The Doctrine of Balaam: A Compromise of Faith
The daughters of Moab invited them to attend the church, fellowships of compromising preachers, preachers who condone the doctrine of Balaam, worldly dressing and immoral lifestyles. The attendants of churches of occult houses established by the cults in the city increased numerically. They called them unto the sacrifices of their gods and ate and bowed down to their gods. They joined their cults and God’s anger was kindled against them. They abandoned the righteousness preaching of Moses and went to ministers who got their powers from evil altars and priests. Their problems multiplied, their hard work culture died and everything about them began to experience problems. All they hear is sow seed, give big offering, no matter how you get the money, you will be blessed. In the process, twenty-four thousands of them died mysteriously. From that day, it became a doctrine that many churches accepted. God hates the doctrine of Balaam and any way of life that makes believers to stumble in faith
‘And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males’ (Numbers 31:7).
‘And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him’ (Numbers 31:13-17).
The Consequences of Embracing False Doctrine
To show God’s hatred for that doctrine in the church or anywhere today, God rewarded the victims with death. He commanded Moses to kill all the males that were involved. All the kings, church leaders, everyone that was involved were killed. All the male and females were judged, condemned unto death. Ministers, churches members who encourage and ignore people with the doctrine are playing with eternity. Jesus Christ who is the Prince of life, the author of salvation can also judge, kill those that practice the doctrine of Balaam
‘Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment’ (Exodus 23:2)
‘Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee’ (Exodus 34:12)
‘And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD’ (2 Chronicles 19:2)
There are many modes of dressings, make ups that God ignored and allowed before but when they became idols, an object of worship, He frowned at them. In many churches today, certain ornaments in the body are becoming idols. It is becoming a show of parade which made them to despise the poor people in their midst. Some hairstyles, fingernails, jewelries and dressing have become objects of worship. I am not against or for any class of dressing or make up but you need to watch your heart. Idolatry is when you put anything before God and it may be external or internal. Believers should not imitate the world system
‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful’ (Psalms 1:1).
‘Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men’ (Proverbs 4:14).
Rejecting the Worldly Influence and Standing Firm in Faith
Believers must not allow things of the world to influence them or the ungodly to move them out of their place in life. The devil through his deceived agents is spreading the doctrine of Balaam in many churches today. When his agents brought this doctrine in the church at Ephesus, the brethren rejected it
‘I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted’ (Revelation 2:2-3).
‘But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate’ (Revelation 2:6).
The church in Ephesus hated the deeds of the Nicolaitanes but the Pergamos church embraced it and Christ wrote to warn them of the consequences In Pergamos, some believers held the corrupting doctrine of Balaam and the heresy of Nicolaitanes. Clement of Alexandria who lived at the time Nicolaitanes practiced their deeds, said they abandoned themselves to pleasure, like goats, leading a life of self-indulgence, immorality, and loose living. They replaced liberty with license and perverted grace. They came to Pergamos with these two doctrines, the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitanes