“Then Balaam said to Balak, ”Build seven
altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams”, And
Balak did just as Balaam had spoken ,and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a
ram on each altar”. Numbers 23:1-2 NKJV New Kings James Version
So Balaam commands Balak to offer the sacrifices following
the building of seven altars. On these seven altars were offered seven rams and
seven bulls. This is all in an attempt to pacify or appease God or rightly the “gods” before cursing. It seems that Balak did not have any problems with going
along the notions as long as he got what he wanted.
So both Balaam and Balak offer the sacrifice (Numbers
23:2) in an attempt to curse the people of God. The error here to me seems to
be the error of using God. It is the error of trying to buy God’s favour or
anger , the error of using the externals. As spiritual as building altars
or offering sacrifices may be , it is
wrong for us to use these things to serve our purpose. It is not surprising these
days to see some believers fast and pray in an attempt to curse another
individual who has perhaps hurt them or are perceived to have done so or be
planning to do so.It is also common to hear the excuse of such acts being that
one cannt argue with results but that in itself is wrong as we see God in the
Old Testament questioning Moses results. Moses was told to speak to the rock
but in his anger, he struck the rock and although the same result of water
rushing out occured but not without God’s anger and pronouncement that Moses
would not enter the promised land (Deutronomy 4:21, 3:27;Psalms 106:32,33).
Some Christians
today open some Bible passages, rather than reading for meditation, use it to
confer curses on other people. Even during Jesus stay here on earth, we see
some of his disciples asking that they used the power available to call down
fire on the Samaritans who had not received Jesus and it is pertinent to note
that Jesus rebuked them sharply and
reprimanded them saying “ye do not know what Spirit you have received(Luke
9:55).
The kind of spirit we have received is not the one that
allows us to go cursing individuals like Balak intends Balaam to do. It may be
something we do subtly with accompanying spiritual exercises and disciplines but if our
motive is borne out of vengeance or self preservation rather than out of love, Paul admonishes us that it
amounts to nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-4).
All through the Bible, there have always been people
who were enemies to God’s people and time and time again, we have seen how God
fought for his people. Our current case study is an example that God is well able
to defend us. All we see happening behind the scene is unknown to the Israelites
yet they cannot be cursed.
This is not to discredit spiritual warfare and prayers
against the forces of darkness as the Bible enjoins us to (Ephesians 6:12), but
it is one thing to be praying against spiritual wickedness in high places and
another thing to be praying against our neighbours, friends, family and supposed
enemies. God is able to fight for us without us trying to curse people. It may
be popular or people may have claimed it worked for them but the end does not
justify the means rather let us take heed as everything will be judged by the
test of love.
Yours in His Service,
Grace Tom-Lawyer.
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