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The Beginning of the End
Balak had expected a curse that would fall like a withering plague
on Israel, and he angrily exclaimed, “What have you done to me?
I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them
bountifully!” Balaam claimed to have spoken the words from a
careful respect for the will of God, but they had actually been forced
from his lips by divine power. “Must I not take heed to speak what
the Lord has put in my mouth?”
Balak Tries Again
Balak decided that the impressive scene presented by the vast
camp of the Hebrews had so frightened Balaam that he did not dare
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to practice his magic arts against them. The king determined to take
the prophet to some point where he could see only a small part of the
camp. Again seven altars were built, and the same offerings were
placed on them as at the first. The king and his princes stayed by
the sacrifices, while Balaam stepped away to meet with God. Again
the prophet was given a divine message, which he was powerless to
change or withhold.
When he appeared, Balak asked him, “What has the Lord spo-
ken?” The answer struck terror to the heart of the king and princes:
God is not a man, that He should lie, ...
Behold, I have received a command to bless;
He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
He has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
And the shout of a king
is among them.
The great magician had tried his power of enchantment, but while
Israel was under God’s protection, no people or nation, aided by all
the power of Satan, would be able to overcome them. All the world
would wonder at the marvelous work of God for His people—that
a man should be so controlled by divine power as to utter, instead
of curses, rich and precious promises in heavenly poetry. In future
times when Satan inspired evildoers to misrepresent and destroy