“The Madness of the Prophet”
Larry R Evans
Reflective Introduction
In last week’s class we learned that if a character defect is not overcome when tested, we will be brought back over the same ground until it is. But what happens if it is not overcome? Is maintaining a religious front sufficient? Who are the losers in such a scenario? This week’s lesson addresses this serious concern that should awaken all of us to the spiritual dangers lurking nearby.
Reflective Quiz
1. At times traits of “insanity” can be seen in “sane” people. [Num. 22:4, 22-32] True
Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain are all credited with defining insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Regardless of who said it, this does describe both Balak and Balaam whom we will be studying today. Maybe it describes you and me as well, as we fight the good fight of faith. We are surprised why we keep making the same mistakes but we don’t change our personal lifestyle patterns. So how would you describe insanity?
[Dictionary definition: 1 : a deranged state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder (as schizophrenia)
2 : such unsoundness of mind or lack of understanding as prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status, or transaction or as removes one from criminal or civil responsibility
3 a : extreme folly or unreasonableness b : something utterly foolish or unreasonable
Perhaps a little background and overview of our lesson today would be helpful at the very start of our study.
To get Balaam’s attention Balak offered a financial incentive and this did capture the attention of Balaam. At first Balaam was adamant that he could not help by placing a curse upon God’s people but the financial incentive softened his resolve. He asked the first ambassadors of the king to wait while he spoke with God. Can you imagine that! There are some things we shouldn’t have to pray about! I can imagine Balaam’s prayer went something like this: Dear God, You are the all powerful one. You worked miracles to set this people free from Egypt, you’ve provided them manna from heaven and water from the rock and even meat at their request. Later you saved them from fiery serpents. Now would you do me a favor? Please curse these same people so that I might honor the request of the king who refused to let your people cross through their country so that they might reach the Promised Land. I ask this so that I might get the “honorarium” they are offering me. [PS. Perhaps I could pay tithe on the honorarium. – actually this isn’t recorded but it makes as much sense as the rest of what Balaam asked for.)
“By divine intervention these curses were turned into blessings. Following the suggestion of Balaam, the Moabites later seduced the Israelites into licentiousness and idolatry (Num 22–25). Because of this the Moabites were excluded from the congregation of Israel to the 10th generation, and Israel was told to keep aloof from them (Deut 23:3–6; Neh 13:1, 2).”[2]
Who was more insane! Balak because he wanted a prophet of God to curse God’s own people or Balaam who went directly to God asking Him to curse His people.
6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.” (Num. 22:6)
One important lesson does stand out here about Balaam: Simply knowing what God can do is not the same thing as surrendering our own wills and doing what God wills.
The KJV simply says – and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. [3]
Morris Venden used to describe the road to sin this way: T-C-C-P
Consideration
Consent
Practice
The question he posed was this: at what point does temptation become sin? What would you say and why? How would your answer apply to Balaam?
3. A single cherished sin can weaken one’s entire character. [Num. 22:15-19] True
15 Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16 They came to Balaam and said:
“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 17 because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”
18 But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. 19 Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the Lord will tell me.”[4]
“Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel. The prevalence of a sinful desire shows the delusion of the soul. Every indulgence of that desire strengthens the soul's aversion to God. The pains of duty and the pleasures of sin are the cords with which Satan binds men in his snares. Those who would rather die than perform a wrong act are the only ones who will be found faithful.” {5T 53.2}
4. Being bent on doing our own thing and not following God’s Word blinds us from dangers that could destroy us if we don’t change our ways. [Num. 22:32-34] True
26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” 29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.a 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.”
34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me.[5]
Earlier we spoke about insanity. Can you imagine getting into an argument with a donkey! Give me a break . . . but when a man or woman knowingly sets out on a path filled with temptation they make as much sense as Balaam did.
Note the following insights regarding Peter’s spiritual commitment and his
“When Peter said he would follow his Lord to prison and to death, he meant it, every word of it; but he did not know himself. Hidden in his heart were elements of evil that circumstances would fan into life. Unless he was made conscious of his danger, these would prove his eternal ruin. The Saviour saw in him a self-love and assurance that would overbear even his love for Christ. Much of infirmity, of unmortified sin, carelessness of spirit, unsanctified temper, heedlessness in entering into temptation, had been revealed in his experience. Christ's solemn warning was a call to heart searching. Peter needed to distrust himself, and to have a deeper faith in Christ. Had he in humility received the warning, he would have appealed to the Shepherd of the flock to keep His sheep. When on the Sea of Galilee he was about to sink, he cried, "Lord, save me." Matthew 14:30. Then the hand of Christ was outstretched to grasp his hand. So now if he had cried to Jesus, Save me from myself, he would have been kept. But Peter felt that he was distrusted, and he thought it cruel. He was already offended, and he became more persistent in his self-confidence.” (EGW, The Desire of Ages, 673-4)
If a person prays, speaks with God, does that mean that that person has good spiritual insight? Balaam spoke with God
Do you find anything in the relationship of Balaam and the donkey that parallels the experience of Peter? What? What practical insights do we find the experience of these two men?
5. Balaam may not have always been transparent with the Moabites but at least he realized he had to be with God. [Num. 22:34] False
Early in my ministry I was deeply impressed by a number of books that I read which later shaped much of the emphasis I give to my ministry today. One such book was written by Keith Miller entitled The Taste of New Wine. I’ll share a few excerpts from the chapter entitled, “A New Kind of Honesty.”
But this process and conclusion illustrate the self deception which tears the rug out from under our relationship with Christ and each other and leaves us disillusioned and bewildered. For I believe the truth of the matter is that at the motivating center of our lives we really will to do those things which we do in our weakness. . . . I have become convinced that the real me is not failing but succeeding when I succumb to temptation. Because the nature of the real me is to will to gratify my deep egocentric desires.”
Miller later says, “So the new style of lilfe being experienced in the church today begins, I believe, with a new kind of honesty—an honesty which really believes that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (pp.26-27)
This is precisely where Balaam failed. He played dishonest games with himself and with God! The result? He fell away from God, he totally misrepresented God to the Moabites and in his own journey he sank to even further depths of sin.
There can be no victory over sin without first being honest with ourselves and with God and this has been God’s plan all along. Revealing sin, calling it by its right name, is getting on the road to recovery. Painful as it may be it is the pathway to healing and, once again, again the potential for which we were created in the first place.
6. The most cunning strategies of Satan cannot blot out all possibilities for hope for change. [Num. 24:15-19; Rev. 12:17; 19:1-8] True
One strategy often used by Satan is to destroy hope. To get us so pre-occupied with the sins of others or even our own sins so we lose hope of any change. I hear this often. Despite conventional wisdom the Bible says change can happen. In the midst of Israel’s failures, and Balaam’s specifically, God gives the promise of all promises—and he does it through the very one who wanted to curse Israel:
15 Then he [Balaam] uttered his oracle:
“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the oracle of one who hears the words of God,
who has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
17 “I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.(Nu 24:15-17)
This promise was given in a discouraging time but when Israel was on the border of the Promised Land. The following promise is for us and we too are on the very edge of the ultimate Promised Land:
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not preventd them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comforte one another with these words.[6]
Reflective Conclusion
What is it that separates sanity from the kind of insanity exhibited by Balaam? Is it sin? I don’t think so because all have sinned. I would suggest that Balaam’s road to self-destruction came first from his own self-deception and an unwillingness to be honest with himself and with God. He never confronted his bent towards selfishness. Rather it went uncontrolled to the point where he lost touch with reality – asking God to curse the very people that He had been leading and at this very moment when they were on the threshold of the promised land. Balaam, Judas and the rest of us all have a sin problem that begins with our own selfish desires. The hope to conquer is not within but rather outside of ourselves. Paul says it well.
“If I was "trying to be good," I would be rebuilding the same old barn that I tore down. I would be acting as a charlatan. What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:18-20 from the Message
[1] The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary; The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 8. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1979; 2002, S. 749
[2] The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary; The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 8. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1979; 2002, S. 749
[3] The Holy Bible : King James Version. electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. Bellingham WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995, S. Ro 13:14
[4] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Nu 22:15-19
a The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
[5] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Nu 22:26-34
d prevent: or, come before, or, anticipate, or, precede
e comfort: or, exhort
[6] The Holy Bible : King James Version. electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. Bellingham WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995, S. 1 Th 4:13-18
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