THE ANALYSIS OF THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BALAAM
Introduction
1Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which somehave strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves throughwith many sorrows.
The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Paul could relate to the absolute destructive power of greed and could describe it accurately in this Bible verse due to his past experiences. In other words, we must never let our guard down, for greed is the gateway to hades.
Which Biblical Characters Succumbed To Their Greed?
1. Achan
Due to his love for gold, Achan kept back part of the spoils. As a result, the Israelites failed to conquer Ai despite their repeated attempts. In the end, Achan was stoned to death by all Israel.
Josh. 7:21-26 "When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it." 22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it. 23And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. 24Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. 25And Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day." So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. 26Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.
2. Saul
Saul spared the spoils of the best of the sheep and the oxen of the Amalekites. He was unwilling to utterly destroy them and thus, provoked God to anger.
Consequently, he was rejected by God as king.
1Sam. 15:8-23 He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed. 10Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11"I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments." And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night. 12So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal." 13Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord." 14But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" 15And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed." 16Then Samuel said to Saul, "Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak on." 17So Samuel said, "When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? 18Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' 19Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?" 20And Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal." 22So Samuel said: "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king."
3. Naaman
Gehazi and his descendants were cursed with leprosy because of his greed for Naaman's silver and garments.
2Kings 5:23-27 So Naaman said, "Please, take two talents." And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants; and they carried them on ahead of him. 24When he came to the citadel, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed. 25Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, "Where did you go, Gehazi?" And he said, "Your servant did not go anywhere." 26Then he said to him, "Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? 27Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever." And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.
4. Balaam
Balaam ran in the path of error due to his greed for personal gains.
Num. 22:17 for I will certainly honour you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.' "
These Biblical characters serve as examples and warnings about how greed will lead one to his downfall.
I. What Happened Between Balak And Balaam?
1. Balak called Balaam To Curse The People Of Israel
Let us analyse the psychology of Balaam and study his state of mind by referring to the Bible. Numbers chapters 22-24 record that Balaam was called by Balak, the King of Moab to curse the people of Israel.
Balaam did not dare to go with the elders of Moab sent by Balak when he met them for the first time. Rather, he sought the instructions of God.
Num. 22:12-14 And God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed." 13So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, "Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you." 14And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us."
Subsequently, Balak sent princes who were more honourable than the previous ones to Balaam for the second time. This time, they were asked to stay overnight so that Balaam could seek the instructions of God again.
Num. 22:15-19 Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honourable than they. 16And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: 'Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; 17for I will certainly honour you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.' " 18Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. 19Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me." This time, God’s answer to Balaam was different from the first time.
Num. 22:20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.”
Balaam thought that God had finally permitted him to go with the princes of Moab.
Therefore, he rose in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with them.
God's anger was aroused because Balaam went with the princes. On three separate occasions during his journey, God’s Angel stood in the way of Balaam with His drawn sword in His hand.
Num. 22:22-31 Then God's anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. 24Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. 25And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; so he struck her again. 26Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam's anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" 29And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!" 30So the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?" And he said, "No." 31Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.
The Angel of God said to Balaam, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. If the donkey had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now.”
Num. 22:32-35 And the Angel of the Lord said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. 33The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live." 34And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, "I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back." 35Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I spoke to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
Balak went into the city of Moab to receive Balaam personally. He was hospitable and treated Balaam warmly. He even set up a feast to honour Balaam and to recompense him for enduring a difficult journey.
Num. 22:37-40 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honour you?" 38And Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak." 39So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth. 40Then Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.
Balak took Balaam to the high places of Baal so that he might observe the camps of the Israelites and curse them. However, Balaam conveyed God’s words to Balak three separate times.
Balaam told Balak that the Israelites would grow stronger and destroy all other nations. After that, he rose, departed and returned to his place (Numbers chapters 23 to 24).
2. Balaam Caused The Israelites To Sin
The holy people of God had to stay in Moab for a very long time because of Balak’s request for Balaam to curse them. Balaam counselled Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of God by enticing them with sexual immorality and food offered to idols so that they would commit sin. As a result, the children of Israel who remained in Acacia Grove committed sexual immorality with the women of Moab.
Together, they offered sacrifices to idols and worshipped them. They also ate food sacrificed to idols.
God was so furious that He hung the leaders of the people out in the sun and killed those who were joined to Baal. At that time, about twenty-four thousand Israelites died from the plague. (Num. 25:1-9).
Moses said “...the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor...” (Num. 31:16).
Elder John said “...those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel...” (Rev. 2:14).
Num. 31:16 Look, these 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.
Rev. 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.
Balaam not only sinned but also caused the Israelites to commit a great sin.
God struck the Israelites with a plague and Balaam was killed when the Israelites killed the five kings of Midian.
Num. 31:8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed--Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.
Josh. 13:22 The children of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, among those who were killed by them.
3. What Mistakes Did Balaam Commit?
i - Balaam Did Not Keep The First Instruction Of God
If we were to analyse Balaam’s behaviour psychologically and study how he met his end, we can see that his biggest mistake was not adhering to the first instruction given by God, “You shall not go with them, ...for they are blessed” (Num. 22:12).
Balaam should have been steadfast in his belief. He should have safeguarded his heart and walked circumspectly. Instead, he asked God (whether he should follow the princes of Moab) for the second time because he did not understand that the words of God would never change. Actually, Balaam desired to go with them for he was tempted by riches and power. This notion set in motion the dark clouds of greed that clouded his judgment.
The Devil provided Balaam with an excuse to ask God again, thinking that perhaps God would change His mind and permit him to go with the Moabites. He tried to justify his action by deceiving others and himself. However, God does not see as a man sees, but He looks at the heart.
1Sam. 16:7LP For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
God knew that Balaam wanted to go with the Moabites, so He no longer stopped him.
Balaam thought that finally, everything would be perfect. He could receive honour and glory without transgressing the words of God. He was convinced that he was wiser and smarter than everyone!
ii - What was the end of those who transgressed the words of God?
a. Eve
Eve was tempted by the serpent. She gave in to her greed and ate the forbidden fruit. She thought that the fruit was pleasant to the eyes and the tree was desirable to make one wise. However, she ended up losing her purity.
Gen. 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
Eve did not hold fast to the words of God. After she had sinned, she was cast out of the Paradise of Eden and no longer had part in the way of eternal life.
b. The man of God
The man of God was called to go to Bethel to prophesy and to restore Jeroboam's withered hand. On his way back, he was lured by the old prophet to go to his house to eat and drink. He was disobedient to the words of God and was therefore torn and killed by a lion. His body could not be buried in the tomb of his fathers (1Kings 13:1-25).
1Kings 13:26 Now when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard it, he said, "It is the man of God who was disobedient to the word of the Lord. Therefore the Lord has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to him."
iii - What can we learn from the mistake of Balaam?
a. The words of God were not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes
The words of God were not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. In fact, God’s words are just like cast iron with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
2Cor. 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us--by me, Silvanus, and Timothy--was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes.
Jas. 1:17LP with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
b. We must observe the commandments of God
We must observe the commandments of God carefully by writing them in the tablet of our hearts. We shall neither add to it nor take away from it.
Deu. 12:32 Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
Rev. 22:18-19 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
iv - We must contend earnestly for the faith
Jude records about how we must contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
Jude 1:3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
We must be steadfast in the words of truth that we have received and hold fast to the very first commandment that we have received from God. We must not be deceived or be shaken away from our beliefs so that we will not end up like Balaam and the man of God who perished in the end.
v - Why Did God Not Expressly Forbid Balaam From Following The Moabites When Asked For The Second Time?
Let us consider further, what if God had expressly forbidden Balaam from following the Moabites princes when He was asked for the second time? Would this have been better since Balaam might not have sinned?
No! Balaam would still not listen to the words of God as:
a. Balaam was eager to go to Moab because his eyes were blinded and his judgment was clouded by his love of money, so God let him be (as mentioned in the previous part).
b. Balaam was different from the boy Samuel, who was too young to recognise the voice of the Lord and thus, needed the guidance of the high priest Eli.
Conversely, Balaam was already a leader, a prophet and a discerner of good and evil. Sometimes, God tests us in order to find out our inner thoughts.
Deu. 13:3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
God tested Abraham and commanded him to offer his only son Isaac as burnt offering to Him. He wanted to test the faithfulness of Abraham.
God called Abraham as the father of faith for he was able to overcome his spiritual trial. His noble deed and unwavering faith had brought forth incorruptible fruits that last forever. His righteousness was just as the sweet aroma that diffused everywhere in the world, and became imprinted in the minds of God’s spiritual people.
Today, many people had undergone spiritual trials but failed just like Balaam. It does not matter how unbearable it may be when we are undergoing spiritual trials. As the spiritual people of God, we must always rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the words of the Bible. Then, we can keep walking in the path of light and hope, and keep running towards the beautiful and glorious land.
II. Balaam Was Oblivious To The Obstacles Along The Way
God made the donkey talk during the journey but even such miracle could not stop the greed of Balaam. Although he was a prophet, Balaam could not even measure up to a saint who repented upon realising his sin on hindsight.
When the son of the widow of Zarephath died, she said to Elijah “Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?”
1Kings 17:17-18 Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. And his sickness was so serious that there was no breath left in him. 18So she said to Elijah, "What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?"
The widow knew how to examine herself when she was inflicted with woe.
Today, the spiritual people of God must know how to reflect and examine themselves when they encounter difficulties, sicknesses, and disasters because such obstacles may not be coincidences but are in fact, the manifestations of the gracious will of God.
We must not emulate Balaam who only knew how to strike the donkey in his anger.
The Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “... because your way is perverse before Me. If the donkey had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now”. Nevertheless, Balaam acted as if he did not hear the warning from the Angel for his heart was heavy and his ears were dull.
Balaam did not consider why the donkey spoke or why the Angel stood in the way with His drawn sword in His hand. If he did, he would have known that God did not want him to go with the Moabites. He should have said to them, “I will not go with you, for the Angel of the Lord is standing in the way”. Rather, he said to the Angel, “Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”
At that juncture, Balaam’s heart was filled with greed. He was prepared to stray from the right path for the wages of unrighteousness and was ready to run greedily in the path of error for ill-gotten gains. He did not even fear death as his sole goal was to gain power and profits. In the end, the desire for money overcame him.
2Pet. 2:15-16 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
Jude 1:11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
It might not be too late for Balaam had he repented immediately upon discovering his mistakes. The merciful God would rather see him stop sinning, repent and return to the good way. Sadly, he refused to do so but continued to indulge in sin and caused his own demise.
III. Balaam Did Not Examine Himself
From the incident of Balaam, we can see that he sought for instructions from God and obeyed them. Balaam did go to Moab but returned empty-handed. How could Balaam be judged as greedy then?
Some may mistakenly think that Balaam was wronged. We know that Balaam was asked by Balak to curse the people of Israel on three occasions, but he chose to follow God’s command and blessed them instead. In fact, his action had incurred the wrath of Balak.
Did we misjudge the greed of Balaam?
Num. 24:10-11 Then Balak's anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times! 11Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honour you, but in fact, the Lord has kept you back from honour."
Actually, Balaam had always harboured the intention to tempt God. He thought that God might actually allow him to curse the people of Israel. In return, he would gain honour and glory. However, Balaam was dejected and greatly disappointed by God’s bountiful blessings to the Israelites those three times when he was requested by Balak to curse them. Therefore, he had no choice but to return reluctantly to his place (after he had counselled Balak how to entice the Israelites to commit sin).
Balaam did not examine himself after his experience. He neither reflected on his actions nor pondered whether he had committed any wrongdoing. If he had repented in time, perhaps he could have turned away God’s anger. Regrettably, he had transgressed God’s commandment and perished without even realising it.
Conclusion
As a summary from the analysis of the three points here, we can conclude that the reason why Balaam committed sin was due to his greed which he succumbed to in the end.
Greed has a long history and had existed since the foundation of the world. Greed entered into the world through the serpent who deceived Eve, and greed is the mother of all sins and the source of all evil. Greed is an excellent tool that the Devil has been using all along to entice man to commit wickedness. Greed can never be eradicated in its entirety for it is the source of iniquity and idolatry and the effective entrapment of mankind.
We must always be vigilant and take heed of our actions whether at church or in public places. When we encounter obstacles, we must always ponder whether our actions are in accordance with the true teachings of the Bible, or whether we are self-seeking, in the interest of gaining honour and making profits.
Balaam thought that he was still a pious man because God had always replied him with instructions but in fact, he had asked in vain. He mistakenly thought that God was still with him so what he did must be right. He committed mistakes repeatedly for he thought that he was acting in God's will.
From the incident of Balaam, we understand that we must examine ourselves and be vigilant whenever we are in difficulties. We must also tread carefully and not deceive ourselves with falsehoods. God spoke through Balaam only to fulfil His promised blessings to the people of Israel (and not because He changed His mind). This supports the words of the Bible, that Heaven and earth will pass away, but God's words will by no means pass away.
Matt. 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
If Balaam had examined himself, he might not have perished. Thus, reflection is a form of spiritual exercise that is profitable for all. In fact, it is the remedy to overcome sin.
In today's challenging world, the spiritual people of God must take heed and be vigilant so that they do not become lovers of themselves and lovers of money. They must never aspire to live a materialistic life through dishonest gains, for wealth and fortune are but temporary pleasures in life. Rather, they must be contented with what they have and lead a life of integrity when faced with poverty. They should exercise themselves to godliness and spiritual maturity so that they can remain steadfast and humble in the face of adversities.
Let us read about the Biblical characters called Achan (Joshua 7:1-28), Gehazi (2Kings 5:20-27), and Balaam. They were all rejected by God and brought shame on themselves for generations to come.
God had told us repeatedly that we would be made accountable to Him in the last day.
This is why we must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling for we can
never deceive Him.
Phil. 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
1Tim. 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
We should take heed, be steadfast in the words of God and not place importance on fame and fortune. In addition, we must learn to put our trust in Him for He gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let us put to death the lust of the eyes and covetousness (the tenth commandment of God), never give place to other gods in our hearts and remember that covetousness is idolatry. Amen!
(The Holy Spirit Times 1948)