Why should you care about Balaam? The talking donkey is pretty cool – but once the donkey is out of the picture, you’ve just got a weird story about a middle eastern seer who was hired to curse Israel, but instead he winds up blessing Israel.
Well, Jesus tells us why we should care about Balaam.
In Revelation 2:14, Jesus says to the church in Pergamum, “I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.”
So, first, Jesus assumes that you understand the story of Balaam. Jesus expects you to know the OT scriptures.
But second, if you don’t know the OT scriptures, then you might be tempted to say that Balaam is pretty awesome! Here’s a pagan seer who winds up repenting and receiving the Spirit, and proclaims the Word of the Lord!
Balaam is a celebrity convert!
Now, in Pergamum, the guy’s name was plainly not Balaam. Maybe his name was Nicolaus (the Nicolaitans). Or maybe his name was Simon Magus! But Jesus’ point is that you shouldn’t pay attention to someone just because they have a fancy conversion story. They may be able to produce a big splashy show – all in the name of Jesus (just like Balaam was able to make quite a showing in the name of Yahweh) – but this is why Paul came to Corinth in weakness – not with a big show of worldly wisdom.
The message of the gospel will invariably be centered on the cross. And the messenger will probably not be splashy. But the result of the message of the cross will be lives that are conformed to the cross!
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