When the Israelites camped on the plains of Moab across from Jericho on the other side of the River Jordan, they invited trouble because they were about to enter their Promised Land.
This trouble came from King Balak of Moab who had heard what the Israelites had done to the Amorites for they had defeated them in battle and taken possession of their land. (Numbers 21:21-26, Numbers 22:2)
The Israelites were also a threat because they were many in number (Numbers 22:3) and the Moabites were scared they would take possession of everything around them the way An ox licks up grass in the field. (Numbers 22:4)
The Israelites were also a threat because they were many in number (Numbers 22:3) and the Moabites were scared they would take possession of everything around them the way An ox licks up grass in the field. (Numbers 22:4)
As a result, King Balak sought to fight the Israelites spiritually because they were too many physically and they had already demonstrated their prowess in physical battles. He therefore, sent for Balaam to curse them.
King Balak had a lot of faith in Balaam's ability to curse the Israelites for he said to him, "I know that the person you bless is blessed and the one you curse is cursed." (Numbers 22:6)
However, even though Balaam was consulted to curse the Israelites he ended up blessing them abundantly and we glean a few tips on how to turn curses into blessings.
King Balak had a lot of faith in Balaam's ability to curse the Israelites for he said to him, "I know that the person you bless is blessed and the one you curse is cursed." (Numbers 22:6)
However, even though Balaam was consulted to curse the Israelites he ended up blessing them abundantly and we glean a few tips on how to turn curses into blessings.
Pray
When Balaam was on the way to meet with King Balak, God sent His Angel to deal with Balaam and ensure that he would only utter the words God gave him when he met Balak. (Numbers 22:22-35)
Therefore pray and ask God to help you and send His Angels to protect you from those who may be trying to curse you even if you do not know about them because chances are that the Israelites were not aware of the dealings between King Balak and Balaam.
Balaam's First Prophecy
Balaam asked King Balak to build 7 altars and prepare a sacrifice of 7 bulls and 7 rams for each altar. He then went to meet with God and he was given the following words:
King Balak has brought me from Aram to curse and denounce the Israelites.
But how shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
How shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
From the top of the rocks I see the Israelites dwelling alone and not reckoning themselves among the nations.
Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the Israelites?
Let me die the death of the righteous and let my end be like theirs. (Numbers 23:8-10)
King Balak was furious and he said to Balaam, "I took you to curse my enemies but you have blessed them bountifully." (Numbers 23:11) In response, Balaam said, "Must I not speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?" (Numbers 23:8-12)
Live Right
Balaam had been consulted to curse the Israelites and King Balak had prepared a large sacrifice to ensure it was done but God put a word in Balaam's mouth because in his first oracle he asked, “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
How shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?” (Numbers 23:8)
This shows that even if your enemy's intention is to curse you if God Himself has not cursed you, it is hard to curse you.
This is reinforced by Balaam's second oracle where God also put a word in his mouth and he declared, God has blessed them and I cannot reverse it. (Numbers 23:20)
Therefore to avoid being cursed and to help turn your curses into blessings, decide to do the right things in the sight of God and to avoid doing the things that God hate for Balaam also declared "God has not seen any sin in the Israelites and He has not seen wickedness in them." (Numbers 23:21)
This is reinforced by Balaam's second oracle where God also put a word in his mouth and he declared, God has blessed them and I cannot reverse it. (Numbers 23:20)
Therefore to avoid being cursed and to help turn your curses into blessings, decide to do the right things in the sight of God and to avoid doing the things that God hate for Balaam also declared "God has not seen any sin in the Israelites and He has not seen wickedness in them." (Numbers 23:21)
Balaam's Second Prophecy
King Balak did not give up on cursing the Israelites and he then took Balaam to a field of Zophim from where he could see the outer part of the Israelites and told him to curse them from there. He also built another 7 altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
However, Balaam's second oracle was as follows:
Rise up and listen Balak son of Zippor!
God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent.
Has he said and will He not do?
Or has He spoken and will He not fulfill it?
Behold I have received a command to bless and God has blessed them and I cannot reverse it.
God has not seen any sin in the Israelites and He has not seen wickedness in them.
The Lord God is with him and the shout of a king is among them.
God has brought them from Egypt and He is as strong as a wild ox.
For there is no sorcery against Jacob and no divination against Israel.
It must now be said of the Israelites, "Oh, what has God done!
Look a people rise like a lioness and lifts themselves up like a lion,
They shall not lie down until they devour the prey and drink the blood of the slain."
(Numbers 23:16-24)
King Balak was very annoyed and he told Balaam not to curse or bless the Israelites but Balaam responded by saying that he would do all that God said.
Stand on God’s Promises
In his second oracle, God put a word in Balaam’s mouth about Him honoring his promises for He said, “God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent. Has he said and will He not do? Or has He spoken and will He not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19)
This implied that God had promised to give the Israelites their Promised Land and if He had said it, He would do it.
Balaam was therefore telling King Balak that the Israelites were going to possess their Promised Land because it was God who had spoken the word and He would fulfill it for He says, “I watch over my word to perform it.” (Jeremiah 1:12)
Therefore if you are dealing with curses in a certain area of your life, stand on the Promises of God that deal with that aspect of your life.
Draw Near to God
Balaam's Third Prophecy
King Balak was persistent and he took Balaam to another place, the top of Peor hoping that it would please God to curse the Israelites from there. (Numbers 23:27) He also built another 7 altars and offered sacrifices of a bull and ram on each altar.
When Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless the Israelites, he did not try to use witchcraft as before and so he set his face towards the wilderness and when the Spirit of God came upon him he uttered the following words:
The words of Balaam the son of Beor,
The man whose eyes are opened and who hears the words of God
Who sees the vision of God and falls down with eyes wide open.
How lovely are your dwellings Israel!
How lovely are your dwellings Israel!
Like extensive valleys and gardens by the riverside,
Like aloes planted by the Lord and cedars growing beside the waters.
He shall pour water from his buckets and his seed shall be in many waters.
His kingdom shall be higher than Agag and it shall be exalted.
God brings him out of Egypt and he has the strength of a wild ox.
He shall consume the nations who are his enemies and break their bones and pierce them with his arrows.
He bows down and lies down like a lion and who shall arouse him?
Blessed is the one who blesses you and cursed is the one who curses you. (Numbers 24:5-9)
Then King Balak became angry and he told Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies and you have blessed them abundantly three times!" (Numbers 24:10) He also told him that he would have greatly honored him but God had kept back that honor from him.
Balaam responded by saying that Did I not tell your messengers that if you were to give me your house full of silver and gold I would not go beyond God's word for good or evil on my own will. (Numbers 24:13)
Let God Lead You
Balaam’s third oracle was actually a prophecy because he begun by saying, The man whose eyes are opened, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of God and falls down with eyes wide open. (Numbers 24:3-4)
He then went on and prophesied a great future for the Israelites who he saw were like Like aloes planted by the Lord and cedars growing beside the waters.
God had brought the Israelites from Egypt and planted them by the Moab plains and no amount of curses were going to stop them from entering their Promised Land because it was God Who was going to help them possess it.
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