What can we learn about God's authority from Balaam's actions in this passage? Setting the scene • Balak’s envoys arrive with money and promises of honor (Numbers 22:7). • Balaam inquires of God and hears a clear “No” (v. 12). • Verse 13 records his response: “So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, ‘Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.’ ” What Balaam’s first response shows about God’s authority • God’s word is final—no debate, no negotiation. – Psalm 33:9-11: “He spoke, and it came to be… The counsel of the LORD stands forever.” • God outranks kings and princes. – Balak is king, yet Balaam’s decision hinges solely on God’s command (cf. Proverbs 21:30). • Obedience is expected immediately. – Balaam “rose in the morning,” indicating prompt submission (compare Genesis 22:3 with Abraham). • God’s “No” protects His people. – Israel is blessed; cursing them would oppose God’s covenant promise (Genesis 12:3). Further Scripture echoes • Isaiah 46:10—God not only speaks; He declares the end from the beginning, underscoring He alone controls outcomes. • Proverbs 19:21—“Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.” • Acts 5:29—“We must obey God rather than men,” a New-Testament echo of Balaam’s moment of clarity. When God’s authority is later resisted • Balaam reopens negotiations (Numbers 22:19-20) and God permits but sternly warns. • The Angel and donkey episode (vv. 22-35) demonstrates God’s right to block a prophet’s path. • Balaam’s eventual downfall (Numbers 31:8, 16) warns that partial or delayed obedience is disobedience. Take-home truths for us • Submit wholeheartedly the first time God speaks; delayed obedience courts danger. • Measure every human request—boss, government, friends—against God’s revealed will. • Trust that God’s prohibitions flow from His covenant love; His “No” is as gracious as His “Yes.” • Stand firm when pressured: “Obedience is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). |
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