n Gal. vi. 14.
Balaam's character.
Numb. xxii. 18, 19. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the ivord of the Lord my God, to do less or more. Noiv therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more.
THE study of human nature is ever profitable. Much insight into it may be gained from history ; much from converse with the world; much from the examination of our own hearts. But that which we acquire from a perusal of the Holy Scriptures is the most clear and certain, because we have all the cir- cumstances in one view before our eyes, and have infallible information respecting the motives and prin- ciples by which the different agents were influenced. The character of Balaam is peculiarly instructive. He was a man eminent as a soothsayer: and it was supposed that he could influence the fate, not of
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individuals only, but of nations, by his sentence of blessing or malediction. Persons of his description were frequently employed by kings at the commence- ment of a war, to devote their enemies to destruction : and, among the Romans, an officer was appointed particularly to that office. This man was applied to by Balak, the king of Moab, to come and curse Israel; who, as they feared, would vanquish them all, as easily " as an ox licketh up the grass." This message gave occasion to Balaam to display what was in his heart. We propose to shew you,
I. The inconsistency of Balaam's character —
That we may have a more distinct view of his cha- racter, we shall notice the contrariety which there was,
1. Between his sentiments and desires —
[The desires of man by nature are altogether earthly and sensual: but when light breaks in upon his mind, and he is made to see in a measure the evil of such desires, a conflict begins within him. It is in this state that multitudes go on : they see the better path, and approve it in their minds ; but they cannot, will not, follow it : there are some gratifications which they know not how to forego, and some interests which they cannot prevail upon themselves to give up ; and hence they proceed in a painful opposition to the dictates of their own con- sciences, being habitually self-convicted and self-condemned. They " hate the light," and, as the Scripture strongly ex- presses it, " rebel against the light."
Such was the state of Balaam. His views of divine truth were very enlarged, when we consider the age and country in which he lived. He had a considerable knowledge of God and his perfections ; yea, of Christ also, together with the kingdom which he should establish upon earth a. He was acquainted with the nature of truly spiritual religion b; and saw, not only the certainty of a future state, but the certainty, that, in that state, there would be an inconceivable difference between the righteous and the wicked. But still he was a covetous and ambitious man : and as soon as a prospect of gratifying his evil propensities was opened to him, he bore down the better convictions of his own mind, and determinately set himself to do evil.]
2. Between his professions and conduct —
[Who that had heard all the fine speeches which he made respecting his determination to adhere to the will of God, even
a Numb. xxiv. 17 — 19. b Mic. vi. 6 — 8.
170 .1 Balaam's character. 133
though he should be able to gain " an house full of silver and gold" by disobeying it ; and his pious advice to Balak, " to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God;" who that had seen him apparently so fearful of stirring a step, or speaking a word, without the divine counsel and direction, would not have conceived him to be a pious character? Yet from beginning to the end Ins conduct was a continued course of horrible impiety. After he had once consulted God, and had received from him a determined answer that " he should not go with the messengers, and that he should not curse Israel, for that they were, and should be, blessed ; " what had he to do, but to dismiss the messengers with a plain, full, determined answer? When the second company of ambassadors came, he should not have listened to them a moment; but should have been as peremptory in his answer to them as to the former. His second application for direction was only an insult to the Divine Maj esty , and a spreading of a net for his own feet. God, seeing how bent he was upon the attainment of his own ends, (the acquisition of wealth and honour,) no more interposed with authority to pre- vent him, but on certain conditions gave him a permission to go. No sooner was a conditional permission given, than Balaam, without waiting for the conditions, set out upon his journey. God, in mercy to him, interposed by a miracle to obstruct his way; and caused a dumb ass to reprove himc: but even this produced nothing more than a momentary conviction of his sin, which however he was still determined to persist in: and, having obtained from the angel, what he construed into a permission to proceed, but which was rather a declaration that the ends of his journey should be defeated; (for that he should not be permitted to speak any thing which was not put into his mouth by God himself;) onward he goes, and addresses him- self to his impious work with activity and perseverance. In all his renewed endeavours to curse Israel, he found himself con- strained to bless them, insomuch that Balak, furiously enraged against him, dismissed him without any of the riches or honours which he had so eagerly sought after. Now, it might be hoped, that Balaam at last should see his error, and humble himself for his iniquity. But, instead of this, he devised a plan whereby that people, who could not be subdued by arms, might be be- guiled into sin, and thereby subjected to the displeasure of their Almighty Protector. He advised Balak to make use of the Midianitish women, first to allure them to fornication, and then to draw them to idolatry; and by this means to destroy the souls of those, whom he could not otherwise injure d. Now compare this with all his professions of reverence for God, of