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HELEN SANDERS
2-9-2023
PROPHET FOR HIRE
In Numbers 22 we are told the story of King Balak who was king of the Moabites. He hated the Israelites that had come out of Egypt. He wanted someone to curse them, and he sent for Balaam. Both the Midianites and the Moabites joined together to get Balaam to do this.
In Numbers 22:7 it said, “and the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination (fortune telling) in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
He told them he would think it over and ask the Lord to speak to him. The Lord told him in verse 12, “And God said unto Balaam, ‘Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.’”
You see, Balaam was a prophet for hire. He would give a word to those that wanted to hear something from their god, or even Jehovah, but it was done for money.
As the story goes, Balaam was approached more than once, but the enemies of Israel were relentless. They kept coming back. In Numbers 22:17 with a word from King Balak, “For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.” His response to this was right in verse 18 where Balaam said, “…. I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God to do less or more.”
Once again he asked the Lord what to do. In spite of already being told to not do this, he was tempted at the reward. God let him have what he wanted in verse 20 when He told him “…go with them…” but in verse 22 it shows how angry God was with Balaam for not obeying him.
He eventually told King Balak that he couldn’t curse Israel, but they would be destroyed by intermarrying with the Moabites and Midianites that they were forbidden to marry. (Revelation 2:14.) Because of this truth, it happened and became the downfall of Israel. The pagan gods brought into marriage took Israel into captivity by their enemies time after time.
Prophets for hire may start out right, but they often fail because of their love of money, notoriety, rewards, and their feel good messages. They may give out some truth but ask for money to give a prophetic word. Those that walk in this spirit, which is the spirit that was in Balaam which caused him to sin will be judged by God.
Later Balaam prophesied about the coming Messiah, but he will always be remembered for being a prophet for hire. We should never be like Balaam, asking money to give a prophetic word. We should trust God for our finances without being like Balaam, a prophet for hire.
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