Numbers 23:27–30 – The futility of persisting in a false hope

Twice Balak’s expectation was shattered. Both his attempts to get Balaam to curse Israel came to naught. One would have supposed that they both would know by now how futile it was to continue with their folly and to call it a day. But somehow, there was a certain determination about them both. Balak sought to do it again the third time and Balaam chose to go along.

 

Why engage in an exercise when one could guess very well where it was heading? Well, Balaam did it for money, and Balak out of hatred for the Israelites. But from their foolish impulses, we who belong to God, derive some encouragement. We get this message that no evil scheme designed against us can prosper when we are in God. We can certainly concur with Isaiah 54:17 that says, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you (us) in judgment you (we) will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me.” This should motivate us to commit ourselves more fully to God, hence leaving no room for the enemy to create any dent in our lives. Our surest insulation is in God. When we put ourselves wholly into God’s hand we can be assured of His protection.  

 

The hatred Balak had against the people of Israel caused him to stop at nothing to harm them. Despite being disappointed twice, he still could not see that another attempt would still be just as inane. However, from both Balaam and Balak’s senseless determination, we learn that a person’s desire, whether good or evil, is often the driving force of his or her life. For Balaam, the desire that drove him was material gain. Whereas Balak was driven by his evil desire to destroy the people of Israel because of his unfettered fear that had turned into intense hatred for them.  

 

So despite the two failures to have Israel cursed, Balak made a third attempt. He was still hoping to get Balaam to curse the people of Israel for him. What irredeemable folly! He brought Balaam to the top of Peor. This would be the most popular place in Moab because of the temple of Baal, the false god. Disappointingly, Balaam on his part continued to play along. He had the king built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each of them. Couldn’t they both see the futility of it all? They couldn’t, because they held on to false hope. One thing a false hope can do is that it blinds and misleads people. False hope always causes one to consider irrational choices and make faulty decisions. Only in knowing the truth we are set free. So let us seek to know the truth and truly be set free!