Beyond a curse

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"Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?" Balaam answered when Balak rebuked him because Balak had wanted Balaam to curse his enemies, and instead Balaam blessed them.

Balak was king of Moab at the time after Moses had led the Israelites out of Egypt, and they were traveling throughout the land in order to get to the Promised land.  When they didn't have permission, the Israelite army fought the occupying countries, and won.

When the Israelites approached the plains of Moab, Balak was scared.  The Israelites had defeated the Amorites.  Would they defeat the Moabites too?

Balak summonded someone by the name of Balaam to put a curse on the approaching Israelites.  

Balaam spoke to God that same night, and God told him not to curse the Israelites.  He then told Balak that God refused to let Balaam go with them to curse the Israelites.  

Balak offered him a generous amount of money, but Balaam refused.  He said, "I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God." (Numbers 2218)

God changes his mind, and allows Balaam to go with them, but to wait for further instruction.  It must have taken a lot of trust to step into that situation, and stirred great excitement within.

The following day, Balaam traveled on a donkey to meet with Balak and his princes.  Balaam tells him that he must only speak what God put in his mouth.  

Balak sacrificed animals in Balaam's honour, and the following day Balaam gave instructions to build altars and prepare animal sacrifices.  Then the Lord gave Balaam a message for Balak.

This, in part, is what he said, "How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?  How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?" (Number 23. 8)

The Israelites were beyond a curse.  God's blessings are stronger than man's curses.  Indeed God had said to Moses to treat the Moabites as enemies, so they eventually defeated them too.



 

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