You have some people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel. Revelation 2:14
Eventually Balaam arrives in Moab where he is given a lavish reception. Then King Balak takes him to a mountain and invites him to call down curses on Israel. But the words that Balaam spoke were not curses, but blessings.
King Balak was furious, and Balaam must have been embarrassed. So, they tried again from two other mountains. But in the end, Balaam gave up, and King Balak sent him home, but not before something else happened.
Balaam taught King Balak to put a stumbling block before the Israelites. In other words, at some point when Balaam turned around to Balak and said, “It’s no use. There is no way you can turn God against His people,” he also said, “But I can let you in on a secret. You cannot turn God against His people, but you can always turn the people against God.”
That was all it took for Balak to pursue a new strategy. “While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them” (Num. 25:1, NIV).
Balaam became the Judas of the Old Testament. He sold out. He betrayed the people of God. And he died as an enemy of the Lord and His people.
Has God thwarted some ambition of yours, and you’re tempted to try and get Him back? Though it might feel like a powerful thing to do right now, think about the long-term damage it would do to your relationship with God and His people.
