SPRING UP OH WELL!

            “Spring up oh well!” The Israelites sang at Beer, which means “Well”. “Yes sing its praises!” Numbers 21:17

After years of wondering aimlessly in the wilderness, the Israelites were finally nearing the land of Canaan and were given permission by God to dig a well. Not water gushing from a rock, not someone else’s well where they had to pay, not brackish water found in the wilderness, but flowing clear water. Of their very own. A well they could name. A claim to the land. Putting down roots. Taking possession of the land.

All those years of wondering had toughened the people of God. There had been skirmishes with their enemies honing their battle skills, and even though they were still a bit whiny, they were now ready to begin the Holy war, the conquest of the land of Canaan.

Even though they politely asked for safe passage across a kingdom, they were attacked by the large armies of King Sihon, whom they slaughtered with their swords. With God’s power and enabling they swept through the land of the Amorites killing, conquering and taking possession of the land.

Balak, the Moabite king, stood on a high place and watched the vast company of people spread across the plains near the Jordan directly across from the city of Jericho, and shook in his sandals. He was terrified. This was the horde of people who had nearly wiped out the mighty Amorites and swarmed into their land like locusts on a field. Surely Moab was next.

“This mob will devour everything in sight,” he told the Midian elders, a nomadic people, with whom he must have had treaty, “they will devour everything like an ox devours a field!”

Balak could not see how this vast army of nearly a million strong, who had the hand of a powerful God helping them, could be stopped by military means. He decided to use a different method of attack, spiritual warfare.

He sent a message to Balaam, a famous, pagan prophet and diviner. A sorcerer who was not above claiming the name of the Almighty God to forward his purpose, Balaam was accustomed to working with and manipulating many gods. This God of Jacob, who claimed ownership of these nomadic people, was certainly no different. So he thought.

“Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me.” Said the message to Balaam, “Please come and curse these people, because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless and curses fall on people you curse.”

Crafty Balaam read desperation in the message and saw a way to get more money than the normal diviner’s fee, which had been sent with the messengers. So he told the messengers he would consult this God. That night God did indeed visit him and told Balaam not to go with the men. Ah Ha! That fell right in with Balaam’s plan and he pretended familiarity with this Deity who had talked to him.

“The Lord will not let me go with you.” Balaam told the messenger the next morning, “So go on home!”

Balak was indeed desperate so he sent more messengers with more money and a promise to pay whatever Balaam wanted. I’m sure the evil prophet’s eyes gleamed when he read the second message. They were playing right into his hands.

“Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God.” Balaam said to the messengers.

Interesting since Balaam was an agent of the evil one, a sorcerer, a diviner, definitely NOT a follower of God who was truly his enemy. Either Balaam was concerned about the well acclaimed power of this God or he was scamming Balak and laying a bold claim to being intimate with and able to manipulate Israel’s God just as he supposedly could many other gods.

Is God being manipulated by this soothsayer? Is Balaam, backed by the power of the evil one, truly more powerful than God? Has Balaam tricked God into believing he was on God’s side? It would seem so since that night God told Balaam to go with the men but to do only what He tells him to do.

So the next morning Balaam saddles his donkey and heads off with the Moabite officials. Apparently in the will of the Lord. However God knew his heart. He might have been able to scam the Moabites but he could not pull the wool over God’s eyes.

There are many false prophets or teachers in our midst who claim to follow our God. The Almighty knows who they are. Do we?

Balaam was well-known for specializing in animal divination. He would use the liver and other parts of an animal, ritually slain, to ascertain the will of the gods. He would also observe the movements of animals and birds in order to read signs from the gods. It was even believed that he could mysteriously influence and manipulate the gods by various rites and rituals using animal sacrifices.

Now it says that even though God had told Balaam to go, He was angry with Balaam for going to Balak. Apparently God saw the evil in his heart and knew his true intentions.

Balaam was riding along on his well-trained and obedient donkey when suddenly she jumped to the side and ran into the field. “Why you—-!” Balaam yelled and beat the donkey with his staff.

So the faithful steed continued down the road until they came to a narrow place where there were two vineyard walls. Frightened, the donkey suddenly swerved to one side and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall.

“Yeeooww! You insolent beast!” Balaam yelled and jumping off, he beat the poor donkey again.

Getting back on he prodded the reluctant donkey to continue down the road. Soon the road narrowed at a place where there was a rocky cliff on each side. The donkey stopped suddenly and laid down right in the road. Balaam cursed and beat the poor animal once again.

“What have I done to you?” The donkey said, God having opened her mouth. “That I deserve you beating me three times?”

“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted, apparently not surprised to hear his donkey talking, since, after all, he was an animal diviner. “If I had a sword with me I would kill you!” Jumping off he raised his staff to strike her again.

“But am I not the same donkey you have ridden all your life?” She asked, “Have I ever done anything like this before?”

Balaam’s arm stopped in mid swing, “Well—no.”

Suddenly a bright light shone around them and Balaam looked ahead. His mouth dropped open and his eyes were wide. There stood a mighty figure. A man bright as lightning with a huge shining sword in his hand and a fierce look on his face. Balaam fell with his face to the ground.

“Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” The angel demanded and not waiting for an answer he continued, “Look I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. If your donkey had not shied away these three times I would certainly have killed you. And spared your donkey.”

Oh I loved this story as a kid, and even later as a grown up, but surely I missed the message. I thought God was angry with Balaam for beating his donkey. Which I’m sure He was, but there’s so much more.

How many times does God try to stop me, or give me a message and I don’t get it? Do I doggedly keep going on my stubborn-as-a-mule-way? How many times do I get angry at something that is His road block?

It is interesting, is it not, how the supposedly animal diviner, could not see the Divine that his animal could see! I just love how the abused donkey talked! I so wished that God would open my horse’s mouth and let him tell me things he saw and perceived. Wouldn’t it be the coolest to hear about all the things my dog smelled and heard? Maybe some day!

However, do I as intensely long to hear from my God? Do I longingly listen for His voice in my heart?

Balaam confessed he had sinned and quickly said he would go back home. I mean who wouldn’t, faced with an angelic warrior! He who could converse with the gods, Satan really, knew better than to argue with a divine being. He knew better than to fight the power that had parted the mighty waters of the red sea, or stand up to the God who in His wrath had slain thousands of His own people for disobedience. He knew better than to argue with a God who had empowered His people to nearly annihilate mighty nations and whole kingdoms.

He subjected himself to this God and said, “I will do what EVER you tell me.”

So he went to Balak and stated, “Even though I have come, I have no power to say whatever I want. I will speak only the message God puts in my mouth.”

Having seen the evil power of Satan, he knew what the supernatural could do. Yet he tried his divination, rituals and animal sacrifices three times and all three times this enemy of God spoke blessings, instead of curses, on the nation of God.

He even prophesied about the Star that rises from Jacob, the baby Jesus, who is fair and bright, who can be seen from a distance. And about the Scepter that will emerge from Israel, the King Jesus coming with a mighty army to conquer His enemies. Also about a Ruler who will rise from Jacob, Jesus, the Messiah, coming again as the conquering King, to wipe out all sin and live with His children for ever and ever.

This false prophet who tried to scam the Moabite king and thought he could manipulate the God of the universe, who was himself controlled by the dark power of Satan, was used and manipulated for God’s Glory. God used this pagan sorcerer to bless His people and tell the nations about His plan to save mankind.

Later Balaam showed his true colors in trying an under handed attack on the Israelite men using harlots to draw them away from their God into worshiping false gods. Balaam, however, received his reward; he was killed by Israel in the war with the Midianites. (Num. 31:8)

God will do what God will do. Balaam recognized a greater power than the one he served. He said no sorcery or divination can be done against Israel. There is no power on earth or under the earth that can overcome the Almighty One. Even this pagan diviner said, “What God wants done is done!”

Spring up oh well! Lay claim to every part of my life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Your power in me, Oh my God, make strong. Empower me to conquer my enemies and to take possession of the land. Give me strength to stand in Your truth.

Spring up oh well! Surround me with Your love. Fill me with Your joy. Calm me with Your peace. I will praise You in good times and in bad. I will sing Your praises forever and ever!

Story from Numbers 21-24