Num 23:7-10

He took up his discourse and said,
“From Aram Balak has brought me,
Moab’s king from the mountains of the East,
‘Come curse Jacob for me,
And come, denounce Israel!’

“How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?

“As I see him from the top of the rocks,
And I look at him from the hills;
Behold, a people who dwells apart,
And will not be reckoned among the nations.

“Who can count the dust of Jacob,
Or number the fourth part of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
And let my end be like his!”

Balaam had been “hired” by Balak to curse Israel.
Balaam would receive honor.
Balaam would receive riches.

But, he did not curse.

He spoke the Word of the Lord.

The Word was not a curse.
The Word was not a denouncement.
The Word was a proclamation about Israel:
- A people who dwells apart
- A people who would not be reckoned/counted as among the nations
- A people as numerous as dust
- A people innumerable

Balaam realized what might come through his refusal to curse.
Balaam knew the potential cost of speaking this truth.
Balaam said “let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his”.

Again, Balaam…an enigmatic figure.
He did what God said.
He did not do as the Lord said.
He went when the Lord said stay.
He spoke the Word of the Lord rather than the curse that would have brought great reward.

…wonder how this will turn out…?

Oh yeah, remember Jude?
The “error of Balaam”…

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