Balaam’s
Doctrine
Revelation 2:14 and Numbers 31
In
Jesus’ letter to Pergamos He writes about those who hold to Balaam’s doctrine. Have
you ever wondered what Balaam’s doctrine was that Jesus references? Revelation
2:14 was a mystery to me for years. I was always looking for a way to fit it
into Balak trying to incite Balaam to curse Israel. Although it’s on the fringe
of that story, it isn’t what Revelation 2:14 is
about.
Isn’t
it interesting that the key to Revelation 2:14 is found in Numbers 31?
Some history: Balak, the Moabite king, was afraid when he saw Israel coming
towards his land. Balak first went to Midian for help against Israel, then
sought out Balaam. Balaam wanted to help Balak because Balak promised to pay
him a lot of money. However, God would not allow Balaam to curse Israel. Balaam
acknowledged that he could not go against God and could only bless Israel for
they were blessed by God.
Here
is where it ties into Revelation. After Balak and Balaam went their separate
ways at the end of Numbers 24, Numbers 25 starts off with the sin of adultery
and idol worship with Baal of Peor.
Now Israel remained
in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of
Moab. 2 They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people
ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and
the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel. Numbers 25:1-3
God
was so angry that He sent a plague into Israel’s camp. 24,000 people died in
that plague (Numbers 25:9)! Notice the wording in 25:18 below says that the
Midianites schemed against Israel. It wasn’t that they happened upon Israel and
fell in love with each other. No, it was a plot to take down Israel.
“…for they [Midian] harassed
you [Israel] with their schemes by which they seduced you in the matter of Peor
and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian…” Numbers 25:18
Numbers
31 describes that payment God required from Midian for their treachery towards Israel was death. Israel was instructed to kill everyone who was not a
young virgin. As Numbers 31 looks back and recollects upon the account, it
gives a generous amount of detailed insight into understand Revelation 2:14:
“Look, these [Midianite]
women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass
against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the
congregation of the LORD.” Numbers 31:16
With
this in mind, look at Revelation 2:14:
“But I have a few
things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of
Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of
Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.”
Revelation 2:14
But
why does this matter to us, you may be thinking? Let’s revisit the story:
Balak
hated Israel, so he tried to destroy them through, first Midian, then Balaam.
Neither worked. Then Balaam had an idea: I can’t curse them, he thought, so how
about inciting them into idol worship and sexual sin? That will get God to work
against them. And it worked! 24,000 Israelites died through the plague God
sent. It only stopped because Phinehas drove a javelin through an Israelite
leader and a Midianite leader’s daughter, likely while they were having sex.
So,
how about our enemy, the devil and his entourage? Here in the Pergamos church,
they had a lot going for them. God seems to commend them for their works and
their faith, even while some were martyred among them. Jesus acknowledges that
they dwelt where Satan’s throne and dwelling was. Yet He rebuked them for:
“…those who hold the
doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the
children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual
immorality.”
Jesus
identifies Himself, in the introduction to Pergamos, as the One who has “the
sharp two-edged sword” and at the letter’s close, as having a “sword of My
mouth.” Likely paralleling the javelin Phinehas used. So intense was Jesus’
determination that they repent of these sins that He said He would literally
fight against them with that sword of His mouth, if they did not repent!
This
sounds an awful lot like someone is inciting people to sin against God. Isn’t
that the doctrine of Balaam, according to Numbers 31? And this is where Satan
had his throne and dwelling.
As
I think about all this in view of the rampant sexual immorality, idolatry, and
worldliness consuming the church of today, it becomes clear that the enemy
himself is deliberately beguiling and deceiving God’s people into these same
sins of Balaam. The prosperity doctrine is idolatry masquerading as
spirituality.
How
long has it been since you, dear reader, have heard a message about any of
these sins?
I
ask that the Lord would help us and send revival, lest Jesus fight against us
with the Sword of His mouth.
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