The Hired Prophet!

Scripture(s): Numbers 23:11-12

Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!" He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

Commentary:
In this chapter we have Balak and Balaam busy at work to do Israel a mischief, and, for ought that appears, neither Moses nor the elders of Israel know any thing of the matter, nor are in a capacity to break the snare; but God, who keeps Israel, and neither slumbers nor sleeps, baffles the attempt, without any intercession or contrivance of theirs. Here is, I. The first attempt to curse Israel. 1. The preparation made for it by sacrifice (v. 1-3). 2. The contrary instruction God gave Balaam (v. 4, 5). 3. The blessing Balaam was compelled to pronounce upon Israel, instead of a curse (v. 7–10). 4. The great disappointment of Balak (v. 11, 12). II. The second attempt, in the same manner made, and in the same manner frustrated (v. 13–26) (Henry, 1996).

III. We are told, 1. How Balak fretted at it, v. 11. He pretended to honour the Lord with his sacrifices, and to wait for the answer God would send him; and yet, when it did not prove according to his mind, he forgot God, and flew into a great passion against Balaam, as if it had been purely his doing: "What hast thou done unto me! How hast thou disappointed me!’’ Sometimes God makes the enemies of his church a vexation one to another, while he that sits in heaven laughs at them, and the efforts of their impotent malice. 2. How Balaam was forced to acquiesce in it. He submits because he cannot help it, and yet humours the thing with no small address, as if he had been peculiarly conscientious, answering Balak with the gravity of a prophet: Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord has put in my mouth? v. 12. Thus a confession of God’s overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet, to the further confusion of a wicked prince (Henry, 1996).
 
Reflection:
Balaam is a hired prophet, who is encouraged to seek the will and word of the Lord on behalf of Balak. However, the word that comes back from God through the mouth of His prophet, is a word that does not satisfy Balak. Balak wants God to curse His own people. The word that comes back is blessings, and not cursings. Therefore, Balak becomes angry with Balaam because Balaam chose to speak what God had told him to speak. Balaam refused to speak against the chosen people of God. Even though Balak kept trying to move the hand of God with multiple offerings to curse the people, God refused to change His mind about what He had spoken over the lives of His people. The more that Balak tried to manipulate the situation, the more God blessed His people through the mouth of His prophet. Balak did not realize that the prophet of God could not be bought, and kept trying to get him to agree with his deceitful evil ways; but Balaam feared God and not man. Therefore, his heart was fixed, and no manner of itimidation, manipulation, or control; could ultimately change who he believed in, and make him go against what He believed.

There is not enough money in the world that should make us bow down, to the small minds of those that do not speak what God speaks. What God speaks is the authority, anything else is meaningless. It does not matter how much someone tries to put us into a box about what we can or cannot do. It does not matter if someone tries to manipulate a situation to their advantage concerning the blessings that have already been activated by the spoken word of God. God has the ultimate say about everything. He will not reverse the blessings that He has ordained before we were even born. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and He also knows that we will miss the mark sometimes. Nevertheless, God is not a man that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? The blessings spoken forth out of the Mouth of God are utterly irreversible, and no one can curse whom God has blessed. Let us remember not to take the Grace of God in vain with lives that do not reflect His character.

Strong's Concordance Definitions:

Balak = "devastator" - 1111

1) a king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel

Balaam - 1109
Balaam = "not of the people"

n pr m
1) the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy

What hast thou done: 6213
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

a) (Qal)
1) to do, work, make, produce
a) to do
b) to work
c) to deal (with)
d) to act, act with effect, effect
2) to make
a) to make
b) to produce
c) to prepare
d) to make (an offering)
e) to attend to, put in order
f) to observe, celebrate
g) to acquire (property)
h) to appoint, ordain, institute
i) to bring about
j) to use
k) to spend, pass
b) (Niphal)
1) to be done
2) to be made
3) to be produced
4) to be offered
5) to be observed
6) to be used
c) (Pual) to be made
2) (Piel) to press, squeeze

unto me? I took: 3947
1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away

a) (Qal)
1) to take, take in the hand
2) to take and carry along
3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away
4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept
5) to take up or upon, put upon
6) to fetch
7) to take, lead, conduct
8) to take, capture, seize
9) to take, carry off
10) to take (vengeance)
b) (Niphal)
1) to be captured
2) to be taken away, be removed
3) to be taken, brought unto
c) (Pual)
1) to be taken from or out of
2) to be stolen from
3) to be taken captive
4) to be taken away, be removed
d) (Hophal)
1) to be taken unto, be brought unto
2) to be taken out of
3) to be taken away
e) (Hithpael)
1) to take hold of oneself
2) to flash about (of lightning)

to curse: 6895
1) to curse, utter a curse against

a) (Qal) to curse

mine enemies: 341
1) (Qal) enemy
a) personal
b) national

thou hast blessed them altogether: 1288
1) to bless, kneel

a) (Qal)
1) to kneel
2) to bless
b) (Niphal) to be blessed, bless oneself
c) (Piel) to bless
d) (Pual) to be blessed, be adored
e) (Hiphil) to cause to kneel
f) (Hithpael) to bless oneself
2) (TWOT) to praise, salute, curse

References:

Blue Letter Bible. "Book of Numbers 23 - (NASB - New American Standard Bible)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2010. 2 Mar 2010. http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Num&c=23&t=NASB


Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on Numbers 23." . Blue Letter Bible. 1 Mar 1996. 2010. 2 Mar 2010. http:// www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?
AuthorID=4&contentID=770&commInfo=5&topic=Numbers&
ar=Num_23_11

Higgins, S. (2010). Prophet For Hire. Devotions For Thought. Higgins Publishing. Http://www.devotionsforthoughtblogspot.com, Http://www.higginspublishing.com