“Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” – Numbers 22:38 {ESV}
“And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?” – Numbers 23:12 {ESV}
“Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” – Numbers 24:11-12 {ESV}
The account of the prophet Balaam in the book of Numbers is an interesting read. We meet him as a pagan soothsayer of Mesopotamia whom God chose to utilize to pronounce a blessing upon Israel as they were moving from Egypt toward the Promised Land. Balaam is enigmatic as we struggle to learn if he is one of the good guys or one of the bad. My personal opinion is that he was a bad man who did some good things – he’s certainly no spiritual role model. No doubt that he had a powerful reputation as a man of pagan prophecy because Balak, a king intimidated by the massive population of Israel, called upon him to curse them. It was in this scenario that Balaam committed in the first two verses above to speak only the words that Israel’s God would put in his mouth. Balak sought to bribe him to speak a definite curse on Israel and it would seem that Balaam would have enjoyed accepting the payment but found himself unable to resist God. As Balaam went with the delegation sent by the bribing king, God did something so incredibly odd that it could only be viewed as a freakish miracle: God made Balaam’s donkey into a messenger. You just need to re-read the strange account of Numbers 22:22-35 and accept the fact that God is never at a loss to get His word through to mankind. All preachers reading this should be humbled by knowing that God can use a “dumb ass” (KJV rendering) to do what we do each and every Sunday in the pulpit!
Balak the king is not used to not getting his way so he ups the bribe and yet Balaam still speaks the words of God and blesses Israel. I’m amazed that this halfhearted “prophet for hire” seems to understand something that modern day Christians forget: God’s word is authoritative.
No matter how uncomfortable we find it or how harshly it grates against the grain of our culture, God has spoken truth and it will stand.
Why are the foolish prophets of our day replacing God’s exclamation points with man’s question marks? Could you imagine the audacity of presumably speaking for God but refusing to honor His own message? I refrain from mentioning well-known names but when preachers refuse to speak what Scripture has spoken they need to vacate the pulpits and make a career out of selling soothing hand cream on QVC or something. Balaam was certainly no model for righteousness but he definitely appears more humbly intelligent than the ecclesiastical buffoons of our day who have cloaked the truth of God in the mildewed shroud of man. I’d rather sit under the ministry of Balaam and his Associate Pastor, Reverend Donkeytalk, than some of the subtly sinister ministerial magicians of our present day.
Ultimately King Balak said something we should remember as I finish today. It’s the 3rd verse I listed at the top. When Balaam chose to speak God’s truth and forego the offered bribe, Balak said, “Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” Balaam, in being true as the oracle of God for that hour, forfeited honor from man. That’s the way it is, folks. We cannot have both in this life. If you are living to please the people of this age then you will have to commit to a life of displeasing God. We are not called by Christ to be appeasing diplomats but, rather, representative ambassadors. Our King selects us, sends us and speaks through us. Live his message before the eyes and ears of those who are listening. Believe what He teaches, say what He decrees, resist what He forbids and…for His name’s sake…quit currying favor from people who will perish. There is only One whose honor I crave. If I must find affirmation and reward then I must receive it from my Lord. He may decree that I must wait until I stand in His presence before I ever hope to receive that affirmation from on high. May His grace make me fit to hear those words we long for: Well done, thou good and faithful servant.
If a donkey can obey and speak His message, can’t we?
“The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak” A solemn charge and constraint to all who may be seeking to prepare to preach soon (or at any time)
God bless you! My heart rejoices that you speak the Word of God and not of your own. It is a blessing in my life and God is worthy!!!