The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-10-29

Balaam finally consented to go to his
presence. This was a wrong thing
for him to do, showing weakness, as
he knew better than to give way. Bal
aam started to go to the king. riding
a donkey or ass. On the way they
We're met by an angel OF the Lord hav-
ing sword. The ass saw the angel
but Balaam did not. The animal
therefore refused three times to adj
vance in the way and thereupon Bal
aam strikes the ass. regretting that
he has not sword at hand that he
might kill the beast for disobedence.
Finally the ass has power of speech
and reproaches Balaam for the unkind
treatment. Now Balaam himself sees
the angel and finds that he would
have been killed had the ass gone
along the path as he had desired.
In face of this warning Balaam still
goes to the king. TO his rage Balaam
says good things as to Israel. foretell-
ing that it will conquer all before it
and overthrow Moab. In Numbers a.
II it is foretold by Balaam that there
shall come star out of Jacob, and a
scepter shall rise out of Israel which
shall smite all before it, This
prophesy can we'll be taken as finding
fultllment in the coming of Jesus in
the long future. King Balak is dis
ency of the prophet in failing to curse
Israel and the men parted.
The character of Balaam is so pc
culiar that it is hard to make proper
estimate as to him. He delivered Ut
terances OF great power, showing un-
usual knowledge of God and His ways.
yet he weakly went to the king and
later gave advice to the Midianites
looking to the weakening of the Chill
dren of Israel. In Numbers 81 it is
told how Balaam and those who &C.
copied his advice persisted before the
armies of Israel.
Among the good things we can learn
from this lesson might be noted the
following: Those who try to stop the
onward march of Gods people will be
overthrown In a test. the true God
has ever been triumphant over those
of the heather, both in the past and
at the present time. The spirit of
Balaam. when he said that house
full of gold and silver would not IN
tluence him to go beyond the words of
his Cod should be yours. Those who
are faithful to the Lord and His cause
are promised more than this world can
give of treasures which will not rust
or corrupt or thieves steal. Further
lesson can be had from the weakness
of Balaam in that he went to the king,
knowing he should not. On the road
he had warning to stop. but did not
do so. We can also learn that God
has restraining power and that He
can keep even one disposed to say and
do wrong things. from doing so. Bal
laams words were always favorable to
Gods people although when in the
presence of the king it would seem
that his wishes were to curse and
not to bless. The course of Balaam in
afterwards giving advice to the enc
mics of Israel shows that even if one
knows the right. human nature is SO
made up that one will do the wrong
thing at times. In viewing the char
acter of Balaam let us strive to follow
his virtues. let no money or influence
tempt us to be untrue to God, and on
the other hand pray for STRENGTH
to withstand hypocricy and falling fin
ally into the ranks of His enemies.
| Notice to Readers Of This Column.
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