How should Balaam's obedience in Numbers 23:7 influence our response to God's commands? Setting the scene Balak, king of Moab, desperately wanted Israel cursed. He hired Balaam, a well-known seer, to speak that curse. Yet Balaam had already heard from the LORD and knew he could only say what God allowed. Numbers 23:7 captures the dramatic moment when Balaam opens his mouth: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel!’ ” What Balaam actually did • He showed up—but under God’s terms, not Balak’s. • He acknowledged man’s demand while refusing to comply with it. • He spoke only what God put in his mouth (v. 12). • He repeated this obedience every time Balak pressed him (23:26; 24:13). Key observations about Balaam’s obedience 1. Immediate alignment with God’s prior command – The command was clear in 22:12. Balaam did not reinterpret it to fit the king’s wishes. 2. Costly integrity – Turning down a king’s reward risked political wrath and personal loss (22:17-18). 3. Verbal faithfulness – Balaam didn’t dilute or embellish God’s word. He transmitted it unchanged (23:12). 4. Consistent repetition – Three separate oracles, same position: bless whom God blesses, curse whom He curses (24:10-13). Why this matters for us • God’s word still outranks every other voice (Acts 5:29). • Temptation often arrives wrapped in social pressure, prestige, or financial gain (1 Timothy 6:9-10). • Obedience is measured not only by what we do, but by what we say—and refuse to say (James 3:9-10). • Faithfulness today sets the pattern for faithfulness tomorrow; compromise works the same way (Luke 16:10). Practical ways to respond to God’s commands • Treat Scripture as the final authority, even when culture or friends urge another route (John 17:17). • Count the cost beforehand; decide that no bribe or threat will move you (Daniel 3:16-18). • Speak truth without editing it to sound more acceptable (Ephesians 4:25). • Ask God for strength to obey repeatedly, not just once (Galatians 6:9). • Remember that obedience releases blessing to others—Israel received blessing because Balaam stayed true (Genesis 12:2-3; Numbers 24:5-9). Living it out today The next time a command of God collides with the expectations of people, recall Balaam on that ridge: a single man, pressed by a king, still voicing only what the LORD had said. Let his costly obedience inspire the same unwavering response in our own lives, so that, like Balaam, we can say, “Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?” (Numbers 23:12). |
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