Bible Study - Numbers 22 - Balaam

Balaam was a prophet of God. He had a great reputation because of the work that he had done. The messenger from Balak said to Balaam, "For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed." This comes from a reputation that God's hand was on Balaam. God trusted Balaam with truth and Balaam had been faithful to his calling.

Balaam says to the messengers, "let me pray about this." He comes back and says, "God says no and I will not come." That should have been the end of the story. But it is not. But Balak sends another group to see Balaam. Why are the coming back? Did they sense that Balaam would come if the offer was right?

The King sends a second group to Balaam. This group has more men, more distinguished, and there is more money. In fact the offer is open to whatever Balaam desires! We now starts the tragic fall of Balaam. He says he needs to ask God (sounds good).

What has changed from the last time? There is more money on the table this time. Balaam knows God's response, but yet he comes back in prayer. WHY? He wants the money! He wants to get closer to this situation, because he will do well financially if circumstances were to change. We know from 2 Peter that Balaam's weakness was the love of money.

There are times that we do not need to pray about something, we just need to be obedient to the word of God.

God's answer to Balaam was to go, that is what Balaam wanted. Balaam's heart was not for the Lord but for the money.

1 Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Just another sad story about a man whose greed brought him to a tragic finish.