2. God’s Will Be Done Num. 22

4.  Balak is threatened (Num. 22:2-4)  Balaam is called (22:5-6)  Balak Tries Everything in the World to Curse Israel (22:7-20)  Balaam Keeps Saying, “No.”

5. Fighting Against God Balak Chooses to Curse God’s People Rather Than Be Blessed By God. Remember They Have Not Come to Take Moab, But Canaan. Balak Starts Fighting Against God

6. “And so in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action should be of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”

7. “The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” “The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.”

8.  The Rest of the Story is Whether Balaam Will Fight Against God or Let God’s Will Be Done.  Some Confusing Information.  22:20 – “Go”  22:22 – “God was angry”  22:34-35 – “Go”  Balaam Was Going to Compromise.

9. The Donkey Affair Why Couldn’t Balaam See the Angel? We Are Often Blinded to What Is Truly Right In Front of Us When We Set Our Desires Against God. John 9 – The Blind Man Can See, The Pharisees Are Blind.

10. Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things, and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things, and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.”

11. “For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes Lest they should see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I should heal them.‘ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.” “For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes Lest they should see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I should heal them.‘ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”

12.  Balaam Chooses to Compromise.  Wait…What About Num. 24:1-14  Balaam Refuses 3 Attempts and Instead Blesses Israel.

13. “Forsaking the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but he received a rebuke for his own transgression; for a dumb donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.” “Forsaking the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but he received a rebuke for his own transgression; for a dumb donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.”

14. “Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.”

15. “But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality.”

16. “And Moses said to them, ‘Have you spared all the women?’ Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord.” “And Moses said to them, ‘Have you spared all the women?’ Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord.”

17. Balaam’s Curse Without a Curse It Appears that Balaam Did Not Curse Israel. Instead, He Counseled Balak to Invite Israel Into Their Idolatry So God Would Curse Them. Thus, Balaam Was Honored By Balak, But Did Not Curse Israel. Playing Games With God’s Will

18. “And they killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.”