Message to Pergamos and Thyatira (3)

 Balaam

This Old Testament figure was “the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia” (Deuteronomy 23:4). His name, Balaam, “can mean to 'conquer the people' (Heb. Ba'al'am), which means the same as 'Nicolaitans,' and since they are mentioned together in this letter [Revelation], both groups may be closely related” ( Expositor's Bible Commentary of the New Testament ).

During the time of Moses, Balak, king of Moab, observed the Israelites' wanderings in the wilderness. After noting the destruction of several armies that attacked them, Balak became concerned about this threat to his nation. He then tried to hire Balaam to curse the Israelites (Numbers 22:1-6). Because the king had observed that those Balaam blessed were blessed and those he cursed were cursed, he sent elders of Moab and Midian to Balaam with a “diviner's fee” to pay for the curse (verses 6-7).

Upon learning of Balak's offer, Balaam seemed willing to make the deal. But there was one problem—God told Balaam that he couldn't go with the elders or curse Israel (verses 7-14). After explaining that God wouldn't let him go with them, the emissaries returned to Balak. The king then sent another party of even higher officials to Balaam and offered to let Balaam set his own price for cursing Israel (verses 15-17). Balaam invited this group to spend the night while he again conferred with God.

“And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, 'If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.' So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab” (verses 20-21). Sadly, Balaam didn't wait to be invited. He was so greedy for “the wages of unrighteousness” (2 Peter 2:15), he was willing to compromise God's explicit instructions.

In his own mind, Balaam probably reasoned that God had given him permission to go. But God was not pleased with Balaam's presumptuous action. “Then God's anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him” (verse 22).

Ironically, God allowed Balaam's donkey to see the danger, but not Balaam himself. Even though the donkey saved Balaam's life three times, Balaam became so upset with his animal that he was ready to kill her. God then allowed the donkey to speak and soon she and Balaam were in a conversation about what had transpired (verses 22-30).

“Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. And the Angel of the Lord said to him, 'Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.' And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, 'I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back'” (verses 31-34).

Apparently humbled, God allowed Balaam to continue with the entourage. Though Balak then took Balaam to several vantage points from which he hoped Balaam would curse Israel, Balaam refused to do so (Numbers 22:41 to Numbers 24). Instead, as God instructed, Balaam blessed Israel.

Unfortunately, Balaam's willingness to follow God's instructions soon waned. As this account eventually concludes, Balaam once again presumptuously compromised God's instructions. Since God wouldn't allow Balaam to directly curse Israel, Balaam gave Balak advice that would lead to the same result: encourage the women of Moab to invite the Israelite men to their sacrifices to Baal-peor and the sexual immorality associated with this pagan religion. When the men of Israel sinned in this way, God punished them Himself (Numbers 25:1-3; 31:16).

The sin of Balaam was compromising God's instructions. Compromise also led some at Pergamos and Thyatira to commit the same sins as the ancient Israelites. As for their mention in Revelation 2, the Expositor's Bible Commentary of the New Testament says, “The combination of 'food sacrificed to idols' with 'sexual immorality' may refer to the common practice of participating in the sacrificial meal of the pagan gods (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:19-22) and indulging in sexual intercourse with temple priestesses in cult prostitution.

“This is the more normal way to understand the term 'sexual immorality' in the context of the pagan gods. Some feel, however, that the term refers to spiritual unfaithfulness and apostasy from Christ (cf. Isaiah 1:21; Ezekiel 23:37). But the prevalence of sexual immorality in first-century pagan society makes it entirely possible that some Christians at Pergamum were still participating in the holiday festivities and saw no wrong in indulging in the 'harmless' table in the temples and the sexual excitement everyone else was enjoying (cf. 1 John 5:21).”

To be contd.


God bless you all.