Numbers Lesson #27

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
NUMBERS 23
LESSON #27
THE COMMONALITY OF THE ERROR OF BALAAM

v     MEMORY VERSE: 2PETER 2:15

v     READ NUM 23:1-4 BALAAM’S 7 ALTARS

Ø      BALAAM AND BALAK MADE A GRAND DEMONSTRATIONOF OFFERING ANIMAL SACRIFICES TO GOD. SEVEN IS THE NUMBER OF PERFECTION OR COMPLETENESS.

§         DO YOU KNOW THAT NO MATTERHOW WONDERFUL YOUR OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES TO GOD OF TIME, MONEY, AND EFFORT, THEY WILLNEVER CHANGE GOD’S MIND FROM HIS PERFECT PLAN? YOU CANNOT BRIBE GOD TO INFLUENCE HIMTO DO SOMETHING THAT IS AGAINST HIS PERFECT WILL.

v     READ NUM 23:5-12 BALAAM’S FIRST PROPHECY

Ø      BALAAM SPOKE WHAT GOD TOLD HIM TO SAY. BUT ITWAS NOT WHAT BALAK WANTED TO HEAR.

§         THE CONTENTS OF BALAAM’SPROPHECY:

·        THE ISRAELITES WILL REMAIN ASEPARATE NATION. (9)

¨      THIS MEANS THEY WILL NEVER BE TOTALLYCONQUERED BY ANOTHER NATION AND ASSIMILATED SO THAT THEY CEASE TO EXIST.  THIS PROPHECY IS STILL TRUE TODAY. THE JEWS REMAINA SEPARATE PEOPLE.

Ø      MANY BIBLICAL NATIONS AND PEOPLES HAVEDISAPPEARED IN THE COURSE OF HISTORY, BUT GOD’S MIRACLE IS THE PRESERVATION OF THEJEWS AS A SEPARATE PEOPLE.

·        A PERSONAL PROPHECY TO BALAAM(10):

¨      BALAAM DESIRED TO DIE RIGHTEOUS. HE WANTED TOGO TO HEAVEN SOME DAY AND LIVE WITH GOD FOREVER. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT WANT TO LIVE ARIGHTEOUS LIFE IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD.

Ø      IN THE END, HE NOT ONLY LIVED AN UNRIGHTEOUSLIFE, BUT HE DIED UNRIGHTEOUS.                                                            .

v     READ NUM 23:13-24 BALAAM’S SECOND PROPHECY

Ø      BALAK THOUGHT THAT THE SIZE OF THE CAMP OFISRAEL FRIGHTENED BALAAAM, SO HE TOOK HIM TO A MOUNTAIN WHERE HE COULD ONLY SEE PART OFTHE CAMP. AGAIN THEY OFFERED SACRIFICES FROM SEVEN MORE ALTARS FROM A DIFFERENT MOUNTAIN.                                           

§         THE CONTENTS OF BALAAM’SPROPHECY (19-24):

·        -1.  GOD IS NOT LIKE MEN THAT FREQUENTLY LIE. HE ISFAITHFUL TO FULFIL HIS WORD.

·        -2.  GOD DOES NOT SEE THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.

¨      FROM OUR STUDY OF NUMBERS WE HAVE SEEN THATTHE ISRAELITES SINNED OFTEN.  THEIR SINS OFCOMPLAINING AND UNBELIEF PLAGUED THEM FOR 40 YEARS AS THEY WANDERED IN THE WILDERNESS.BALAAM KNEW OF THEIR SINS. THEREFORE, HE THOUGHT GOD WOULD CURSE THE ISRAELITES AS APUNISHMENT FOR THEIR MANY SINS. HE DECIDED THAT HE WOULD BENEFIT FINANCIALLY FROM WHAT HEBELIEVED GOD WOULD DO TO PUNISH THE ISRAELITES. BALAAM DID NOT UNDERSTAND GOD.

Ø      HOW COULD GOD SAY HE DID NOT SEE THEIR SINS?

§         WHEN SIN WAS COVERED BY THEBLOOD OF ANIMALS, GOD DID NOT LOOK AT THE REALITY OF THEIR SIN, BUT AT THEIR POSITION OFRIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH FORGIVENESS.

·        GOD LOOKS AT THE NEW TESTAMENTBELIEVER IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. WHEN OUR SIN IS COVERED BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, GOD DOESNOT SEE OUR SIN, BUT HE SEES THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS CHRIST WHOSE BLOOD HAS REMOVED OURSINS FROM US.(EPH 1:4)

§         LET US UNDERSTAND GOD IN AMORE PERFECT WAY:

·        WHEN A BELIEVER SINS, HE DOES NOTCOME UNDER THE CONDEMNING HAND OF GOD. HE COMES UNDER THE DISCIPLINING HAND OF GOD. OURRELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS ONE OF A CHILD TO A PARENT.

¨      DISCUSSION:

¨      WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CONDEMNINGHAND OF GOD AND THE DISCIPLINING HAND OF GOD? 

¨      READ HEB 12:6-11

·        -3.  GOD’S PERSONAL PRESENCE WAS WITH THE PEOPLEOF ISRAEL. BALAAM THOUGHT GOD’S PRESENCE WOULD LEAVE THE ISRAELITES BECAUSE OF THEIRSIN. HE WAS WRONG.

¨      WHEN WE SIN, GOD DOES NOT FORSAKE US, BUTCONTINUES TO WORK WITH US TO BRING US TO REPENTANCE.

·        -4.  THE POWERS OF DARKNESS HAVE NO EFFECT ON GOD’SPEOPLE BECAUSE GOD IS IN CONTROL.

¨      SOMETIMES GOD PERMITS SATAN TO HAVE A CERTAINLATITUDE THAT GOD USES TO DISCIPLINE US, BUT IT IS ALWAYS UNDER GOD’S CONTROL.

·        -5.  THE SHOUT OF A KING IS AMONG THEM.

¨      THIS IS A REFERENCE TO JESUS CHRIST, THE KINGOF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. THE MESSIAH WOULD ONLY COME THROUGH THE JEWS.

·        -6.  HE HAS THE STRENGTH OF A “UNICORN” =WILD OX. THE HEBREW WORD IS MORE ACCURATELY LIKE A WILD OX.

¨      THERE IS NO SUCH ANIMAL AS A UNICORN.

·        -7.  THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WILL BE A MIRACULOUS MARVELOF THE POWER OF GOD. THEY WILL SAY, “WHAT HAS GOD DONE?”

¨      THROUGH HISTORY, THE JEWS ARE GOD’SMIRACLE IN ACTION. EVERYTHING IN GOD’S PLAN REVOLVES AROUND ISRAEL AND THE JEWS.

·        -8.  THE ISRAELITES WOULD BE STRONG LIKE A LION ANDDEVOUR THEIR ENEMIES.

¨      THE REFERENCE TO A LION IS AGAIN A REFERENCETO JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH.

Ø      THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR ENEMIES IS A WARNINGTO BALAK THAT HE CANNOT WIN IN WAR AGAINST THE ISRAELITES.

§         BALAK’S RESPONSE:

·        IF YOU CAN’T CURSE THEM,KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

v     APPLICATION:

Ø      READ JUDE 10-13

§         WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE“ERROR OF BALAAM”?

·        BALAAM ASSUMED HE KNEW WHAT GODWAS LIKE WHEN IN REALITY HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD, NOR HOW GODDEALS WITH HIS CHILDREN.

¨      MANYCHRISTIANS DO NOT UNDERSTAND GOD IN THE SAME WAY AS BALAAM. THEREFORE THEY FALL INTO THE“ERROR OF BALAAM”. THEIR VIEW OF GOD IS BASED ON WHATEVER THEY DECIDE IS GOODFOR THEMSELVES PERSONALLY.

v     HOMEWORK

v     NUMBERS24

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY.PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER.

 

v     APPLICATION OF NUM 23

Ø      THINK ABOUT YOUR VIEW OF GOD AND THE EVENTSIN YOUR OWN LIFE.

§         ARE YOU GUILTY OF THE“ERROR OF BALAAM”?  IN WHAT WAYS?

v     PREPARATION FOR NUM 24

Ø      READ NUM 24

§         WHAT WAS BALAAM’STHIRD PROPHECY? (24:1-14)

§         WHAT WAS BALAAM’SFOURTH PROPHECY? (24:15-25)

§         DISCUSSION:  HOW CAN YOU TELL IF A PROPHECY IS FROM GOD?

v     MEMORY VERSE: MAT 7:15