What can we learn from God's question to Balaam about seeking divine guidance? Setting the Scene “Then God came to Balaam and asked, ‘Who are these men with you?’ ” (Numbers 22:9). Balaam, a pagan diviner with a reputation for effective blessings and curses, has just welcomed emissaries from Balak, king of Moab, who will pay handsomely if Balaam will curse Israel. God breaks in with a searching question. The Question That Exposes Motives • God knew exactly who the visitors were; His question draws Balaam to examine his own heart. • By asking, “Who are these men with you?” the Lord highlights Balaam’s misplaced alliance—he is entertaining enemies of God’s people. • Similar divine questions in Scripture—“Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9) and “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9)—serve to uncover motives and invite honest self-assessment. Lessons on Seeking Divine Guidance • Check the company you keep – Guidance begins with separating from influences that pull us away from God (Psalm 1:1). – Balaam’s willingness to host Balak’s princes blurred his discernment. • Expose motives before the Lord – God’s question forced Balaam to voice whom he was serving: lucrative patrons or the living God? – Jeremiah 17:10: “I, the LORD, search the heart; I test the mind.” • Seek God first, not as an afterthought – Balaam consulted God only after the invitation arrived; contrast with Proverbs 3:5–6—“Trust in the LORD with all your heart… He will make your paths straight.” • Obedience outweighs opportunity – No promise of reward compensates for disobedience (Matthew 16:26). – Later, Balaam’s greed overrules God’s clear “No” (Numbers 22:12), leading to judgment (2 Peter 2:15-16). • Accept the first answer God gives – Balaam returned to ask again, hoping God would change His mind. James 1:6 warns against double-mindedness. – God permits Balaam to go (Numbers 22:20) but sends the Angel of the LORD to oppose him—proof that persistent bargaining can meet divine discipline. • Align desires with God’s will – Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart”—not granting every wish, but shaping desires to match His. Supporting Passages That Clarify Guidance • Psalm 32:8—“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.” • Isaiah 55:8-9—God’s thoughts and ways exceed ours; seek His perspective. • Proverbs 14:12—What seems right can end in death; Scripture is the plumb line. • James 4:3—Wrong motives sabotage prayer. • 1 Kings 22:14—Micaiah: “What the LORD says to me, that I will speak,” a model Balaam should have followed. Putting It Into Practice • Before major decisions, ask: “Lord, who or what am I welcoming into my life right now?” • Compare every opportunity with God’s revealed Word; if it contradicts Scripture, the answer is settled. • Cultivate contentment; a heart freed from greed hears God more clearly (1 Timothy 6:6-10). • Surround yourself with God-fearing counsel, not flattering emissaries (Proverbs 27:6). • When God speaks through His Word, respond with immediate, uncomplicated obedience—no second rounds of negotiation. |
    |