakstand beside your burnt offering
and I will go.
Perhaps the Lord.
So that's who he is referringto.
He's talking about the Lord, sohe's trying to put it off as if
he knows the Lord.
Part three God did meet withBalaam.
We see this in verse four.
Now God met Balaam and he saidto him I have set up the seven
(10:03):
altars and I have offered up abull and a ramp on each altar.
Part four God speaks to Balaam.
We see this in verse five.
Then the Lord put a word inBalaam's mouth and said return
to Balak, and you shall speak.
Thus, notice, it says God put aword in Balaam's mouth, not
(10:25):
that Balaam is going back on hisown accord, but he's going back
and he is going to say what theLord put in his mouth.
Part five Balaam returns toBalak.
We see this in verse six.
So he returned, he being Balaam, to him, balak.
And behold, he was standingbeside his burnt offering, he
and all the leaders of moab.
(10:45):
So we see what's going on here.
So balak is standing by thisfake offering that they put up,
this fake sacrifice, and he isstanding there with his other
people, with his, with his otherminions, and they're waiting to
see what balaam is going tocome back with, which brings us
to part six.
Balaam speaks what the lord putsin his mouth to balak verses 7
(11:06):
to 10.
We notice this and he took uphis discourse and said he, being
balaam from around balak, hasbrought me moab's king from the
mountains of the east.
Come curse jacob for me andcome denounce israel.
How shall I curse whom god hasnot cursed?
And how then, can I denouncewhom the Lord has not denounced?
(11:28):
As I see him from the top ofthe rocks and I look at him from
the hills, behold a people whodwells apart and shall not be
reckoned among the nations whocan count the dust of Jacob or
number the four part of Israel.
Let me die the death of theupright and let my end be like
(11:48):
his.
So we see that Balaam isspeaking the discourse that the
Lord put in his mouth.
Now this leads us to part seven.
Balak is upset with Balaam afterhe hears this.
Verses 11 and 12 tell us this.
Then Balak said to Balaam whathave you done to me?
I took you to curse my enemiesand, behold, you have actually
(12:08):
blessed them.
And he answered and said must Inot be careful to speak what
the Lord puts in my mouth.
That was a question.
So Balak is upset.
He listened to this discourse,this oracle, if you will, that
Balaam lets loose out of hismouth, but remember what it said
previously.
The Lord put these words inBalaam's mouth.
(12:28):
This is not necessarily whatBalaam wanted to say himself and
of course Balak is upsetbecause he's saying dude, what
are you doing?
I'm I spent a lot of money.
I brought you here to cursethese people, yet you have
blessed them.
Which brings us to part eight.
Balak isn't taking no for ananswer.
We see this in verses 13 and 14.
Then balak said to him and thisis why balak is speaking,
(12:50):
because in verse 12 balaam saidmust I not be careful to speak
what the lord puts in my mouth?
Verse 13.
Then balak said to him pleasecome with me to another place
from where you may see themalthough you will only see the
extreme end of them and will notsee all of them and curse them
for me from there.
So he took him to the field ofZephreen, to the top of Pisgah,
(13:17):
and built seven altars andoffered a bull and a ram on each
altar.
So Balak isn't taking no for ananswer.
He already heard what Balaamsaid, that he can't curse his
people.
But Balak is't taking no for ananswer.
He already heard what Balaamsaid that he can't curse his
people.
But Balak is is not going forthat.
Balak is saying you know what,man, I don't really believe in
or buy what you're saying.
Let me take you to another partand maybe you will see
something different there.
(13:37):
Part nine Balaam said he isgoing to seek the Lord again.
We see this in verse 15.
He said to Balak stand herebeside your burnt offering while
I myself meet the Lord yonder.
So, in other words, balaamalready knows what the Lord has
said, but he's saying you knowwhat, maybe the Lord is going to
tell me something different.
So I'm going to go over yonderand I'm going to see what the
(13:59):
Lord says and then I'll be back.
Which brings us to part 10.
God puts yet another word inBalaam's mouth.
We see this in verses 16through 24.
Then the Lord met with Balaam.
See, the Lord met with himagain and put a word in his
mouth and said return to Balakand thus you shall speak.
And he came to him and, behold,he was standing beside his
(14:21):
burnt offering, just like Balakdid before.
He's standing there anxiouslywaiting, and the leaders of Moab
with him.
And Balak said to him what hasthe Lord spoken?
This dude really believes thatthe Lord is going to give him
news that he can curse Israel.
Then he took up his discourseand said here we go again.
Balaam is taking up anotherdiscourse that the Lord put in
(14:41):
his mouth.
Arise, oh Balak, and hear.
Give ear to me, oh, son ofsupport.
God is not a man that he shouldlie, nor a son of man that he
should repent.
He has said and will and andwill he not do it?
Question, or has he spoken andwill he not make it good?
Behold, I have received acommand to bless.
(15:03):
When he has blessed, then Icannot revoke it.
He has not observed misfortunein jacob, nor has he seen
trouble in israel.
The lord, his god, is with himand the shout of a king is among
them.
God brings them out of egypt.
He is for them like the hornsof the wild ox.
For there is no omen againstJacob, nor is there any
(15:25):
divination against Israel.
At the proper time, it shall besaid to Jacob and to Israel
what God has done.
Behold, a people rises like alioness and as a lion, it lifts
itself.
It shall not die down until itdevours the prey and drinks the
blood of the slain.
So Balaam comes and dropsanother discourse.
(15:48):
Now Balak speaks to Balaam.
We see this in verse 25.
Then Balak said to Balaam donot curse them at all, nor bless
them at all.
Balak is upset.
He's saying bro, what, what areyou doing?
Okay, okay, I get it.
I get it.
You can't curse Israel.
The Lord has put this word inyour mouth.
The Lord has come to you in thevision and said that you cannot
(16:10):
curse them, but please don'tbless them.
I mean, these are my enemies,you know, I brought you here to
curse them.
But at least, if you're notgonna curse them, please don't
bless.
So he basically wants Balaam tostay neutral, which brings us
to part 12.
Balaam said he must obey theword of God.
Verse 26 says but Balaamanswered and said to Balak did I
(16:33):
not tell you whatever the Lordspeaks that I must do?
So Balaam is saying to thisdude again.
How many times do I have totell you?
I've already told you what theLord tells me.
I have to say the Lord actuallymet with me, he actually spoke
with me, and I'm going to onlyrepeat and say the things that
he has put in my mouth.
Which brings us to part 13.
(16:54):
Balak just won't give up.
Notice, verse 27.
Then Balak said to Balaamplease come, I will take you to
another place.
Perhaps it will be agreeablewith God that you curse them for
me from there.
This dude just won't give up.
But you know what it's justlike it is when a demon has
(17:16):
itself attached to you.
If you are trying to walk theways of the Lord trust me, I'm
not saying that about balaam butif you are trying to walk the
ways of the lord, it, just thisdemon just won't give up.
It's going to keep trying toattach itself to you and say,
okay, I understand, you said nothere, but maybe you will say
yes if I show you this here, ormaybe you will do this, or maybe
, maybe, maybe, maybe.
That is what balak is hoping.
(17:37):
He's hoping that he will keepmoving Balaam to different
places.
Now my guess is is that he'strying to get him.
He's trying to show him andhope maybe he'll see something
about Israel that would make himchange his mind, something that
maybe they're doing that theyshouldn't be doing.
And maybe, and just maybe,balak is hoping that the Lord
will not be happy with Israel inthis new place, and then he
(17:59):
will allow Balaam to curse thepeople.
Not sure what's on Balak's mind, but we know that he just won't
take no for an answer.
Which brings us to part 14.
Balak takes Balaam to Peor.
We see this in verses 28 to 30.
So actually I'm gonna go backto 27.
Then Balak said to Balaamplease come, I will take you to
(18:19):
another place.
Perhaps it will be agreeablewith God that you curse them for
me from there.
So Balak took Balaam to the topof Peor, which overlooks the
wasteland.
And Balaam said to Balak buildseven altars for me here and
prepare seven bulls and sevenrams for me here.
And Balak did just as Balaamhas said and offered up a bull
(18:42):
and a ram on each altar.
That brings us to the end ofnumbers 23.
Listen, this dude Balaam, I mean, I'm sorry, this dude Balak, he
, he just won't give up.
And Balaam keeps playing thegame.
Now this is how you know thatthis guy, balaam, is not a true
prophet of the Lord, because ifhe was a true prophet of the
Lord, he would just say look,dude, let's start playing these
(19:04):
games.
God is not someone who you arewanna be playing games with here
.
He's already said do not cursethem.
You cannot curse who I callblessed.
But yet and still, balak won'tgive up and Balaam apparently
won't give up and he won'tlisten to the words of the Lord,
because every time Balaamexcuse me, balaam takes him to a
new place.
Balaam says what?
(19:25):
Build me an altar here withseven bulls and seven rams and
let's sacrifice and I'll go seewhat the Lord says.
So apparently there issomething in Balaam where he is
hoping that the Lord does changehis mind, because we already
know, we've already establishedthat this man is greedy, he is
money hungry, he is fame hungryand he really does want these
(19:45):
blessings.
But he's really teetering onthe line because he's trying to
play the game of listen.
I'm trying to do what the Lordis commanding me to do, but
really I believe that Balaam islooking for some type of a
loophole that the Lord is notgoing to give him.
All right, that brings, thatbrings us to the end of numbers
23.
As always, I hope you learnedsomething.
I hope you got something out ofthe lesson.
I hope it was enjoyable, asalways.
(20:06):
I'm asking you to continue topray for me to stay steadfast in
the scriptures so we can alwaysaccomplish our goals getting to
the end of the scriptures andgoing on from there, really
learning and growing together,and I am praying for you as well
.
I appreciate you all a greatdeal.
That is all for Thank you forlistening to Berean's Corner.
We appreciate you joining us aswe dive into God's word and
(20:28):
seek biblical truth together.
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(20:48):
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No-transcript.
Welcome to Berean's Corner, the podcast where we go
through books of the Biblechapter by chapter and verse by
verse, wherever you are in theworld.
Thank you for joining.
Grab a glass of water, a cup ofcoffee or tea and let's get
into today's lesson.
Welcome back, thank you forjoining me.
(00:32):
As always, open your Bible toNumbers, chapter 23.
We are continuing thissituation between Balaam and
Balak, numbers, chapter 23,.
The title of today's lesson isthe Prophecies of Balaam and
Balak.
Numbers, chapter 23,.
The title of today's lesson isthe Prophecies of Balaam.
As always, I hope that you allare doing well and you're ready
to get into today's lesson.
(00:52):
Excuse me, it is an interestingone, as all of these stories
are with Balaam and Balak.
So we will get into today'slesson, numbers 23, and let's
read.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
So we will get into today's lesson, numbers 23,.
And let's read Numbers 23.
Balaam said Build me sevenaltars here and prepare seven
bulls and seven rams for me.
Balak did as Balaam said andthe two of them offered a bull
and a ram on each altar.
Then Balaam said to Balak Stayhere beside your offering while
(01:24):
I go aside.
Perhaps the Lord will come tomeet with me.
Whatever he reveals to me, Iwill tell you.
Then he went off to a barrenheight.
God met with him and Balaamsaid I have prepared seven
altars and on each altar I haveoffered a bull and a ram.
The Lord put a message inBalaam's mouth and said Go back
(01:46):
to Balak and give him thismessage.
So he went back to him andfound him standing beside his
offering with all the princes ofMoab.
Then Balaam uttered his oracle.
Balak brought me from Aram, theking of Moab, from the eastern
mountains.
Come, he said, curse Jacob forme.
Come, denounce Israel.
(02:07):
How can I curse those whom Godhas not cursed?
How can I denounce those whomthe Lord has not denounced?
From the rocky peaks, I seethem.
From the heights, I view them.
I see a people who live apartand do not consider themselves
one of the nations who can countthe dust of Jacob or number the
(02:28):
fourth part of Israel.
Let me die the death of therighteous, and may my end be
like theirs.
Balak said to Balaam what haveyou done to me?
I brought you to curse myenemies, but you have done
nothing but bless them.
He answered.
Must I not speak what the Lordputs in my mouth?
(02:51):
Then Balak said to him Comewith me to another place where
you can see them.
You will see only a part, butnot all of them and from there
curse them for me.
So he took them to the field ofZophim on the top of Pisgah,
and there he built seven altarsand offered a bull and a ram on
(03:13):
each altar.
Balaam said to Balak Stay herebeside your offering while I
meet with him over there.
The Lord met with Balaam and puta message in his mouth and said
Go back to Balak and give himthis message.
So he went to him and found himstanding beside his offering
with the princes of Moab.
(03:34):
Balak asked him what did theLord say?
Then he uttered his oracleArise, balak, and listen.
Hear me, son of Zippor, god isnot a man that he should lie,
nor a son of man that he shouldchange his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
(03:54):
Does he promise and not fulfill?
I have received a commander tobless he has blessed and I
cannot change it.
To bless he has blessed and Icannot change it.
No misfortune is seen in Jacob,no misery observed in Israel.
The Lord, their God, is withthem.
The shout of the king is amongthem.
(04:15):
God brought them out of Egypt.
They have the strength of awild ox.
There is no sorcery againstJacob of a wild ox.
There is no sorcery againstJacob, no divination against
Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob andof Israel See what God has done
.
The people rise like a lioness,they rouse themselves like a
(04:37):
lion that does not rest till hedevours his prey and drinks the
blood of his victims.
Then Balak said to BalaamNeither curse them at all nor
bless them at all.
Balaam answered Did I not tellyou I must do whatever the Lord
says?
Then Balak said to Balaam Come,let me take you to another
(05:00):
place.
Perhaps it will please God tolet you curse them for me from
there.
And Balak took Balaam to thetop of Peor, overlooking the
wasteland.
Balaam said Build me sevenaltars here and prepare seven
bulls and seven rams for me.
Balak did as Balaam had saidand offered a bull and a ram on
(05:21):
each altar.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Now this chapter is about Balaam, who is not a godly
prophet but an evil prophet forhire.
He is famously known in thebook of Numbers here in the Old
Testament, but was mentioned inthe New Testament as well.
We're going to look at thosebriefly.
Peter mentions him.
Turn to 2nd Peter.
2nd Peter, chapter 2.
(05:50):
We're actually gonna look atthree passages in the Old
Testament, so the first one willbe 2nd Peter, chapter 2.
Okay, sorry, sorry about that,my, my pages are sticking.
(06:15):
Second peter, chapter two, andwe are looking at okay, I'm
there.
Second peter, chapter two, andwe are looking at verses 15 to
17, forsaking the right, excuseme, forsaking the right way.
They have gone astray, havingfollowed the way of Balaam, the
son of Beor, who loved the wagesof unrighteousness, but he
received a rebuke for his owntransgression, for a dumb donkey
(06:39):
speaking with a voice of a manrestrained.
The madness of the prophet,speaking with a voice of a man
restrained.
The madness of the prophet.
These are springs without waterand mist, driven by a storm for
whom the black darkness hasbeen reserved.
Jude said he was a heretic.
So go over, go to your right, acouple of books to Jude and
(07:01):
let's see what Jude had to sayabout him.
Jude, verse 11, said Woe tothem, for they have gone the way
of Cain and for pay they haverushed headlong into the era of
Balaam and perish in therebellion of Korah.
And then Jesus said he taughtpeople immorality.
A couple pages to the right andgo to revelation, revelation
(07:25):
chapter 2, and notice verse 14,the words of jesus.
But I have a few things againstyou.
This is talking about thechurch at pergamum, because you
have there some who hold theteaching of balaam, who kept
teaching balak to put astumbling block before the sons
of Israel, to eat things,sacrifice the idols and to
(07:45):
commit acts of immorality.
So we see that this Balaamcharacter was not forgotten.
Now we're talking a long timefrom now, from the time that
these events happened in numbers, to the times to the time that
Peter wrote his epistle to whenJude wrote, that Peter wrote his
(08:06):
epistle to when Jude wrote andthen when John wrote Revelation.
We're talking a long time fromnow and Balaam will still
remember it and the things hedid.
Now we will break this chapterdown into 14 parts.
Part number one Balaam toldBalak to build him a false altar
.
Notice verse one.
Then Balaam said to Balak,build seven altars for me here
and prepare seven bulls andseven rams for me here.
(08:29):
Now it is clear that Balaam istrying to come across as if he
knows the Lord, as if he's agodly prophet.
We know that in the land thathe's in now, this is what they
do they sacrifice unto the Lord.
They made, they made altars andsacrifice, and I believe this
is what Balaam is trying to.
You know he's trying to showhere.
Part two Balaam said perhaps theLord will meet with me.
(08:53):
We notice this in verses twoand three.
Balak did just as Balaam hasspoken, and Balak and Balaam
offered up a bull and a ram oneach altar.
Then Balaam said to Balak standbeside your burnt offering and
I will go.
Perhaps the Lord will come tomeet me.
And whatever he says, excuse me, whatever he shows me, I will
(09:15):
tell you.
So he went to a bare hill.
Notice the Balaam uses the nameof the God of Israel, hebrew
3068.
So he is pretending to know God.
Remember I mentioned that inthe previous part.
That's what he is doing here.
So when Balaam said to Balak,let me see, I'm going back to
(09:38):
verse 3.
He said Balaam said to Balakstand beside your burnt offering
and I will go.
Perhaps the Lord.
So that's who he is referringto.
He's talking about the Lord, sohe's trying to put it off as if
he knows the Lord.
Part three God did meet withBalaam.
We see this in verse four.
Now God met Balaam and he saidto him I have set up the seven
(10:03):
altars and I have offered up abull and a ramp on each altar.
Part four God speaks to Balaam.
We see this in verse five.
Then the Lord put a word inBalaam's mouth and said return
to Balak, and you shall speak.
Thus, notice, it says God put aword in Balaam's mouth, not
(10:25):
that Balaam is going back on hisown accord, but he's going back
and he is going to say what theLord put in his mouth.
Part five Balaam returns toBalak.
We see this in verse six.
So he returned, he being Balaam, to him, balak.
And behold, he was standingbeside his burnt offering, he
and all the leaders of moab.
(10:45):
So we see what's going on here.
So balak is standing by thisfake offering that they put up,
this fake sacrifice, and he isstanding there with his other
people, with his, with his otherminions, and they're waiting to
see what balaam is going tocome back with, which brings us
to part six.
Balaam speaks what the lord putsin his mouth to balak verses 7
(11:06):
to 10.
We notice this and he took uphis discourse and said he, being
balaam from around balak, hasbrought me moab's king from the
mountains of the east.
Come curse jacob for me andcome denounce israel.
How shall I curse whom god hasnot cursed?
And how then, can I denouncewhom the Lord has not denounced?
(11:28):
As I see him from the top ofthe rocks and I look at him from
the hills, behold a people whodwells apart and shall not be
reckoned among the nations whocan count the dust of Jacob or
number the four part of Israel.
Let me die the death of theupright and let my end be like
(11:48):
his.
So we see that Balaam isspeaking the discourse that the
Lord put in his mouth.
Now this leads us to part seven.
Balak is upset with Balaam afterhe hears this.
Verses 11 and 12 tell us this.
Then Balak said to Balaam whathave you done to me?
I took you to curse my enemiesand, behold, you have actually
(12:08):
blessed them.
And he answered and said must Inot be careful to speak what
the Lord puts in my mouth.
That was a question.
So Balak is upset.
He listened to this discourse,this oracle, if you will, that
Balaam lets loose out of hismouth, but remember what it said
previously.
The Lord put these words inBalaam's mouth.
(12:28):
This is not necessarily whatBalaam wanted to say himself and
of course Balak is upsetbecause he's saying dude, what
are you doing?
I'm I spent a lot of money.
I brought you here to cursethese people, yet you have
blessed them.
Which brings us to part eight.
Balak isn't taking no for ananswer.
We see this in verses 13 and 14.
Then balak said to him and thisis why balak is speaking,
(12:50):
because in verse 12 balaam saidmust I not be careful to speak
what the lord puts in my mouth?
Verse 13.
Then balak said to him pleasecome with me to another place
from where you may see themalthough you will only see the
extreme end of them and will notsee all of them and curse them
for me from there.
So he took him to the field ofZephreen, to the top of Pisgah,
(13:17):
and built seven altars andoffered a bull and a ram on each
altar.
So Balak isn't taking no for ananswer.
He already heard what Balaamsaid, that he can't curse his
people.
But Balak is't taking no for ananswer.
He already heard what Balaamsaid that he can't curse his
people.
But Balak is is not going forthat.
Balak is saying you know what,man, I don't really believe in
or buy what you're saying.
Let me take you to another partand maybe you will see
something different there.
(13:37):
Part nine Balaam said he isgoing to seek the Lord again.
We see this in verse 15.
He said to Balak stand herebeside your burnt offering while
I myself meet the Lord yonder.
So, in other words, balaamalready knows what the Lord has
said, but he's saying you knowwhat, maybe the Lord is going to
tell me something different.
So I'm going to go over yonderand I'm going to see what the
(13:59):
Lord says and then I'll be back.
Which brings us to part 10.
God puts yet another word inBalaam's mouth.
We see this in verses 16through 24.
Then the Lord met with Balaam.
See, the Lord met with himagain and put a word in his
mouth and said return to Balakand thus you shall speak.
And he came to him and, behold,he was standing beside his
(14:21):
burnt offering, just like Balakdid before.
He's standing there anxiouslywaiting, and the leaders of Moab
with him.
And Balak said to him what hasthe Lord spoken?
This dude really believes thatthe Lord is going to give him
news that he can curse Israel.
Then he took up his discourseand said here we go again.
Balaam is taking up anotherdiscourse that the Lord put in
(14:41):
his mouth.
Arise, oh Balak, and hear.
Give ear to me, oh, son ofsupport.
God is not a man that he shouldlie, nor a son of man that he
should repent.
He has said and will and andwill he not do it?
Question, or has he spoken andwill he not make it good?
Behold, I have received acommand to bless.
(15:03):
When he has blessed, then Icannot revoke it.
He has not observed misfortunein jacob, nor has he seen
trouble in israel.
The lord, his god, is with himand the shout of a king is among
them.
God brings them out of egypt.
He is for them like the hornsof the wild ox.
For there is no omen againstJacob, nor is there any
(15:25):
divination against Israel.
At the proper time, it shall besaid to Jacob and to Israel
what God has done.
Behold, a people rises like alioness and as a lion, it lifts
itself.
It shall not die down until itdevours the prey and drinks the
blood of the slain.
So Balaam comes and dropsanother discourse.
(15:48):
Now Balak speaks to Balaam.
We see this in verse 25.
Then Balak said to Balaam donot curse them at all, nor bless
them at all.
Balak is upset.
He's saying bro, what, what areyou doing?
Okay, okay, I get it.
I get it.
You can't curse Israel.
The Lord has put this word inyour mouth.
The Lord has come to you in thevision and said that you cannot
(16:10):
curse them, but please don'tbless them.
I mean, these are my enemies,you know, I brought you here to
curse them.
But at least, if you're notgonna curse them, please don't
bless.
So he basically wants Balaam tostay neutral, which brings us
to part 12.
Balaam said he must obey theword of God.
Verse 26 says but Balaamanswered and said to Balak did I
(16:33):
not tell you whatever the Lordspeaks that I must do?
So Balaam is saying to thisdude again.
How many times do I have totell you?
I've already told you what theLord tells me.
I have to say the Lord actuallymet with me, he actually spoke
with me, and I'm going to onlyrepeat and say the things that
he has put in my mouth.
Which brings us to part 13.
(16:54):
Balak just won't give up.
Notice, verse 27.
Then Balak said to Balaamplease come, I will take you to
another place.
Perhaps it will be agreeablewith God that you curse them for
me from there.
This dude just won't give up.
But you know what it's justlike it is when a demon has
(17:16):
itself attached to you.
If you are trying to walk theways of the Lord trust me, I'm
not saying that about balaam butif you are trying to walk the
ways of the lord, it, just thisdemon just won't give up.
It's going to keep trying toattach itself to you and say,
okay, I understand, you said nothere, but maybe you will say
yes if I show you this here, ormaybe you will do this, or maybe
, maybe, maybe, maybe.
That is what balak is hoping.
(17:37):
He's hoping that he will keepmoving Balaam to different
places.
Now my guess is is that he'strying to get him.
He's trying to show him andhope maybe he'll see something
about Israel that would make himchange his mind, something that
maybe they're doing that theyshouldn't be doing.
And maybe, and just maybe,balak is hoping that the Lord
will not be happy with Israel inthis new place, and then he
(17:59):
will allow Balaam to curse thepeople.
Not sure what's on Balak's mind, but we know that he just won't
take no for an answer.
Which brings us to part 14.
Balak takes Balaam to Peor.
We see this in verses 28 to 30.
So actually I'm gonna go backto 27.
Then Balak said to Balaamplease come, I will take you to
(18:19):
another place.
Perhaps it will be agreeablewith God that you curse them for
me from there.
So Balak took Balaam to the topof Peor, which overlooks the
wasteland.
And Balaam said to Balak buildseven altars for me here and
prepare seven bulls and sevenrams for me here.
And Balak did just as Balaamhas said and offered up a bull
(18:42):
and a ram on each altar.
That brings us to the end ofnumbers 23.
Listen, this dude Balaam, I mean, I'm sorry, this dude Balak, he
, he just won't give up.
And Balaam keeps playing thegame.
Now this is how you know thatthis guy, balaam, is not a true
prophet of the Lord, because ifhe was a true prophet of the
Lord, he would just say look,dude, let's start playing these
(19:04):
games.
God is not someone who you arewanna be playing games with here
.
He's already said do not cursethem.
You cannot curse who I callblessed.
But yet and still, balak won'tgive up and Balaam apparently
won't give up and he won'tlisten to the words of the Lord,
because every time Balaamexcuse me, balaam takes him to a
new place.
Balaam says what?
(19:25):
Build me an altar here withseven bulls and seven rams and
let's sacrifice and I'll go seewhat the Lord says.
So apparently there issomething in Balaam where he is
hoping that the Lord does changehis mind, because we already
know, we've already establishedthat this man is greedy, he is
money hungry, he is fame hungryand he really does want these
(19:45):
blessings.
But he's really teetering onthe line because he's trying to
play the game of listen.
I'm trying to do what the Lordis commanding me to do, but
really I believe that Balaam islooking for some type of a
loophole that the Lord is notgoing to give him.
All right, that brings, thatbrings us to the end of numbers
23.
As always, I hope you learnedsomething.
I hope you got something out ofthe lesson.
I hope it was enjoyable, asalways.
(20:06):
I'm asking you to continue topray for me to stay steadfast in
the scriptures so we can alwaysaccomplish our goals getting to
the end of the scriptures andgoing on from there, really
learning and growing together,and I am praying for you as well
.
I appreciate you all a greatdeal.
That is all for Thank you forlistening to Berean's Corner.
We appreciate you joining us aswe dive into God's word and
(20:28):
seek biblical truth together.
If this episode encouraged orchallenged you, be sure to
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platform.
You can find Berean's Corner onBuzzsprout, apple Podcasts,
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If you have questions, commentsor prayer requests, reach out
(20:48):
to us atBereansCornerBuzzsproutcom,
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