We can’t fool God into thinking we’re following Him.
When I first read Numbers 22, it seemed like Balaam was following God’s command.
People came to Balaam and wanted him to curse the people of Israel.
God told him not to go and not to curse them.
Balaam told the people that God had forbidden him to go.
The people sent more prominent people promising honor and wealth if Balaam would curse Israel.
Still Balaam refused.
Then God came to Balaam that night and said, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.” So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.” Numbers 22:20-21
It still seems like Balaam was following what God told him to do.
But the next verse starts out, “Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him.“
Look back at what God told Balaam.
He said, “IF the men come to you, go with them.”
But Balaam didn’t wait for them to come.
Instead, he got up in the morning and went with them. He wanted to go. He wanted to follow his desire for honor and wealth more than following what God said.
I think we so often do the same thing.
We wrap up our disobedience to God in partial obedience to things he asks us to do.
And the reason it’s so serious is because if this aroused God’s anger toward Balaam, it will arouse God’s anger toward us.
Partial obedience doesn’t please God.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please God…”
There’s a reason we are told to “Be still and know that I am God.”
Sometimes our faith requires us to be still.
And that’s hard when we want to move on our own.
But God will help us when we humbly come to him and ask him to guide us and direct us.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23,24
