Let me give a brief summary of Numbers 22. The Israelites were on their way to the promised land, on foot obviously and they were travelling through countries. When they want to pass through your country they would inform you before hand that they are about passing your territory and you should let them pass. If you don't reply favorable, the Israelites would most likely come, conquer the land and take it away from you, killing all in it. They would settle there until they are ready to move to the next city....they kept on like this

The Israelites reached the plains of Moab, and the king of that place was Balak. Balak was terrified that they would kill him and take over his land too. So he sent for a certain man called Balaam. Normally, if Balaam curses you, you are cursed and if he blesses you , then you are blessed. God however told Balaam not to go anywhere with Balak's people. So Balaam told the people Balak sent, that he can not follow the King and go and curse Israel . However, Balak sent more people a second time to plead with Balaam. And that night, God came to Balaam and said he should go with them this time around, but however God told Balaam that he should do only what He tells him to


Questions

1. Who exactly is Balaam? The bible never said he was a prophet and some claim he is a seer and a diviner who sees things and God just used him.....Is this true?

2. If Balaam was just a seer.....why did God use him? Balaam conversed with God like he knew him as a personal friend....as if they go way back....Does this mean God can also use Babalawo to help us in times of trouble, since God can speak through them...?

3. Vs 20 says, "That night God came to Balaam and said, ‘Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.’"

While

Vs 21& 22 says, "Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him......"

Why? Why did that happen? God categorically told Balaam to go with the men the king sent. Balaam was following God's instructions here, so why did God turn against him and almost killed him??

You are now discovering the many contradictions and discrepancies in the Bible.
You can get others from these sites to ask your psstor/priest. Continue disturbing them, even if they say you shouldn't doubt. You believe God gave you a brain, you should use it.
Http://biblebabble.curbjaw.com/errors.htm
Http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Failed_biblical_prophecies
www.nobeliefs.com/Creationism.htm


Good luck.

Bvsteph: Let me give a brief summary of Numbers 22. The Israelites were on their way to the promised land, on foot obviously and they were travelling through countries. When they want to pass through your country they would inform you before hand that they are about passing your territory and you should let them pass. If you don't reply favorable, the Israelites would most likely come, conquer the land and take it away from you, killing all in it. They would settle there until they are ready to move to the next city....they kept on like this

The Israelites reached the plains of Moab, and the king of that place was Balak. Balak was terrified that they would kill him and take over his land too. So he sent for a certain man called Balaam. Normally, if Balaam curses you, you are cursed and if he blesses you , then you are blessed. God however told Balaam not to go anywhere with Balak's people. So Balaam told the people Balak sent, that he can not follow the King and go and curse Israel . However, Balak sent more people a second time to plead with Balaam. And that night, God came to Balaam and said he should go with them this time around, but however God told Balaam that he should do only what He tells him to


Questions

1. Who exactly is Balaam? The bible never said he was a prophet and some claim he is a seer and a diviner who sees things and God just used him.....Is this true?

2. If Balaam was just a seer.....why did God use him? Balaam conversed with God like he knew him as a personal friend....as if they go way back....Does this mean God can also use Babalawo to help us in times of trouble, since God can speak through them...?

3. Vs 20 says, "That night God came to Balaam and said, ‘Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.’"

While

Vs 21& 22 says, "Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him......"

Why? Why did that happen? God categorically told Balaam to go with the men the king sent. Balaam was following God's instructions here, so why did God turn against him and almost killed him??

ANSWERS

1. Balaam
- Human
- A foreteller of events. Vs 5
- Able to bless and to curse(he was obviously good at it because he had God's say so) Vs 6
- Able to directly talk to and hear from God. God even used to come to him. Vs 9. Wooooooooow. Do we still have such people today?


2. a. God used Balaam as a mouthpiece for giving His instructions. Vs 12 and 20
b. Babalawo? What kind? Is it the kind I see in movies? That hears from familiar spirits and stay in dirty shrines? That kind? A babalawo is satan's mouthpiece. Balaam was never that. So God can't use satan's mouthpiece and will definitely not speak through them. If you're in trouble, you have the Bible. Search for scriptures that deals with your particular problem and use it in prayers to tackle your problem. Speak God's words back to him and watch him perform. You want to hear God speak, open your bible, attend a bible believing church etc

3. In vs 12, the initial instruction was clear: my boy Balaam no follow this people go anywhere o. U don hear? No go curse Isrealites o. Them be people wey ah don bless o. Shouldn't that have been enough for Balaam? Many Christians are that way today. Was Balaam OK with the initial instruction? Of course not ( vs 19). He still wanted to hear MORE. Maybe God will change his mind on his people since this time, it was Princes that came. Taaah !!!! Not the God I serve. So he went back to ask? He had probably made up his mind to respond to balak's request anyway. Otherwise he wouldn't INSIST on going back to enquire from God. Well he had his way. Vs 20.
If only Balaam had heeded the initial instruction and not insist, all would have been well. So God became angry. Balaam knew Isreal were a people blessed by God himself. And you've been asked to go and curse them and ure even considering doing so? Think people. Think. Initially God said No. People, that ought to have been enough. But he still went. Now God said you can go. Hmmmm. Was it a test? Or Could it have been a chance for Balaam to ask himself questions like ," but God has blessed this people already and that supersedes everything else. Do I really need to go contrary to his will"? "But he said I should go" is it because I insisted?, are my desires and wishes more important than God's instructions? He went ahead and God was angry. As Christians we need to be sensitive in the spirit. Father Almighty we thank you for your grace.


God categorically instructed him not to go. Why couldn't he listen? Why don't we listen? Why do we argue? Cos it doesn't make sense? Cos we know better? And debate. And search for logic. Is God's word not enough?

Take God at His words. Don't go looking for second opinions. You just might not be as lucky as Balaam was. Once again, Father we thank You for your abundant patience, mercy and grace.

Wow! Thanks a lot for the detailed explanations!

Jackeeh:


ANSWERS

1. Balaam
- Human
- A foreteller of events. Vs 5
- Able to bless and to curse(he was obviously good at it because he had God's say so) Vs 6
- Able to directly talk to and hear from God. God even used to come to him. Vs 9. Wooooooooow. Do we still have such people today?


2. a. God used Balaam as a mouthpiece for giving His instructions. Vs 12 and 20
b. Babalawo? What kind? Is it the kind I see in movies? That hears from familiar spirits and stay in dirty shrines? That kind? A babalawo is satan's mouthpiece. Balaam was never that. So God can't use satan's mouthpiece and will definitely not speak through them. If you're in trouble, you have the Bible. Search for scriptures that deals with your particular problem and use it in prayers to tackle your problem. Speak God's words back to him and watch him perform. You want to hear God speak, open your bible, attend a bible believing church etc

3. In vs 12, the initial instruction was clear: my boy Balaam no follow this people go anywhere o. U don hear? No go curse Isrealites o. Them be people wey ah don bless o. Shouldn't that have been enough for Balaam? Many Christians are that way today. Was Balaam OK with the initial instruction? Of course not ( vs 19). He still wanted to hear MORE. Maybe God will change his mind on his people since this time, it was Princes that came. Taaah !!!! Not the God I serve. So he went back to ask? He had probably made up his mind to respond to balak's request anyway. Otherwise he wouldn't INSIST on going back to enquire from God. Well he had his way. Vs 20.
If only Balaam had heeded the initial instruction and not insist, all would have been well. So God became angry. Balaam knew Isreal were a people blessed by God himself. And you've been asked to go and curse them and ure even considering doing so? Think people. Think. Initially God said No. People, that ought to have been enough. But he still went. Now God said you can go. Hmmmm. Was it a test? Or Could it have been a chance for Balaam to ask himself questions like ," but God has blessed this people already and that supersedes everything else. Do I really need to go contrary to his will"? "But he said I should go" is it because I insisted?, are my desires and wishes more important than God's instructions? He went ahead and God was angry. As Christians we need to be sensitive in the spirit. Father Almighty we thank you for your grace.


God categorically instructed him not to go. Why couldn't he listen? Why don't we listen? Why do we argue? Cos it doesn't make sense? Cos we know better? And debate. And search for logic. Is God's word not enough?

Take God at His words. Don't go looking for second opinions. You just might not be as lucky as Balaam was. Once again, Father we thank You for your abundant patience, mercy and grace.