The Error of Balaam

“[They] have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit . . . .” Jude 11.

Balaam was a prophet of the Lord, and God could surely have used him for great things in His service if he had been faithful. But, unfortunately, his heart clung to earthly goods and honor.

The children of Moab and Midian were terrified of Israel. They knew that God had led the Israelites out of Egypt by His mighty arm, and now, here they were, encamped right next to Moab. Num. 22:5. Good counsel was scarce. Balak, the king of Moab, was willing to give whatever it took if only he could have Israel cursed and destroyed.

In his great need, he sent elders and nobles with a message to Balaam, and they carried the diviner’s fee in their hands.

In addition to his prophetic ministry, Balaam loved both money and honor, and now he was really put to the test. Of course he wanted to be faithful to God, but then what about those highly esteemed messengers and the diviner’s fee! What should Balaam do? He wavered between the two: God on the one hand, riches and honor on the other.

If Balaam’s heart had been right before God, he would have immediately sent the messengers away. Instead Balaam said, “‘Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.’ So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.” Verse 8.

The princes of Moab were men of high standing, and they brought expensive gifts with them. Balaam’s heart was in turmoil. What if he were to miss this wonderful opportunity to gain riches and honor? But what about God? He couldn’t just forsake Him either.

Balaam should have been a spiritual authority, but instead he was bought with money. Little by little he gave in to Balak. The messengers became more numerous and more highly regarded; the gifts increased in value, and Balaam was deceived even more. The end result was that Balak became Balaam’s master, and Balaam became Balak’s obedient slave who faithfully followed his every command in order to bring a curse over Israel.

However, God prevented Balaam from doing so. Balaam was unable to curse the people. Balak’s anger was aroused, and he went so far as to rebuke the prophet. These words were truly fulfilled: To whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey. Balaam had been a servant of God; now he served Balak. What a tragic error. Gold and honor had deceived the prophet and rendered him powerless.

Since Balaam was not able to curse the people, he had to give Balak something in return for the honor and the gifts he had accepted. That’s why he taught Moab to deceive Israel into committing adultery and idolatry so that the Lord’s curse would come upon them; and He succeeded. When the warriors of Israel returned from the slaughter of Midian, Moses said to them, “Have you kept all the women alive? Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.” Num. 31:15-16.

The love of money drove Judas to sell his Lord and Master for thirty pieces of silver. Likewise, for the sake of money and honor, Balaam taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit adultery. Rev. 2:14.

Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. That is also the reason the end of his life was blessed. God led him up on a mountain and showed him the Promised Land. Then Moses died, and God Himself buried him.

Balaam did the opposite of Moses. He forsook God’s people in order to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin with the princes of this world, and eventually he died together with them.

God commanded Moses to take vengeance on the Midianites because of what they had done to the children of Israel. Then Moses told one thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel to prepare for war. “And they warred against the Midianites, just as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed all the males. They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.” Num. 31:7-8.

Balaam got what he was longing for. He was honored together with the princes, but he also had to die with them.

Balaam gave himself over to this deception for the sake of gain. The apostle Jude says that such people are also found within the church. They are shameful spots at the love feasts, feasting with the others without fear, serving only themselves.

Let us receive the exhortation in Rev. 3:18: “Anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”