There are people who believe that they speak from Yahweh, and sometimes they actually do. There are people who say that they speak from Yahweh and they get paid for their prophesies. This is a practice that Balaam started and even if his prophecies were wrong he still got paid. Balaam is in the church according to Jesus. We are going to look at Balaam and his life. Balaam was a Syrian who traveled around as it suited him. His reputation is blown out of proportion as he was not a great “seer” or “diviner”. He was not able to curse Israel, but he did curse other nations. He hatched a plan to cause Israel to fall on their own. Moses wanted to kill Balaam when Moses found out that it was Balaam who suggested killing the Israelite babies. Balaam fled Egypt in fear of Moses. Today we seem to have traveling prophets in the church who have a less than fifty percent success rate in their prophecies, yet we tolerate them, give them money, and allow them to continue their scam.
Balak, son of Zippor, sends ambassadors to the elders of Midian and Balaam, telling them that the Israelites are “covering the land” and that he would like Balaam to curse these people. Balak was in fear because the Israelites wiped out the Amorites, as well as the people of Bashan, and Og the king of Bashan.
Numbers 22:6 G2532 And G3568 now G1204 come, G689.1 curse G1473 for me G3588 G2992 this people! G3778 G3754 for G2478 [2stronger than me G1473 G1510.2.3 1 it is]. G1437 If G1410 we should be able G3960 to strike G1537 at G1473 them, G2532 then G1544 I will cast G1473 them G1537 from out of G3588 the G1093 land. G3754 For G1492 I know G3754 that G3739 whom G302 ever G2127 you should bless, G1473 G2127 they are blessed; G2532 and G3739 whom G302 ever G2672 you should curse, G1473 G2672 they are cursed.
689.1 arasai or árasa or ἄρασαί Comes between the word G689 Ram or Aram, and G690 an Arabian. It is used ten times in the Old Testament. The Hebrew translates this word as curse.
2672 LSJ Gloss:καταράομαι to call down curses upon, imprecate upon
Dodson:καταράομαι I curse.
Strong’s: καταράομαιto execrate; by analogy, to doom Derivation: middle voice from G2671;
KJV Usage: curse.
TBESG:καταράομαι to curse
G:V
κατ-αράομαι, -ώμαι depon.
(< κατάρα), [in LXX chiefly for קָלַל pi. ;]
to curse: with accusative, Mrk.11:21; opp. to εὐλογέω,
RefsLuk.6:26, Rom.12:14, Jas.3:9; pass. pf. ptcp., accursed, under a curse (see M, Pr., 221): Mat.25:41.†
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to curse, doom, imprecate evil upon
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
καταράομαι
kataraomai kat-ar-ah'-om-ahee Middle voice from G2671; to execrate; by analogy to doom KJV Usage: curse.
How does Balak know that whoever Balaam curses is cursed? How did Balaam have this reputation? The Book of Jasher fills us in.
Jasher 61:1 And it came to pass at that time Pharaoh king of Egypt commanded all his people to make for him a strong palace in Egypt.
2 And he also commanded the sons of Jacob to assist the Egyptians in the building, and the Egyptians made a beautiful and elegant palace for a royal habitation, and he dwelt therein and he renewed his government and he reigned securely.
3 And Zebulun the son of Jacob died in that year, that is the seventy-second year of the going down of the Israelites to Egypt, and Zebulun died a hundred and fourteen years old, and was put into a coffin and given into the hands of his children.
4 And in the seventy-fifth year died his brother Simeon, he was a hundred and twenty years old at his death, and he was also put into a coffin and given into the hands of his children.
We have the timeframe of events, which is the seventy-fifth year that the Israelites were in Egypt. Jacob’s children had a fierce reputation among the nations, they were strong fighters.
Jasher 61:5 And Zepho the son of Eliphaz the son of Esau, captain of the host to Angeas king of Dinhabah, was still daily enticing Angeas to prepare for battle to fight with the sons of Jacob in Egypt, and Angeas was unwilling to do this thing, for his servants had related to him all the might of the sons of Jacob, what they had done unto them in their battle with the children of Esau.
6 And Zepho was in those days daily enticing Angeas to fight with the sons of Jacob in those days.
7 And after some time Angeas hearkened to the words of Zepho and consented to him to fight with the sons of Jacob in Egypt, and Angeas got all his people in order, a people numerous as the sand which is upon the sea shore, and he formed his resolution to go to Egypt to battle.
8 And amongst the servants of Angeas was a youth fifteen years old, Balaam the son of Beor was his name and the youth was very wise and understood the art of witchcraft.
9 And Angeas said unto Balaam, Conjure for us, I pray thee, with the witchcraft, that we may know who will prevail in this battle to which we are now proceeding.
10 And Balaam ordered that they should bring him wax, and he made thereof the likeness of chariots and horsemen representing the army of Angeas and the army of Egypt, and he put them in the cunningly prepared waters that he had for that purpose, and he took in his hand the boughs of myrtle trees, and he exercised his cunning, and he joined them over the water, and there appeared unto him in the water the resembling images of the hosts of Angeas falling before the resembling images of the Egyptians and the sons of Jacob.
11 And Balaam told this thing to Angeas, and Angeas despaired and did not arm himself to go down to Egypt to battle, and he remained in his city.
12 And when Zepho the son of Eliphaz saw that Angeas despaired of going forth to battle with the Egyptians, Zepho fled from Angeas from Africa, and he went and came unto Chittim.
Balaam is fifteen years old and he knows witchcraft. He made wax figures to use as part of his conjuring. Where would a fifteen year old have learned this? Probably his father, Beor. In Balaam’s story, some time passes and Zepho and Angeas are fighting again.
Jasher 64:1 And Balaam the son of Beor was at that time with Angeas in the battle, and when he saw that Zepho prevailed over Angeas, he fled from there and came to Chittim.
2 And Zepho and the children of Chittim received him with great honor, for Zepho knew Balaam's wisdom, and Zepho gave unto Balaam many gifts and he remained with him.
Balaam changes allegiance or nations because it is easy to side with whomever is going to benefit you. Zepho doesn’t mind having a conjurer in his nation.
Jasher 64:25 And Zepho the son of Eliphaz the son of Esau king of Chittim, and Hadad the son of Bedad king of Edom, and all their camps, and all the children of the east, and children of Ishmael, a people numerous as sand, encamped together in the valley of Pathros opposite Tachpanches.
26 And Balaam the son of Beor the Syrian was there in the camp of Zepho, for he came with the children of Chittim to the battle, and Balaam was a man highly honored in the eyes of Zepho and his men.
27 And Zepho said unto Balaam, Try by divination for us that we may know who will prevail in the battle, we or the Egyptians.
28 And Balaam rose up and tried the art of divination, and he was skillful in the knowledge of it, but he was confused and the work was destroyed in his hand.
29 And he tried it again but it did not succeed, and Balaam despaired of it and left it and did not complete it, for this was from the Lord, in order to cause Zepho and his people to fall into the hand of the children of Israel, who had trusted in the Lord, the God of their ancestors, in their war.
Here we see that the well respected Balaam was not able to predict who would prevail because at this point Yahweh stepped in. The men of Egypt fought and then the Israelites came to help Egypt and they defeated Zepho.
Jasher 67:6 And the time that Zepho reigned over the children of Chittim was fifty years, and he died and was buried in the city of Nabna in the land of Chittim.
7 And Janeas, one of the mighty men of the children of Chittim, reigned after him and he reigned fifty years.
8 And it was after the death of the king of Chittim that Balaam the son of Beor fled from the land of Chittim, and he went and came to Egypt to Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9 And Pharaoh received him with great honor, for he had heard of his wisdom, and he gave him presents and made him for a counsellor, and aggrandized him.
10 And Balaam dwelt in Egypt, in honor with all the nobles of the king, and the nobles exalted him, because they all coveted to learn his wisdom.
Again Balaam changed allegiance because Pharaoh thought he was a great diviner, Pharaoh gave him lots of money. The people of Egypt wanted to learn from Balaam. As we studied previously, demons are the ones who tell the diviner/conjurer/soothsayer’s what will take place. Most people cannot tell the difference between hearing from demons and hearing from the Elohim.
Jasher 67:11 And in the hundred and thirtieth year of Israel's going down to Egypt, Pharaoh dreamed that he was sitting upon his kingly throne, and lifted up his eyes and saw an old man standing before him, and there were scales in the hands of the old man, such scales as are used by merchants.
Pharaoh has a dream and Balaam had to give him an answer.
Jasher 67:18 And Balaam the son of Beor answered the king and said unto him, This means nothing else but a great evil that will spring up against Egypt in the latter days.
19 For a son will be born to Israel who will destroy all Egypt and its inhabitants, and bring forth the Israelites from Egypt with a mighty hand.
20 Now therefore, O king, take counsel upon this matter, that you may destroy the hope of the children of Israel and their expectation, before this evil arise against Egypt.
21 And the king said unto Balaam, And what shall we do unto Israel? surely after a certain manner did we at first counsel against them and could not prevail over them.
22 Now therefore give you also advice against them by which we may prevail over them.
23 And Balaam answered the king, saying, Send now and call thy two counsellors, and we will see what their advice is upon this matter and afterward thy servant will speak.
24 And the king sent and called his two counsellors Reuel the Midianite and Job the Uzite, and they came and sat before the king.
25 And the king said to them, Behold you have both heard the dream which I have dreamed, and the interpretation thereof; now therefore give counsel and know and see what is to be done to the children of Israel, whereby we may prevail over them, before their evil shall spring up against us.
26 And Reuel the Midianite answered the king and said, May the king live, may the king live forever.
We see Job and Reuel came to help Pharaoh. Pharaoh has a multitude of counselors, but it seems that Balaam’s judgment prevails.
Jasher 67:44 And the king said unto Balaam, What dost thou say, Balaam, speak thy word that we may hear it.
45 And Balaam said to the king, Of all that the king has counselled against the Hebrews will they be delivered, and the king will not be able to prevail over them with any counsel.
46 For if thou thinkest to lessen them by the flaming fire, thou canst not prevail over them, for surely their God delivered Abraham their father from Ur of the Chaldeans; and if thou thinkest to destroy them with a sword, surely Isaac their father was delivered from it, and a ram was placed in his stead.
47 And if with hard and rigorous labor thou thinkest to lessen them, thou wilt not prevail even in this, for their father Jacob served Laban in all manner of hard work, and prospered.
48 Now therefore, O King, hear my words, for this is the counsel which is counselled against them, by which thou wilt prevail over them, and from which thou shouldst not depart.
49 If it please the king let him order all their children which shall be born from this day forward, to be thrown into the water, for by this canst thou wipe away their name, for none of them, nor of their fathers, were tried in this manner.
50 And the king heard the words of Balaam, and the thing pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Balaam.
We all know what happens with Moses; he is put into a basket in the water, Pharaoh’s daughter takes him out of the water and then raises Moses in the Kings household.
Jasher 70:1 And in the third year from the birth of Moses, Pharaoh was sitting at a banquet, when Alparanith the queen was sitting at his right and Bathia at his left, and the lad Moses was lying upon her bosom, and Balaam the son of Beor with his two sons, and all the princes of the kingdom were sitting at table in the king's presence.
2 And the lad stretched forth his hand upon the king's head, and took the crown from the king's head and placed it on his own head.
3 And when the king and princes saw the work which the boy had done, the king and princes were terrified, and one man to his neighbor expressed astonishment.
4 And the king said unto the princes who were before him at table, What speak you and what say you, O ye princes, in this matter, and what is to be the judgment against the boy on account of this act?
5 And Balaam the son of Beor the magician answered before the king and princes, and he said, Remember now, O my lord and king, the dream which thou didst dream many days since, and that which thy servant interpreted unto thee.
6 Now therefore this is a child from the Hebrew children, in whom is the spirit of God, and let not my lord the king imagine that this youngster did this thing without knowledge.
7 For he is a Hebrew boy, and wisdom and understanding are with him, although he is yet a child, and with wisdom has he done this and chosen unto himself the kingdom of Egypt.
8 For this is the manner of all the Hebrews to deceive kings and their nobles, to do all these things cunningly, in order to make the kings of the earth and their men tremble.
Three year old Moses takes the king’s crown and puts it on his head and all the princes of Egypt freak out. To them it is an omen. Balaam reminds the king of his dream. It seems Balaam knew the Spirit of God was on Moses.
Jasher 70:18 Now therefore my lord king behold this child has risen up in their stead in Egypt, to do according to their deeds and to trifle with every king, prince and judge.
19 If it please the king, let us now spill his blood upon the ground, lest he grow up and take away the government from thy hand, and the hope of Egypt perish after he shall have reigned.
20 And Balaam said to the king, Let us moreover call for all the judges of Egypt and the wise men thereof, and let us know if the judgment of death is due to this boy as thou didst say, and then we will slay him.
21 And Pharaoh sent and called for all the wise men of Egypt and they came before the king, and an angel of the Lord came amongst them, and he was like one of the wise men of Egypt.
22 And the king said to the wise men, Surely you have heard what this Hebrew boy who is in the house has done, and thus has Balaam judged in the matter.
The angel of Yahweh intervened in the matter and Moses was not killed.
Jasher 70:33 And when Moses grew up in the king's house, Bathia the daughter of Pharaoh considered him as a son, and all the household of Pharaoh honored him, and all the men of Egypt were afraid of him.
34 And he daily went forth and came into the land of Goshen, where his brethren the children of Israel were, and Moses saw them daily in shortness of breath and hard labor.
35 And Moses asked them, saying, Wherefore is this labor meted out unto you day by day?
36 And they told him all that had befallen them, and all the injunctions which Pharaoh had put upon them before his birth.
37 And they told him all the counsels which Balaam the son of Beor had counselled against them, and what he had also counselled against him in order to slay him when he had taken the king's crown from off his head.
38 And when Moses heard these things his anger was kindled against Balaam, and he sought to kill him, and he was in ambush for him day by day.
39 And Balaam was afraid of Moses, and he and his two sons rose up and went forth from Egypt, and they fled and delivered their souls and betook themselves to the land of Cush to Kikianus, king of Cush.
40 And Moses was in the king's house going out and coming in, the Lord gave him favor in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants, and in the eyes of all the people of Egypt, and they loved Moses exceedingly.
Moses grows up and finds out what Balaam said about the Hebrews and about Moses. Interestingly Balaam was right. Balaam ran away so as not to be killed. Keep in mind, Jacob and his sons went into Egypt as free people, however in their complacency they became slaves. Balaam was correct, the Hebrews would rise up against Egypt, and Moses would lead them out to their freedom.
Jasher 73:1 In the fifty-fifth year of the reign of Pharaoh king of Egypt, that is in the hundred and fifty-seventh year of the Israelites going down into Egypt, reigned Moses in Cush.
2 Moses was twenty-seven years old when he began to reign over Cush, and forty years did he reign.
3 And the Lord granted Moses favor and grace in the eyes of all the children of Cush, and the children of Cush loved him exceedingly, so Moses was favored by the Lord and by men.
Cush was south of Egypt while Midian was due east of Egypt. Moses went down to Cush and fought along side them against Aram which was east of Cush and south of Midian. That’s when Balaam left Cush and went back to Egypt. Moses later led Cush against Aram and overtook them, combining nations. Adoniah who was queen when the former king of Cush (Kikianus) died, rose up and called for her son Menacrus to be king over Cush. They made Menacrus king, gave presents to Moses and honored him and Moses went to Midian. At the well in Midian Moses met Reuel’s seven daughters.
Jasher 73:28 And Balaam the magician, when he saw that the city was taken, he opened the gate and he and his two sons and eight brothers fled and returned to Egypt to Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Balaam simply moved around a lot. He has a grand reputation, but he doesn’t really have a good track record. This is similar to many in the body of Christ who profess to be prophets but are Balaams’ in disguise. When Moses comes back to Egypt to free the Hebrews Balaam is there.
Jasher 79:25 And Pharaoh said to Moses, What do you require? and they answered him, saying, The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent us to thee, to say, Send forth my people that they may serve me.
26 And when Pharaoh heard their words he was greatly terrified before them, and he said to them, Go today and come back to me tomorrow, and they did according to the word of the king.
27 And when they had gone Pharaoh sent for Balaam the magician and to Jannes and Jambres his sons, and to all the magicians and conjurors and counsellors which belonged to the king, and they all came and sat before the king.
28 And the king told them all the words which Moses and his brother Aaron had spoken to him, and the magicians said to the king, But how came the men to thee, on account of the lions which were confined at the gate?
29 And the king said, Because they lifted up their rod against the lions and loosed them, and came to me, and the lions also rejoiced at them as a dog rejoices to meet his master.
30 And Balaam the son of Beor the magician answered the king, saying, These are none else than magicians like ourselves.
31 Now therefore send for them, and let them come and we will try them, and the king did so.
32 And in the morning Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron to come before the king, and they took the rod of God, and came to the king and spoke to him, saying,
33 Thus said the Lord God of the Hebrews, Send my people that they may serve me.
It is too bad that in the epic move The Ten Commandments we did not see the lions loosed and following Moses and Aaron around like puppies. That would have been a really great scene. The Israelites leave Egypt and in their thirty-sixth year in the desert, four years before entering Canaan, they meet up with Balaam again.
Jasher 84:14 And in the thirty-sixth year of the children of Israel's departing from Egypt the Lord smote the heart of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and he waged war, and went forth to fight against the children of Moab.
15 And Sihon sent messengers to Beor the son of Janeas, the son of Balaam, counsellor to the king of Egypt, and to Balaam his son, to curse Moab, in order that it might be delivered into the hand of Sihon.
16 And the messengers went and brought Beor the son of Janeas, and Balaam his son, from Pethor in Mesopotamia, so Beor and Balaam his son came to the city of Sihon and they cursed Moab and their king in the presence of Sihon king of the Amorites…
21 And when Sihon had conquered Moab, he placed guards in the cities which he had taken from Moab, and a considerable number of the children of Moab fell in battle into the hand of Sihon, and he made a great capture of them, sons and daughters, and he slew their king; so Sihon turned back to his own land.
22 And Sihon gave numerous presents of silver and gold to Beor and Balaam his son, and he dismissed them, and they went to Mesopotamia to their home and country.
23 At that time all the children of Israel passed from the road of the wilderness of Moab, and returned and surrounded the wilderness of Edom.
Balaam cursed Moab so that Sihon could overtake them, and Moab fell. Now Balak asks Balaam to help save Moab from the Israelites. Balaam was just cursing Moab, but the people of Moab wanted help. Balaam heard that Moses and the Israelites wanted to kill Balaam, so Balaam was fine with this arrangement. It seems the prophet will curse anyone as long as he is paid.
Jasher 85:40 And the elders of Moab counselled with the elders of Midian what to do in order to save their lives from Israel.
41 And all the children of Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now therefore the children of Israel lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field, for thus did they do to the two kings of the Amorites who are stronger than we are.
42 And the elders of Midian said to Moab, We have heard that at the time when Sihon king of the Amorites fought against you, when he prevailed over you and took your land, he had sent to Beor the son of Janeas and to Balaam his son from Mesopotamia, and they came and cursed you; therefore did the hand of Sihon prevail over you, that he took your land.
43 Now therefore send you also to Balaam his son, for he still remains in his land, and give him his hire, that he may come and curse all the people of whom you are afraid; so the elders of Moab heard this thing, and it pleased them to send to Balaam the son of Beor.
44 So Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab sent messengers to Balaam, saying,
45 Behold there is a people come out from Egypt, behold they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me.
46 Now therefore come and curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me, peradventure I shall prevail to fight against them, and drive them out, for I heard that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and whom thou cursest is cursed.
47 So the messengers of Balak went to Balaam and brought Balaam to curse the people to fight against Moab.
Balak’s messengers repeated to Balaam what Balak wanted. He wanted the Israelites cursed, and downward cursed, so that he Balak, could overtake them. The elders of Midian and Moab brought these words to Balaam.
Numbers 22:10 G2532 And G2036 Balaam said G* G4314 to G3588 G2316 God, G* Balak G5207 son G* of Zippor G935 king G* of Moab G649 sent G1473 them G4314 to G1473 me, G3004 saying,
11 G2400 Behold, G2992 a people G1831 come forth G1537 from out of G* Egypt, G2532 and G2572 covered G3588 the G3799 appearance G3588 of the G1093 earth, G2532 and G3568 now G1204 come G689.1 curse G1473 it for me! G1473 G1487 if G686 it is so G1410 I shall be able G3960 to strike G1473 it, G2532 and G1544 I will cast it out. G1473
Notice Balak’s description of the Israelites, they come out of Egypt and they are covered up kaluptō, with the outward appearance of the earth or soil. The Israelites leaving Egypt were not lily white skinned people. They looked brown like dirt.
Numbers 22:12 G2532 And G2036 God said G3588 G2316 G4314 to G* Balaam, G3756 You shall not G4198 go G3326 with G1473 them, G3761 nor G2672 shall you curse G3588 the G2992 people; G1510.2.3 for they are G1063 G2127 blessed.
Balaam then tells the rulers that Yahweh does not allow me to go with you. Balak then sent more important rulers saying this:
Numbers 22:17 G1784.1 for highly valued G1063 G5091 I will esteem G1473 you, G2532 and G3745 as many things G302 as G2036 you should say G1473 to me G4160 I will do G1473 for you. G2532 Now G1204 come, G1943.2 accurse G1473 for me G3588 G2992 this people! G3778
This word G1943.2 επικατάρασαί means “on downward curses” and is translated “accurse” or “accursing”. Similar to G1944.
1944
ἐπικατάρατος
epikataratos ep-ee-kat-ar'-at-os
From G1909 and a derivative of G2672; imprecated, that is, execrable KJV Usage: accursed.
Balaam says that he cannot violate the rhēma of Yahweh Elohim.
Numbers 22:18 G2532 And G611 Balaam answered G* G2532 and G2036 said G3588 to the G758 rulers G* of Balak, G1437 If G1325 [2shall give G1473 3to me G* 1Balak G4134 6full G3588 G3624 5house G1473 4his] G694 of silver G2532 and G5553 gold, G3756 I shall not G1410 be able G3845 to violate G3588 the G4487 word G2962 of the lord G3588 G2316 God, G4160 to do G1473 it G3397 small G2228 or G3173 great.
The Elohim told Balaam to go with them, or did he? Was it “The Elohim” or “an elohim”?
Num 22:20 And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call thee, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, it shalt thou do.
Num 22:21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
Num 22:22 And God was very angry because he went; and the angel of the Lord rose up to withstand him. Now he had mounted his ass, and his two servants were with him.
Balaam’s problem was that he never knew if The Elohim or an elohim was speaking to him, except when he notes “Yahweh Elohim”. As we understand, the word elohim is a plural in Hebrew, meaning “three or more”. It is a title like “king” or “president”. It is not the name of a person. Yahweh Elohim identifies who Balaam is referring to, but to use a general term elohim can be confusing as there are many elohims. The devil is an elohim, the angels are elohim, men are elohim and demons are elohim. The Masoretic Jews decided that Jesus was the only one who was not an elohim. The first direction to Balaam was “don’t go with the men”.
Num 22:32 And the angel of God said to him, Why hast thou smitten thine ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand thee, for thy way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.
Num 22:33 And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain thee, and should have saved her alive.
Num 22:34 And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I did not know that thou wert standing opposite in the way to meet me; and now if it shall not be pleasing to thee for me to go on, I will return.
Num 22:35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt take heed to speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balac.
We see that Balaam is willing to turn around because he realized he made a mistake. The angel of the Elohim became visible to Balaam. How many Christians believe that they have heard from the Lord God and tell everyone they know, only to find out that they did not hear from Yahweh Elohim? And then how many of them are actually willing to turn around or admit that they made a mistake? The question is a good one to ponder. There was no reason for Yahweh Elohim to be angry and send an angel if Balaam was doing what he should have been doing. Then for the angel to say that he, the angel, would’ve killed Balaam, shows us that Balaam was not going with the elders of Moab as directed by Yahweh Elohim, but he was directed by another elohim. Can demons direct people? Yes they can.
Num 22:38 And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to thee: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.
Balaam says that he will only speak rhēma from The Elohim.
Today we have pastors, church leaders, and entire denominations, that sell out to rich people and ideologies. We have seen vans of church leaders speaking against one political leader in favor of another. Unfortunately the one that these pastors favor are part of the religion of the ‘blood of the innocents’. The political party that they advocate for celebrates all things that are in opposition to Yahweh Elohim; from abortion, to trafficking, to slavery. How much did modern day “Balak” celebrate these pastors and church leaders? Did he sacrifice sheep and calves to them as Balak did to Balaam? Did these “Balaks” pay these pastors and church leaders handsomely for their “curses” against the people? Is this why Karl Marx claimed that religion was the opiate of the people?
Numbers 23:5 G2532 And G1685 God put G3588 G2316 G4487 a word G1519 into G3588 the G4750 mouth G* of Balaam, G2532 and G2036 he said, G1994 Turning G4314 towards G* Balak G3779 thus G2980 you shall speak.
6 G2532 And G654 he returned G4314 to G1473 him, G2532 and G3592 thus G2186 he stood G1909 over G3588 G3646 his whole burnt-offerings, G1473 G2532 and G3956 all G3588 the G758 rulers G* of Moab G3326 with G1473 him.
7 G2532 And G353 taking up G3588 G3850 his parable, G1473 G2036 he said, G1537 From out of G* Mesopotamia G3343 [4fetched G1473 5me G* 1Balak G935 2king G* 3of Moab], G1537 out of G3735 the mountains G575 of G395 the east, G3004 saying, G1204 Come G689.1 curse G1473 for me G3588 G* Jacob! G2532 and, G1204 Come G1943.2 accurse G1473 to me G3588 G* Israel!
8 G5100 How G689.1 shall I curse G3739 whom G3361 [2does not G689.1 3curse G2962 1 the lord]? G2532 And G5100 how G2672 shall I imprecate maledictions upon G3739 whom G3361 [2does not G2672 3imprecate maledictions upon G3588 G2316 1God]?
Balaam says this well, he cannot curse who Yahweh does not curse, and he cannot imprecate those who the Elohim does not imprecate. At least Balaam knew that Yahweh was a higher Elohim than other elohim.
We know what Balaam did was to suggest to Balak to put the women out along the road so that the men would see them. The men of Israel then slept with them, ate with them, and worshipped their gods. This was Balaam’s suggestion. Yahweh then said to Moses to kill all the men who did this. They then killed the Midianites and eventually killed the Moabites.
Jasher 85:53 And the children of Israel approached Moab, and the children of Moab pitched their tents opposite to the camp of the children of Israel.
54 And the children of Moab were afraid of the children of Israel, and the children of Moab took all their daughters and their wives of beautiful aspect and comely appearance, and dressed them in gold and silver and costly garments.
55 And the children of Moab seated those women at the door of their tents, in order that the children of Israel might see them and turn to them, and not fight against Moab.
56 And all the children of Moab did this thing to the children of Israel, and every man placed his wife and daughter at the door of his tent, and all the children of Israel saw the act of the children of Moab, and the children of Israel turned to the daughters of Moab and coveted them, and they went to them.
57 And it came to pass that when a Hebrew came to the door of the tent of Moab, and saw a daughter of Moab and desired her in his heart, and spoke with her at the door of the tent that which he desired, whilst they were speaking together the men of the tent would come out and speak to the Hebrew like unto these words:
58 Surely you know that we are brethren, we are all the descendants of Lot and the descendants of Abraham his brother, wherefore then will you not remain with us, and wherefore will you not eat our bread and our sacrifice?
59 And when the children of Moab had thus overwhelmed him with their speeches, and enticed him by their flattering words, they seated him in the tent and cooked and sacrificed for him, and he ate of their sacrifice and of their bread.
60 They then gave him wine and he drank and became intoxicated, and they placed before him a beautiful damsel, and he did with her as he liked, for he knew not what he was doing, as he had drunk plentifully of wine.
61 Thus did the children of Moab to Israel in that place, in the plain of Shittim, and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel on account of this matter, and he sent a pestilence amongst them, and there died of the Israelites twenty-four thousand men.
Jasher 86:1 At that time after the pestilence, the Lord said to Moses, and to Elazer the son of Aaron the priest, saying,
2 Number the heads of the whole community of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, all that went forth in the army.
3 And Moses and Elazer numbered the children of Israel after their families, and the number of all Israel was seven hundred thousand, seven hundred and thirty.
4 And the number of the children of Levi, from one month old and upward, was twenty-three thousand, and amongst these there was not a man of those numbered by Moses and Aaron in the wilderness of Sinai.
5 For the Lord had told them that they would die in the wilderness, so they all died, and not one had been left of them excepting Caleb the son of Jephuneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
6 And it was after this that the Lord said to Moses, Say unto the children of Israel to avenge upon Midian the cause of their brethren the children of Israel.
7 And Moses did so, and the children of Israel chose from amongst them twelve thousand men, being one thousand to a tribe, and they went to Midian.
8 And the children of Israel warred against Midian, and they slew every male, also the five princes of Midian, and Balaam the son of Beor did they slay with the sword.
9 And the children of Israel took the wives of Midian captive, with their little ones and their cattle, and all belonging to them.
10 And they took all the spoil and all the prey, and they brought it to Moses and to Elazer to the plains of Moab.
11 And Moses and Elazer and all the princes of the congregation went forth to meet them with joy.
12 And they divided all the spoil of Midian, and the children of Israel had been revenged upon Midian for the cause of their brethren the children of Israel.
Num 31:7 And they set themselves in array against Madian, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew every male.
Num 31:8 And they slew the kings of Madian together with their slain subjects; even Evi and Rocon, and Sur, and Ur, and Roboc, five kings of Madian; and they slew with the sword Balaam the son of Beor with their other slain.
The man who had been a celebrated magician and who could divine battles, who killed Israelite babies, who was a thorn in Moses’ side, who blessed Israel three times and yet conspired against them, was killed among the Midianites.
Notice what Jesus says to the church at Pergamum.
Revelation 2:14 G235 But G2192 I have G2596 against G1473 you G3641 a little. G3754 That G2192 you have G1563 there G2902 ones holding G3588 the G1322 teaching G* of Balaam, G3739 who G1321 taught G3588 G* Balak G906 to throw G4625 an obstacle G1799 before G3588 the G5207 sons G* of Israel, G2068 to eat G1494 things sacrificed to idols, G2532 and G4203 to commit harlotry.
15 G3779 So G2192 have G2532 also G1473 you G2902 ones holding G3588 the G1322 teaching G3588 of the G* Nicolaitans G3668 in like manner.
16 G3340 Repent! G1490 But if not, G2064 I come G1473 to you G5036 quickly. G2532 And G4170 I shall wage war G3326 with G1473 them G1722 by G3588 the G4501 broadsword G3588 G4750 of my mouth. G1473
“Because possess in that place using strength the instruction of Balaam who taught Balak to throw a trap before the face of the sons of Israel, to eat sacrificed to an image, and prostitute.”
Pergamum had people in the church that had krateō, which means “strength”, or “seize”, or “retain”. Somehow these people with krateō were dominating the people in Pergamum. They had some kind of power over them. Balaam had an illusion of power over people his whole life. All that was needed is for people to believe in Balaam’s power and he was able to control their thinking. Really, what Karl Marx saw was church congregations controlled by others with krateō. The people are passive and do not rise against their overlords. Like Balaam, traveling from nation to nation, wherever there was an advantage, people with krateō, bewitch others. They now have to make people fall into sin and then use that sin as a means of control. Why is Balaam in the church?
As we saw in studying Balaam’s life he was not a very good prophet, and while he did obey Yahweh once in a while, that was only for his own preservation. He attempted to kill off the Israelites in Egypt, as well as Moses. However later when he could not curse them he set a trap for them. The trap did not completely stop the Israelites, but it cost them many lives. In the end, Midian and Moab were both beaten by Israel. Yahweh may have spoken to Balaam, but Balaam was a paid prophet who lived where it benefited him. Again, why is Balaam in the church?
