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Numbers 22:1-41  Balak Summons Balaam

[Study Aired October 2, 2023]

Num 22:1  And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. 
Num 22:2  And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 
Num 22:3  And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. 
Num 22:4  And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. 
Num 22:5  He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: 
Num 22:6  Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. 
Num 22:7  And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
Num 22:8  And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. 
Num 22:9  And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
Num 22:10  And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, 
Num 22:11  Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. 
Num 22:12  And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. 
Num 22:13  And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you. 
Num 22:14  And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. 
Num 22:15  And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. 
Num 22:16  And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: 
Num 22:17  For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. 
Num 22:18  And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
Num 22:19  Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more. 
Num 22:20  And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
Num 22:21  And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
Num 22:22  And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. 
Num 22:23  And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. 
Num 22:24  But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. 
Num 22:25  And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again. 
Num 22:26  And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 
Num 22:27  And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. 
Num 22:28  And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 
Num 22:29  And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 
Num 22:30  And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. 
Num 22:31  Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. 
Num 22:32  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: 
Num 22:33  And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. 
Num 22:34  And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
Num 22:35  And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
Num 22:36  And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast. 
Num 22:37  And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? 
Num 22:38  And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. 
Num 22:39  And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth. 
Num 22:40  And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him. 
Num 22:41  And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people. 

Introduction

This chapter is about the famous story of Balak and Balaam. It focuses on Balak’s attempt to get Balaam to curse the Israelites with the belief that whosoever Balaam blessed is blessed and anyone he cursed is cursed. 

Num 22:6  Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” (ESV)

At this point in Israel’s journey, they had finished their wanderings in the wilderness and were now encamped in the plains of Moab near Jordan. Almost all the people of Israel who left Egypt had died except very few, so the people of Israel consisted of a new generation with the maximum age between 38-40. From a spiritual perspective, we can say at this stage of our walk with Christ that our old man, signified by the death of those who left Egypt, has begun its journey of death, giving way to the new man who is after the image of Christ (the new generation of Israel). We were at this point where Christ came into our lives to deal with our flesh or the old man and were just about to leave Babylon.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 
2Th 2:8  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

This chapter therefore shows us Balak’s fear of Israel, and his plot to get the Israelites cursed, the sending of messengers to bring Balaam, the opposition Balaam encountered when he was on his way and the meeting between Balak and Balaam. This story of Balak and Balaam is so important to us, His elect that the Lord reminded the people of Israel regarding it through the prophet Micah. This is because this story teaches us how we can know the righteous acts of the Lord in our lives which are unseen to the world but given to His elect to see.

Mic 6:5  O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.”

Incidentally, the name Balak means ‘waster.’ In the Bible, the waster is the devil as shown in the following verse:

Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

What this means is that, through this study of Balak and Balaam, we shall also know the devices of the adversary, the devil. Paul said that we should not be ignorant of the devices of the devil.

2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Balak sent Messengers to Fetch Balaam

Num 22:1  And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. 
Num 22:2  And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 
Num 22:3  And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. 
Num 22:4  And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. 

Moab and its king, Balak, represent our flesh or our old man who comes to realize that its days are numbered as a result of initial victories we have had over him and the fact that it considered our new man (the people of Israel) as being too many. Considering the people of Israel as being too many signifies seeing the Israelites as being stronger. The gradual defeat of our old man by the new man makes the old man realize that the new man is stronger and that its days are numbered. That is the same as Saul, a type of our old man, seeing that David, a type of our new man, will surely ascend the throne of Israel. 

1Sa 23:17 “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him (David). “My father (Saul) will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware.” (NLT)
1Sa 24:17  And he (Saul) said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 
1Sa 24:18  And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
1Sa 24:19  For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
1Sa 24:20  And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. 
1Sa 24:21  Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.

In verse 1 Moab also represents Babylon as these Moabites were religious people with Chemosh as their supreme deity. The people of Israel pitching in the plains of the Moab means that although our eyes were being opened, we were still under the clutches of Babylon. Balak also can symbolize the religious leaders in Babylon who try to stop the zeal of the young believers (the new generation of the Israelites) whom the Lord is preparing to leave Babylon. They therefore try to put impediments in the way of these young believers to prevent them from leaving. In the final analysis, the Lord’s elect will be blessed as they leave Babylon.

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

In verse 4, the fact that the Moabites considered the Israelites as licking up all that is round about them and as ox licking grass on the field is all to show us that when Christ comes to our lives, we should be assured that victory will ultimately be ours. In Revelation chapter 4, we are told that as Christ comes into our lives, we are assured of Him giving us victory over our flesh as He comes conquering and to conquer. Are you being weighed down by sin and guilt and seeing no victory in sight? Have confidence in His words that He has come conquering and to conquer so that at the end of the day, He shall present you faultless before the Father. Whatever the Lord starts, He is able to bring it to completion.

Rev 6:1  And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
Rev 6:2  And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

Num 22:5  He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: 
Num 22:6  Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. 

Balaam lived a great way off from the land of Moab, in Mesopotamia, which was the country Abraham left to come to the land of Canaan. The place was also where Laban lived. It appears that Balaam had a great reputation as a prophet of God. However, the fact that He lived in Mesopotamia attested to his inability to leave Babylon as the Lord has enjoined us to do. This means he was just like our brothers and sisters in Babylon who have a reputation of being the chosen children of God in the eyes of the Babylonians and people of the world. Balaam can therefore be compared to the old prophet who was living in Bethel who lied to the man of God sent by the Lord from Judah to tell them of their sins. Both Balaam and the old prophet were all living in Babylon which shows their depraved spiritual state.

1Ki 13:11  Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.

Balak attributed great power to the words of Balaam, and therefore believed that whosoever Balaam blessed is blessed and whosoever he curses is cursed. Balak wanted Balaam to curse the people of Israel such that the Moabites could easily overcome them. From the word of the Lord, we know that cursing the Lord’s chosen one or the elect is like a causeless curse which has no effect. For example, Goliath cursed David by his gods, and in the end, David was blessed. Thus, right from the very onset, this plot to curse the young generations of Israel, who represent the elect, was doomed to fail.

Pro 26:2  As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

1Sa 17:43  And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

We are told that no weapon formed or fashioned against us shall prosper. This plot by Balak therefore shows us the Lord’s hand, which is unseen but yet extremely effective in protecting His elect in this wilderness of life, to accomplish His purpose.

Num 22:7  And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
Num 22:8  And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. 
Num 22:9  And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
Num 22:10  And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, 
Num 22:11  Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. 
Num 22:12  And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. 
Num 22:13  And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you. 

As indicated earlier, Moab represents Babylon. One of the significant characteristics of the Babylonians is the desire to be rewarded for the service rendered to the Lord in this life. No wonder in requesting the service of Balaam, who was living in Babylon, they sent messengers with the rewards of divination in hand. These elders of Moab who were sent represent false apostles in Babylon who only focus on the physical blessings of the Lord, which is symbolized here by the rewards for divination. The Apostle Paul told us that if it is in this life that we have hope, then we are the most miserable people on earth.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

1Co 15:19  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

The Lord telling Balaam that he should not go with the messengers, and that the people of Israel are blessed and cannot be cursed, should have settled the matter once and for all for Balaam. However, his desire to receive the wages of iniquity overwhelmed him, and therefore, he was not truthful to the messengers. He only told them that the Lord did not allow him to go with them but never mentioned to the people that it is impossible to curse the people of Israel as they were blessed by the Lord whom he served. That would have ended the enticement. This is what Apostle Jude has to say about this:

Jud 1:10  But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
Jud 1:11  Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Num 22:14  And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. 
Num 22:15  And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. 
Num 22:16  And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: 
Num 22:17  For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. 
Num 22:18  And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
Num 22:19  Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.
Num 22:20  And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

A second delegation was sent to convince Balaam to come with them to king Balak of the Moabites to curse the Israelites. This second visit to Balaam was more enticing in the eyes of Balaam. Balak sent more honorable men than the first encounter; he specifically told Balaam not to be hindered by anything and lastly, that he would promote Balaam to very great honor and will do whatever Balaam says. These enticements by Balak show us the devices of the devil in trapping us in sin. As indicated in the introductory section, Balak means waster and therefore represents the devil. 

Jas 1:13  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
Jas 1:14  But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 
Jas 1:15  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 

As shown above, committing sin is a process. First, we are enticed by sin. Like Balaam, we know exactly what the Lord says regarding the issue before us. There is nothing wrong in being enticed by sin since our flesh loves to sin. However, if we are not decisive in turning away but begin to ponder on the issue, that’s when sin is conceived and will finally give birth to death. Giving birth to death means we end up being partakers of sin. As we are aware, we know spiritual things by the things that are made. For example, if you take a frog and put it in hot water, it will quickly jump out of the water. However, if you put a frog in cold water and start to warm it up gradually, the frog will start to enjoy it and before long, the frog will end up dead. 

That is what happens to us when we are enticed by sin. Balaam suffered the same fate. Instead of telling the messengers that the people of Israel were blessed and cannot be cursed, to end the matter, he told the messengers to stay for the night so that he can hear from the Lord, when the Lord has spoken already concerning the matter. This story shows us Balaam’s struggle with his old man. Although in his mind, he wanted to adhere to the commandment of the Lord when he told the messengers that even if they gave him Balak’s house full of silver and gold, he could not go beyond the word of the Lord, his corrupt nature, the old man, strongly inclined him to go with the messengers.

Rom 7:15  For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 
Rom 7:16  Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 
Rom 7:17  So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

The fact that the Lord came to Balaam in the night to tell him to go with the messengers when they come calling is another way of saying that the Lord gives us over to the desires of our hearts when we become fixated on sin. It is a fearful thing to be given over to the desires of our hearts!!

Rom 1:21  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 
Rom 1:22  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 
Rom 1:23  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 
Rom 1:24  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 
Rom 1:25  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Once sin has been conceived, it will give birth to death. That was what happened to Balaam. Balaam was killed by the Israelites later, which shows us the spiritual state of Balaam – that is, he became spiritually dead.

Jos 13:22  Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.

The Journey to Balak

Num 22:21  And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. 
Num 22:22  And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. 
Num 22:23  And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. 
Num 22:24  But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. 
Num 22:25  And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again. 
Num 22:26  And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 
Num 22:27  And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. 

In verse 22, we see that the Lord was angry that Balaam went with the messengers. When we are persistent in sin, we become blinded by the Lord and cannot perceive the way of the Lord. We become hostile to the Lord’s angels or messengers who come to direct us to the way of the Lord as we see Balaam smiting his ass. The fact that the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way shows us that the Lord can use any beast, that is, people of the world to bring us to the right path of the Lord. This was what happened to Abraham when he lied that Sarah was his sister. The Lord appeared to Abimelech to tell him the truth about Abraham’s relationship with Sarah instead of appearing directly to Abraham to tell him his fault.

Gen 20:3  But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”

We can see that all the impediments that were put in the path of Balaam were for the sake of the Lord’s elect, who in this case are represented by the people of Israel. That is the righteous acts of the Lord that the prophet Micah was reminding the people of Israel about.

Mic 6:5  O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.”

We, His elect, are blessed to be the apple of the Lord’s eyes.

Isa 43:1  But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Isa 43:2  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 
Isa 43:3  For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. 
Isa 43:4  Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.

In verse 26, we are told that the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow place where one cannot turn to the left or right. This reminds me of the narrow path the Lord has chosen for us. We cannot turn left or right. All we have to do is to move forward as the Lord drags us along.

Mat 7:13  “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
Mat 7:14  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

In verse 27, we can see that Balaam’s anger was kindled against the ass, the beast which had seen the angel of the Lord. As we have discussed earlier, Balaam lived in Babylon and therefore represents our brothers and sisters in Babylon. The angel of the Lord here is Christ and His words, the ass or the beast seeing the angel of the Lord means this beast also represents the elect whose eyes have been opened to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Balaam’s anger against the ass or the beast therefore shows us the hatred of the Lord’s elect by our brothers and sisters in Babylon when we try to show them the truth of the word of the Lord.

Rev 11:7  And when they (the two witnesses who represent the elect) have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 
Rev 11:8  and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9  For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb,
Rev 11:10  and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 
Rev 11:11  But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

The people who dwell on the earth in Revelation 11:10 symbolize our brothers and sisters in Babylon who think we are tormenting them with the truth of the word of the Lord and therefore hate us.  

Num 22:28  And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 
Num 22:29  And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 
Num 22:30  And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? Was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. 
Num 22:31  Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. 
Num 22:32  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: 
Num 22:33  And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. 
Num 22:34  And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

As indicated, the ass represents the elect. The statement in verse 28 by the ass that Balaam had smitten him three times is to let us know that the hatred from our brothers and sisters in Babylon is all part of the process of our spiritual maturity through judgment. In verse 29, we get to know the reason for hating us. They think we are mocking them when we tell them the truth of the word of the Lord. The verse also shows us the deep hatred of our brothers and sisters in Babylon to the point of even killing us in the name of the Lord. We were also at a certain point in our lives very offensive to the Lord’s elect. As He is, so are we in this life. As Christ was hated by the church during His days on earth, we shall also suffer the same fate in this life. The scenario here is just like that of Joseph who was hated by his brothers, because their father loved him more. 

Gen 37:3  Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.
Gen 37:4  But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

Just as the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam to see the angel of the Lord in verse 31, in the fullness of time (the lake of fire age), our brothers and sisters in Babylon will have their eyes opened by the Lord to see us as saviors. That is when they will see their hatred and evil deeds toward the Lord’s elect and also come to realize that their ways were perverse and will know that they have sinned against the Lord and His elect as shown in verse 34.

Balaam Finally Met Balak

Num 22:35  And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
Num 22:36  And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast. 
Num 22:37  And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? 
Num 22:38  And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. 
Num 22:39  And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth. 
Num 22:40  And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
Num 22:41  And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.

Finally, Balaam met Balak in the city of Moab, near the border of Arnon. Balaam and Barak then came to Kirjath-huzoth which means ‘city of streets.’ The street is where we walk. Balaam and Barak coming to Kirjath-huzoth shows us plainly their walk before the Lord. At Kirjath-huzoth, Balak offered oxen and sheep to the god of Moab. Offering sheep and oxen to the god of Moab means that in Babylon, we serve another Jesus. 

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Later, Balak and Balaam went to the high places of Baal to see a fraction of the people of Israel. Seeing the Lord’s elect from the perspective of the idols of our hearts (high places of Baal) as Balaam and Balak did means that there is no way we can appreciate the Lord’s elect while in Babylon. Our natural tendency is to hate them.

In summary, this whole episode of Balak and Balaam shows us the plot against the Lord’s elect, which ultimately will come to nought.

Psa 2:1  Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 
Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Psa 2:3  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Psa 2:4  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 
Psa 2:5  Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 
Psa 2:6  Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

We thank our heavenly Father for His divine love and protection toward His elect as we see the day approaching.  Amen!!