| Syncretism | ||
| March 28, 2012 | Sermon by DRW | Passage Revelation 2.15 |
What would you do if your dog sat down next to you and started talking to you? Would it seem weird? I hope it would. Sometimes, when we are in the heat of sin or frustrated, when we are not thinking clearly, a dog talking to us wouldn’t phase us. We might even talk back to our dog. I do realize many of you actually do this already, we will pray for you.
What does a talking dog have to do with Christianity? Absolutely nothing. It actually is a donkey not a dog. Over the past few months I have spent an overwhelming amount of time in the Old Testament. It has been wonderful. Some of the stories are outrageous, strange, and perplexing. Today I would like to highlight one of those perplexing stories and I pray it will have you rethinking your life.
Turn to Numbers 22.
Pray-for the Holy Spirit to convince and convict of our need to evaluate what we think and how we live
As you look at the titles in your Bible for this chapter, you find it is about two guys, one named Balak and the other named Balaam. The first one is a king and the second one is a prophet that God would speak to from time to time.
Numbers 22
Balak sends for Balaam asking him to curse the Israelites. If he does, Balak will give him riches and honor. Balaam answered Balak wisely. God told him no, so Balaam told Balak no.
Balak sends more people, more money, more everything to lure Balaam to Moab to curse the Israelites. Balaam’s answer changes a bit. He still will not go if God tells him not to ([Read] 19). I want you to notice something, God already told him not to in verse 12 [Read] . Why did he need to ask again. Sometimes when we want something so badly, even if it is wrong, we hope the person we are asking will change their mind. God allows him to go but he must only do what God tells him to do ([Read] 20).
Balaam rides out early. I think he saw the riches that could be his and was excited to get them. On his way there he is thwarted by a donkey (Numbers 22.21ff). The donkey leaves the road, the donkey pushes Balaam into the cliff, the donkey refuses to move. The donkey saved Balaam’s life. What I find funny is that Balaam doesn’t seem to notice what he is doing. His plans have been frustrated, he is not getting what he wants, and the donkey talks to him (28). And, Balaam talks back! They have a conversation (28-30).
The donkey was more aware of the spiritual dilemma Balaam was getting into than Balaam was. God stood before Balaam (31-35). He was told his path was reckless ([Read] 32). Pause to consider that thought. Would God state you are on a reckless path? Whom has he placed in your life right now to tell you to pay attention to where you are going and what you are doing? Maybe it is me, right now. Think about it, if God could use a donkey, don’t you think He could use me?
Balaam continues his journey to Moab.
In Numbers 23-24 Balak asks Balaam to curse the Israelites promising him great riches and honor if he did. Four times he tried and four times Balaam blessed the Israelites. Balak is upset. He demands an answer from Balaam as to why he is blessing the Israelites when he was paid to curse them. Balaam tells Balak why, “How can I curse what God does not curse” (Numbers 23.8 [Read] )?
That is a great story with a great ending. Balaam does what God has commanded, Balak goes away to his home (24.25 [Read] ).
Before we go further in the message, I would like to pause on that last point. “How can I curse what God does not curse?” Turn in your Bibles to Zechariah 3. Look at verse one. What is Satan doing? He is attempting to accuse Joshua the High Priest. What does God say to Satan? Basically, you cannot curse what is not yours. He also tells Satan that he cannot touch Joshua because Joshua is not his. We see this in 1 John 5.18-20 [Read] . Take note of verse 21, and remember it.
Isn’t this what God states in Romans 8? The only one who can bring a case against us is Jesus ([Read] 33-39) and He won’t because He has already made us righteous and He is on our side ([Read] 1 John 2.1).
With all this being said, why did I tell this story about Balaam to you today? I like stories, sometimes I tell them just to tell them. However, there is more here than meets the eye. Just like life. Connor, here is your shout out, what has become my or your or our favorite word? Syncretism.
In Numbers 22-24 Balaam is asked to and attempts to curse the Israelites. God would not allow it. God will not allow Balaam to curse them. He tries four times, all to no avail. But Balak and Balaam go home. It seems odd to include that verse if things did not work out. It doesn’t say they went home sad or mad or empty handed. It just states they went home.
Numbers 25.1, right after the final blessing, the people are engaged in sexual immorality and the worship of a local god (fornication [non-marital sex] and idolatry, activities God specifically condemns). This local god is from Moab, remember where Balak is from.
Read 1-9.
The people bring a curse on themselves, 24,000 people died. This seems like an odd passage after such a powerful three chapters before with Balaam apparently following the will of God and Balak going home, apparently dejected. At least that is how it seems we should read it. Something more must be going on here. Did Balaam actually please Balak with something, other than a curse on the Israelites?
When studying the Bible, it is always important to not create in our imagination what we think should be there. It is prudent, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, that we examine Scripture in light of Scripture. Is Balaam mentioned elsewhere?
Turn to Revelation 2.14 [Read]. This passage informs us that the way of Balaam is condemned. What is that way? According to Revelation, Balaam continually told Balak to place stumbling blocks in front of the Israelites. Balaam couldn’t curse the Israelites but he knew they would fall if stumbling blocks were placed in front of them. When that occurred, Balaam also knew that God would judge them because He cannot allow sin to continue in His people.
A stumbling block is anything that will get us to slowly change our mind about our beliefs. Hebrew 12.1-3 tells us to get rid of them by focusing on Jesus. Doesn’t it seem that every message comes back to this? If we focus on Jesus, the stumbling blocks are gone; if we focus on the stumbling block, Jesus is gone [not really but in our thoughts He is].
In Numbers 31 Balaam is blamed for Numbers 25. Balaam informed the king that the only way to bring a curse upon God’s people was to get them to compromise what they knew about God’s Word, God’s will, and God’s way. To set up for themselves idols, remember the warning of 1 John 5.21. And, we see in Numbers 25, that is what happened. They saw what others did and joined in with them. They intermingled with others who did not believe in God, and they eventually became like them. This is syncretism. My children were walking with me yesterday and said they wanted to watch a new movie that just came out. I was perplexed. I asked them why. They stated it was a cool movie. I asked them what it was about, and they had no idea. However, their friends watched it, so they wanted to. This is what happened with the Israelites. And, what happens with us.
The moral of the story: the only time a curse can be placed on us is when we walk away from God’s Word either by deliberately choosing to be like the world (Numbers 25), choosing to not do what we know we are to do (James 4.17 and 2 Samuel 11-David’s sin with Bathsheba was due to his neglect of going to war as he should have), when we refuse to discipline those in sin (Matthew 18.15-17 [cf. 1 Corinthians 5.1ff and 2 Corinthians 2.1ff]), and when we don’t know the truth to discern if what we are hearing is from God or not (David’s Census in 1 Chronicles 21 because of which many died).
In each case mentioned with David and other historical events, there is a corresponding judgment by God for the sin as a consequence of the sin and as God’s discipline. Remember, God will judge us because He cannot allow sin to continue in His people. Every time we allow other things to dilute what we believe and how we live we are inviting God’s discipline on us along with the natural consequences of the sin/syncretism.
We are to be our brother’s keeper. We are to hold him or her accountable to follow God’s Word, His will, and His way. It all seemed good with Balaam at the end of chapter 24, but it wasn’t. It may all seem good with your friend, and it may not be. Think about the people on your left and on your right, to the front and to the back of your seat. Do you know how they are doing spiritually. You should (Galatians 6.1-3). Take time to consider your friend’s walk with God and yours. How are each of you doing? Who holds you accountable to walk in God’s truth? Be in prayer for them today.
A closing point I made to the staff in devotions a week ago: We so much desire to walk in the will of God, to follow His purpose for our life, but we refuse to know His Word. Take time to read through the Scriptures to know this God of whom I am asking you to give your all to. You will find that He is worth it.
Romans 12.1-2: I urge you brothers (accountability), in view of God’s mercies (Bible Study–do we know it), to present your bodies as living sacrifices which is holy because this is what we are called to do. Do not conform any longer to the patterns this world offers you (syncretism), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (take thoughts captive) in order for you to prove (by the way you think, live, and talk) that the will of God is perfect for our everyday life.
Let’s pray. Have them pray for themselves and those around them if time allows.
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