“It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.” So goes the old proverb. Being a Prophet For Profit like Balaam can be an enriching gig. However, he lost out on some big bucks in his previous episode. 

For several chapters (22-24), we read how Balaam was hired to curse Israel. God would not permit it. Instead of curses, he gave Balaam blessings to speak over his people. 

Balak, the leader of the coalition assembled against Israel, promised increasingly large wads of cash to Balaam. Balaam lost out on a rather handsome payday when God said, “No,” “No,” and “NO,” again.

Balaam’s curses remained unuttered. Yet Balaam found a way around the rules. Instead of powerful words spoken accompanied by sacrifices and drama and his very best imitation god voice, Balaam employed the oldest trick in the book. 

“How about a little, or a lot, of sex?”

The Midianites loved the idea. So did some of the Israelites.

This brings us to chapter 25 and a very negative topic sentence:

”While Israel was staying in the Acacia Grove, the people began to prostitute themselves with the women of Moab.“

There was barbecue, there were women ready to play, and there were gods who approved of the whole thing. 

But God did not. Verse 9 tells us that 24,000 people died in the plague resulting from this gross rebellion. 

Balaam’s advice was, again, powerful and profitable. Whatever he got paid, he didn’t get to spend much of the loot. Apparently, hell has no commissary. 

Balaam finally got paid. He also paid the ultimate price for rebellion against God that cost the lives of multitudes. 

There’s not enough fun in the whole world, however you take it, to make death and hell worth it. 

Just a thought. 

—

I will choose God’s path rather than the path of open sin that entices, allures, and destroys.

—

Our Father, deliver me from every temptation that sacrifices the good life that accompanies obedience. Protect me from sinful choices that wound and destroy. Amen.