By DeborJah Taylor

Transcription

1 Prophet Of Baal From Mesopotamia By DeborJah Taylor When the children of Israel pitched their tents in the plains of Moab, the Moabites entered into an alliance with the Midianites. At the instigation of Balak, king of the Moabites, the elders of the two nations were sent to Balaam to induce him, by means of a bribe, to pronounce a curse on the advancing hosts of the Israelites. Balaam was a prophet of Baal, but proclaimed to commune with Jahwah, the Elohim of Israel. The Scriptures omit many of the details of Balaam and his true character. In this article, other ancient documents will be consulted in order to paint a more complete picture of Balaam, THE PROPHET OF BAAL, and his sin against Jahwah at Baal-Peor. To begin to understand the man Balaam, one must understand the doctrine and worship of Baal. In Jahwah's eyes, participating in a feast of Baal is the same as engaging in idolatrous worship of that false god. Whether it is feasting at Christmas, The Feast of Saturn/Nimrod, or worshipping & feasting on Saturday, the day set aside for Saturn, it is engaging in idolatrous worship and has been strictly forbidden by Jahwah. These are false appointed times that are dedicated to Bamoth Baal and the worship of the seven planets. Jahshuwah brings charges against the Assembly of Pergamum (mixed marriage), which include following after the doctrine of Balaam; he warms them to repent or else they will be in trouble. Revelation 2:14 & 16: Nevertheless, I have one or two charges against you. Some of you are followers of Balaam (prophet of Baal), i.e. you CONTINUE TO HOLD THE DOCTRINE and TEACHING OF BALAAM, who taught Balak to cast a trap before the children of Israel to consume things offered to idols; thus permitting them to be drawn away into idolatry, i.e. the worship of Baal. Repent, or else I will come unto you quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 1

2 Keep in mind the meaning of Pergamum, mixed marriage, as it has much to do with Balaam s trap set for Israel, as it leads into the worship of idols and false gods a mixing with the nations. A warning to keep away from these idols is brought forth in the Epistle of First John: 1 John 5:21: Little children, keep yourselves from idols. This warning certainly was not heeded, as after the death of the Apostles, Christianity taught the heathen everywhere simply to baptize their idols and retain them. This has been repeated many times in the history of the professing Christian Church, which brings us to the present day and the Babylonian Whore filled with false idols and gods. We know from history that the trap set by Balaam was to MIX Israel up with the worship of Baal. Israel was not to reckon herself among the nations, but was to be a people separated unto Jahwah, as shown in the Oracle of Balaam in Numbers 23:6 9: So Balaam went back to Balak and found him standing beside his offering, with all the princes of Moab. Then Balaam uttered his Oracle: Balak brought me from Aram, the King of Moab from the eastern mountains. Come! he said. Curse Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel. How can I denounce and curse those whom Jahwah has not cursed and denounced? From the top of the rocks I see them, and from the heights I behold them. They are a people that MUST DWELL ALONE then they will not be reckoned and counted one with the nations. 1 Or, They are a people who permanently remain divided and alone - NOT MIXED WITH THE NATIONS, so they will not be reckoned and counted one with the other nations. They differed from all the neighboring nations, not only in their RELIGION and SACRED RITES, but in their DIET, and DRESS, and common usages, as a people called out of the world, and not to be conformed to it. They never lost this until they mingled among the nations. It is a must of those dedicated to Jahwah to be separated from the world, and not to walk according to the course and custom of it. We must be a peculiar people unto Jahwah. Numbers 22:41: And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam (prophet of Baal from Mesopotamia - Babylonia), and brought him up into the HIGH PLACES (Bamah) OF BAAL, i.e. Bamoth Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people. (Mesopotamia = exalted ) 1 Dwell = 7931 shakan = permanently stay; a prime root relating back to shakab meaning to lie down in sexual connection; alone = 909 = badadi = to divide be solitary. 2

3 Bamoth Baal is described as worship of the SEVEN PLANETS: the Sun, the moon, and the planets in 2 Kings 23:5. Each planet required an altar of worship and sacrifice: Then he killed the priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense to BAMOTH BAAL (to/at the High Places of Baal) - to the SUN, to the MOON, and to the PLANETS (the seven heavenly lights that rule over the days of the pagan week) i.e. to all the hosts of heaven.) 2 Balaam now proceeds to build seven altars as related in Numbers 23:1-3: Then Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here SEVEN ALTARS, 3 and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. Then Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. Then Balaam said to Balak: Stand by your burnt offering and I will go. Perhaps Jahwah will come to meet me. Whatever He shows me I will tell you. Then he went to a high height. Well Balaam didn t find anything to curse Israel there, so Balak tells him to go to another place, surely he will find something wrong there - Numbers 23:13-14 Then Balak said unto him: Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them. Thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence. Balak said to Balaam: Let's go somewhere else. May be if you see only a fraction of them and not see them all, you will be able to curse them from there. So he brought him into the Field of Towers (to peer into the distance a type of watchtower), to the top of Pisgah (The Top which cuts up), and built SEVEN ALTARS, 4 and offered a bullock and a ram on each altar. Balak takes Balaam to a place where he will surely find evidence and be able to curse Israel - To a place spread out and filled with Angelic watchers that keep constant watch over Israel - to the Top of the one that cuts up and dissects the burnt offering and examines each piece very closely. That will surely turn up sin. 2 The JPS Torah Commentary of Numbers page 194 The use of multiple altars for a single ritual is unattested anywhere else in Scripture. Hence it must derive from a pagan practice, each altar most likely being dedicated to a different deity Sefer ha-mivhar, in seeking an astrological explanation (i.e., seven altars for the seven planets), is close to the mark it was part of Balaam s divinatory technique. 3 The Anchor Bible Dictionary Volume 1 Page 164 Altars were built to MARK THE TERRITORY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEITY 4 The Seven Day circle by Eviatar Zerubavel page 7 (The number seven played an important role in the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia) where the number seven played a prominent role in liturgy, ritual, magic, and art. The ancient Babylonians, for example, regarded the universe as a sevenfold entity governed by a fusion of seven deities. Consequently, seven-day intervals came to symbolically represent the ideas of totality and completeness, and were generally regarded as homogeneous, closed periods of time. 3

4 But once again there was nothing found that would enable Balaam to curse Israel, so Balak once again takes him to another place, hoping to find sin. Numbers 23:27-30: Then Balak said to Balaam: Come now, and I will take you to another place. Maybe Elohim will let you put a curse on them from there. So Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor that looks toward Jeshimon (desolation). Then Balaam said unto Balak: Build me here SEVEN ALTARS, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. Baal-Peor Lord of The Broad Way Baal Peor was a Moabite deity worshipped on the summit of Mt. Peor; LORD OF THE BROAD WAY, Husband of the Dead. Lord of the Opening, i.e. for others to join in the worship. The name of Baalpeor must be examined in two parts, Baal & Peor. Baal is the name of the god (the worship of the seven planets), and Peor is the name of the site, also called Beth-peor in Deuteronomy 3:29. 5 Peor is derived from a verb denoting TO OPEN WIDE or TO UNCOVER. Let s go back to the beginning of the story when Balaam was called and get the whole picture that led to Baal-Peor: Numbers 22:1-34 (Israel killed Og, left no survivors, occupied the land of the Amorites) Then Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. Now Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, And Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. So Moab said to the elders of Midian: Soon this horde will devour all the country around us as an ox devours the grass of the field. So Balak, son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time (Moab & Ammon were Lot s sons, Abraham s nephews; Midian was the son of Abraham and Keturah), sent messengers to summon Balaam, who was at Pethor (interpreter), near the Euphrates, in his native land. Balak said: I want you to know that a whole nation 5 The JPS Torah Commentary Numbers by Milgrom, page

5 has come from Egypt; its people are spreading out everywhere and threatening to take over our land. Verse 6: They outnumber us, so please come and put a curse on them for me. Then perhaps we will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. I know that when you pronounce a blessing, people are blessed and when you pronounce a curse, they are cursed. From The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha Volume 2, Page 325: Pseudo-Philo 18:2: Now BALAK was king of Moab and was living opposite the Amorites, whose kings were OG AND SIHON, and was very much afraid after seeing what Israel did to them. So Balak sent to Balaam, the son of Beor, the interpreter of dreams, who lived in Mesopotamia, and commanded him saying: Behold I know that in the reign of my father Zippor, when the Amorites found him, you cursed them (the Amorites) and they were handed over to my father. Now come and curse this people, because they are too many for us, and I will do you great honor. Joshua 13:22 tells us that Balaam was a soothsayer. Soothsayer = 7080 qacam: to distribute or determine by lot or magical scroll; to divine. (Dictionary) one who claims to have supernatural insight and be able to foretell events. Balaam is the plural of Baal, and means swallowing down ; He was the son of Beor, the burning torch. The Numerical Bible calls Balaam a devourer of people, a son of the consumer, sought for his skill in cursing and ready for a bribe to destroy a nation. According to The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, as well as other ancient manuscripts, they were Jannes and Jambres, the Egyptian magicians that gave Moses such a bad time: 6 Jewish tradition named the leaders of the Egyptian magicians of Exodus 7:11-13 as Jannes and Jambres and said they were disciples or SONS OF BALAAM. Continuing with Numbers 22, verse 7: So the Moabite and Midianite leaders took with them the PAYMENT FOR THE CURSE, went to Balaam, and gave him Balak s message. Balaam said to them: Spend the night here, and tomorrow I will report to you whatever Jahwah tells me. So the Moabite leaders stayed with Balaam. Elohim came to Balaam and asked: Who are these men that are staying with you? He answered: King Balak of Moab has sent them to tell me that a people who came from Egypt has spread out over the land. He wants me to curse them for him, so that he can fight them and drive them out. Elohim said to Balaam: DO NOT GO WITH THESE MEN, and DO NOT PUT A CURSE ON THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, because they have My blessing. 6 Volume 1, Page 985 5

6 The next morning Balaam got up and said to the princes of Balak: Go back to your own country for Jahwah has refused to let me go with you. So the princes of Moab went back to Balak with the report: Balaam refused to come with us. THE SECOND APPEAL TO BALAAM: Then Balak sent other princes, more NUMEROUS and MORE DISTINGUISHED than the first. Verse 16: They came to Balaam and said: This is what Balak (the Waster), son of Zippor (son of a sparrow), says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I WILL REWARD YOU HANDSOMELY and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me. But Balaam answered them: Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of Jahwah my Elohim. Now stay here to night as the others did, and I will find out what else Jahwah will tell me. That night Elohim came to Balaam and said: If these men have come to ask you to go with them, get ready and go, but do ONLY WHAT I TELL YOU. Everything appears to be kosher at Balaam s second request to Jahwah, but through other sources, we find a very different picture. Jahwah was not pleased that Balaam asked to go the second time; He knew the condition of Balaam s heart - he wanted the reward. Jahwah gave Balaam his heart s desire, but warns that he will become a STUMBLING BLOCK for Balak. We must be very careful about badgering Jahwah to get our own way, as He may give into our flesh, but there are dire consequences always attached. Let us be obedient and obey Him the first time. Let s pick up the story from The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha Volume 2, Page 325: Pseudo-Philo: And Balak again sent other men to Balaam saying: Behold I know that when you offer burnt offerings to Elohim, Elohim will be reconciled with men. And now ask even still more from your Jahwah and beg with as many burnt offerings as he wishes. But if He should be appeased regarding my evil deeds you will have your reward and elohim will receive His offerings. Then Balaam said to them: Behold the son of Zippor is foolish, and does not recognize that he dwells among the DEAD. Now wait here this night, and I will see what Elohim may say to me. Then Elohim said to him: Go with them but you will be a STUMBLING BLOCK, and Balak will go to his ruin. Comments from Matthew Henry: Elohim told Balaam that he might, if he pleased, go with Balak s messengers. So he gave Balaam up to HIS OWN HEART S LUST. Since you have such a mind to go, then go; yet know that the journey you undertake WILL 6

7 NOT BE FOR YOUR HONOR. For, though you have permission to go, you will not, as you hoped, have leave to curse, for the Word which I say unto you, that you must do. Note, Jahwah has wicked men (as well as Satan) on a chain; they come by His permission, BUT CAN GO NO FURTHER THAN JAHWAH PERMITS. Thus He makes the wrath of man to praise Him, yet at the same time, restrains the remainder of it. It was in ANGER that Jahwah said to Balaam, Go with them, and we have reason to think that Balaam himself so understood that, as we do not find Balaam pleading this allowance when Elohim reproved him for going. The apostle describes Balaam s sin here to be that he ran greedily into an error for REWARD, Jude 1:1. The Love of money is the root of all evil. Jahwah gave Balaam a chance to back out, but Balaam proceeded to get up early the next morning and be on his way. This made Jahwah furious. Continuing with Numbers 22, verse 21: Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. But ELOHIM WAS VERY ANGRY WHEN HE WENT, and the Angel of Jahwah (Jahshuwah, the Word) stood in the road to OPPOSE HIM. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his TWO SERVANTS were with him. According to Pseudo Philo, Jannes and Jambres of Egypt were the two helpers/servants that accompanied Balaam. In later Jewish tradition, they become Balaam s sons. Verse 23: When the donkey saw the Angel of Jahwah standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road. Then the Angel of Jahwah stood in a NARROW PATH between two vineyards with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the Angel of Jahwah, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam s foot against it. So he beat her again. Verse 26: Then the Angel of Jahwah moved on ahead and stood in a NARROW PLACE where there was no room to turn, either to the RIGHT or to the LEFT. When the donkey saw the Angel of Jahwah, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. Then Jahwah opened the donkey s mouth, and she said to Balaam: What have I done to you to make you beat me three times? Verse 29: Balaam answer the donkey: You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now. Verse 30: The donkey said to Balaam: Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you? No, he said. 7

8 Verse 31: Then Jahwah opened Balaam s eyes, and he saw the Angel of Jahwah standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. Verse 32: The Angel of Jahwah asked him: Why have you beaten your donkey these three times. I have come here to OPPOSE YOU because your path is reckless and wrong/contrary AGAINST ME. Josephus states that the Angel of Jahwah himself came to obstruct his journey, as being CONTRARY TO THE WILL OF JAHWAH. Was Balaam s heart wrong? Going with the intention of finding a way to curse Israel, in spite of what Jahwah said, so he could receive a great reward? Verse 33: The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her. Verse 34: Balaam said to the Angel of Jahwah, I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back. Josephus states that when Balaam was afraid and was preparing to return back again, Jahwah told him to go on his intended journey, but added this injunction: that he must declare nothing but what He, Himself, would suggest to his mind. What Was Balaam s Sin? Jahwah s answer should be sufficient without pestering Him a 2 nd or 3 rd time. Don t throw a tantrum because you didn t get the answer you wanted. When we continue to pester Jahwah for an answer that will satisfy the lust of our flesh, beware if Jahwah relents and gives us our pleasure, as there may be calamitous consequences. Josephus by Whiston page 90 comments on Balaam s intent: Verse 3: Now the Midianites, at the earnest request and fervent entreaties of Balak, sent other ambassadors to Balaam, who DESIRING TO GRATIFY THE MEN, inquired AGAIN of Elohim; But Elohim WAS DISPLEASED AT THIS 2 nd ENDEAVOR. Elohim commanded Balaam by NO MEANS TO GAINSAY the ambassadors. This tried Jahwah s patience. Endeavor is an effort to strive and attain something. Gainsay in Greek is antilogia, means to refute, deny, contradict, say against, and strife (angry contention, fighting, strenuous endeavor). It is a derivative of antilego, meaning to dispute answer again. Jude 11: Woe unto them (ungodly men), for they have ran GREEDILY after the ERROR of Balaam for reward 8

9 DEFINITIONS: Error = plane: fraudulence; DECEIT, to deceive, delusion, one led astray from the right way, roams hither and thither; that which leads into error, deceit, fraud, or wandering; a straying from ORTHODOXY or PIETY. Orthodoxy (Dictionary): An agreement with accepted standards: Soundness of faith; a belief in the genuine doctrines taught in the Scriptures. Piety (dictionary): Reverence toward Jahwah; the honor and obedience that is due Jahwah. Plane is the feminine of planos meaning an imposter or misleader, deceiver, seducer, one who leads into error; Balaam was going with the intentions of finding a way to curse Israel and disregard the rules Jahwah laid out, so he could receive a reward from Balak. REWARD: Misthos = wages, pay for service. Jahwah s prophets were commanded not to take money for their services. Churches and ministries continually sell their doctrine in the form of books, CD S, etc., which is completely contrary to Jahwah s commands. Proverbs 23:23: Purchase TRUTH, WISDOM, INSTRUCTION, and UNDERSTANDING, but DO NOT SELL IT. Luke 19:45 & 46: Then Jahshuwah went into the temple and began to throw out those WHO WERE SELLING THINGS. Saying to them: It is written, My house is the House of Prayer and Worship, but you have made it a den of thieves. Elisha tells Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, how to receive healing of his leprosy but refuses payment. Elisha s servant, however, proceeds to ask for payment behind Elisha s back. 2 Kings 5:14-16 and 19-27: Naaman went down to the Jordan, dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had instructed, and he was completely cured. His flesh became firm and healthy like that of a child. Verse 15: He returned to Elisha with all his men and said: Now I know that there is no elohim but the Elohim of Israel, so please, sir, accept a GIFT from me. Verse 16: Elisha answered: As surely as Jahwah lives, whom I serve, I WILL NOT ACCEPT A THING. Even though Naaman URGED HIM (like the messengers from the Midianites and Moabites urged Balaam), he REFUSED. 9

10 Verse 19: Go in peace, Elisha said and Naaman left. He had gone only a short distance Verse 20: when Elisha s servant Gehazi (to provide from lifting up in PRIDE) said to himself: My master has let Naaman get away WITHOUT PAYING A THING. He should have accepted what that Syrian offered him. As surely as Jahwah lives, I will run after him and get something from him. Verse 21: So he set off after Naaman. When Naaman saw a man running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him, and asked: Is something wrong? Verse 22: No, Gehazi answered. But my master sent me to tell you that just now two members of the group of prophets in the hill country of Ephraim arrived, and he would like you to give them 3,000 pieces of silver and two changes of fine clothes. Verse 23: Please take 6,000 pieces of silver, Naaman insisted. He tied up the silver in two bags and gave them two changes of fine clothes to two of his servants and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. Verse 24: When they reached the hill where Elisha lived, Gehazi took the two bags and carried them into the house. Then he sent Naaman s servants back. Verse 25: He went back into the house, and Elisha asked, Where have you been? Oh, nowhere, sir, he answered. Verse 26: But Elisha said, Wasn t I there in spirit when the man got out of his chariot to meet you? Gehazi, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO ACCEPT MONEY OR CLOTHES, olive orchards or vineyards, sheep or cattle, or servants. Using Jahwah s gifts to attain things for your own personal gain BRINGS A CURSE. A curse is now laid upon Gehazi: Verse 27: Naaman s LEPROSY will come upon you now and will cling to you (no healing) and to your DESCENDANTS forever. Then Gehazi went from Elisha s presence and he was leprous, as white as snow. Simon Magnus attempts to purchase the POWER of the Ruwach ha qodesh with money Acts 8:9-24: Simon, the Sorcerer (Gr. Magnus) Now for sometime a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was a certain great high one. Verse 10: And all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, This man is the divine power known as the Great Power. (It is believed that he proclaimed to be the Messiah.) Verse 11: They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorceries. Verse 12: But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of Jahwah and the name of Jahshuwah Messiah, they were baptized, both men and women. 10

11 In other words, they stopped believing in Simon Magnus and stopped following after him. Verse 13: Simon himself believed and was baptized, and followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. Simon believed in their power, but did not have a repentant heart. He wanted the power to receive payment. Verse 14: When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the Word of Jahwah, they sent Peter and John to them. Verse 15: When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might RECEIVE the Ruwach ha qodesh, Verse 16: because the Ruwach ha qodesh had not come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized by the AUTHORITY of Messiah Jahshuwah. Verse 17: Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Ruwach ha qodesh. Verse 18: When Simon saw that the spirit was given at the LAYING ON of the apostles hands, he OFFERED THEM MONEY and said: Verse 19: Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Ruwach ha qodesh. Simon Magnus knew that with the power of the Ruwach ha qodesh, he could obtain great power over the people and become very rich. The following verses reveal the power of the Ruwach ha qodesh: Luke 10:1, 9, and 17-19: Jahshuwah appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. Verse 9: Heal the sick who are there Verse 17: The seventy-two returned with joy and said: Master, even the demons submit to us in your name and authority. Verse 18: He replied, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Verse 19: Behold, I give unto you POWER and AUTHORITY to TRAMPLE ON SNAKES and SORPIONS and over ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY; nothing will harm you. Mark 16:16-18: (Jahshuwah speaking before his ascension into heaven) Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe WILL BE CONDEMNED. Verse 17: These signs will accompany those who believe: In my authority, they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues. 11

12 Verse 18: They will pick up snakes with their hands, and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will be healed. Continuing with Acts 8, verse 20: Peter answered Simon Magnus, May your MONEY PERISH with you, because you thought you could BUY THE GIFT of Jahwah with money. Verse 21: You have NO PART or share in this ministry, because your HEART IS NOT RIGHT before Jahwah. Verse 22: Repent of this wickedness and pray to Jahwah. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. Verse 23: For I see that you are FULL OF BITTERNESS and a CAPTIVE TO SIN. Verse 24: Then Simon answered, Pray to Jahwah for me SO THAT NOTHING you have said (the curse) will happen to me. There was no REPENTANCE OF HIS SIN only fear of being punished. From this incident comes the term simony for the buying and selling or receiving any kind of reward for a church office or any sacred thing. Abraham refused goods offered him from the king of Sodom: Genesis 14:21-23: The king of Sodom said to Abram, Give me the people and keep the goods yourself. Verse 22: But Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have raised my hand to Jahwah El Elyon, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath with Jahwah, Verse 23: that I WILL ACCEPT NOTHING BELONGING to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will NEVER BE ABLE to say: I made Abram rich. Greed brings a CURSE from Jahwah. Peter calls Balaam a GREEDY false prophet 2 Peter 2:14-16: Their (false prophets) hearts are trained TO BE GREEDY. They are under Jahwah s CURSE! Or, They have hearts trained in greed. Their children are accursed! Or, Because of their GREEDINESS, their children are cursed. Verse 15: They have left the STRAIGHT and RIGHT PATH and have LOST THEIR WAY they have gone astray. They have followed the path taken by Balaam (destroyer of the people) son of Beor, who loved the WAGES and REWARDS of unrighteousness (adikia legal injustice injustice of a JUDGE, i.e. a HEAD). 12

13 But he was rebuked for his own LAWLESSNESS: a dumb ass speaking with the voice of a man restrained the madness insanity foolishness - of the prophet. Lawlessness is from paranomeo, meaning to be OPPOSED TO LAW; contrary to law, i.e. the law of Jahwah. Summation of Balaam s Sin: On the second visit by Balak s messengers, they offer Balaam a BLANK CHECK to curse Israel I will reward you handsomely and DO WHATEVER YOU SAY. This is just too much money for Balaam to refuse, so he starts thinking, With that many people and as strict as Jahwah s laws are, there has to be some sin I can hang on Israel; so if I can just talk Jahwah into letting me go once I get there, I know that I can find SOMETHING to accuse them of. Then Jahwah will have to let me curse them. Then Balaam proceeds to approach Jahwah a SECOND TIME and starts to nag Jahwah to let him go to Moab. Jahwah then throws up his hands and says, Go ahead and GO, but don t do anything except what I tell you to do. Jahwah knew what was on Balaam s heart that he would devise a plan in which to entrap Israel to sin. So Balaam gets up bright and early the next morning and rushes away in case Jahwah might change his mind. As Balaam rides a long, he begins to devise a wicked plan on how he can collect all that money. He might have even discussed it with his two companions Jannes and Jambres. If I can t find a sin in Israel s camp then I ll just contrive a plot to tempt them into sinning against Jahwah. Jahwah will then let me curse them; then I will get paid for fulfilling my part of the contract with Balak. Jahwah discerns the plot Balaam is planning and sends the Angel of Jahwah to destroy him. But Balaam s ass saves his life and Balaam immediately falls on his face, confesses his sin, and offers to go back home, i.e. not to proceed with his plan. But Jahwah has something else in mind. He is going to use this wicked man for His own glory and send him forth as a stumbling block to punish Moab and Balak for hiring Balaam to curse Israel, Jahwah s chosen people. Deuteronomy 23:3-6: No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of Jahwah, even down to the 10 th generation. For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they HIRED BALAAM, son of Beor, from Pethor (to interpret) in Northwest Mesopotamia (exalted flood) to pronounce a curse on you. 13

14 Verse 5: However, Jahwah, your Elohim, would not listen to Balaam but turned the CURSE into a BLESSING for you, because Jahwah your Elohim loves you. Verse 6: Don't ever think of signing a PEACE TREATY with Moab or Ammon. Or, You must not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever. Continuing Numbers 22, verse 35: Verse 35: The angel of Jahwah said to Balaam, Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. Verse 36: When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at Arnon (769 = From 7442 = ranan = to shout aloud for Joy; GREATLY REJOICE, sing for joy, triumph; a city of Moab at the edge of his territory). Verse 37: Balak said to him, Why didn t you come when I sent for you the first time? Did you think I wasn t able to reward you enough? Verse 38: Balaam answered, I came, didn t I? But what power do I have? I can only say what Elohim tells me to say. Verse 39: So Balaam went with Balak to the town of Kirjath huzoth. (The city or highway that brings about, The highway that sends with good speed.) Verse 40: Balak (the destroyer) slaughtered cattle and sheep and gave them to Balaam and the princes who were with him. Verse 41: The next morning Balak takes Balaam up to Baal- Bamoth ( the high places of Baal/Lord ), and from there he sees a part of the people. (From the way 23:10 reads it must be ¼ of Israel that was viewed from the top of Baal-Bamoth.) Balaam s First Oracle from the high places of Baal: Numbers 23:1-9: Balaam said, Build me SEVEN ALTARS here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me. (These were altars to the worship of the seven planets.) Verse 2: Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Verse 3: Then Balaam said to Balak, Stand here by your burnt offering, while I go over there. Perhaps Jahwah will meet with me, and then I will tell you whatever He lets me see. Then he went off to a barren height. Verse 4: Elohim met with him and Balaam said, I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram. Verse 5: Jahwah put a message in Balaam s mouth and said, Go back to Balak and give him this message. 14

15 Verse 6: So he went back to Balak, who was still standing by his burnt offering together with all the princes of Moab. Verse 7: Then Balaam gave voice to this Oracle: From Aram has Balak brought me here, - the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. Come, he said, Curse Jacob for me. Come, denounce Israel. Verse 8: How can I curse whom El has not cursed? How can I denounce whom Jahwah has not denounced? Verse 9: For from the Top (rosh head) of the Crags (rocks) I SEE him, from the Heights I behold him. Here is a people that LIVES APART AND DOES NOT RECKON ITSELF AMONG THE NATIONS. (King James) For from the Top of the Rocks, I see and from the hills I behold him: Lo THE PEOPLE MUST DWELL ALONE and MUST NOT be reckoned among the nations. The above verse of Scripture is a very important key for us to understand: Israel must dwell alone and separated from all the other nations of the world in order to be blessed by Jahwah. DEFINITIONS: Top of the Rocks: Top = 7218 = rosh = to shake; the head as most easily shaken; Rocks = 6697 = Tsur = a Boulder; a REFUGE; a mighty El, a mighty one. Summary: HEAD OF THE REFUGE Dwell alone: Dwell = 7931 = Shakan = PERMANENTLY STAY, Rest; from 7901 = Shakab = To lie down to rest or sexual connection; to sleep; Alone = 909= Badad = TO DIVIDE; be solitary Summary: To permanently remain divided and alone. Must not be reckoned among the nations: Reckoned = 2803 = chashab = to plait or interpenetrate, to value, to compute, considered, count, be like, regard, to think. 15

16 Taking all of the above definitions into consideration, verse 9 can be paraphrased as: Lo, the people MUST PERMANENTLY REMAIN DIVIDED AND SOLITARILY ALONE - Not intermixed with other nations; then they will not be valued and counted (judged) with the nations of the world. Matthew Henry s Commentary page 678: From the top of the rock, Jahwah saw them as a people DWELLING ALONE and foresaw they would continue to do so, and their singularity would be their unspeakable honour. They differed from all the neighboring nations, not only in their RELIGION and SACRED RITES, but in their DIET and DRESS and COMMON USAGES, as a PEOPLE CALLED OUT OF THE WORLD, and not to be conformed to it. They never lost this until they MINGLED AMONG THE HEATHEN NATIONS. It is the duty and honor of those dedicated to Jahwah to be SEPARATED FROM THE WORLD and not to WALK ACCORDING TO THE COURSE AND CUSTOM OF IT. Not being reckoned among the nations denotes Jahwah s elect being separate from the world. John 15:19: If ye were of the world, the world would love you as its own; But I chose you from this world, and you do not belong to it. That is why the world hates you. Other translations of Numbers 23:9: I see a people WHO LIVE APART and do not consider themselves as one of the nations. Or, I see a people that dwell alone - that has not made itself ONE WITH THE NATIONS. The Numerical Bible states Jahwah DWELLS with His people, but with the WORLD HE CANNOT DWELL. Amos 3:3: Can two walk together except they are agreed? Continuing with Numbers 23, verse 10: Who can count the host of Jacob or number a quarter of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright and may my reward be like theirs! Matthew Henry states: 7 The number of the people was the thing that Balak was upset about in Numbers 22:3. Moab was afraid of them, because they were many, and Jahwah does here, by Balaam, promote that fear and vexation, by foretelling their further increase. 7 Page 678 notes 16

17 The FOURTH PART of Israel eludes to the form of their camp, which was divided into FOUR sections, under FOUR standards. Let me die that death of the righteous Israelites that are in covenant with Jahwah, and let my end, or future state, be like theirs in the next world. Continuing with Numbers 23:11: Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them! Verse 12: He answered, Must I not speak what Jahwah puts in my mouth? Balaam s Second Oracle Verses 13-26: Then Balak said to him, Please come with me to ANOTHER PLACE from which you can see only some of the Israelites and not all of them, and from there curse them for me. Matthew Henry states: Verse 14: Balak would bring Balaam to another place where he could only see part of them. Maybe this part would be more despicable and at least this part could be cursed. So he took Balaam to the field (to spread out) of Zophin (Field of Spies Field of Watchmen - watchers that peer into the distance) to the top of Mount Pisgah (a fortress that contemplates, considers, and cuts up), where he built also SEVEN ALTARS and offered a bull and a ram on each. Summary: Balak takes Balaam to a place where he will surely find evidence with which to curse Israel: To a country spread out and filled with angelic watchers that keep constant watch over Israel to the head of the one that cuts up and dissects the burnt offering, examining each piece very closely. That will surely turn up sin. Verse 15: Then Balaam said to Balak, Stand here by your BURNT OFFERING, while I seek a meeting with Jahwah over there. Verse 16: Jahwah met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, Go back to Balak and give him this message: Verse 17: So he went back to Balak, who was still standing by his burnt offering together with the princes of Moab. When Balak asked him, What did Jahwah say? Verse 18: Balaam gave voice to this oracle: Come, Balak, son of Zippor, and listen to what I have to say. Verse 19: El is not like men, who lie; He is not a human, WHO CHANGES HIS MIND. Whatever He promises, He does; He speaks, and it is done. Verse 20: I have received a command to bless; and when He blesses, I cannot call it back. 17

18 Verse 21: No trespass is seen in Jacob, nor any iniquity or perverseness (amal) in Israel. (Jahwah has not seen iniquity or Amal [Hebrew]; Amalek was the grandson of Esau, who SOLD HIS INHERITANCE.) Jahwah, their Elohim, is with them; They proclaim that He is their KING. Verse 22: El brought them out of Egypt. They have the strength of a wild bull. Verse 23: There is no magic charm, NO WITCHCRAFT THAT CAN BE USED AGAINST THE NATION OF ISRAEL. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel: See what El has done! As long as Jahwah s people remain in the Body of Jahshuwah and separated from the world, no power of Satan can rule over them. They remain free of curses. Verse 24: Israel STANDS UP like a LIONESS, LIFTING HERSELF up like a YOUNG LION. She will not rest till she has devoured her prey and has drunk the blood of the slain. Verse 25: Even though you cannot curse them, said Balak to Balaam, at least DON T BLESS THEM. Verse 26: But Balaam answered Balak, Did I not warn you that I must do all that Jahwah tells me? Balaam s Third Oracle Numbers 23:27-30 & 24:1-25: Verse 27: Then Balak said to Balaam, Come, let me bring you to ANOTHER PLACE; perhaps Elohim will approve of your cursing them for me from there. Verse 28: So he took Balaam to the TOP OF PEOR (to open wide, the wide/broad way, the dead), that overlooks Jeshimon (wasteland, solitary, wilderness, desolation). Matthew Henry States: The THIRD TIME! They change the place. Balak is at last convinced that it is not Balaam s fault, on whom before, he had laid the blame, but that really he was under a divine check. Now he hopes to bring Balaam to a place where Jahwah will permit him to curse them. The place to which Balak now brings Balaam is to the Top of Peor, the most eminent HIGH PLACE IN ALL HIS COUNTRY, where Baal was worshipped; hence it was called Baal-Peor (Lord or Husband of the Broad Way or Husband of the Dead). Verse 29: Balaam said Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me. Verse 30: Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each. 18

19 Numbers 24:1-25: Balaam, however, perceiving that Jahwah was pleased to bless Israel, did not go to look for unlucky spells (omens), as he had done before, but turned his face toward the wilderness. Verse 2: When Balaam lifted up his eyes, (He is on top of Mount Peor) and saw Israel resting (Shakan - a permanent dwelling) as BRANCHED-OFF TRIBES, as RULED and CORRECTED by the ROD/scepter (Jahwah s Torah Prescriptions) the Spirit of Elohim came upon him. Jahwah s sons are corrected by His rod. If we refuse to be corrected by Jahwah s Penal Decisions Jahwah s Torah Prescriptions, the Word Land will vomit us out. Verse 3: And he uttered this prophecy: The oracle of Balaam (the peopledevourer), the consumer s son (son of Beor)! The words of a man whose eyes have been shut! Verse 4: Who can even hear the Words of El. Who falls into a trance with his eyes wide open, and sees a vision from Shaddai? Verse 5: How beautiful and prosperous are your homes, O Jacob (supplanted one), and your Mishkan (Jahwah s Tabernacle), O Israel (the one ruling as elohim). (The mishkan connects with the word Shekinah as describing the dwelling place of the Divine Glory.) Summary of Verse 5: How beautiful and prosperous are your homes, O supplanted One, in your mishkan (Shekinah glory) ruling as Elohim. Verse 6: They are like long rows of PALM TREES, like a garden by the river, like flowering Trees planted by Jahwah, or like cedars growing near water. Verse 7: He will POUR DOWN WATER out of his buckets/pails/jars. And their seed will be like GREAT WATERS. Their king will be greater and higher than Agag ( violent flame - king of the Amalekites). His kingdom will be exalted. Or, You and your descendants will prosper like an orchard beside a stream. Your king will rule with power and be a greater king than Agag the Amalekite. Or, [Israel] will pour water out of his own buckets [have his own sources of rich blessing and plenty], and his offspring will dwell by many waters, and his king will be higher than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. Verse 8: Elohim brought them out of Egypt; Israel has the strength of a WILD BULL (Taurus), and will devour the nations like GRASS, crushing their bones, and smashing their arrows. Verse 9: As a LION, Israel lies down and sleeps; but as a LIONESS, none dares to DISTURB or WAKE HER UP. Those who bless you will be blessed, and those who curse you will be cursed. Matthew Henry comments on verse 9: Israel looks forward to their future conquests. He will eat up the nations, HIS ENEMIES, that is, He will not only destroy and devour them as easily as a LION 19

20 does his prey, but he will himself be strengthened and fattened and enriched by their spoils. Israel s Courage and Security: He lays down as a lion, as a great lion in verse 9. Now he does so in the PLAINS OF MOAB, and asks no leave of the king of Moab, nor is he in FEAR OF HIM; shortly he will do so in Canaan! When he has torn his prey, he will take his repose, quiet from the fear of evil, bid defiance to all his neighbors; for who shall stir up a sleeping lion? It is observed of lions that they DO NOT retire into places of SHELTER to sleep, but lie down anywhere, knowing that NONE dares meddle with them. Thus is the righteous BOLD as a lion, and repose themselves because Jahwah maketh them to dwell in safety. Their friends and those in alliance with them are happy. Blessed is he that blesseth thee - those that do them any kindness will certainly fare the better for it. But their enemies will be miserable. Cursed is he that curseth thee. Those that do them any injury do it at their peril for Jahwah takes what is done to them, whether good or evil, as done to himself. Thus he confirms the blessing of Abraham. Continuing with Numbers 24, verse 10: Balak beat his palms together in a blaze of anger at Balaam and said to him, It was to curse my enemies that I summoned you here; yet THREE TIMES (from three different views) now you have BLESSED THEM INSTEAD! Balaam now loses his reward, so his other plan has to be put into action. Verse 11: Now leave at once and go home. I promised to REWARD YOU RICHLY, but Jahwah has withheld the reward from you! Verse 12: Balaam replied to Balak, Did I now warn the messengers you sent to me, Verse 13: Even if Balak gave me his house full of gold and silver, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go BEYOND the command of Jahwah, and I must say ONLY what Jahwah says? Verse 14: So now I will go back to my people, but first let me make clear to you what this people will do to your people in THE END TIMES. Take special notice as Balaam now goes to plan B and proceeds to try and make a deal with Balak, so he can get his money, as plan A did not work. His plan B is to get Israel to sin, i.e. to stop living alone as a divided people, separated from the other nations to intermix with the Midianites and Moabites. Balaam, through his council and advice to them, caused Israel to trespass. This is confirmed in Numbers 31:15 & 16: (Moses speaking to the officers of his army) Have you allowed all the women to live? Moses asked them. They were the ones, through Balaam s council and advice that caused Israel to TRESPASS against Jahwah in the matter of Peor and a plague broke out on Jahwah s people. Numbers 25:9: And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. 20

21 Continuing with Numbers 24, verse 15: Then Balaam uttered this prophecy: The message of Balaam son of Beor, the words of the man who can see clearly. Verse 16: The words of one who hears what El says, And knows what Elyon knows; Of one who sees what Shaddai sees, in a trance and with eyes unveiled. Verse 17: I look into the future, and I see the nation of Israel. A king, like a bright star, will arise in that nation; a scepter that will rise out of Israel. He will strike the MOUTHS of Moab and beat down all the people, who are PROUD and violent, i.e. noisy boasters. Verse 18: He will conquer his enemies in Edom (those who sold their inheritance to satisfy the lust of their flesh), and make their land his property, while Israel continues to grow strong. Verse 29: The nation of Israel will trample them down and wipe out the last survivors. Verse 20: Then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered this oracle: (Amalek = the labor that exhausts ; the lust of the flesh ; serving the lust of the flesh is a labor that exhausts and never satisfies the flesh. It is a never-ending job.) The FIRST of the nations (the most powerful of all is the United States) is Amalek (those who lust after the FLESH), but his end is to perish forever. Verse 21: In his vision Balaam saw the Sons of Cain (the false messiah; Cain means to own, to possess, to purchase, to buy and sell.) and uttered this prophecy: The place where you live is secure and strong. Safe is a nest set HIGH on a cliff. Verse 22: But you Cain will be BURNED and destroyed when Asshur (the son of Shem; Asshur means to be straight and level as a BALANCED SCALE; to be right, blessed; to lead, to guide, to prosper) takes you captive. Verse 23: Then he uttered this prophesy: Alas, who shall live when El does this? Verse 24: Invaders from Kittim (the bruisers) will afflict and humble Asshur (the level ones the straight ones) and will afflict and humble the Hebrews those crossing over; but he too will come to utter destruction." Afflict is the same Hebrew word as used in afflict your souls or be cut off on the Day of Atonement. Verse 25: Then Balaam got up and returned home and Balak went on his way. A new scene opens up in Numbers 25. We have been at the heights of Baal, on the top of Pisgah and Mount Peor and listened to Jahwah s testimony respecting Israel. There all was bright and fair without a spot; But now we find ourselves in the plains of Moab, and ALL is changed. Thus we see Israel as seen from the top of the rocks in the vision of Shaddai and Israel as seen in the plains of Moab. In the first case, we have their perfect standing and in the 2 nd 21

22 place, their IMPERFECT STATE. Thus it is in Numbers 25, Balaam, having failed in his attempt to curse Israel, now succeeds in seducing them with the women of Midian. Numbers 25:1-18: While Israel was living at Shittim, the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. Verse 2: And they invited the people of Israel to the sacrifices/feasts of their elohim, and the people ate their sacrifices and worshiped their elohim. Revelation gives a warning regarding this incident Revelation 2:14: I have a few things against you (church of Pergamum, meaning mixed marriages). You have people in your congregation who hold to the doctrine and teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to THROW A STUMBLING BLOCK in the way of Israel by enticing them to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and indulging in UNLAWFUL LUST. The Numerical Bible states: Israel abides in Shittim, no doubt, so called from its acacia trees; but the word literally means THINGS THAT TURN ASIDE, as the acacias with their strong thorns do. Shittim wood was also used to build the ark, showbread table, and other furniture of the sanctuary. The acacia thus has its thorns to GUARD the treasure that it carries. Back to Numbers 25, verse 3: Israel joined (married) himself unto BAAL-PEOR, and the anger of Jahwah was kindled against Israel. Verse 4: And Jahwah said to Moses, Take all the HEADS (this includes the JUDGES) of the people, and hang them up before Jahwah OPPOSITE THE SUN, that the fierce anger of Jahwah will turn away from Israel. OR, Take all the HEADS/judges of the people, and CRUCIFY them unto Jahwah in the FACE OF THE SUN that the heat of Jahwah s anger will turn away from Israel. Or, Seize all the leaders/heads/judges of the people and execute them before Jahwah OPPOSITE THE SUN, in order to avert Jahwah s hot anger from Israel. Or, Take all the heads of the people, and make them examples of JUDGMENT for Jahwah in the face of the SUN, and the anger of Jahwah will be turned away from Israel. Just what does OPPOSITE the sun relate? The moon is opposite the sun and would not have a light, except that it is OPPOSITE THE SUN. The Lunar Wilderness Walk is one that is OPPOSITE THE SUN, the true light. Verse 5: So Moses told the Israelite JUDGES, Each of you must put to death those of your men who have JOINED in worshiping the BAAL OF PEOR. 22

23 Verse 6: Than an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping and complaining at the entrance to the Tabernacle of Appointed Times. Verse 7: When Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand, Verse 8: and followed the Israelite into the tent/kubbah. Phinehas drove the spear through both of them through the Israelite and into the woman s body. Then the plague against Israel was stopped, A Kubbah tent is a high and vaulted PLEASURE TENT used in the worship of Baal. It means to curse - utter a curse against; it is the Tabernacle of the Curse. The spear was driven through the Israelite, and into the Medianite woman, lying underneath. The picture is one of INTERCOURSE. Phinehas means Mouth of Brass the Mouth of Judgment. Verse 9: but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000. Verse 10: Then Jahwah said to Moses, Verse 11: Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned My anger from Israel by his zeal for My honor among them ( For My honor : by taking vengeance on those who had made Baal of Peor a rival of Jahwah) that is why I did not put an end to Israel for the offense to My honor. Due to this act of judgment carried out by Phinehas, Jahwah made an OLAM Covenant of Peace with him. Verse 12: Therefore tell Phinehas, I am making MY COVENANT OF PEACE WITH HIM. Verse 13: HE AND HIS DESCENDANTS will have the Covenant of Olam Priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his Elohim and MADE ATONEMENT FOR ISRAEL. Verse 14: The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri, son of Salu (weighed to hang up, weight, and tread down under foot), the leaders of a Simeonite family. Verse 15: And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Cozbi (false to lie, i.e. deceive; fail, be in vain), daughter of Zur (a refuge), a tribal chief of a Midianite family. Verse 16: Jahwah said to Moses, Verse 17: Treat the Medianites as enemies and kill them, Verse 18: because they treated you as enemies when they DECEIVED you in the AFFAIRS OF PEOR, and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of Peor. 23

24 Antiquities of the Jews The Inner Man of Balaam By Josephus Book IV - chapter 6 Now let s delve into a deeper understanding of Balaam and his plan. Josephus brings forth great wisdom on the character and intent of this man Balaam - Chapter VI, Verse 1: Now Moses, when he had brought his army to Jordan, pitched his camp in the plains near Jericho Moses then sent a party of armed men to lay waste the country of the Midianites, and to take their cities. Now the reason for making war upon the Midianites is as follows: When Balak, the king of the Moabites, who had from his ancestors a friendship and league with the Midianites, saw how great the Israelites had grown, he was very fearful on account of his kingdom s safety. For he didn t know that the Hebrews wouldn t interfere with any other country outside of Canaan, as Jahwah had forbidden them to do so. Josephus states that the Israelites were never to interfere with the Moabites or Ammonites, or any other people outside of Canaan; therefore no other people had reason to fear the conquests of Israel. But those countries inside Canaan had been given to them by Jahwah, and all who tried to dispossess them would be justly destroyed by Israel. So, Balak, with more haste than wisdom, decided to make an attempt on them by WORDS, as he did not think it was a good idea to fight against them because of Israel s high success rate in winning battles. Balak thought if he could just hinder them from growing greater, so he decided to send ambassadors to the Midianites about them. Now the Midianites knew that Balaam, who lived by the Euphrates, was the GREATEST PROPHET at that time, and they were friends with him. So they sent some of their HONORABLE PRINCES along with the AMBASSADORS of Balak to entreat the prophet to come and place curses on the Israelites to be destroyed. Verse 4: Balaam comes and everything he quotes from Jahwah is a blessing on Israel instead of a curse. Verse 5: Thus did Balaam speak by inspiration, as not being in his own power, but was moved to say what he did by the Divine Spirit. But then Balak was displeased, and accursed Balaam that he had BROKEN THE CONTRACT Verse 6: Balak, being very angry that the Israelites were not cursed, sent Balaam away WITHOUT ANY OF THE REWARDS PROMISED. Just as Balaam was starting on his journey back home, he sent for Balak and the princes of the Midianites and gave them this ADVICE: O Balak, and you Midianites that are present, I am going to do you a FAVOR and satisfy your desire WITHOUT THE WILL OF JAHWAH. It is true that the Hebrew nation cannot be entirely destroyed by war or plague, or by starvation nor by any unexpected accident, for the providence of Jahwah preserves them from such a misfortune; nor will Jahwah s providence permit any such calamity to come upon 24

25 them, whereby they all perish. But small misfortunes may bring them low for a short period of time; But after that, they will flourish again and to the terror of those that brought the misfortune upon them. So if you want to gain victory over them for a short time, you will obtain it by FOLLOWING MY DIRECTIONS: Bring out your most beautiful daughters (symbolic of the pagan churches) the most distinguished and known for their beauty THE ONES THAT WILL ENTICE (those churches that temp and lead astray by TICKLING THE EAR) and conquer those that behold them. 2 Timothy 4:3: For the time will come when they will not bear sound teaching; but according to their OWN LUSTS will heap up to themselves teachers to tickle and please their ear. Or, For the time is coming when people WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND TEACHING, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers TO SUIT THEIR OWN LUSTS. Or, the time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine, but will follow their own lusts and will collect for themselves more and more TEACHERS WHO WILL TELL THEM WHAT THEY ARE ITCHING TO HEAR. Or, For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate and endure sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching for something pleasing and gratifying, they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to SUPPORT THEIR OWN LUSTS AND TO FOSTER THE ERRORS THEY HOLD. Inserted from Pseudo-Philo, written in the first century AD: Balak said to Balaam, Verse 12: Your Elohim has cheated you of many gifts from me. Verse 13: And then Balaam said to him, COME AND LET US PLAN WHAT YOU SHOULD DO TO THEM. Pick out the beautiful women who are among us and in Median and station them NAKED, adorned only with gold and precious stones, before the Israelites, and when they see them and lie with them, they will sin against their Elohim and fall into your hands; otherwise you cannot fight against them. Continuing with Josephus, Verse 6: Then send them near the Israelites camp and give them orders that when the young men of the Hebrews desire their company, the daughters are to allow it. When the girls see that the Hebrew men are in love with them, let the daughters take their leave. Now if the men beg the girls to stay, let them not give their consent to stay until they have PERSUADED THE MEN TO STOP OBEYING THEIR OWN LAWS and to STOP WORSHIP OF THAT ELOHIM WHO ESTABLISHED THE LAW; And entice them to worship the gods of the Midianites and Moabites. For by this means, their Elohim will be angry at them. 25

26 When man stops obeying Jahwah s Torah, they are indeed worshiping Baal-peor; they are having intercourse with the uncovered and naked whores of Baal the Babylonian churches of today. Verse 7: So when the Midianites had sent their daughters, as Balaam had exhorted them, the Hebrew young men were allured by their beauty and began to exchange ideas with them. The young men begged the girls not to withhold from the enjoyment of their beauty, not deny them their conversation. These daughters of the Midianites received their words gladly and consented to stay with them. But when the young men began to LOVE THEM, and their inclinations to them had GROWN RIPE, the daughters began of speak of leaving them. When people come to love the sinful ways of the Babylonian Churches, the churches demand that they forsake all traces of Jahwah if they want to continue to worship in their assembly and be totally united in marriage to them. The young men became greatly saddened at the thought of the girls leaving and urged them not to go. They begged the girls to stay and become THEIR WIVES. In addition, the men VOWED BEFORE JAHWAH the girls would become mistresses of ALL they owned. With tears in their eyes, and all other such marks of concern that would shew the girls how miserable they would be without them, the young men attempted to move them to compassion. So the women, as soon as they perceived the men had BECOME THEIR SLAVES, began to speak thus to them. Verse 8: O you illustrious young men! We have houses of our own at home, and plenty of good things there, together with the affectionate love of our parents and friends. It wasn t out of want of such things that we came to visit you, nor did we accept your invitation with the intention of prostituting the beauty of our bodies for gain; But taking you for brave and worthy men, we agreed to your request, that we might treat you with such honors as hospitality requires. Now you say that you have great affection for us, and are troubled at our leaving. We are not averse to your good entreaties, and IF WE RECEIVE SUFFICIENT ASSURANCE OF YOUR GOOD WILL, we will be glad to spend the rest of our lives with you, as your WIVES; But we are afraid that you will in time grow weary of our company, and will then abuse us, and send us back to our parents in a humiliating and dishonorable manner. Please forgive us for having to take precautions against this happening. But the young men declared openly, they would give the girls any assurance they desired. They didn t deny or oppose anything the girls requested, so great was their passion for them. If this is your decision, said the girls, these are our DEMANDS: 26

27 Your CUSTOMS and WAY OF LIFE is ENTIRELY CONTRARY FROM ALL OTHER PEOPLE. Since your kinds of FOOD are peculiar to yourselves and your kinds of drink are not common to others, it will be ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY IF YOU WANT US FOR YOUR WIVES that you IN ADDITION WORSHIP OUR GODS. This is the ONLY CONDITION we ask: that you promise to hereafter WORSHIP THE SAME GODS that we do. This would stop any complaints that you have come into this country and should worship the gods of the country. Especially since our gods are COMMON TO ALL MEN, and yours are such that belong to NOBODY ELSE but yourselves. So the girls told them that they MUST EITHER WORSHIP IN THEIR CUSTOMS as all others or else they must live somewhere else by their selves, according to the laws of their own Elohim. Verse 9: Now the young men were influenced by the foolish passionate affection they had for these women and believed they were sincere. (Love and lust are BLIND.) So they gave in to their persuasions and transgressed their own laws. Supposing there were many gods, they concluded that they would sacrifice to them ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH ORDAINED THEM (they set their gods up). Any country that sets up their own laws, rather than Jahwah s Torah, is setting up their own gods instead of Jahwah for the people to worship. That is an absolute fact!!!! They were both delighted with the STRANGE FOOD, and went on to do everything that the women asked them to do, though it was in COMPLETE CONTRADICTION OF THEIR OWN LAWS. This transgression SPREAD THROUGH THE WHOLE ARMY and GREW WORSE RAPIDLY. Their own institutions that Jahwah had established were in danger of extinction. Once the YOUTH had tasted these STRANGE CUSTOMS, they raced head on into them with a GREEDY UNSATISFIABLE APPETITE. Even some of the PRINCIPAL ELDERS were corrupted together with the rest. 27