This week’s Parashat is one of my favorites. This week we read about Balak and Balaam. We are in the last year of the wilderness journey. Balak sends for Balaam to curse Israel. This is the 1st introduction the Bible gives us of Balaam, but according to external texts Balaam has been around a long time. At the age of 15 he began to be known as someone with supernatural ability and Kings sought him for his counsel. He was one of Pharaoh’s magicians, and it was his idea to throw of the males into the Nile. He is also one of the magicians that Moses faced in Pharaoh’s Court. There are bunch of stories about Balaam. I encourage to read the Book of Jasher if you would like to learn more.

Balaam asks God can he go and God says no. Then Balak sends more Nobles to ask him to come again. Balaam then says I cannot go against my God even if Balak gave me his palace full of gold and silver. Notice how noble what he says is? However what he is really doing is planting a seed of what his payment should be. He goes back to God. God says he can go, but he cannot speak anything, but what God says.

Now why did Balak send for Balaam? How does he know that who Balaam blesses is blessed and who he curses is cursed? Balak has fallen Victim to Balaam’s curses. Balak is fearful of Israel because they just defeated the Amorites who used Balaam to curse them. Balak has the same mentality of Pharaoh he fears Israel because of the numbers.

Balaam shows up and said build me seven alters and bring me seven bulls and seven rams. He makes sacrifice and goes off alone to get the word from God. Now what is unusual is he goes off alone. No other prophet goes off alone to get a word in this manner, so that shows us something is up. He comes back and blesses Israel. Balak becomes upset and takes Balaam to another mountain for him to curse them. This time he only sees a portion of the Israelites. Balaam repeats the process 7 alters, 7 bulls and 7 rams. He then goes off again and comes back and blesses Israel again. Balak loses it and takes him to another mountain and the process is repeated 7 alters, 7 bulls, and 7 rams. This time though the word says Balaam did not resort to DIVINATION. The Spirit of God came upon him and he blesses them again then curses the surrounding nations. Notice how he did not resort to DIVINATION? Balaam is not a Godly man he is Sorcerer for hire. He plays the game and manipulates the system to benefit himself. He works both sides. God does not like Balaam nor those who have a Balaam Spirit. People who manipulate others in the name of God. God has given them a season to correct their behavior, but the season is coming to an end. Do not be surprised when those who you think are mighty and untouchable in the Kingdom of God fall. They were never truly God’s. They were in it for power and greed. God says their days are numbered.