Numbers 24:25
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
The story of Balaam is a sad commentary on what happens when one who walks with God compromises with the world. Balaam enters into a relationship with Balak that was contrary to the will of God. He knew it, but chose to enter into it anyway because God didn't kill him for doing it.
But watch his frustration and misery throughout chapters 23-24. He appears to be trying to get Balak to obey the Lord. He gets Balak to offer sacrifice after sacrifice, he hears the message of God and returns it to Balak, but what does he get in return?
• Balak chides him
• Balak berates him and, in the end
• Balak disappoints him
When it is all said and done Balaam has nothing bettered anything.
• He has not converted Balak
• He has not honored the Lord (though he did bring the Lord's message)
• He has not been promoted
It all sounds like worldly Christianity today. There is such an attempt to convert the world by joining the world. But what has been the result? We have so called churches filled with false professors and a handful of frustrated believers who think that by putting up with the worldly they will somehow reach the worldly.
In the end,
• God will not be honored through these efforts
• The lost will not be truly converted by these efforts and
• The compromising believers will lose rewards in heaven because of these efforts.
Balaam would have been much better off joining the camp of Israel. And we will be much better off coming out of this world and clearly identifying with Christ.
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
The story of Balaam is a sad commentary on what happens when one who walks with God compromises with the world. Balaam enters into a relationship with Balak that was contrary to the will of God. He knew it, but chose to enter into it anyway because God didn't kill him for doing it.
But watch his frustration and misery throughout chapters 23-24. He appears to be trying to get Balak to obey the Lord. He gets Balak to offer sacrifice after sacrifice, he hears the message of God and returns it to Balak, but what does he get in return?
• Balak chides him
• Balak berates him and, in the end
• Balak disappoints him
When it is all said and done Balaam has nothing bettered anything.
• He has not converted Balak
• He has not honored the Lord (though he did bring the Lord's message)
• He has not been promoted
It all sounds like worldly Christianity today. There is such an attempt to convert the world by joining the world. But what has been the result? We have so called churches filled with false professors and a handful of frustrated believers who think that by putting up with the worldly they will somehow reach the worldly.
In the end,
• God will not be honored through these efforts
• The lost will not be truly converted by these efforts and
• The compromising believers will lose rewards in heaven because of these efforts.
Balaam would have been much better off joining the camp of Israel. And we will be much better off coming out of this world and clearly identifying with Christ.
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