Balaam's Booboo

Wednesday after Pentecost 12
August 26, 2009

The Lord be with you

The adult Bible study at Lamb of God Lutheran (LCMS), Spartanburg, SC, this coming Sunday (Pentecost 13, August 30) is titled “Following A Dangerous God”. (I ripped the title idea off of C.S. Lewis). It deals with the story of Balaam found in Numbers 22 – 24, and the epilogue in Numbers 25:1-9. The question submitted is:

What’s the story on Balaam? In Numbers 22:11-12, Balaam asks God to curse a people on behalf of Balak, King of Moab but God says no. So, Balaam tells Balak he won’t do it. Than, in Numbers 22:18-20, Balaam is asked by Balak again to come with him and curse the same people. Balaam says he can’t do anything against the Lord, but when God speaks to him once more, He tells Balaam to go with the men after all. THEN, in Numbers 22:22, God sends his angel to stop Balaam from going, and later tells him he would have killed him (Num. 22:33). Why would God say to do something, and then send an angel to stop the same act?

We will examine all the Balaam passages in the Bible as we explore this question.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert