Title: BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE

Focus: Speaking through Balaam’s oracles, God assures us today that demonic forces will not prevail against God’s people. That assurance rests on God’s covenant promises and centers on God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Function: To stir the people to draw encouragement from Balaam’s oracles and to look up to the Christ, as we battle demonic powers of sin and evil.

Text: Numbers 22:36-24:25

We live in an age of lawlessness and apostasy. Pagan practices are rising; church attendance is falling. Eastern religions and so-called “spirituality” rites and rituals are gaining popularity, while Christian norms and values are no longer acknowledged as valid or relevant. Paganism, secularism, and hostile atheism are worming their way into our culture and laws. And the Christian Church--world-wide--is rocking on its foundations, trying to retain a firm footing. Demonic forces are chipping away at Christians and the church today.

Christian leaders, representing the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and the evangelical Protestant Church, are rallying together and summoning Christians to stand firm. In what’s called “The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience,” these Christian leaders speak out against unjust laws and they say, among other things: Let it be known…

· That we will not comply with any edict that compels us or the institutions we lead to participate in or facilitate abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide, euthanasia, or any other act that violates the principle of the profound, inherent, and equal dignity of every member of the human family.

· That we will not bend to any rule forcing us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality, marriage, and the family.

· That we will not be intimidated into silence or acquiescence or the violation of our consciences by any power on earth, be it cultural or political, regardless of the consequences to ourselves.

Clearly, more and more Christians—from all kinds of different denominations or segments of the church—sense a need to fight lawlessness and immorality in our culture, courts and congress. I would not be surprised if in the next five years, we’ll all have a sense that “hell is breaking loose” on Christians, the Christian Church, and Christian organizations. The culture war has just begun, I think.

As we engage in this spiritual battle, seeking to make a stand, we must use spiritual weapons, appeal to God’s covenant promises, look up to Christ Jesus, and take note of Balaam’s oracles. For speaking through Balaam’s oracles, God assures us today that demonic forces will NOT prevail against God’s people. That assurance rests on God’s covenant promises and centers on God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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We have explored the setting of Numbers 22-24 before. The king of Moab, Balak is his name, has called for Balaam, the world’s most famous and successful sorcerer and herald of curses. Balaam is on favorable terms with the powers of darkness; and he usually is able to bend those powers at will to his own advantage and to his friends’ advantage—for a fee, of course.

This time, however, Balaam realizes that he can’t mess with the God of the Israelites. And Balaam has warned Balak that he cannot curse the Israelites. Rather, the God of the Israelites has commanded Balaam to bless the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Balak, however, is a true pagan and has difficulty believing Balaam. Balak wants Balaam to “give it a shot.”

It’s a fascinating story, beautifully told, and carefully developed. For example, in the first three oracles of Balaam we observe a particular pattern of progression: Each oracle begins with Balak’s panoramic view—overlooking God’s people from a particular, geographical vantage point. Then Balaam pronounces an oracle, blessing the Israelites instead of cursing them. And then we learn of Balak’s irritable and alarming response to Balaam’s oracle.

Thus, in Oracle #1, Balak took Balaam “…up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he saw part of the people (Israel).” From that panoramic point of view, they did not see more than ¼ of the Israelite camp and army. Yet, what they saw terrified Balak and impressed Balaam greatly. Listen to a part of Balaam’s oracle: “Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel?”

In this first oracle, then, we notice that God, speaking through Balaam, “toots the horn of the Israelites.” He emphasizes the military strength of Israel. And, of course, that’s not what Balak want to hear. He scolds Balaam and tells Balaam that he is barking up the wrong tree: “What have you done to me?” he asks. “I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!”

Perhaps it will help Balaam if he sees the Israelites from another panoramic vantage point. So Balak “…took Balaam to the field of Zophim on the top of (Mt) Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” In other words, Balak is willing to do whatever it takes to change Balaam’s point of view and to accommodate Balaam’s power over the demonic forces or the gods.

But the greater panoramic sight of Israel, ready to inherit the Promised Land, does not impress Balaam. He cannot curse the Israelites. In fact, speaking through Balaam, God pronounces another blessing. This time the emphasis is not on the size of Israel’s army, but on the presence and greatness of Israel’s King. God is Israel’s King. And God has led the Israelites out of Egypt and he will surely lead them into Canaan. Nothing can stop God and his people. Thus Balaam prophecies: “There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!”’

Exasperated with Balaam, Balak says: “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!” In other words, “You, Balaam, are barking up the wrong tree! And if you are not willing to bark curses, then at least hush and be silent.”

Balak is willing to give Balaam one more opportunity to change his mind and tune of blessings into a string of curses. So, he takes Balaam to a very high place, rather close to the camp of the Israelites—so that Balaam can see the Israelites divided in marching orders surrounding the tabernacle, tribe by tribe. Surely that close-up view will impress Balaam to bind these threatening Israelites with a paralyzing, demonic curse.

But opening Balaam’s eyes, God speaks through Balaam and sings the praises of Israel; he prophesies a glorious future for God’s people, and he ends his oracle with these words: “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!”

That oracle does it for Balak. He fires Balaam and sends him home. He mocks the sorcerer and refuses to compensate Balaam for his services. As Balak’s wish for curses will not be satisfied, so Balaam’s desires for riches and fame will go unmet. “Leave at once and go home!” said Balak to Balaam.

Then it happens! No longer officially charged to bless or curse, Balaam addresses the King of Moab: “Let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.” And then God speaks to Balaam and speaks of wondrous things that are to come in the near and far future: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.”

That star signifies a king. Pointing to the near future, that star prophesied the coming of King David, who would subdue all the hostile tribes and nations. David would unify the people of God and subdue her enemies. But that star also points to the far future—to the time when Christ, the King would come. That star King would subdue the powers of sin and hell and death. That star is our Lord and Savior, whose “comings” into this world we celebrate during this Advent season.

How marvelous and wondrous are God’s ways! Think of it! Balaam—a pagan witch from Babylon announces to the nations of the world the coming of God’s Savior King. Then, centuries later, pagan wise men from the east, from Babylon, see the star of Bethlehem, and they declare to Israel and to the nations of the world that Christ, the Savior King is born, saying “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

Balaam announces good news to you and me today! Balaam also warns the peoples and nations of the world of judgment that is to come. All the enemies of God and his people will be subdued and dealt with. “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!” God warns the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Kenites. He also warns us today. Be careful. Do not bark curses up the tree of Jesse. Do not curse Christ and his church! Rather bless! And be blessed by the Christ of God! This is why I said earlier: draw encouragement from Balaam’s oracles; look up to Christ the King of kings, as we all must battle and deal with the demonic powers in our culture, courts, congress, and yes, also in our own hearts today.

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In the midst of today’s hostility toward Christ and God’s Word and in the middle of our cultural moral decay, God comes to us with Balaam’s oracles. And God lays upon our hearts at least three things:

#1. God’s promises stand firm. Hundreds of years before God spoke through Balaam, God made a promise to Abraham and his descendants: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Without realizing it, God’s people faced a huge threat in those days of Moses and Joshua. God’s enemies are ready to pronounce curses upon God’s people. But God comes to the defense of his people. God warns the nations, and prevents them from cursing. Intended curses turn into promised blessings. God sees to it that his Word and promises stand firm.

Those promises are ours also today. We receive them in baptism; God realizes these promises in and through Jesus; and Jesus takes these promises upon his lips when he said to his disciples: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” “Lo, I will be with you even to the very end of the age.” Take heart! God’s covenant promises stand firm!

#2. All peoples and nations must respond to God’s promises and to God’s “star”—the Lord Jesus Christ. We must choose this day whom we shall serve. Will we respond with faith and seek shelter with Christ under his umbrella of love and care? Will we embrace the blessings of forgiveness of sins and eternal life?

Will we serve the Christ and yield ourselves as living sacrifices wholly and pleasing to God? Or will we oppose, ignore, rebel, and curse the living God?

Will we take to heart God’s warning and run toward him with a contrite heart and repent from our sins? Or will we flee from him and do our own thing? Everyone must make a response. No one can be neutral when it comes to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God looks for a response!

#3. Stand firm. As opposition to the Christian faith and Church increases, as moral decay advances, and as we might feel more and more like a Christian minority in our culture and country, do not be afraid. Do not panic. Do not hide. Do not retreat. And do not seek refuge in human wit and political power.

Rather, stand firm on the promises of God and be willing to engage in spiritual warfare. Always flee to Christ; abide in him and he in you; always respond to God’s Word; and always draw strength from God’s Spirit. And remember these words of assurance by the Lord Jesus, when he declared to Peter that he would build “his church” upon “this rock.” “And” said Jesus, “the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.” (Matthew 16:18) That assurance of victory over the demonic powers of sin and evil rests on God’s covenant promises and centers on God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Glory to the triune God! As it was in the beginning, so it shall be: world without end! Amen.