Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20061015.htm

THE PREINCARNATE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST
Part XI: Christ's Ministry With Balaam: Heeding Christ Above The Will Of Human Patrons
(Numbers 22:1-35)
  1. Introduction
    1. The phrase, "Money talks!" describes the power that offering financial rewards has in manipulating others.
    2. However, the believer must obey Christ above the lure of wealth offered by others who want to patronize us to disobey God's will, a lesson Balaam learned under the Preincarnate Lord Jesus Christ (as follows):
  2. Christ's Ministry With Balaam: Heeding Christ Above The Will Of Human Patrons, Num. 22:1-35.
    1. When the Angel of the Lord stood in the way to block Balaam's journey to meet Barak in Numbers 22:22, we know from our past lessons that this was the Preincarnate Jesus Christ, "the Second Person of the Trinity," cf. Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, footnote to Genesis 16:10.
    2. The reason the Preincarnate Christ stood to block Balaam was due to His opposition to the attitude Balaam had of wanting to work around God's will to heed the will of a benefactor for financial gain:
      1. 2 Peter 2:15 reveals that Balaam "loved the wages of unrighteousness" in his heart, the sin that the Preincarnate Lord Jesus saw in his attitude as Balaam made his trip on his donkey to Barak.
      2. Viewing the events preceding this meeting of Balaam with the Angel of the Lord reveals Balaam wanted to manipulate his way to gain riches for himself from Balak in contrast to God's revealed will:
        1. Balak, king of Moab, had heard of the defeat the Amorites experienced at the hands of Israel, so he sent delegates to hire the diviner, Balaam, to curse Israel so he could defeat her in war, Num. 22:1-7.
        2. Being a pagan, Balaam was typically "broad-minded", knowing "a people's own gods had the greatest power over them for bad or good," so Balaam told Balak's delegates he needed to consult the Lord God of Israel for insight into somehow gaining His approval to put an effective curse upon Israel, Num. 22:8; Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, p. 241.
        3. God spoke to Balaam, telling him not to go with Balak's delegation, for God had promised to bless Israel instead of cursing her, Numbers 22:9-12.
        4. Balaam conveyed to Balak's delegates that God did not want him to return with them to Balak to do Balak's will, so the delegates traveled back to Balak with this word from Balaam, Num. 22:13-14.
        5. Balak was not to be deterred by Balaam's reply; he sent a second more honorable delegation that promised Balaam even more honor and wealth if he came to Balak to curse Israel, Num. 22:15-17.
        6. Balaam responded to this second delegation, claiming he could not go with them as God would not let him do so, and that no matter how much "silver and gold" they would give him, Numbers 22:18.
        7. On the other hand, Balaam added the request for this second delegation to stay that night to see what God would say unto him, Num. 22:19. This statement came from greed : (1) Balaam knew God would not want him to go to Balak, for God had previously clarified this in Numbers 22:12. (2) However, due to his desire to obtain riches offered by Balak by somehow manipulating God into letting him go to curse Israel, Balaam gave God a chance to change His mind to that end, a motive of evil greed and insubordination due to greed for financial rewards, Num. 22:19 with 2 Peter 2:15!
        8. God permitted Balaam to go with this second delegation, but only providing he said only what the Lord let him say, Numbers 22:20. God was thus giving Balaam permission to go although He was not condoning the greedy attitude Balaam had behind his desire to do so, Ibid., p. 242!
      3. So, due to Balaam's inner greed, the Preincarnate Jesus Christ, the Angel of the Lord, obstructed him in his trip toward Balak, coming close to killing Balaam for his greed for Balak's riches, Num. 22:21-33.
      4. Balaam then offered to return home if it meant pleasing God, but the Lord let him continue providing Balaam would speak only those words of blessing that God wanted him to say, cf. Numbers 22:34-35.
Lesson: For trying to manipulate his way out of heeding God for the sake of pleasing a patron for financial gain, Balaam was nearly slain by the Preincarnate Christ. Only as Balaam repented of his greed and chose to heed God above the riches offered by Balak did God allow him to go to Balak.

Application: May we heed Christ and His Word above the will of human patrons, putting our reverence for God above the lure of financial security or riches to the contrary, all to enjoy GOD'S blessing!