Be Careful Of Your Evil Heart - Numbers 21-24

Numbers 22:36-40 (ESV)

When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the border formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the border. And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent for Balaam and for the princes who were with him.

The story of Balak wanting to employ Balaam to curse Israel is mentioned here and in the New Testament.  Here are those places it is mentioned:

• 2 Peter 2:15 (ESV) Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

• Jude 1:11 (ESV) Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

• Revelation 2:14 (ESV) But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

These mentions in the NT are to point out that even through Balaam did purpose in his heart to speak nothing about Israel than other what God told him, was not altogether true.  He never did formally curse Israel, like Balak asked.  He did, however, break what we read about in the above and give counsel to Balak on how to destroy Israel.   He did not curse them, but his counsel would destroy Israel from within.  He advised Balak to not go to war with Israel but to befriend them, instead.  He went against his covenant to only speak what God told him to speak. Instead Balaam convinced Balak to intermarry with Israel’s people and corrupt their hearts.  That was the destruction of Israel.  On the surface Balaam looks like a stand up guy for God.   But his inward desire for those promised riches would eventually give Balak what he needed.   We might say one thing but the evilness in our hearts often cause us to do another thing.