In this episode, Balak king of the Moabites became afraid, after he saw what the Israelites did to the Amorites.

So he decided to pay Balaam, a prophet of God to curse them. He was certain the curse would work because the word was out, that whoever Balaam cursed was cursed and whoever he blessed was blessed.

We note that Balaam was not dwelling amongst the Israelites but in his own land, the land of Pethor. He had come to believe in the God of the Israelites, because he heard about everything God was doing for them.

Every time the Israelites won a battle, the fame of Israels God spread abroad. People were awed by his might and power. And little by little, house by house people were being drawn to him. He was seen as a mighty God, on the side of the people.

He was the God of the afflicted, the oppressed and the needy. He was killing giants and setting slaves free and giving them their own land. He would be their God and they would be his people and all were welcome, to come to him and live in his land.

So although Balaam was a convert from another land, God was with Him. He allowed himself to be sought by Balaam. If Balaam prayed, God answered, and up until this point, Balaam used his gift to do good. But he will be tempted to use his gift to do evil, because of his desire for wealth.

Before going or responding to Balak's men, Balaam asked the Lord if he should go curse the people. God said, no because the people were blessed.

Perhaps Balaam believed it was possible God would let him curse the people because they deserved it. Balaam heard all about Israels, murmurings in the wilderness, how over the years, they rebelled against God.

He heard about the time, they wanted to select a captain and go back to Egypt. He heard about how they made a golden calf and said, it delivered them out of Egypt.

Yet, although all of that was true, God said, NO, do not curse the people because they are blessed.

Yes, God had punished the Israelites, for their rebellious behavior.

Yes, They had to stay in the wilderness for 40 years, but their punishment was over. Now it was time for them to inherit the promised land and He was with them all the way.

So no, he wasn’t supposed to use his gift as a prophet to curse the people, they may have looked cursed at times but they were blessed.

God let Balaam the Prophet, go to Balak. But God told him to only say what he told him to say.

This will always be a prophet’s challenge, to only say what God tells him to say.

A prophet has to be cautious when giving prophecies. And people have to be cautious when hearing prophetic words.

As Paul notes, the day will come when prophecies will fail. And the only things that will remain, is faith, hope and love.

All prophetic utterances will fail, except the prophetic utterances of the true Prophet, the one God promised Moses He would send.

The one Moses spoke about in Deuteronomy chapter 18. His words will be the only prophetic words we can trust.

The Prophet Moses spoke about, is Jesus the Christ. And his prophetic words are the scriptures.

If we want to abide in faith, hope and love during the lasts days, we can only trust His word.

As God revealed to Moses some will speak or prophesy presumptuously. So the wise will only heed the words of the Prophet, named Jesus Christ.

God raised up a Prophet, that only said, what He told him to say. Since the words are spirit and life, they will continue to be relevant, until heaven and earth pass away.

Deuteronomy 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Deuteronomy 18:16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

Deuteronomy 18:17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Deuteronomy 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

Deuteronomy 18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

Deuteronomy 18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?

Deuteronomy 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of hi