The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-14
WHY BALKAN DIDN'T WIN
he Sought To Curse The ISraeliteS But
Failed.
"BALAAM'S TEMPTATION"
Rev. r.. T. Shepard breaches An
Eloquent Sermon Upon Sub
ject of Great Human
Interest.

-
nam's Temptation" taking his text from
the first book of Kings. 1921, as follows:
How long halt we between two opin-
ions? If the Lord be God, follow him;
but If Baal, then follow him."
Balak. the king of Moab, had seen Israel
overcome Ammorites and he looked for
ward TO their probable victory over INDIAN
and Moab. Thus he sent to Balaam,
asking him to curse the Israelites and so
save Moab from defeat. Balaam's char
acter is uncertain. The account in Num-
bers 81 to "a ascribed to him an honorable
nature and high prophetic power. The
culo2istic writer in Numbers 81 describes
BalaaIn as a heather soothsayer without
religious principle. His case makes plain
the difficulty which we meet in every in
stance when we seek to know the hearts
of our fellowmen through their outward
acts. We look at an individual who seems
devoid of principle in religion and in
business. We think at first that he is
sound in every way and soon we change
our mind entirely concerning him. But our
first opinion was the truer one. The man
is easily influenced and through the power
of skillful and INSCRIPTIONS persuasion
lie has conscientiously done what is wholly
wrong and broken down his reputation,
while bis character at heart is good. He
has meant to do the right and been un-
Willingly persuaded to do wrong. Thus
our judgment was too hasty and the man
Is better than we thought.
Another case suggests the opposite dam
ger. We see life which seems all right.
us acts and words are open to no criti-
csm. 1t seems devoted to what is true
and best and yet beneath this seemly sur
face fault and sin are hidden in the heart.
The life of Balaam presents these two
contrasted pictures. Each has it's lesson
for our use. Which one is just to Balaam
may not be fully known. Most of the
early fathers, including Ambrose and Au-
Eustine, think little of the man. Fertue-
liam and Jerome look more favorably upon
his character. The Old Testament writers
who make use of the experience of Ba-
laam in their teachings follow the more
favora BILE view OF the Jehovist in Numbers
II TO "a. The New Testament references
TO him are condemnatory. In my words
to you to-day i shall try to show from Ba-
1aam's character the lesson which the
New Testament presents and which are
In accord with the historic view of Num-
bers 81. This teaching warns against the
danger of hesitation in our deeds.
Balak, the king of Moab, sent messen-
gers of Moab and Uidan to Balaam, Of
fering HIM rewards of divination and ask
ing him to come and curse the lsraelltes
who were encamped in readiness to fight
against him and to eat up his people "as
the OK licketh up the grass of the field"
This offer was wholly plain. Balaam was
asked to curse Gods people. There was
nothing to gain by hesitation. If Balaam
was true prophet of the Lord he should
have refused at once to entertain an offer
10 heap curses on Gods chosen followers.
If he was mere soothsayer he would have
gained nothing by consulting God, for
God would most certainly refused to give
his sanction to Balaam's ungodly wish to
make money for himself at Israel's en-
pense. Yet Balaam hesitated and told
The messenger to wait till he asked God if
he could do what they desired. He halted
between two opinions, determined to
serve neither God nor Baal, and his hesi-
tation proved most fatal.
Anything is better than indecision. You
stand before fatal danger On one side
is perfect safety; on the other are many
perils, but such as are not of necessity
fatal. If you stand still you are lost.
There is perfect security on the right
hand; there is possible escape on the left.
No wise man waits long before the face of
sure destruction pressing down upon his
head
Another truth involved in Balaam's act
is that the guilt was not all his. The eld-
ers from the heather king held the offered
treasures in their hands and tempted the
unfortunate seer. He saw the prizes and
looked with longing on their costly beauty.
1t must needs be that offenses shall come,
but woe unto him through whom the Of
tense cometh. 1t will be more tolerable
for the sinner whom he misleads than for
him. and even more tolerable for wicked
Sodom, in 1.-The day of judgment. God
told Baiaam that he should not go with
MoaD's princes to inflict the curse on
Israel whom God had blessed. So BALKAN
gave this answer to the messengers and
they departed.
n,,. I III, L. l. h,,,r
TO give up at once: and so he sent again
more noble princes who took still richer
gifts, and Balak's promise, saying: LET
nothing keep thee from coming to me. for
i will promote thee to very great honor
and whatever thou sayest l will do"
Balaam was still afraid of God, or he
wished more and greater offers, and SO he
told the messengers that he would not go
unless God gave consent, even ii Balak
would give him a house full of silver and
gold. So Balaam went to God again for
liberty to curse his people and God told
him that he could go but that he should
speak only what he told him. Thus God
refuses to be a conscience for his child
rem. Balaam persisted in his efforts to do
wrong, and God at last assented
to the effort. 60 Balaam set forth in the
morning with the princes going to curse
Gods people. The Divine consent had
been given to BALKAN to try to carry out
his wish. The human way would natur-
ally have been to let the foolish prophet
perish in his madness, since he persisted
in his effort to get gain by doing wrong.
This was not Gods way; for as Balaam
rode along the road upon his goddess
errand, an angel met him and the ass on
which he sat turned out into the field.
Again the angel barred his progress IN a
narrow pass, and the animal crushed
Balaam's foot against the wall; and still
once more the angel stood before the
traveller where there was no room to pass.
and the ass lay down beneath its rider
while he rained blows upon 1t in his
anger. And then we read that the poor
beasts mouth was opened and spoke forth
human words against the masters cruelty,
and Gods angel spake and said that if the |
ass had not refused to go he would have
killed the rider and saved the beast alive.
Balaam now admits his fault and offers |
the lame excuse that he did not know the |
angel was in the way before him. As if
God and conscience are not always in the