What part of “no” don’t you understand?
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Faith Fitness
Bro. Sam Kaufman
One of the newer popular sayings of today aptly describes the situation an Old Testament figure faced several thousand years ago.
“What part of ‘no’ don’t you understand” is the saying.
The character is Balaam of the Old Testament.
Anyone who is familiar with Balaam’s story in the book of Numbers already comprehends precisely how the saying fits.
Balaam received an answer from God pertaining to whether he could go with the men sent by Balak.
The answer was a resounding “no,” but Balaam later decided against heeding God’s original instruction.
It is never good to go against God’s direction. See Jonah and the whale. The consequences are never pretty.
With Balaam’s account, the children of Israel had advanced toward the plains of Moab and Balak, the king of Moab, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites in battle. Moab was sore afraid and distressed because of the children of Israel.
Balak then sent messengers to Balaam, a prophet, to curse the children of Israel.
“There is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me,” Balak said in Numbers 22:5-6. “Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom those blessest is blessed, and he whom the cursest is cursed.”
Moab promised rewards for Balaam if he would carry forth their plan. Balaam then sought God for direction.
God plainly told Balaam that Balaam was not to go with them, and “thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.”
Balaam then relayed the response to Balak’s people: “for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.”
It was a straight-forward response from God. Balaam was ordered not to go with them. But then the princes of Moab came again to Balaam with a promise to promote Balaam “unto very great honor, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me.”
The prospect of an increased reward appealed to Balaam’s flesh – despite what God already ordered.
Balaam erred by approaching God once more for guidance, even though he had already received a clear answer earlier. What part of “no” did Balaam not understand?
Regardless of the promotion or rewards available through Moab, obedience to God was much more important for Balaam. But Balaam chose to go the other way.
This time, God allowed Balaam to go, but God’s anger was kindled against him.
It caused Balaam to lose out with God. Eventually, the children of Israel destroyed Moab in battle and killed Balaam in the process.
But before that, Balaam revealed to Balak and the Moabites an avenue that could weaken the children of Israel.
Balaam could not curse God’s people, but he taught Moab how to put an obstacle before them. The mischievous plan involved the women of Moab seducing the men of Israel in an effort to get Israel to serve the gods of the Midianites.
God perhaps allowed that temptation to see where Israel stood regarding His commandment for His people not to be joined to those of other lands.
Many of the men of Israel fell to the temptation, creating an adverse condition in which 24,000 Israelites died from a plague sent from God.
Israel eventually overcame and defeated the Moabites and slew Balaam in the process.
