And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” (Numbers 24:14)
Before going home, Balaam found it necessary to “announce” or “advise” what was to happen to Balak and the people of Moab. But in “advising” him about what Israel would do to his people in the “latter days,” there seems to be a hint that he told Balak how he could hope to overcome Israel. In other words, it might be that this is when Balaam laid out a plan — snare might be a better word — whereby God would do to Israel what Balak and Balaam could not.
It was very obvious by this point that Balaam could not bring a curse upon them, however, if Israel could be seduced into committing a sin against God, the people would bring a curse upon themselves. Later, Moses makes it clear that it was indeed Balaam who conceived this plan (Numbers 31:16). In the next chapter, the plan came to fruition with disastrous results for the people of God. And thus we learn — the Adversary may not be able to curse what God has blessed but he is really good at getting us to bring a curse upon ourselves when we are led astray by his cunning words.
This is how it has been from the beginning — Satan could not force a curse and death upon Adam and Eve but he successfully coerced the woman into believing something that rendered a curse and death. If it was true then it’s true now and so we must continually be on guard against his schemes and seductive words. Rather, let us train ourselves to hear the voice of our Master and Good Shepherd. If we focus on Him and follow in His footsteps, the traps our adversary has prepared for us will prove to be powerless.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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