In writing to the seven churches in the book of Revelation John gave dire warning regarding apostasy that was already brewing within their congregations. To the church at Smyrna he wrote, “I know the slander of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they really aren’t because theirs is the synagogue of Satan.” 623 The Lord reveals to church members at Philadelphia how He will ultimately deal with those who make this false identity, “I will force those who belong to Satan – those liars who say they are Jews but are not – to come and bow down at your feet.” 624 But to Pergamum John provides a biblical example exposing the fake news of these fake Jews. “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam.“ 625 You might say, “what in the world is the doctrine of Balaam?” Well, to find out we need to do a more comprehensive review of God’s commitment regarding His promise to bring Israel back into possession of their promised land.
Balaam was a Gentile prophet at the time the Israelites were encamped near the Jordan River in preparation for crossing over into their promised land. 626 Balak, a local Moabite king, was frightened by the Hebrews because he heard how God had given them success in conquering the Amorites. When he saw how many of them there was, he was doubly frightened. In an attempt to thwart God’s purpose of restoring the Israelites to their home land Balak “sent this message to request Balaam come to help him: ‘A vast horde of people (Israelites) has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me. Please come and curse them for me because they are so numerous. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on people you bless. I also know that the people you curse are doomed.’”
Balak was hoping to reverse God’s purposes by cursing what the Lord had blessed, Israel, and blessing what God had not, Gentile people like his own who at the time were inhabiting Canaan. To accomplish this plan of action he sought out Balaam and offered to pay him handsomely for the deed. In his heart Balaam really wanted to assist the king because he had been offered gain to do it. But “God told Balaam, ‘You are not to curse these people (the Israelites), for I have blessed them.’” But Balak persisted in offering more reward, and Balaam continued on hoping to receive God’s approval in the matter. What followed next is the stuff that children’s bedtime stories are made of. The next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and went to meet Balak, “but God was furious that Balaam was going.” Balaam’s story should scare the living daylight out of anyone who seeks their own personal gain by trying to do what the Lord has forbidden them to do. And, the Lord comes up with some of the most interesting ways to stop those who oppose His will. In Balaam’s case the Lord gave the ability of human speech to his donkey thereby saving his life from a mighty angel with sword drawn. Yet, unbelievably after brushing with divine punishment Balaam still pressed onward! The Lord then told him, “Go with these men (Balak’s officials), but you may say only what I tell you to say.” Upon meeting Balak Balaam told him, “I have come, but I have no power to say just anything. I will speak only the messages that God gives me.”
Balak then took Balaam to a mountain top where he could see the Israelite encampment and pronounce a curse upon them. “This was the prophecy Balaam delivered: ‘Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills.’ ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel’s doom.’ But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned? I see them from the cliff tops; I watch them from the hills. I see a people who live by themselves, set apart from other nations. Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust? Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people? Let me die like the righteous; let my life end like theirs.’ Then Balak demanded of Balaam, ‘What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!’ But Balaam replied, ‘Can I say anything except what the Lord tells me?’”
“Then king Balak told him, ‘Come with me to another place. There you will see only a portion of the nation of Israel. Curse at least that many.’” After Balaam consulted with the Lord he returned and prophesied to the king, “Rise up, Balak, and listen… God is not a man that he should lie. He is not a human, that he should change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? I received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! No misfortune is in sight for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the Lord their God is with them; he has been proclaimed their king. God has brought them out of Egypt… No curse can touch Jacob; no sorcery has any power against Israel. For now it will be said of Jacob, ‘What wonders God has done for Israel…’ Then Balak said to Balaam, ‘If you aren’t going to curse them, at least don’t bless them!’ But Balaam replied, ‘Didn’t I tell you that I must do whatever the Lord tells me?’”
How could anyone reading this story somehow twist their mind to believe that God’s curse is upon Israel? By this time even Balaam had come to this conclusion of the Lord’s fidelity to the descendants of Abraham. However, they say “third time is a charm,” but “they” who made this saying up probably never tried to curse what God has blessed. One last time “King Balak said to Balaam ‘Come, I will take you to yet another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them from there…’ By now Balaam realized that the Lord intended to bless Israel, so he did not resort to divination as he often did. Instead, he turned and looked out toward the wilderness, where he saw the people of Israel camped, tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, and this is the prophecy he delivered: ‘This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of the man whose eyes see clearly, who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty… How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob; how lovely are your homes, O Israel… God brought them up from Egypt… He devours all the nations that oppose him… Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to arouse her? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you.’”
So, what does this drawn-out story have to do with Why Christianity? What is about to come out of Balaam’s mouth next is one of the greatest prophecies concerning Jesus Christ in the entire Bible. “King Balak flew into a rage against Balaam. He angrily clapped his hands and shouted, ‘I called you to curse my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them three times. Now get out of here! Go back home! I had planned to reward you richly, but the Lord has kept you from your reward.’ Balaam told Balak, ‘Don’t you remember what I told your messengers? I said, ‘Even if Balak were to give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I am powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord.’ I told you that I could only say what the Lord says! Now I am returning to my own people. But first let me tell you what the Israelites will do to your people in the future.’ This is the prophecy Balaam delivered: ‘I SEE HIM, BUT NOT IN THE PRESENT TIME. I PERCEIVE HIM, BUT FAR IN THE DISTANT FUTURE. A STAR WILL RISE FROM JACOB; A SCEPTER WILL EMERGE FROM ISRAEL. It will crush the foreheads of Moab’s people… Edom (Esau’s descendants) will be taken over… while Israel continues on in triumph. A RULER WILL RISE IN JACOB … ’”
Now a “star” in those days symbolized a “god.” So what Balaam foretold was that GOD will some day in the future “emerge from Israel.” In asking Why Christianity shouldn’t we also ask, “Did Jesus not emerge from Israel as a descendant of Jacob?” If so, is it any wonder then that Satan was working through King Balak to entice Balaam to reverse God’s blessing of Israel because guess what, no Israel means no Jesus. This is the “doctrine of Balaam” John said was permeating into the teachings of early Christianity. Just as the Lord used Israel to deliver the Messiah at His first advent, He is going to use Israel to birth His second coming, and the devil doesn’t want that! Selling false eschatological propaganda from a westernized Christian point of view has become a major money-making business. Peter warned, “there were false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you… They have wandered off the right road and followed the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong.” 627 All of the Apostles saw the apostasy coming and tried to alert us future Christians about it. Jude wrote, “some godless people have wormed their way in among you… Like Balaam, they will do anything for money.” 628
623 Revelation 2:9
624 Revelation 3:9
625 Revelation: 2:14; NKJV
626 The story of Balaam is told in Numbers chapters 22-24. The quotes used in retelling this story are not individually cited. The author leaves it up to readers to scrutinize the telling of this story with what the biblical record states.
627 2 Peter 2:1-16
628 Jude 4-11