We tend to think of the passage in the Old Testament as more for a child.....the donkey turned to Balaam and spoke....but Balaam was no minor figure in the Bible....and he takes up more than a passage in Numbers. Apparently he was no minor figure at the time. Kings went to him for.....help. The Bible speaks in terms of curses and blessings but essentially it was....help. The king of Moab wanted help in stopping the incursion of these powerful Israelites. Incredibly Peter brings up Balaam....and so does Jude.....and Balaam shows up in no less than the words of Jesus in Revelation. No....there is more here for us than Mr. Ed....the talking donkey.
Maybe one of the dictionary companies will choose the word....'influencer'....for their word of the year.....for we hear the term often today. Books have been written on this new category....and even college courses use the word. An influencer can be many things.....on social media or in business or anywhere really. They are perceived to have so much power that their influence is sought after....and employed.
Balaam was an influencer. David had his own influencer so to speak. Presidents have their influencers. Nicholas and Alexandra....to the disastrous effect on Russia and the world....had Rasputin. Alternately....we have our Balaams today. Trump was and is....though that is hopefully shrinking....one of the biggest.....as the church used him.....or so they mistakenly thought....to procure what it believed America needed to survive. Trump for his part....has been seeking gain through wrongdoing his whole life.
Much like Balaam....he knew that he could not come out and 'curse' these evangelicals....so he tried to use them....by in effect....having them intermarry with customs and methods of political gain at all cost....lie....deceive.....flatter....browbeat....threaten....purge....and lure with the love of money. Silly of Balaam to think that God didn't know what he was doing by advising Balak to intermingle with the Israelites....and silly of Trump to think the same thing.
The Israelites saw the deaths of 24,000 of their people from the plague because of their joining in with the idolatry of the Midianites. God has been similarly judging us for our many dalliances with the Midianites of today.
2 Peter 2:15...."They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor who loved the wages of unrighteousness...."
Jude 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."
Revelation 2:14....the letter to the angel in the church in Pergamos...."But I have a few things against you because you have those who hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel...."
