And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
God told Balaam plainly not to accompany Balak's messengers and not to curse Israel because Israel was under divine blessing. That blessing meant God and His angels were with His people, so no human curse or hostile power could harm them while they remained faithful. Balaam already knew he should refuse the bribes and send the messengers away, but greed for gifts and honor and pride in his reputation as a prophet led him to ask God anyway. His fear of God's power restrained open disobedience, yet his love of gain was unsubdued and made him eager to go if permitted. God's later allowance for him to go did not cancel this clear prohibition, showing that persistent pleading for one's own way may be granted without proving the course right.
Context and Divine Prohibition
God answered Balaam in the night through an angel after Balaam had kept Balak's messengers and asked to inquire, even though he already knew the answer. His duty had already been plain to refuse Balak's rewards and dismiss the elders of Moab and Midian, and he knew his curse could not harm Israel. He inquired anyway because covetousness was stirred by their presents, by costly gifts and by prospective exaltation. Pride was also stirred by being told that those he blessed were blessed and those he cursed were cursed.
Though professing to be God's prophet and to obey strictly, he tried to comply with Balak and pursued the favor, honor and rewards of God's enemies. He had once been a good man and God's prophet but had apostatized to love the wages of unrighteousness. Fear of God's power still held ascendency over his covetous disposition and kept him from open disobedience. Yet love of honor and gain was striving hard for mastery and was not subdued, so he would have gratified his covetousness if he had dared and was anxious to be granted the privilege of going.
God directly forbade him both to go with the messengers and to curse Israel, because Israel was blessed. To be blessed meant Israel was conducted under the banner of the God of Heaven with God on their side and angels present. So long as they were true to Him no adverse power of earth or hell could prevail against them. No human curse or magic could retard their progress or bring a curse upon them. God's power instead brought blessings and prophecies in their favor that human scheming could not turn into a curse.
Balaam reluctantly dismissed the messengers in the morning without faithfully conveying God's warning that efforts against Israel would end in their own destruction. He urged them to remain that night so he could inquire of God again. He asked again after more honorable messengers offered greater inducements because he was eager for the promised reward.
Warnings and Present Applications
God had already made His will unmistakably clear in forbidding Balaam to go with Balak's messengers or to curse Israel because Israel was blessed, yet Balaam, who already knew that will, asked again after more honorable messengers offered greater inducements because he was eager for the promised reward. His greed for reward and his desire for honor led him to seek another answer and to pursue his own inclinations, and God then permitted him to go. That later permission did not erase the will already expressed, for persistent requests for permission to follow one's own desires may be granted so that a person is left to follow his own course rather than God's expressed will. The resulting experience is no proof that the choice was right. No human curse could hinder Israel's progress under God's protection.
Balak conducted Balaam from one point to another in the vain hope of inducing him to change the blessing of Israel into a curse, but he failed completely, for God's blessing stands and cannot be turned into a curse by human scheming. This shows that one sustained by divine power stays firm as a rock under repeated efforts to move him, with human applause and the fear of man alike powerless to shake his decision. Balaam's mistreatment of his donkey while pursuing his own way was contrary to God's will, and an angel stood ready to destroy him. The account warns that God sees cruelty toward animals and holds people accountable for it.
Balaam illustrates how selfishness and covetousness can lead people to work against God when they leave Him out of their hearts and plans. He proved unfaithful to his trust, and if he had been permitted he would have placed God's people in a false light. The same episode applies to rulers and other dignitaries who may be called upon to curse God's people: their rank and boasts do not outweigh God's supreme authority, and God's people are to pray.
God told Balaam plainly not to accompany Balak's messengers and not to curse Israel because Israel was under divine blessing. That blessing meant God and His angels were with His people, so no human curse or hostile power could harm them while they remained faithful. Balaam already knew he should refuse the bribes and send the messengers away, but greed for gifts and honor and pride in his reputation as a prophet led him to ask God anyway. His fear of God's power restrained open disobedience, yet his love of gain was unsubdued and made him eager to go if permitted. God's later allowance for him to go did not cancel this clear prohibition, showing that persistent pleading for one's own way may be granted without proving the course right.
Context and Divine Prohibition
God answered Balaam in the night through an angel after Balaam had kept Balak's messengers and asked to inquire, even though he already knew the answer. His duty had already been plain to refuse Balak's rewards and dismiss the elders of Moab and Midian, and he knew his curse could not harm Israel. He inquired anyway because covetousness was stirred by their presents, by costly gifts and by prospective exaltation. Pride was also stirred by being told that those he blessed were blessed and those he cursed were cursed.
Though professing to be God's prophet and to obey strictly, he tried to comply with Balak and pursued the favor, honor and rewards of God's enemies. He had once been a good man and God's prophet but had apostatized to love the wages of unrighteousness. Fear of God's power still held ascendency over his covetous disposition and kept him from open disobedience. Yet love of honor and gain was striving hard for mastery and was not subdued, so he would have gratified his covetousness if he had dared and was anxious to be granted the privilege of going.
God directly forbade him both to go with the messengers and to curse Israel, because Israel was blessed. To be blessed meant Israel was conducted under the banner of the God of Heaven with God on their side and angels present. So long as they were true to Him no adverse power of earth or hell could prevail against them. No human curse or magic could retard their progress or bring a curse upon them. God's power instead brought blessings and prophecies in their favor that human scheming could not turn into a curse.
Balaam reluctantly dismissed the messengers in the morning without faithfully conveying God's warning that efforts against Israel would end in their own destruction. He urged them to remain that night so he could inquire of God again. He asked again after more honorable messengers offered greater inducements because he was eager for the promised reward.
Warnings and Present Applications
God had already made His will unmistakably clear in forbidding Balaam to go with Balak's messengers or to curse Israel because Israel was blessed, yet Balaam, who already knew that will, asked again after more honorable messengers offered greater inducements because he was eager for the promised reward. His greed for reward and his desire for honor led him to seek another answer and to pursue his own inclinations, and God then permitted him to go. That later permission did not erase the will already expressed, for persistent requests for permission to follow one's own desires may be granted so that a person is left to follow his own course rather than God's expressed will. The resulting experience is no proof that the choice was right. No human curse could hinder Israel's progress under God's protection.
Balak conducted Balaam from one point to another in the vain hope of inducing him to change the blessing of Israel into a curse, but he failed completely, for God's blessing stands and cannot be turned into a curse by human scheming. This shows that one sustained by divine power stays firm as a rock under repeated efforts to move him, with human applause and the fear of man alike powerless to shake his decision. Balaam's mistreatment of his donkey while pursuing his own way was contrary to God's will, and an angel stood ready to destroy him. The account warns that God sees cruelty toward animals and holds people accountable for it.
Balaam illustrates how selfishness and covetousness can lead people to work against God when they leave Him out of their hearts and plans. He proved unfaithful to his trust, and if he had been permitted he would have placed God's people in a false light. The same episode applies to rulers and other dignitaries who may be called upon to curse God's people: their rank and boasts do not outweigh God's supreme authority, and God's people are to pray.