Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 22:12

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 22:12
"And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed."

I tried to remember who this Balaam was that appears to talk with God, and has an angel appear unto him. I didn't think he was always found favorable. Here is what I found in the Old Testament Student Manual.

The Story of Balaam
"When the two mighty kings of the Amorites were defeated by the irresistible might of Israel, the Moabites, with their Midianite confederates, were filled with such alarm that Balak, their king, sought assistance. It was not from his own god, Baal, who had proven impotent against Israel during the Amorite conflict, that he sought power, however. Instead, he decided to use Israel’s own God, whose power had been marvelously manifest, against them. To this end he sent a delegation bearing presents to Balaam of Pethor, a celebrated prognosticator in upper Mesopotamia, who apparently had a reputation for being able to bless and curse with great effect.
It is difficult to determine from the record whether or not Balaam was a true prophet of God holding the powers of the priesthood authority. He lived in an area known as Aram, probably named after the son of Kemuel and grandson of Nahor, a cousin of Abraham. Haran, the place of Abraham’s first settlement after he left Ur, was a seat for the worship of Jehovah and was also in Aram. Therefore, Balaam could have been one of the few scattered people such as Jethro, who held the priesthood and exercised its power. The Bible suggests that he had a true knowledge of God and was susceptible to revelation from Him. Regardless of their origin, the Lord raises up inspired men to all nations.
It is significant that Balaam is referred to as a soothsayer or diviner, somewhat on the order of Simon of the New Testament (compare Joshua 13:22; Acts 8:9–24). Although he acknowledged Jehovah and professed his dependence on Him, Balaam was willing to go against the Lord’s counsel and accompany the men of Balak. To assure his responsiveness to God’s will, the Lord sent an angel to threaten him with death should he curse Israel.
One of the remarkable things about Balaam’s blessing of Israel is the Messianic promise of Christ."
(Old Testament Student Manual Genesis-2 Samuel, "Numbers 13-36: Wilderness Wanderings, Part 2")

Day 3792

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 22:20-22

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 22:20-22
"And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him."

Balak, king of the Moabites sees what Israel does to the Amorites and he desires Balaam to curse them. He sends the elders of Moab and Midian with a message to Balaam. Balaam refused to go with them, instead he has them stay the night so he can inquire of the Lord. He is told not to curse the people, for they are blessed. He then tells this to the elders. They return to Balak with this message and his response is to send more princes and honors to Balaam to have him come to him and curse this people. When Balaam receives this reply he has the princes wait so he can inquire again of the Lord. This time he is told in verse 22 he can go, but only if they call for him, and he is to say and do what the Lord tells him.

I was stuck for the longest time on these verses. God tells Balaam he could go, but then he's angry when he does go. God even sends an angel to kill Balaam if he proceeds any further. Balaam ass first sees the angel with a sword in his hand blocking the way and would not pass. Later Balaam eyes are opened to see the angel also. What was Balaam doing wrong?  I reread what the angel said that blocked his way.

"And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times?  behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:" (Numbers 22:32)

The footnote for perverse is Stiffnecked.

I think of being stiffnecked as being prideful. Were the honors Balak offered Balaam putting his heart in the wrong place? Did Balaam think he could go, but in his heart he was open to the influence of being seduced by Balak?  It all made me think of Joseph Smith when he tried to take the Golden Plates after being told by the angel Moroni where they were and to go find them. He uncovers them and while reaching in to take them out Moroni forbids him. This is part of what Moroni had earlier warned him about obtaining the plates..

"...Satan would try to tempt me,... to get the plates for the purpose of getting rich. This he forbade me, saying that I must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building his kingdom; otherwise I could not get them."
(Doctrine & Covenants 1:46)

So after much pondering I think the problem for Balaam is where his heart was. The Lord wanted to make absolutely sure he would follow his directions to the letter. If not he would be destroyed. The experience of the angel with the sword blocking his way, reinforced the urgency of doing only God's will and not his own.


Day 714