Numbers 23:1-24:14

Let me tell you, I'm still a little conflicted about Balaam.  Was he a follower of God or a wicked diviner?  The thing that put me back into this circle of thinking is that he instructed Balak to set up seven altars and to sacrifice seven bulls and seven rams on the altars.  Then he said he would go inquire of the Lord and he would have to speak whatever the Lord told him.  Not of the commentaries I consulted said the exact same thing, but I did get some of the various viewpoints as follows:

• the seven altars with seven bulls and seven rams was a pagan practice based off texts from Babylon describing a similar practice
• that the seven altars was a pagan practice because it was not instituted by God through the Law
• that perhaps Balaam set up altars to the Lord, using the number seven, a pagan number, to throw Balak off his true intentions
• that Balaam was clearly a pagan diviner practicing the arts of divination and sorcery

And further things like that.  I readily admit that the writers of these commentaries have studied and understood far more of Scripture than I have, that many of them know and understand the original language in which the Scripture was written; that because of that, they may know and understand more than I do.  That is all very true.  But it really doesn't fill in some gaps for me.  They are these:

• If Balaam was strictly a pagan diviner, why would he go the Lord to even ask permission to go?  Why not just go?  (Though we know that he did love money more than the Lord and was seeking an excuse to go.  Scripture teaches us that.)
• Why would setting up altars with sacrifices necessarily be pagan just because it was outside the Law?  The Law as a new institution and was only given to the people of Israel.  Does it necessarily follow that Balaam would know it and follow it, being outside the nation of Israel?  Does he have to be an Israelite in order to be a prophet or to have a relationship with the Lord?  Granted, after this time, we have no record of such a thing.  But that is after the Law is established.  Before that, we have Melchizidek, whose priesthood Christ's priesthood finds Scriptural precendence.  (I am NOT remotely saying Balaam is like Melchizedek or that he was even a priest; but only pointing out isn't there a possibility he could still have had a relationship, however murky, with the True God?)
• If Balaam was strictly pagan, why did he forewarn Balak that he could only repeat the words the Lord gave him? Repeatedly?
• Let's say that Balaam was a pagan diviner, why not, by the time he has met with Balak, would he not have resigned himself to the fact that the Lord was in complete control, resign if not fully and freely acknowledge this after his encounter with the Lord?
• Maybe I'm just looking into this too much?

Regardless, we know these things to be true: 1) Balaam did indeed warn Balak that God's will would be done, no more; 2) each time, Balaam said that he was going to inquire of the Lord; 3) each time, Balaam came back with a blessing, despite Balak's continued efforts to produce a curse; 4) at the end, Balaam acknowledges that he could have done no more than God instructed him to, and no amount of money could have changed the outcome.  We also know from two Scripture passages that Balaam loved gain from wrong doing (2 Peter 2:15), but he was restrained from madness by his donkey's speaking; that likely Balaam did seek to curse Israel at some point for his monetary gain, but that the Lord would not listen and ruled sovereignly over the whole thing (Deuteronomy 23:4-5).

Where does that leave us on Balaam?  I don't know.  I'd like to think his wickedness was all before the talking donkey experience, and that when he sought the Lord and acted before Balak it was with a contrite heart and a desire to obey God above all else, no matter the mess he'd gotten himself into.  I don't know that any of us, Bible scholar or not, can really read far enough into the texts of Scripture to really understand that.  Maybe I'll find out in heaven.  We definitely don't know what kind of life Balaam lived afterwards, and we do know that his reputation for sinfulness was certainly deserved before his encounter with the angel.

One thing I do know is that God's Will will not be thwarted.  God determined, even promised Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, that the Israelites would not be cursed but would be blessed.  That those who cursed the Israelites would be cursed, and those who blessed them would be blessed.  Look at what happened to the peoples of Moab: long since wiped out.  However, we have an Israeli nation today; they have indeed survived long past Balak, just as he feared.  Balaam learned the hard way that God is sovereign and He would not be contravened; Balak also learned the hardy way; hopefully, that means that we won't.  Here is an awesome piece of Scripture that teaches us that indeed, GOD cannot be stopped.  And thankfully, as Romans 8:28 promises, He works all things to the good of those who love Him.  So, though horrible things may arise, though our lives are definitely not one long walk among the daisies, God is sovereign and He will work things to the good: He can and will take those bad experiences and make them for our own benefit.  Praise the Lord God Almighty.

Tomorrow's Reading: Numbers 24:15-25:18