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Man, so definitely a fun story here in the book of Numbers. So if you ever thought Numbers was a boring book, then this story with Balaam and his ass is definitely one that, you know, is very interesting. But I want to do a whole sermon about Balaam. Okay, so this is a sermon. It's called Balaam the soothsayer. Balaam the soothsayer. The reason I want to do this sermon is I really, you know, Balaam is one of those characters when you're reading in the Old Testament, you kind of think, well, maybe this is just a good guy that's just kind of getting off course and, you know, he's just, you know, he's just kind of off course, right? But he's not necessarily unsaved or even, you know, a bad guy. But when you read the New Testament, this guy is reprobate. This guy is a false prophet. Okay, so I want to go through this and I want to really just show you even from the Old Testament scriptures how it's very clear that this guy is a false prophet. Okay, and just kind of explaining some of these passages. But first, you know, keep your finger in Numbers chapter 22 because we're obviously going to be in there. But Joshua chapter 13. Go to Joshua chapter 13. It actually calls Balaam the soothsayer. So his moniker is being a soothsayer. Okay, and, you know, a soothsayer, you know, even it talks about the only place really talks about soothsaying is dealing with in the book of Acts where there were people that were doing divination and soothsaying with familiar spirits. Okay, so divination, soothsaying, dealing with familiar spirits, wizards, witches, all that stuff. That all is basically synonymous type of terms. And so Balaam is not a good prophet here. He's not a good guy. Okay, and I kind of want to get into that. Now, in Balaam, I mean, in Joshua chapter 13 verse 22, it says, Balaam also the son of Beor the soothsayer. Okay, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them? So spoiler, he ends up getting killed eventually by the children of Israel. But notice that it says Balaam also the son of Beor the soothsayer. Okay, so basically Balaam the soothsayer. Basically, that's what his moniker is. That's who he is. And we'll see that actually being brought forth when you look at these passages. So chapter 22, 23, and 24 is all about this story with Balaam and Balak and all this stuff that's going on. And so the first thing you see here is that in chapter 22, what's going on? Well, Moab, the king of Moab, Balak, is seeing all of Israel. Now, this is before they go into the Promised Land. They're near Jericho. I mean, they're near where they're going to be going into Jericho. So we're getting towards the point where Joshua is going to go into the Promised Land. But what happens here is Moab is seeing this multitude. They know what happened to the Amorites, what they did to the Amorites, and Bashan, and all this other stuff. And basically, they're hiring Balaam. Balak wants to hire Balaam to curse Israel. Okay, so in verse five there, we see that happening. It says in verse five, it says, So notice how he's even using this terminology. Balak's using this terminology that God said to Abraham, right? Isn't that what God said to Abraham? You know, he who thou blesseth shall be blessed. So he's likening Balaam unto Abraham, like that power that Abraham had. But go to Nehemiah chapter 13, because we see this being brought up later on in the Old Testament, kind of looking back at this, that they hired Balaam. To curse Israel. And just a side note, Balaam is different than Balaam. Okay, Balaam. So it's kind of set, I mean, when you say it, it's going to sound the same. But Balaam, the man Balaam is B-A-L-A-A-M. Balaam, B-A-A-L-I-M, is talking about false gods. Okay, so Baal, B-A-A-L, is like a false god, right? Balaam, when you put the I-M at the end of it, it means it's plural. Okay, so Balaam means gods, plural, right? It's kind of like when you have Cherub, but then you have Cherubim, right? It's talking about the fact that there's multiple of them. But anyway, all that to say is that there is a difference between the man Balaam and Balaam. When you look in the Bible and it says they worship Balaam, they're not talking about the man Balaam, okay? So that's where spelling matters when you're looking at it. But even the way you'd pronounce it is a little different. It's just you don't notice that difference a lot when you're just saying it. Nehemiah chapter 13 verse 1, it says, On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people, and therein was found written that the Ammonite and the Moabites should not come into the congregation of God forever, because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them that he should curse them, albeit God turned the curse into a blessing. So it's talking about why the Moabites not allowed in the congregation because of this event. This is what's and we're going to get into that. But notice that they hired Balaam to curse Israel and God turned it into a blessing. So what we're going to keep seeing here is that Balaam was trying to curse Israel, okay? And a lot of times when you're reading this, you're not really seeing that sense that he's actually really trying to curse Israel, but God won't let him do it, okay? And, but I want you to see first of all, you know, passages, you know, in Numbers 22, where it seems like he's just a good guy that is just one, you know, he can't, you know, basically he wants the money, but he just won't do it because he wants to speak God's word. And it kind of seems like it's saying that, okay? So go to back to Numbers 22, Numbers 22 and verse 9. Numbers 22 and verse 9, it says, So when you read this, doesn't it seem like he's just like, you know, he's just following orders from God, doing what he should be doing. Go to verse 15. Verse 15, it says, So notice how it's even like saying it's my God, okay? So when you read this, doesn't it seem like when you're reading, you're like, oh, you know, he's, you know, it's my God, I can't, you know, God's not letting me go, and basically just kind of holding tight to what God is telling them what to do, right? Because obviously, Balaam is not of Israel, right? He is of the Moab, and he's at Pethor, and basically he's not of that nation or anything like that. But that doesn't mean that there can't be prophets that aren't of Israel, right? We see that there are prophets in other lands and stuff like that. But all that to say is that when you look at that, Pat, when you look at that, and you're reading through here, and there's actually a place in Numbers, I think, 23 or 24, where it says the Spirit of God came upon him. So the reason I'm preaching this sermon is because there are things like that you're like, wait a minute, what in the world? You know, how in the Old Testament is the Spirit of God coming upon, and he's saying, I can't do anything less than more than what my God tells me to do. He refuses to let me go, and what he speaks, that's how I say, you know, it sounds like a good man of God, doesn't it? But when you read the New Testament, it says that he's a well without water, twice dead plucked up by the roots. And you're like, what in the world? So I want to go into that because it's really the Old Testament where you get these stories where you're just like, what's going on? How is this, you know, what's going on with that? Well, first I want to get into this story with what the Bible calls, with the ass. And in the New Testament, it links this, okay? And it talks about the dumb ass speaking with man's voice, okay? And, you know, for children, I remember when I was teaching in Sunday school at Immanuel, at Immanuel, and when I said ass, all the kids just start busting out laughing, right? But that's just, I mean, that's a term for donkey, okay? And the donkey, you will not find that in the Bible. You actually see that the Lord Jesus sat upon the ass, the full of an ass, right? Now, just, you know, kids, why do you think people use that as a derogatory term? Do you want to be called a donkey, right? So you got to think about where that, why that became a bad word, quote unquote. So, you know, obviously when you're reading the Bible and you're talking about the animal, there's nothing wrong with saying the word ass. When we start calling someone that, that's where it's bad. Does that make sense? You know, it'd be kind of like if I started calling someone a big pig, you know, or a swine. Well, the Bible calls people swine. It calls them dogs. And you know what? If it fits, then I'm okay with that. But all that say is that that would be a little crass to say it in that way. But just because an animal's called that in the Bible, this is the pure words of God. So I know, you know, kids are gonna be like, oh, you know, he's, you know, pastors up there. No, I'm not cussing. That's just, you know, that's the Bible term there. But all that say is I want to get into the story because, and some of you may have not known this story, okay? Maybe I'm saying most of you probably do know this story. But this is where the ass actually speaks. An animal talks. You're saying, you know, there's a Bible talk about animals talk. Yes, this is a story where an animal talks, okay? And you say, oh, you know, you're really, no, this is the Bible, okay? And people will mock this. You know, atheists would be like, oh, you know, this is where donkeys talk and stuff like this. This isn't Shrek. This is the Bible, okay? This is true. And the New Testament, you say, well, maybe that was just a figurative story and he didn't really talk. Why does then Peter talk about it and bring that up under the influence, you know, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost? He says that the dumb ass spake with man's voice, okay? And so all that say is that let's get into this story about what's going on here because there's some confusion with this, too, as far as why God was angry with them, okay? Notice in verse 19, it says, now, therefore, I pray you, tell ye also, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more. So he's talking to Balak and he's basically saying, just tarry here and we'll see if the Lord says. So basically at this point, the Lord's not, you know, says, don't go. You can't curse his people. They're blessed. All that, right? And Balak keeps saying, hey, I'm going to give you more honor. I'm going to give you more money. And notice in verse 20 there, it says, and God came unto Balaam at night and said unto him, if the men come to call thee, rise up and go with them. But yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. Now, notice what God says here, and this is where every word is important. This is where people get confused. It says, if the men come to call thee. Notice that's a conditional statement, meaning that you can go. If the men come to call thee. Notice the next verse, and Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass and went with the princes of Moab. Did you see the men come to call him? Now go to the next verse. Now see if this makes sense. And God's anger was kindled because he went. Because you may read this and be like, well, you know, God says you can go and then he goes and then he's angry at him. No, he said, if the men call you. And what did he do? He just got up in the morning and went. Right? So the men didn't call him. He didn't stick with the condition that God told him to do. OK, so there's no contradiction there. There's no saying, well, you know, why is God angry with him? He told him he can go. No, he told me he can go if the men called him. But you don't see anything about the men calling him in the morning. It just says in the morning he rose up and went, saddled his ass, right? OK, so that's one confusion that people have there with this story. But in verse 22, it says, and God's anger was kindled because he went. And the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass and his two servants were with him. Now what's going on here is that basically this angel of the Lord is about to kill Balaam. OK, so God said, if they call you, then you can go. And he didn't. No one called him. He just went. And so God's angry with him. He's about to kill him. OK, but the ass can see this man. So basically what's going on is that he can't see this angel, right? But the ass can. OK, in verse 23, it says, and the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand and the ass turned aside out of the way and went into the field and Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way. So what's going on here? Basically, he's riding upon this ass and the ass sees what's in front. He sees that this angel's with a sword drawn and they're just going straight for this guy, right? But Balaam can't see it. The servants can't see it. No one can see it. And imagine it's an angel, right? So obviously it's probably just not being. He just can't see that spiritual realm. But for some reason, the ass can see it. And so basically he moves out of the way and then he starts hitting them, right? Hits this. This is a funny story. I don't know about you, but this is a funny story to me. I know it's Balaam and he's not doing what the Lord should be doing, but this is funny, okay? And this is why, because he's beating this horse and then the horse starts, I mean, not the horse, but the ass, he's beating this donkey and he's basically saying, the donkey is like, why are you hitting me? Anyway, so in verse 23, I'm sorry, in verse 24, it says, but the angel of the Lord stood in the path of the vineyards and a wall between on this side and a wall on that side. So get the picture. He's kind of going through this narrow passageway where there's a wall on each side. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself onto the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall and he smote her again. So you imagine Balaam's not seeing any of this, right? Basically his ass is just moving out of the way and he's just like, what are you doing? Get back on the path. And then he's going between these walls and the ass just moves over and just smashes his foot into the wall. So you imagine that he's like pretty angry about this. And anyway, so he hits the ass again. At this point, I think it doesn't say that he has anything in his hand, but later on he does. But it says in verse 26, it says, and the angel of the Lord went further and stood in a narrow place where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam and Balaam's anger was kindled and smote the ass with a staff. So now, I don't know if he had the staff before, but he had it now. And so he basically just beaten this donkey with a staff, right? And so basically it just lays down. He can't go anywhere. It just stops and lays down. Okay, now when I used to read this and I thought he fell backwards on him, but it says that he felt that he went down underneath Balaam, not on top of him. So I would really see why he was beating him with a staff if the thing reared up and fell back on him or whatever. But all that to say, notice what happens here. And this is the Bible. This is the narrator speaking here. And this is true. So it says in verse 28, and the Lord opened the mouth of the ass and she said unto Balaam, what have I done unto thee that thou hast smitten me these three times? Now, if you heard an animal speaking to you, okay, would you respond first of all, you know? Notice what Balaam says here. It says, and Balaam said unto the ass, because thou hast mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee. Can you imagine having this conversation, you know, your animal, you imagine you're riding upon this ass and then you're like beating this thing because it won't go anywhere and then it just starts talking, why are you smiting me? You're like, well, because you didn't do this, of course, you know, of course, it's not weird that you're talking to me, right? So it's just a funny story because you're just like, wouldn't you think of me like he was amazed that this animal starts talking to him, right? That his beast starts communicating with him, right? No, he's just like, well, because you got out of the way, of course, you know, I would kill you if I had a sword in my hand. But then it starts talking to him again, right? And so, and it says, in verse 30, it says, and the ass said unto Balaam, am not I thine ass upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? Was I ever want to do so unto thee? And he said, nay. So he's just having a conversation with this animal, right? Now, I just think that's hilarious, right? And I still remember to this day, my friend, Mike Maludich, he was like bored in class, we were in college, and he's bored in class. And he made this cartoon where he drew Balaam in his ass and the ass was like this, like, why are you hitting me? You know, it's just funny. Every time I read this story, it's just hilarious to me. And it's not a funny story, right? Because it's kind of like serious, you know, that God was about to kill Balaam and the ass is just trying to get out of the way so he doesn't die. And later on in the story, he basically says, you know, he sees the angel of the Lord, right? Then God opens his eyes and he sees the angel of the Lord and then he falls down on his face and the angel of the Lord said, listen, I would have killed you and saved her alive, right? Saved the ass alive, okay? But all I'm going to say is that this is obviously a miracle that he opened the ass's mouth to where it could speak. And, you know, it comes down to this. And this is, listen, by the way, this is not a PETA sermon where I'm here to tell you, like, animals have a soul and, like, all this other stuff. No, okay? Animals have spirits, okay? Meaning it talks about the spirit of man that goes upward and the spirit of the beast that goes downward into the earth. And so, but they don't have a soul, okay? They're not a human, they're not a living soul like a human being, but they still can communicate with other animals, right? They, you know, like, you think of dogs, they bark, you know, like, other animals, they communicate, dolphins communicate, you know, whales communicate to each other. And what happens here is a miracle where this animal can actually speak to this man, right? And God obviously allows this to happen. And it's just an interesting, you know, course of events. Now, go to 2 Peter chapter 2 because it brings up this story. And this is where I really want you to see that when you read the New Testament, the New Testament is very clear that Balaam is a false prophet, that Balaam is not saved. And it brings up this story. So when you read this passage here, I want you to tell me that you think, well, Balaam, you know, he's probably just a saved guy that just got off track, okay? Now, and I'll show you from the Old Testament too, but I want you to see this in the New Testament. And by the way, the New Testament should always be trumping what you think the Old Testament says. The New Testament is the commentary of the Old Testament. It is the revealed Word of God. So if you think something's saying something in the Old Testament, but it's very clear to be something else in the New Testament, then the New Testament's right. And what you were thinking about in the Old Testament is wrong, okay? And so it all fits, right? There's no contradiction, but you always need to go with the clear New Testament teaching to define the Old. In 2 Peter chapter 2, in verse 1, I just want you to see this because what is this whole chapter dealing with? It says in verse 1, But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow the pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you, whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. What we'll see actually with Balaam, and actually it's going to say this later on in the chapter here, is that Balaam loved the wages of unrighteousness. It was all about running greedily after the error of Balaam, meaning that he wanted money. He wanted that prosperity, and he wanted that fame, and he wanted to be elevated, right? And Balak was trying to give it to him. He wanted it, but God wouldn't let him have it, okay? And that's what it comes down to, is that it's not that Balaam didn't want to curse Israel. It's not that Balaam didn't want to be promoted. It's not that he didn't want to go against the word of God. God literally wouldn't let him do it. He stopped him from doing it, okay? And notice that it says false prophets, and there shall be false teachers. So what's this whole chapter talking about? False prophets, false teachers. Notice in verse 12. the right way and are gone astray. Notice this. Following the way of Balaam, the son of Bozor, who loved the wages of righteousness, but was rebuked for his iniquity, the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with the tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. So these, who is he talking about? Balaam, right? I mean, you could probably put in a lot of other people in here, as far as in the Old Testament, what it's talking about. But could you not take Balaam in there when he's given it as a direct example of it? Right? So Balaam, and notice what it says. He was rebuked for his iniquity. What was his iniquity? He wanted the wages, he loved the wages of righteousness. He wanted to curse Israel to gain money and gain basically power and honor. He wanted to be promoted unto honor, right? And it says the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. So we know this wasn't a man that was speaking, but it was speaking with the man's voice, right? And what's dumb mean? Means you can't talk, right? Means that you're mute. So basically what it just means is that this donkey didn't talk before this, right? It's not like this is a magical talking donkey that he had, you know? I think that he would have, all his troubles would be over, right? He wouldn't need to go curse Israel. He could just go take that donkey on the road and make some money off of it. And you're like, are you talking about Shrek? I think you're talking about Shrek. No, but listen, by the way, Hollywood, they're always stealing stuff from the Bible, by the way, because the Bible has the best stories in the world, right? They're, you know, Pinocchio, guess where they got that from? Jonah and the whale. You know, all these stories, and I've already preached a whole sermon about the greatest story that's ever told. All the best stories have to do with someone that happens to be virgin born that dies for all the people, right? Matrix, Star Wars, you know, and I can't think of the other ones. But all I have to say is like the biggest blockbusters that are out there, what are they doing? They're paralleling the Bible. It's amazing that, you know, a story about a talking donkey is one of the biggest like animated films, you know? Why? Because it's a cool story. It's a, you know, anyway, all that to say, and I'm not, you say, well, did they really get that from there? It doesn't matter. You know, the fact is the Bible had it first, okay? And anyway, all I have to say is that the Bible backs this up, and it's basically, it's very clear, when you read, when you read Second Peter, is there any doubt in your mind that Balaam's a false prophet? Is there any doubt in your mind? So that being said, and go to Jude, because it says it in Jude as well. Go to Jude. And you say, well, why are you bringing up Balaam? Why is it, you know, well, first of all, he's in the Bible. There's three chapters that are dealing with him in the Old Testament directly. And the New Testament brings him up as an example, both in Second Peter and Jude, and these are the chapters about false prophets, about false brethren coming in unawares. You know, these are the chapters when you're dealing with how to spot a false prophet, pretty much. And Balaam is brought up in both of them. In Jude, two other people are brought up, but Balaam's brought up in both of them. In Jude, in verse 10 there, it says, but these speak evil, those things which they know not. But what they know naturally as brute beasts in those things, they corrupt themselves. So notice how Balaam is being called a brute beast in both these passages, okay? It says in verse 11, woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the heir of Balaam for a reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Kor. So notice we have three people. We have Cain who killed Abel, right, at the very beginning. Then you have Balaam, which is the story we're dealing with. And then you have the story of Korah. So Korah is the one that rebelled against Moses and Aaron and all that stuff. Remember that the earth opened up and they fell alive down into hell. That's Korah. And Balaam sandwiched in between these two guys. And Cain is called the child of the wicked one in First John chapter three. So there's no doubt that those guys are definitely in hell. And to say, well, Balaam, no, Balaam, you know, he looked like a good guy, okay? But then it goes on, obviously, and it says, these are. Now, these, who are they talking about? Cain, Balaam, and Korah. These are spots in your feast of charity when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear. Clouds they are without water, carried about of winds. Trees whose fruit wither, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars of whom is reserved, the blackest, the darkest forever. I don't think they have hope. I'm just going to go out on a limb there. If I thought anybody was unsaved or that was in hell, it would be these three men right here. Okay? So, and there's another verse in Revelation. I'm going to get to that where I talked about the doctrine of Balaam, okay? I'll get to that at the end of the sermon because obviously God will not, would not let Balaam curse, openly curse Israel. But you say, well, how in all these stories is God like the spirit of God coming upon him? And then he's basically prophesying. And when you go to chapter 23 and 24, there's actually four different times that Balaam prophesies. And I believe what he says is straight up out of the mouth of God. Like, you could take it to the bank. That's the word of God. It's not that he's just making up lies. God is speaking through Balaam. And you say, well, then wouldn't that mean he saved? Well, go to John chapter 11. Because I'm going to show you a New Testament example of this. Because if you say Balaam saved, then you have to say that Caiaphas was saved. Okay? And so I believe there's a New Testament example of this, of where God speaks through actually a reprobate. Okay? In both these cases, these guys are false prophets. Okay? I don't think anybody would say Caiaphas got saved. Okay? Or any of those men that spit on Jesus and put him to death. I think that it'd be very clear. And when you look at all the scriptures where it says, dogs have compassed me about. And, you know, dogs abation. And all these different things when we're talking about the prophesying. You know, when Annanias, or Annas the high priest. But Caiaphas at this time is the high priest. When you're in the book of Acts, it's Annas. And they're related, these two, Caiaphas and Annas. But at the point when Jesus is being put to death, Caiaphas is the high priest. So in John chapter 11 verse 47, it says this, Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we for this man doeth many miracles? If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all. So Caiaphas is going to rebuke these guys, okay? Notice what it says, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. So it's kind of like, they're like, we need to kill this guy. He just raised Lazarus from the dead, by the way, in context. That's what's going on here. And they're like, they're going to take away our nation. This is a notable miracle, right? You know, basically, they know that something miraculous happened. And why? Because the Romans are going to take away their place and nation. They're going to lose all their authority. And notice what it says in verse 51, though. And this spake he not of himself. But being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together and one the children of God that were scattered abroad. So notice that Caiaphas, and you can imagine, they'd be like, what did you just say? Right? Because they're all like, conspiring, like, how are we going to kill him? And then Caiaphas is like, you don't know anything at all. It's expedient that he dies, not only for this nation, but for all the nations, right? And they're just probably like, what? You know, you can imagine, like, the puzzled look on their face. But he was technically the high priest. And God, I believe, you could even say that the Spirit of God came upon him and made him say that. Okay? Because that's what we're going to see what happens with Balaam. Actually, it's going to be very explicitly said throughout all these chapters. You may not have noticed it, but looking at what happened with Caiaphas, and go to John chapter 18, just to show you that this is, this Caiaphas is the same one that was there, that was accusing Jesus and all that stuff, because it brings us up again. It says in verse, chapter 18, so John chapter 18, verse 12, it says, Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound him and led him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas. So that's how they're related, okay? Which was the high priest that same year. Okay, so Caiaphas, we know from chapter 11, is the high priest that same year. Annas is going to be the high priest later on, right? So it sounds like they switched places or something like that. I don't know how that worked, but it doesn't matter. Anyway, in verse 14, Now Caiaphas was he which gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. So notice how it's basically saying, this is that Caiaphas that said this, that was not of himself, that was there when they were accusing Jesus, okay? So I remember playing Bible trivia, by the way, and I knew this, and I remember there was one of the questions that says, who said this? And it was that quote right there, and I said, Caiaphas. Everybody looked at me like I had five heads. They're like, what are you talking about? Caiaphas, right? And it ended up being, they're like, what in the world? And then they looked it up and it's like, yeah, but that's a little nugget of Bible trivia there for you because you read that and you're like, this can't be Caiaphas. Yeah, this is from Judas? No, you wouldn't think that it would be from Caiaphas, but it's obviously something God did with Caiaphas. And I believe it does the same thing with Balaam. Go back to Numbers chapter 22. So you say, what's the point of the sermon? Well, it's just to help you understand maybe a harder thing to grasp. When you're looking at the New Testament, you're like, that seems to contradict what it says in the Old. There's no contradiction. But you know what this also shows you? Is that false prophets are wolves in sheep's clothing, okay? And notice that Balaam's saying this a lot of time. I can't do anything against my God. I'm sure Joel Osteen would say my God, you know, that Jesus is his God. I'm sure that John Hagee would say Jesus is my God. I'm sure all these false prophets would sound like they're saying, yeah, that's my God. I can't do anything less or more than what my God says. But deep down in their heart, what they want to do is everything against God, okay? And I want to show you that you may not have noticed it. When you're reading through these three chapters, Numbers 22, Numbers 23, Numbers 24, dealing with Balaam, there are certain things that are said. Knowing what the New Testament says, going back, it's like, oh, wow, I never noticed that. I never noticed that it said that. You kind of maybe read over it because it just seems to be saying something else. Now in verse 20, so Numbers 22 and verse 20, it says, and God came unto Balaam at night and said unto him, if the men come to call thee, rise up and go with them. But yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. Now think about this. He's not saying, you're not giving him an ultimatum. He's basically saying, you're going to do what I say. Do you see that now when you think of Caiaphas, how he didn't speak of himself? So he's saying, yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. He's basically just saying, you're going to do what I say. You're going to do what I tell you to do, okay? He's not asking them. He's just saying, that's what you're going to do, okay? Notice in verse 35, notice verse 35. Verse 35, it says, and the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, go with the men, but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balaam. Go to verse 38, verse 38. And Balaam said unto Balaam, lo I am come unto thee. Notice this, I want you to notice this because this really goes into what Caiaphas, the whole thing with Caiaphas. It says, Balaam's saying this to Balak, have I now any power at all to say anything? The word that God put it in my mouth, that shall I speak. He's basically saying, I don't have any power to speak anything, right? He says he doesn't have power to speak at all or say anything because God's forcing him what to say. He's trying to, okay? And I'm gonna show you that, that he really wanted to curse Israel and he wanted to say something, but God literally wouldn't let him say it. And you say, well, can God do that? God can make people dumb, right? He does that with even Zacharias, who was a saved man. But there's places where he could just basically shut you down. You can't say anything. And he can make you say whatever you want to say. And he does that with Caiaphas. So keep going, go to chapter 23. 23, verse five. And again, I want you to see this because this goes on throughout these chapters here and you may not have noticed it in verse five. It says, and the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, return unto Balak and thus thou shalt speak. So notice that he's putting it into his mouth. He's basically saying, this is what you're gonna say. And you don't have any choice in the matter, pretty much. It's just, that's what you're gonna have to say. In verse 16, it says, and the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, go again unto Balak and save us. So what's going on here? Well, in chapter 23, basically Balaam's saying, go do these sacrifices and then I'll come and tell you what the Lord has to say to me. And that's where the Lord says, I'm putting this word in your mouth. And he ends up like saying they're blessed or saying, basically saying the word of God back to him. And what it comes down to is he doesn't have a choice. Go to Numbers 24, because remember it says that he has no power to say anything. Notice what it says in Numbers 24 and verse 12. Numbers chapter 24 and verse 12. It says, and Balaam said unto Balak, spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me saying, if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or bad of mine own mind. But what the Lord said, that will I speak. He's basically saying I have no power and I can't say anything of my own mind. So he's not doing it of his own voluntary mind and what he wants to say. But when you're reading this without the New Testament kind of giving you that flashlight, you can maybe think, well, as a man of God, you know, he's saying like basically I'm putting it all on God. I'm not gonna lean on my own understanding. You know what I mean? You can kind of read it that way. But when you see that flashlight of, okay, this is a false prophet, a well without water, someone that's not a good guy, and then you look back on it, you're like, oh, okay, this is what's going on. And you see what God did with Caiaphas. And it's not that he's trusting in the Lord, you know, like I don't have any powers. No, he's basically saying, I literally can't say something against Israel. I want to. It's basically, you could be basically, my mind and what I want to say is this, but God won't let me do it, okay? And so go to, you're in Numbers 24, go to verse one, because those first, there's two times, the first two times where he says, you know, do these sacrifices, I'll tell you what God has to say. Then he does sacrifices again, you know, and he's going to basically say what God has to say again the third time, but notice in verse one there, it says, and when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he went not as at other times, notice that, as at other times to seek for enchantments. And then it says, but he set his face toward the wilderness. So notice that the other two times, he was doing enchantments. Didn't see that, did you? Like when you're reading that, when you're reading through Numbers 23, did you see him like doing enchantments? But it's telling us, hey, by the way, the other two times he was doing this, he was doing enchantments. Oh, that makes sense because he's called the soothsayer, right? Notice in Numbers 22 and verse seven, you may not have noticed this too, but at the very beginning of the story, when Balak sent messengers to go hire Balaam, notice what it says about how they're paying him and basically what they're paying him for. Notice in verse seven, it says, and the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. And they came on the Balaam and spake unto them the words of Balak. See how it all kind of just fits together when you have the flashlight in the New Testament and you're like, oh, from the very beginning, they're bringing him rewards of divination. And he was doing enchantments those first two times. Why was he doing enchantments? Because he's trying to overpower God. Does that make sense? God's telling him, you're not gonna be able to. Imagine this, God's basically saying, what I say to you, that's what you're going to say. And he's trying to get it out of it. He's trying to curse everyone. He's doing all these enchantments, trying to do that. You say, well, is that really what he's trying to do? Well, look at verse, go to Numbers chapter 23 and verse 16. And we know now that he was doing enchantments, right? Does that make sense? Now we know from chapter 24 that he was doing enchantments when he was doing these, when Balak was doing these sacrifices and all that. Numbers 23 and verse 16, just to get some context here, it says, and the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, go again unto Balak and say thus. And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, what hath the Lord spoken? And he took up his parable and said, rise up Balak and hear, harken unto me, thou son of Zippor. God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless and he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel. The Lord is his God, or I'm sorry, the Lord his God is with him and the shout of a king is among them. God brought them out of Egypt, he hath as it were the strength of a unicorn. Notice this in verse 23. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel. According to this time, it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, what hath God wrought? Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion and lift up himself as a young lion. He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slain. And Balak said unto Balaam, neither curse them at all, neither bless them at all. But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, told not I thee, saying, all that the Lord speaketh, that I must do. Right, so now you get in the picture. Basically, he was trying to do enchantments to stop this from happening, from stop God from actually forcing him to say this. And he's basically saying within this parable, he's saying there's no enchantment or divination against God. There's nothing that can stop it. He cannot reverse it. Notice that he's saying there that they will be blessed and he cannot reverse it because there's no enchantment or divination against the Lord. Go to Deuteronomy chapter 18, Deuteronomy chapter 18. I just want you to show you that divination, enchantment, how that's all linked to people that are dealing with familiar spirits. So you're dealing with a really wicked person here. You say, well, didn't Simon the sorcerer get saved? Yes, there are people. I'm not saying that if anybody ever did this, that they couldn't get saved because there's obviously people, there's a person in the Bible that did, okay? But these are definitely very wicked people that do it. And I believe Balaam, according to the New Testament, is not someone that has hope of getting saved. This is a very wicked reprobate. And in Deuteronomy chapter 18 verse 10 there, Deuteronomy 18 verse 10, it says, there shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consultor with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord. And because these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. So notice that God does not have, he hates divination. He hates enchantments, right? Because what does abomination mean? It means that he detests, right? All these things are an abomination to the Lord. And so you see that how that works together. And then the New Testament talks about enchantments and familiar spirits. And then it talks about soothsaying. And Balaam's called the soothsayer. Okay? And so Balaam, you know, it's very clear that he's just trying to curse Israel. And God won't let him do it. And go to Joshua chapter 24. So when you look at other passages that are calling back to it, even in the Old Testament, it's very clear that Balaam was trying to curse Israel. Okay, it's not that he went there and he was like reluctant. And he's just like Balak's trying to get him doing it. And he goes up there and God's like, no, you can't. And he's just kind of a messenger. Does it make sense? Because that's what you kind of think when you're reading the story. You're like, he's just a messenger. And Balak wants him to curse him. But then he goes up and God says, no. You know, it's not like he's like, well, maybe God will curse him now, you know? No, he's trying to. He's trying to each and every time. It's just that God won't let him do it. In Joshua chapter 24 in verse 9, it says, Then Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab arose and warred against Israel and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. But I would not hearken unto Balaam. Think about that. I would not hearken unto Balaam. Therefore he blessed you still. So I delivered you out of his hand. So notice in this verse right here, he's saying that he would not hearken unto Balaam. Now Balak clearly wanted to curse Israel. But you may read this story and say, well, Balak did, but Balaam maybe didn't want to. He just wanted money. And he was just trying to see if God would let him curse him, right? And you kind of read it that way. No, Balaam was trying to curse them. And it says that he would not hearken unto Balaam's curse. And it says that he delivered Israel out of the hand of who? Well, the only antecedent that would make sense in that statement would be Balaam. Balaam. So he delivered Balaam, or delivered Israel out of Balaam's hand, okay? And go to Nehemiah chapter 13, and I read this at the beginning, but again, having all that information at hand, it makes a lot of sense. Basically, he would not hearken unto Balaam. He delivered Israel out of Balaam's hand. And Nehemiah chapter 13, again, both with Joshua 24 and Nehemiah, they're calling back to the event. They're calling back to what happened and they're giving light on it. And so in Nehemiah chapter 13 and verse one, Nehemiah chapter 13 verse one, it says, on that day, they read in the book of Moses and the audience of the people and therein was found written that the Ammonite and the Moabites should not come into the congregation of God forever because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them that he should curse them. Howbeit God turned the curse into a blessing. So think about that. How can you turn a curse into a blessing if there's no curse there, okay? Because the idea that you're reading through here is that he didn't even get a curse out, right? But he was doing enchantments trying to curse Israel. Does that make sense? He was trying to do it, and he turned that curse into a blessing. He would not hearken unto Balaam and he would not hearken unto that curse. But here's the thing, and there's other verses, and I think there was a verse in, I don't have it written, I think it's in Micah talking about Balaam. So there's other places where it kind of brings up that story about what's going on there. Now, that being said, when you end Numbers 24, Balaam goes home, Balak goes home, right? God wouldn't let Israel be cursed, but that's not really the end of Balaam. Balaam's not mentioned in the next chapter, but he influenced the next chapter, okay? So I'm gonna go backwards on this. I'm gonna start in Revelation, and I'm gonna go all the way back to the story of Numbers 25, but go to Revelation chapter two, because Balaam's actually mentioned in Revelation chapter two. And there's this doctrine of Balaam that they're following, and you'll see what that doctrine is, okay? I know this is more of a Bible study, obviously, that you're dealing with this morning, but I think this is important. When you're dealing with these stories, when you're reading through this, you're not just confused. Why does it say that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Balaam? Why does it seem like he's just a regular prophet like anybody else? And then New Testament's completely opposite. It's because there's something going on there that you didn't see before, and hopefully this makes sense. And when you read these stories about Balaam, you know this guy's a bad egg. You know this guy's a bad guy, and God is forcing him to say certain things, and just like Caiaphas. So in Revelation chapter 20, verse 14, it says, but I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam. Notice this, who taught Balak to cast the stumbling stone before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication. So Balaam and Balak could not just openly curse Israel, right? Through enchantments and soothsaying and all this stuff. They couldn't do it, but what they could do is teach them to destroy themselves. And this is what happened. So what are the two things that are mentioned there? The doctrine of Balaam, eat things sacrificed unto idols, and commit fornication. Those are the two things that are mentioned there, right? Well, go to 1 Corinthians chapter 10, because 1 Corinthians chapter 10 is actually talking about this event that is in Numbers chapter 25. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 8. 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 8. It says, neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day, three and 20,000, okay? So he's calling back to the Old Testament saying, hey, back in the wilderness, you know, with the children of Israel, they committed fornication and there fell 23,000 people in one day. And number 25 is where this happens. But as you're going to Numbers 25, Numbers 31 talks about this event. And it says in verse 16 of Numbers 31, it says, behold, these caused the children of Israel through the council of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor. And there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. So how did they die? Well, a plague went throughout the congregation and killed ultimately 24,000, but 23,000 in one day, okay? Numbers 25 doesn't mention Balaam. But do you see from Revelation 2 and you see from Numbers 31 that Balaam, it was the council of Balaam that taught Balak, right? So let's read this story now. So this is right after Balaam went home, Balaam goes home, right? In Numbers 25, verse 1, it says, an Israel abode in Shittim and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of who? Moab. Who is Balak the king of? Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods and the people did eat and bow down to their gods. Oh, that's interesting because it's exactly what the doctrine of Balaam is in Revelation chapter 2. In verse 3, it says, an Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor. Notice that in Numbers 31, what did it say in the matter concerning Peor? What? Baal Peor and the god of Baal Peor, right? And the angry Lord was kindled against Israel and the Lord said unto Moses, take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel. And Moses said unto the judge of Israel, slay ye every one his man that were joined unto Baal Peor. And behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianite-ish woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand. And he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. And those that died in the plague were 20 and 4,000. That's what 1 Corinthians chapter 10 is talking about. It just mentions that, by the way, that plague killed 23,000 people in one day. That's how fast it happened. Ultimately, 24,000 people died of that plague. And what was it based off of? Balaam taught Balak to get the children of Israel to worship idols and to commit fornication, and therefore, God judged them from within. They couldn't just openly curse them. They couldn't destroy them from the outside. They had to destroy them from the inside. Okay? So you've got to think about that when you're thinking about, you know, well, you know, these false prophets and, you know, all these other things. Listen, those doctrines can destroy you from within. Right? The false prophet can't do anything against the church of God, right? They have no power. God's going to turn their curse into a blessing. But those false prophets can get that leaven into the church. And that's what you deal with when you deal with dispensationalism when you're dealing with Zionism, when you're dealing with all these false doctrines that are out there. What do they do? They creep into a church, and they cause the church to destroy themselves from within. And so if you're going to learn anything from this, learn from the church in Revelation chapter 2 where they were doing the doctrine of Balaam, that he taught the Balak to commit fornication and to sacrifice things on his idols. And idolatry is not a big thing. Nowadays, you know, in America, as far as like what they did, where they're burning incense and bowing down to an image, right? But fornication is still a big deal. You know, nowadays, you know, fornication is a huge deal. And fornication is one of those sins that you need to be kicked out of the church for. So it's a big deal. And that's why Jesus is rebuking the church. They're saying, you know, you have people committing fornication. And what is two things that are in that list? Idolatry and fornication in 1 Corinthians chapter 5. And so that's something to learn from this is that Balaam couldn't from the outside destroy Israel. But what did he do? He snuck in some false doctrine. You know, he allured them through the flesh. And that's what those false prophets, when you look at 2 Peter chapter 2, what do they do? They allure through the flesh, through covetousness. And they're going to bring in damnable heresies. And it's always going to appeal to the flesh. You know, these churches now, these trendy churches are like, well, you know, tattoos are fine, drinking's fine, you know. It's okay just to socially drink. And then you become the beer church. You become a bunch of drunkards. That false doctrine will creep into a church and destroy it from within. But Balaam comes to his end in Numbers 31. Go to Numbers 31 and verse 8. I just want you to see that, that he eventually is killed with the sword. He doesn't just die from old age. Now, Israel takes him out. Rightfully so. But Numbers 31 and verse 8, it says, And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain, namely, Evai, and Rekim, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian. Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the sword. Now, that's where Joshua 13 is calling back to. And verse 22 of Joshua 13, it says, Balaam also, the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them. So, you know, he goes home and all that stuff, but he ends up getting taken out. Right? Eventually, he's going to be killed by Israel. But not before he caused 24,000 of them to die from a plague. So, that's Balaam, you know? And definitely interesting stuff in that, you know, when you're looking at the word of God that was put into his mouth, that's all good stuff, right? So, when you're looking at, you know, now that you know that Balaam is a false prophet, right, that he's not saved, that he's a false prophet, don't go into those chapters and say, well, everything he says is wrong, okay? Because when God says, I'll put a word in your mouth, that's true. Just like when Caiaphas said it, right? And he says it was not of himself, but God being the high priest, he prophesied. Well, what Caiaphas said is scripture. It's right. It's out of the mouth of the Holy Ghost, okay? But that should teach you some things though, right? Just because the spirit of God came upon him doesn't mean that he's a saved person. And, you know, the New Testament should always be the light of the Old Testament. And it's just a fun story with the ass speaking with man's voice, right? I laugh every time I read that story. I think it's just a fun story to read. But hopefully that makes a lot of sense and put all those pieces together dealing with who Balaam, the soothsayer, is. So let's end with a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for today and pray that you be with us as we fellowship after the church service and just pray that you be with us as we go out soul winning. Lord, we just pray that everything that we do would be glorifying to you. And thank you for your word. Just help us to know it, but ultimately to use it for your glory. And Lord, we love you and pray all this in Jesus Christ's name.