The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 336

HOMILETICS. Ver. 41--ch. u.iv.-Balaam and his prophecies. The proJ!hecies of Balaam were the utterances of a bad man deeply penetrated by religious ideas, and inspired for certain purposes by the Spirit of God ; hence it is evident that many deep moral and spintual leeeons may be learnt from them, apart from their evidential value 88 prophecies. Consider, therefore, with respect to the moral ckt.racter and • condud of Balaam- I. TB.AT BAU.X AND BALAAM THOUGHT TO MOVE THE GOD OB' ISRAEL BY lMPOR• TUNITY, OR PERHAPS TO GET THE BETTER OB' HIM BY CONTRIVANCE; hence Balak repeatedly shifted his ground and brought Balaam to another :point of view, Even so do ungodly men imagine that the immutable decrees of nght and WTOng may somehow be changed in their favour if they use sufficient perseverance and address. By putting moral questions in many different lights, by getting their outwarJ or inward adviser to look at them from diverse points of viow, they think to make right wrong, and wrong right With what insensate perseverllilce, e. g., do religious people strive, by perpetually shifting their ground, to force the Almighty to sanction in their case that covetousness which he ho.s so unmistakably condemned. II. THAT BALAAM CLEARLY HINTED TO TUE .ALMIGHTY THAT, AS HE HAD PROCURED MUOH HONOUR B'OB BIM ll'ROM BALAK, IIE WAS EXPECTED TO DO WHAT WAS POSSIDLE IN THE MATTER ll'OB BIM. Even so do men who are in truth irreligious, although often seeming very much the reverse, give the Almighty to understand (indirectly and unavowedly, but unmistakably) that they have done much, laid out much, given up much for his honour and glory, and that they naturally look for some equivalent. To serve God for nought (Job i. 9) does not enter into the thoughts of selfish people; to them godliness is a source of gain (1 Tim. vi. 6), if not here, then hereafter. III. THAT BALAAM WAS MOVED TO WISB BE MIGHT DIE THE DEATH OB' THE BIOHTEOUS, BUT WAS NOT DISPOSED TO LIVE THE LIB'E OJr THE RIOHTEOUS; hence his wish was as futile as the mirage of the desert, and was signally reversed by the actual character of his end. Even so do evil men continually desire the rewards of goodness, which they cannot but admire, but they will not submit to the discipline of goodness. A sentimental appreciation of virtue and piety is worse than useless by itself. IV, THAT BALA.AM RECEIVED NO REWARD FROM BALAK BECAUSE HE HAD NOT CURSED ISIUEL, AND NONE ll'BOM Goo BECAUSB HE HAD WISHED TO OUBSE HIM. Even so it is with men whose religious feelings restrain, but do not direct, their lives. They miss the rewards of this world because they are outwardly conscientious, and the rewords of the next world because they are inwardly covetous. NUMDEBB, Y  822 THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. [ea. XXII. 41--XXIV,