Balak

Parashas Balak

Numbers 22:2 – 25:9

PLEASE PRAY THIS

RAYER BEFORE READING

Prayer

In the name of Yahushua

Our Messiyah,

I pray for the Spirit of Understanding

The Spirit of Knowledge and

The Spirit of Wisdom

As I read through this Parasha

That the Truth of Torah may

Come forth. Amen

This Torah portion is the 40^th  in the Torah Cycle, in this reading the Torah tells us the story of Bilaam the prophet, he had the power to cast a curse on the Yisraelites, to give the evil eye ssotospeak. In the previous Torah Portion, we realize the purpose of a Korach in our lives, now we will also see the value of a Bilaam in our spiritual development.

According to the Torah, the King of Moab, saw how successful the Yisraelites were in their physical and spiritual battle, and became envious of them, so Balak summoned Bilaam to cast a evil eye on the Yisraelites.

As believers there are spiritual forces acting against us every day, like the Children of Yisrael, we had no idea what plans the spirit of Balak is planning against us, we also do not know what spiritual forces is stack up against us every day.

In this Torah Portion we will learn how essential it is to be always be connect spiritual to El Yahushua our Messiyah. Before a person can be defeated physically his or her spiritual covering must be removed. Cause and effect.

In exodus 17:12 we see an example of this spiritual covering, when Moses Exo 17:11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Yisrael prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

This is a valuable lesson for our lives. There is never any spiritual falling without an avenue for redemption. No soul falls forever. We must always realize that, no matter how low it might seems that we have fallen, our spirit is in a process of correction.

There is a verse in Isaiyah 60:4 “Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: you sons shall come from far, and you daughters shall be nursed at thy side. ” This verse is describing the “Gemar HaTikkum,” the final correction, and that the first three letter of the word “Nikbatzum ba’u lecha” ‘have gathered and come to surround you’ make up the name NaBaL.

When we look around, we awaken the consciousness that no soul truly fall without the process of redemption available to it. Very soul or Ego is in a state of correction, even Bilaam soul was in a state of correction.

It is important for every believer to study this Torah Portion, for in studying it, we realize that there is no negative soul, all souls are in a state of correction. Even when we see something negative in another person, we must remember that there is also tremendous holiness in us. We need to read the words of this Torah Portion over and over again in order to awaken our consciousness within us, so that we may move toward the Gemar HaTikkum, the final correction.

This chapter begins with the famous story of Balak and Balaam, their attempt to curse the Hebrew people, and the baffling of their attempt; יהוה people were told long afterward to remember what Balak the king of Moab, who consulted Balaam the son of Beor, and the answer he gave “that they might know the righteousness of YAHVEH”, Mic:5.

In this chapter we have:

• Balak’s fear of the Hebrew People, and the plot he had to get them cursed.
• The delegation he sent to Balaam, a conjurer, to fetch him for that purpose, and the disappointment he met with in the first delegation.
• Balaam’s coming to him upon his second message.
• The opposition Balaam met with by the way.
• The interview at length between Balak and Balaam.

The children of Yisrael had been traveling the Wilderness for some thirty-nine years, now they were now referred to as Yisrael. This was the final attack of the enemies of our soul to squelch their progress towards the final correction, Yisrael. They were encamped in the plains of Moab on the east side of Jordan, where they dwell till they passed through the Jordan River. This narrative starts with a fright of the Moabites, bases on the approaching Yisraelites. Now the narrative!

Num 22:2 And Balak son of Tsippor saw all that Yisra’ĕl had done to the Amorites. -   They heard of the triumphs over the Amorites, and think that their own kingdom was in danger, when he saw the relative ease in which the Amorites fall before Yisrael.

Num 22:3 And Mo’aḇ was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Mo’aḇ was in dread because of the children of Yisra’ĕl. -  They observed the multitude of the Yisraelites, for they were many. The Moabites speculate on the easy it would be for the Yisraelites to overpowered them. Some effective strategic course of action was to be employed to stop the progress of the advancing Yisraelites. It is always the intent of the evil-one to prevent our Spiritual progress to maturity. When we observe such a campaign, we know for a fact it is not the flesh, but a spiritual battle in progress.

The Children of Yisrael knew nothing about the plans of Balak and Balaam since it was not a military campaign, is was not conducted in the natural, but in the spiritual. It is essential that we summoned the name of YAHVEH TSEBAOTE the Army of Host of Heavens, for our protection. My Master, teach my hands to do warfare. 2Sa 22:35  He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

Num 22:4 And Mo’aḇ said to the elders of Miḏyan, “Now this company is licking up all that is around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Now Balaq son of Tsippor was sovereign of the Mo’aḇites at that time  - In fear he said t hey shall lick up or devour us, as they consumed all that are around about us, as speedily and irresistibly as an ox eats up grass.

Seeing themselves to be an unequal match for so formidable an enemy, they were so afraid and distressed. Psalms 53:5 “thus were the wicked in great fear were no fear was.” 

Notice the choice of words. They accused the Yisraelites of licking up, consuming everything in their path. This choice of words was design to bring the sympathy of Balaam on their side. Much like today the word that is used to bring fear is terrorist, this will justify any country of government right to conduct military action anywhere in the disguise of safety. As scripture says the evil one flees when no one is chasing. Pro 28:1  The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Num 22:5 and he sent messengers to Bilʽam son of Beʽor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, “See, a people has come from Mitsrayim. See, they have covered the surface of the land, and are settling next to me! – The fear they communicated to their neighbors, the elders of Midian that, some collective measures must be taken for their mutual protection. The project the king of Moab embarked on was to have Yisrael cursed, that is, to set יהוה against them, who, they perceived would fight for them. 

YAHVEH TSEBAOTE is the General of all Angelic and Spiritual forces which have only one mind and are called to do the perfect will of YAHVEH. If a believer have enemies, whether spiritual, mental or physical, this Name when called upon in faith, goes into battle against all unrighteous opposition. Balak was well aware of this when he summand Balaam.

Num 22:6 “And now, please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too strong for me. It might be that I smite them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” – Balaam was called a prophet “II Peter 2:¹⁶  but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.” because he had been one, or perhaps he had raised his reputation from the first by his magical charms, as Simon Magus, who bewitched the people so far that he was called the great power of YAHVEH in Acts 8:10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of YAHVEH.

Curse pronounced by יהוה prophets in His Name have powerful effects, as Noah’s in Genesis 9:25, and Elisha’s in II Kings 2:24. But the curse causelessly made, shall not come through, Proverbs 26:2, as Goliath’s when he curses David by his gods, I Samuel 17:43.

 

Num 22:7 And the elders of Mo’aḇ and the elders of Miḏyan left with the fees for divination in their hand, and they came to Bilʽam and spoke the words of Balaq to him. - But Balak cannot rely upon these bribry as sufficient to influence Balaam; the main inducement is yet to come. They took the reward of divination in their hand, the wages of unrighteousness, which he loved, II Peter 2:15.

Num 22:8 And he said to them, “Spend the night here, and I shall bring back word to you, as יהוה speaks to me.” So the heads of Mo’aḇ stayed with Bilʽam. – Notice how the children of darkness, used the night for their evil intent, spend the night here! It is very probable that Balaam, being a curious inquisitive man, was no stranger to Yisrael’s case and character, but had heard that יהוה was with them, so he ought to have given the messengers their answer immediately, that he would never curse a people whom יהוה had blessed.  But he gave them lodging for the night that he may consider what shall be done. When we entertain temptation we are in great danger of being overcome by them.

 

Num 22:9 And Elohim came to Bilʽam and said, “Who are these men with you?” – In the night יהוה came to Balaam and enquires what business those strangers had with him. In other word what were they doing there? יהוה knew the reason, this question was more of an rebuke. What does light have to do with darkness?

 

Num 22:10 And Bilʽam said to Elohim, “Balaq, son of Tsippor, sovereign of Mo’aḇ, has sent to me, saying – in this verse Balaam gives יהוה an account of their mission.

Num 22:11 ‘See, a people has come out of Mitsrayim and cover the surface of the land. Come now, curse them for me. It might be that I am able to fight against them and drive them out.’ ” – In Balaam’s attempt to justify the presence of the visitor, he used the phrase that they were afraid of the Yisraelites because of their great numbers. That is why they came to him seeking his help.

They knew that before an army can be defeted in the natural its spiritual covering had to be removed. The employment of the Prophet. Too often the unsaved used fear to justified everything they did.

   

Num 22:12 And Elohim said to Bilʽam, “Do not go with them. You do not curse the people, for they are blessed.” -  יהוה upon hearing Balaam statement, charge Balaam not to go with them or even attempt to curse the Yisraelites. Balaam do not even entertain the taught! יהוה  sometime for the preservation of His people, speak to bad men, as to Abimelech in Genesis 20:3, and to Laban, Genesis 31:24.

We cannot mix blessing and curse, as we cannot mix hot and cold, Light and darkness. Good and bad.

    

Num 22:13 And Bilʽam rose in the morning and said to the heads of Balaq, “Go back to your land, for יהוה has refused to allow me to go with you.” – Balaam is not faithful in returning יהוה answer to the messenger. He only tells them, YAHVEH refused to give me leave to go with you. He did not tell them, as he ought to have done, that Yisrael was a blessed people, and must by no means be cursed, and the temptation would not have continued. It was the same circumstance Eve had when she quote YAHVEH out of context.

The action of Balaam is an example of todays politician. Speak only what the audience want to hear. Leaders must speak what they are told to speak, not what is political expedient at the moment.

  

Num 22:14 And the heads of Mo’aḇ arose and went to Balaq, and said, “Bilʽam refuses to come with us.” – The messengers are not faithful in returning Balaam’s answer to Balak. All they said is that Balaam refused to come with us. Leaving the door open that maybe Balaam was not suitable convince of the urgency of the matter. The politically correct thing was to convey an open-ended message that was open to much interpretation. In the Kingdom of Heavens, out message should not be open to any private interpretation, only to the Specific Words Spoken by יהוה.

  

Num 22:15 Then Balaq again sent heads, more numerous and more esteemed than they. – We have here a second delegation been sent to Balaam, to encourage him to curse the Yisraelites. It is well for us if we were as earnest and constant in prosecuting a good work, notwithstanding disappointment, as Balak was in pursuing this ill design project.  But I believe that Balak truly believe what he was doing was right in his religious eyes.

Many in the church today thinks that they have replace Yisrael, therefore they pray against Yisrael, they even prosecute them as Hitler did.

The messenger that was sent were more honorable, in an attempt to influence Balaam, such is temptation. If we do not nip it in the bud, so to speak the next time it will be more enticing as this second delegation was.