Beginning of the End: Balaam Loses All He Tried to Gain

 Balak was overwhelmed with disappointed hope, fear, and rage. He was angry that Balaam could have given him even a small hint that he could expect him to curse Israel. Balak looked with scorn on the prophet’s compromising, deceptive ways, and exclaimed fiercely, “Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the Lord has kept you back from honor.” The answer was that the king had been warned ahead of time that Balaam could speak only the message given him from God.

Before returning to his people, Balaam uttered a beautiful prophecy of the world’s Redeemer and the final destruction of the enemies of God:

I see Him, but not now;

I behold Him, but not near;

A Star shall come out of Jacob,

A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,

And batter the brow of Moab,

And destroy all the sons of tumult.

He closed by predicting the complete destruction of Moab and Edom, of Amalek and the Kenites, and so left the Moabite king with no ray of hope.

Disappointed in his hopes for wealth and promotion, and conscious that he had brought on himself the displeasure of God, Balaam returned from his self-chosen mission. The controlling power of the Spirit of God left him, and his covetousness took over. He was ready to do anything to get the reward promised by Balak. Balaam knew that the prosperity of Israel depended on their obedience to God. There was no way to conquer them except by leading them into sin.

He immediately returned to Moab and told his plans to the king—to separate the children of Israel from God by enticing them into idolatry. If they could be led to engage in the sensually uninhibited worship of Baal and Ashtaroth, their all-powerful Protector would become their enemy, and they would be overcome by the fierce, warlike nations around them. The king readily accepted this plan, and Balaam remained to help in putting it into effect.

Balaam witnessed the success of his satanic scheme. He saw the curse of God imposed on His people, and thousands falling under His judgments. But the divine justice that punished sin in Israel did not allow the tempters to escape. In the war of Israel against the Midianites, Balaam was killed. He had sensed that his end was near when he exclaimed, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!” But he had not chosen to live the life of the righteous, and he died with the enemies of God.

The end of Balaam was similar to that of Judas. Both men tried to unite the service of God with greed for riches, and met with notable failure. Balaam acknowledged the true God; Judas believed in Jesus. Balaam hoped to make the service of Jehovah the steppingstone to wealth  and worldly honor; Judas expected by his connection with Christ to secure riches and promotion in the worldly kingdom that he believed the Messiah was about to set up. Both Balaam and Judas received great light, but a single cherished sin poisoned the entire character and caused their destruction.

Little by little, one cherished sin will disgrace the character. Giving in to one evil habit breaks down the defenses of the heart and mind and opens the way for Satan to lead us away from God. The only safe way is to pray, as David did, “Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip” (Psalm 17:5).