The Trail Of a Traveler
We can’t walk or tread the stiff heights with unbearable loads on our shoulders. However, the climbing the heights with some load requires sufficient skill, strength and stamina.
Balaam: A Mesopotamian Diviner. His name means: Lord of People. (Easton’s Dictionary)
He had some knowledge of Yahweh. He used that knowledge for personal gain by Blessing and Cursing people. He was invited to curse the Israelites, he failed to do that. The Way of Balaam allowed Israelites to err from their journey Trail.
WAY of Balaam: This Balaam is recorded 57 times in the Bible. He was a prophet from (Nb.25:1-9) Mesopotamia. (Dt.23:4) He planned a seduction. His path was reckless. His seduction led to tempt the Israelites into sexual relationships and pagan rituals. One Error of Balaam confused the Trail of others. It ended up in plague killing 24,000 Israelites.
It was a choice of Balaam to promote relationships. Balaam taught that falsehood for money and illicit sexual relationships. The spirit of compromising made people trust that lie. They couldn’t find their trail back. They were killed by a plague.
Apostle Jude: “Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.”We have dangers of Way of Balaam to Error of Balaam to Doctrine of Balaam. These Ways led Israelites to err from the Truth and journey Trail.
There are delusions on trails at time to divert our walk into a Trap. We need to be careful and aware of certain signs and designs of curves and bends leading to a Trap. Avoid the Trap and run for a safety. Heb 5:2: “Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.” Balaam, Balac the king, Korah and Cain are an example for us. Jud 1:11: “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gain saying of Korah.” Cunningness and Covetousness led them to Money, Sex, Rebellion and Murder. The Way of Balaam took 1,450 years to develop and entered the life of the Church craftily. We are warned by the Apostles who had walked the Trail before us. 2Pet 2:2, 15: “And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;” A Story of a wise Rabbit:
Once a wolf invited animals for visiting a sick lion. The lion was resting in a Den. The wolf would send animals inside the Den of Lion and enjoy the left over flesh and bones. The turn for the Rabbit came. He was cautious. AS he came nearer, he began to detect the foot prints of animals. All foot prints were directed towards the Den of the Lion but no foot print of the returning animal was detected. The Rabbit detected the Trap earlier and also was clever to mark the foot prints of animals. He knew that the moment he enters, he is not going to return from the Den. The moment Rabbit saw that foot print directing to the Den, he ran away from the wolf. Know that Wisdom is better than strength. Eph.5:15-“walk very carefully as wise do.”
Beware of the Traps on the Trails of your journey.