Acts: Opposition to the Gospel: Balaam's Error, Part 2

In Balaam’s Error, Part 1, I attempted to provide a backdrop for Balaam, because he is not acting in a vacuum in Numbers 22. Neither was Judas Iscariot. The Jewish leaders were, and had been, looking for opportunities to kill Jesus. They could not do so without a betrayer, a turn coat.

History is replete with them. Ephialtes betrayed the Spartans to the Persians at Thermopylae. Benedict Arnold attempted to betray the Colonial Army at West Point to the British. But the worst turn-coat imaginable was Judas Iscariot. For the price of a slave accidentally killed (a relatively worthless sum for a creature of comparatively little worth), see Exodus 21:32, Judas gave Jesus over to destruction. See Matthew 26:15; compare Zechariah 11:12-14.

Jesus was right to call him a devil, an adversary, and a son of perdition. Judas became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. See Acts 1:16. He acted out of his heart when he found an opportunity do so, and so did Balaam. Neither man was effected by the visible manifestation of the power of God. And their persistence in wickedness led to the quick destruction of both men. See Numbers 31:8.

Like Judas, Balaam acted as guide to the Moabites to bring about the destruction of Israel. While he could not curse God’s people directly—God would not let him—Balaam did instruct the Moabites how to bring the Israelites under God’s judgment. See Numbers 31:16 and Revelations 2:14.

Let me pause for a moment and demonstrate a parallel here. Moab wanted to curse Israel, but needed someone to help them as they recognized their powerlessness to accomplish what was in their heart. Their inability to act without a betrayer does not excuse their wickedness before God; it’s just their wickedness could not bring about the death they wanted without what-was-in-their-estimation divine intervention through Balaaam.

Similarly, the Jewish leaders wanted Jesus’ death; to bring the Mosaic curse upon Jesus (see Deuteronomy 21:23) was in full view (thus their quick recourse to Pilate and the cross). But they couldn’t do for fear of the crowds. They needed someone close to bring about the curse of God and the judgment of God upon Jesus. Their inability to act without Judas does not excuse their wickedness; and with a kiss, Judas is every bit and more a son of perdition than Balaam could ever have been.

Before moving on, I also want to point out the irony of the transaction between Judas Iscariot and the Jewish leaders. In their own cleverness, each side believed the other to be bargaining for the life of Jesus. Not so. On each side, souls were being weighed in the balance, not Jesus’. He had already been affirmed by signs and wonders who he was. No, by entering into the transaction, each side revealed the content and intent of their hearts to the other. The hearts of these men hadn’t changed; the veil had simply been lifted from each of them. Like all good prostitutes, they are deciding how cheaply they could be bought, not whether they are whores in the first instance.

The 30 pieces of silver established the price of the souls of Judas and the Jewish leaders; they gave their souls for so little. Did they know at the time they were bargaining over their own souls? But bargain they did. Do you recognize when you are bargaining for your soul? Only you can answer that. What would you give for yours?

We will get to Balaam, I promise, in the next post. Thank you.