The Sin of Indifference
““God [Yahveh] is not a man that He should change His mind ... Does He promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless and I cannot change it”
Balak, king of Moab, was so aggravated at Balaam: “I called you to curse these people [the children of Israel] and all you are doing is blessing them!” Balaam goes on to say, “God [Yahveh] is not a man, that He should lie, not a man, that he should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless and I cannot change it. No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The Lord their God [Yahveh their God] is with them; the shout of the King is among them” (Numbers 23:19-21). This is the first time this concept of the shout of the King in victory is told in Scripture, and it is coming from a pagan soothsayer who is so subdued by the presence of Yahveh (the LORD) that he is literally speaking His oracles. Balaam goes on to say more about the victory Israel will have: “…they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till it devours its prey…” (Numbers 23:24).
“Stop the blessing, Balaam, just be indifferent (another one of Satan’s wicked stratgies), just hold off, I don’t want them any stronger, mightier, or any more blessed than they are”
So Balak was irritated again, saying, “If you are not going to curse them for me then don’t bless them! You are getting too radical Balaam, I called you here to curse these people and you have gone to far. You are actually blessing them! What are you doing? Stop the blessing. Just be indifferent (another one of Satan’s big tricks), just hold off, I don’t want them any stronger, mightier, or any more blessed than they are.”
“Balak is trying so hard to show Balaam different angles to be repulsed by the Israelites so he will curse them. Balak and Balaam are synonymous with Satan and anti-Semitism”
Balak took Balaam up to a higher place where they worship Baal. 1 He took him to the top of the Baal of Peor, where master Peor their god was worshipped, overlooking the wasteland. This is so typical; the enemy takes people up to a highly exalted place, then shows them a wasteland and tries to reason with them. If you listen to the reasoning of the enemies of Yahveh, that wasteland is what you are destined for. You might think it has something for you spiritually, but ultimately it only has dead dry bones and vultures. Balak is always taking Balaam to some carnal, pagan height. This is the way the Enemy works, and the day will come when all the nations of the world are going to turn against Israel (See Zachariah 12:3). The enemy will insidiously imply, “Come up here and let me show you from this angle how horrible the Jews are; they don’t want to live peaceably with the Arabs, they took land and it really should be shared with them.” This is just like Balak who is trying so hard to show Balaam different angles to be repulsed by the Israelites so he will curse them. Balak and Balaam are synonymous with Satan and anti-Semitism. In these last days we are seeing a lot of pastors and churches going down reckless paths, indifferent and complacent toward the Jews, at a time when the God of Israel is about to pour out judgment on hearts that are not gathering with Him (Matthew 12:30b).
Reference
1 “Baal means ‘lord’ or ‘owner’ and was often used as a general term for god.” Footnote to Hosea 2:13. Ryrie Study Bible-NASB (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), 1377.
