27. Balaam’s ‘Don’t Curse Israel’ Dream
The Dream Setting/Backstory
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This dream was sent nearly five hundred years after the last Genesis dream. God had finally released His chosen people from Egypt and had given them various victories over their enemies on their way to the Promised Land. When they arrived at the plains of Moab, King Balak who’d heard of their recent triumph over the Amorites was frightened. He decided to hire a soothsayer named Balaam to curse them and weaken them.
The Dream Scripture
Numbers 22:1-14
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Then the Israelites travelled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:
“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.
God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”
But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”
The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”
So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
The Problem
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King Balak of Moab wanted Balaam to curse God’s Chosen People.
The Dreamer’s Metron
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Balaam was a Gentile prophet who heard clearly from God and gave some beautiful prophecies. Balaam was not a false prophet. He had the gift but not the character. Scripture calls him a wicked prophet because in his heart he served money and as Jesus said,
“No one can serve two masters. Either you
will hate the one and love the other, or
you will be devoted to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve both
God and money. [1]
The Message
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God’s clear message to Balaam concerning Moab and Israel was was, “Do not go with the people of Moab. You must not put a curse on the people of Israel, because they are blessed.”
God’s Purpose
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God’s purpose was to stop the King of Moab from harming His Covenant People and their seed line.
Satan’s Purpose
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Satan’s purpose was that Balaam should curse Israel and prevent their progress towards the Promised Land.
Dreamer’s Eyes Enlightened
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Balaam clearly heard God’s will and was in no doubt as to what he should do.
Dreamer’s Response and Application
* * *
Balaam was obedient to God’s instructions and immediately upon rising from his bed told Balak’s officials he couldn’t return with them to curse Israel because God had refused to allow him to do so.
Know God Better
* * *
Israel’s covenant keeping God is once again protecting His chosen people and their seedline from kings and others who would harm them.
The Dream Process.
* * *
We’re not told whether Balaam saw God or not. If he did see Him then it would have been Jesus. But I suspect it’s a similar dream to Jacob’s ‘Go Down To Egypt’ Dream in which Jacob just heard God’s voice.
This is a simple literal dream in which God dialogues with the dreamer. God asks Balaam about the Moabites who are staying with him. Balaam explains they are representatives of King Balak who wants him to curse Israel.
God then clearly tells Balaam not to side with Balak and curse His chosen people because He has blessed them.
The Usual Suspects
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God spoke to Balaam in the dream. Jesus was in the seedline of the people Satan wanted Balaam to curse.
Takeaways
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Although Balaam was more than happy to curse Israel for money he had enough spiritual sense to realise he needed God’s permission to do so. He had some understanding of what Proverbs teaches about curses,
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting
swallow, an undeserved curse does not
come to rest. [2]
Balak and Balaam were also on very dangerous ground concerning the issue of cursing Israel because God had already promised Abraham,
Blessed is everyone who blesses you, And
cursed is everyone who curses you. [3]
The reality was Balak and Balaam were in great danger of being personally cursed by God. Balaam must have understood something of this when he told Balak,
How can I curse
those whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce
those whom the Lord has not denounced? [4]
Through this whole encounter God never allowed Balaam to curse Israel. In fact in Balaam’s last prophecy concerning Israel, God has Balaam pronounce the great truth,
Blessed is everyone who blesses you, And cursed is everyone who curses you. [5]
1 Matthew 6:24
2 Proverbs 26:2,
3 Genesis 12:3
4 Numbers 23:8
5 Numbers 24:9 (NASB)