DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE REST OF THE STORY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE REST OF THE STORY

"But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle. And 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." (Numbers 31:16)

Now we get the rest of the story of Balaam, as Paul Harvey would say. The story of Balaam was our focus in Numbers chapters 22-24 (Gleanings for March 2, 2022). Balaam was enlisted by Balak, king of Moab, to curse Israel as an enemy. But Balaam did not curse Israel. Instead, he blessed Israel. In the first verse of Numbers chapter 25, it is recorded that the men of Israel began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab.

It was Balaam who counseled Balak how to cause Israel to stumble. His advice was to get the Israelites to intermarry with the Moabites. God was very displeased by this sin and ordered Moses to kill all those who had committed harlotry – both sexually and spiritually, and 24,000 people died in the judgment (Numbers 25:9).

The New Testament sheds more light on this incident with Balaam. In Revelation 2:14, Jesus said to the church at Pergamos, "I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality" (Revelation 2:14). Balaam forsook God's way because of greed for money. He loved the wages of unrighteousness (II Peter 2:15). Jude indicates that it was greed that caused Balaam to run after the reward that Balak offered him (Jude 1:11).

How many people have begun serving the Lord, but got sidetracked by something else that seemed more profitable. Many preachers have left the ministry because they saw that they could make more money in secular work. But it also happens to non-preachers. People began their Christian life with great desire to serve the Lord, but somewhere along the line, they get sidetracked because of desire for success and prosperity. May God help us to keep our eyes focused on God's reward.

Love, Dad