How Balaam Taught Balak
The details of how this came about are clearly given in the Bible. This is what Balaam probably told Balak: "I cannot curse the Children of Israel, since God has commanded me not to curse them. But, there is a way that they can bring curses upon themselves. There is a way that will bring retribution, punishment, and the absolute displeasure of God upon them. Seduce them to disobey their God and His commands. If they desert the true God, and follow your religious practices they will bring this curse upon themselves. You must be subtle in causing them to follow your religion. They have been warned beforehand that they are not to learn the ways of the heathen about them — that they are not to learn how the other nations serve their gods and then do likewise.
"Here is the way that you can cause them to sin. Take your most beautiful women and cause them to seduce the young Israelite men. After these Israelites are 'hooked,' have your women lead these men into following your religious practices. These young women can then subtly influence their new husbands into following their religion. Get them to believing each one is entitled to his own religion — that God understands if they disobey Him so long as they keep peace and harmony in the home. By doing this they will think they are 'free' and can really enjoy life! After all, Balak, doesn't the whole nation of Moab enjoy these religious practices? This is something that is acceptable and right! Everyone does it! It is popular and the accepted thing."
This is exactly what the Bible says Balaam did — read it again in Revelation, Peter and Jude!
It is the old story of permissiveness to deceive people into believing that they can have permission to disobey God, and get away with it. That it is not necessary to obey God. God does not see or know, and anyway Jesus Christ lived a good life for us. Therefore we can live as we think best. We need not obey God since Jesus Christ lived that perfect life for us. It is the same siren song of destruction that is being preached in most of the pulpits of our own land today!
The Account of Josephus
There is even an historical account beside the Bible of just what did happen. It is found in the works of the historian Flavius Josephus who lived during the time of the Apostles.
"But Balak being very angry that the Israelites were not cursed, sent away Balaam without thinking him worthy of any honor. Whereupon, when he (Balaam) was just upon his journey, in order to pass the Euphrates, he sent for Balak, and for the princes of the Midianites, and spake thus to them: "O Balak, and you Midianites that are here present (for I am obliged even without the will of God to gratify you), it is true no entire destruction can seize upon the nation of the Hebrews, neither by war, nor by plague, nor by scarcity of the fruits of the earth, nor can any other unexpected accident be their entire ruin; for the providence of God is concerned to preserve them from such a misfortune; nor will it permit any such calamity to come upon them whereby they may all perish; but some small misfortunes, and those for a short time, whereby they may appear to be brought low, may still befall them; but after that they will flourish again, to the terror of those that brought those mischiefs upon them. So that if you have a mind to gain a victory over them for a short space of time, you will obtain it by following my directions; Do you therefore set out the handsomest of such of your DAUGHTERS AS ARE MOST EMINENT FOR BEAUTY, and proper to force and conquer the modesty of those that behold them, and these decked and trimmed to the highest degree you are able. Then do you send them to be near the Israelites' camp, and give them in charge, that when the young men of the Hebrews desire their company, they allow it them; and when they see that they are enamored of them, let them take their leaves; and if they entreat them to stay, let them not give their consent till they have persuaded them to leave off their obedience to their own laws and the worship of that God who established them, and to worship the gods of the Midianites and Moabites; FOR BY THIS MEANS GOD WILL BE ANGRY AT THEM.' Accordingly, when Balaam had suggested this counsel to them, he went his way" (Antiquities of the Jews, Book IV, Chapter 6).
Josephus continued in the same chapter to show what followed. "So the women, as soon as they perceived they had made them their slaves and had caught them with their conversation began to speak thus to them . . ." (Section 7). Then continues the suggestion by these young women to cause them to commit fornication and to take part in the pagan idolatrous rites of the Moabites.
Many other details of this same event are also recorded in this same chapter of Josephus.
Bible Account of Israel's Sin
In the Bible account of Numbers, the story appears to close at the end of Chapter 24. We have now seen that the story did not end there. Notice, now, Numbers, chapter 25, where the story is continued: "While Israel dwelt in Shittim the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.
AND THE ANGER OF THE LORD WAS KINDLED AGAINST ISRAEL" (Numbers 25:1-3).
As a result of this terrible sin. those who had yoked themselves to these pagan idolatrous rites were killed. God also brought plagues against the Israelites and twenty-four thousand of them died altogether (verse 9).
This great sin had become so common in Israel that a man of Israel brazenly brought a Midianite woman to his tent in the sight of Moses. One of the Levitical priests followed the two into an inner room and pierced through both of them with a spear. These two were slain in the very act of defying the Living God by disobeying His commands against fornication.
The story continues in chapter 31. The children of Israel warred against Midian. The five kings of the Midianites were slain; however, some of the women were permitted to live. "Moses said to them, 'Have you let all the women live?' Behold, these caused the people, by the counsel of Balaam, to act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord" (Numbers 31:15-16).
Balaam's Lack of Character
Notice the retrogression of character in Balaam. At first he listened to suggestions that he knew were wrong, then he weakened, and asked God a second time if he might go with the princes of Moab. He knew he sinned, but went along anyway. He was still afraid of God enough that he said God's words, yet he tried to get around God. He obeyed in the letter but did not obey in the spirit! Finally, he rebelled completely and deliberately told them how they could ensnare Israel.
This man, who knew God's will, ended up by being destroyed by the very people he one time blessed. "And they also slew Balaam the son of Peor with a sword" (Numbers 31:8).
"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (I Cor. 10:12).
Beware of Modern "Balaams"
There is another important lesson from this account which we should understand. Balaam taught Balak how to cause Israel to sin and disobey God. He showed Balak how to deceive them into thinking that they had freedom or license to disobey God, that it was permissible to disobey God. That is the same sin that most of the ministers of our land are following today.
The ministers are telling the people that it is all right to sin. They have permission to sin, to disobey God and His commands. They may not say so in these exact terms, possibly, but that is what it amounts to. They tell people that they may have freedom in disobeying God. The ministers, for hire (just like Balaam), are telling the people to break God's commands and no harm will come. They condone and permit adultery and fornication in their congregations. They even try to join in marriage people who are already married to others.
Some ministers are even suggesting that it is all right to commit fornication before marriage. They teach the people that it is all right to commit idolatry, though they do not call the false pictures of their Jesus that. They teach the people that it is all right to commit spiritual fornication. Spiritual fornication is an illicit affair with the pagan practices of the heathen. These pagan practices of the heathen have come down to us under different names. Today the pagan Brumalia is called Christmas. The pagan rites of fertility of the ancient goddess Astarte now masquerades under the name of Easter. The devilish and satanic teachings concerning unclean spirits and witchcraft are carried down today in our Halloween.
Our people have learned the ways of the heathen. They have found how the other pagan nations have served their gods and they have done likewise.
This is spiritual fornication and idolatry!
Today the ministers are giving people "license" to disobey God. These terrible heinous sins, which seem right to a man, lead to death, just like the personal sin of Balaam led to his death.
Here is an example of just how these ministers are causing the people of our land to disobey God. A world-famous minister and evangelist was asked: "Where did the idea of Santa Claus originate? We have decided we are not going to tell our children about him this year, because we have been told that it is wrong." What was the minister's answer? "The matter of telling your children about Santa Claus is one that you must decide in your own conscience before God. The Scripture teaches that in these matters, we have great liberty. This principle is taught in Romans 14."
There is no Santa Claus. The story of Santa Claus is a LIE! This minister knows that it is. Yet he says that we may decide in our own conscience whether or not to lie to our children. He states that Romans fourteen gives us liberty to LIE to our own children! The fourteenth chapter of Romans does not give us liberty to LIE and he knows it.
This is a way that seems right to a man but it ends in death (Prov. 14:22; 16:25). The way of permissiveness, or license, to disobey God's commands is the chief way that seems reasonable and right to man but leads to death. Don't let it deceive you.