IMMORALITY ON THE

BORDER

Lesson 11 for the 12th of December, 2009

 THE “SUCCESS” OF BALAAM

“Disappointed in his hopes of wealth and promotion, in

disfavor with the king, and conscious that he had incurred
the displeasure of God, Balaam returned from his self-
chosen mission. After he had reached his home the
controlling power of the Spirit of God left him, and his
covetousness, which had been merely held in check,
prevailed.
He was ready to resort to any means to gain the reward
promised by Balak. Balaam knew that the prosperity of
Israel depended upon their obedience to God, and that
there was no way to cause their overthrow but by seducing
them into sin. He now decided to secure Balak's favor by
advising the Moabites of the course to be pursued to bring
a curse upon Israel.”
E.G.W. (Patriarch and Prophets, cp. 40, pg. 451)
 THE “SUCCESS” OF BALAAM

“He immediately returned to the land of Moab and laid

his plans before the king. The Moabites themselves
were convinced that so long as Israel remained true to
God, He would be their shield. The plan proposed by
Balaam was to separate them from God by enticing
them into idolatry.
If they could be led to engage in the licentious worship
of Baal and Ashtaroth, their omnipotent Protector
would become their enemy, and they would soon fall a
prey to the fierce, warlike nations around them. This
plan was readily accepted by the king, and Balaam
himself remained to assist in carrying it into effect.”

E.G.W. (Patriarch and Prophets, cp. 40, pg. 451)

 THE “SUCCESS” OF BALAAM

“Balaam witnessed the success of his diabolical

scheme. He saw the curse of God visited upon His
people, and thousands falling under His judgments;
but the divine justice that punished sin in Israel
did not permit the tempters to escape. In the war
of Israel against the Midianites, Balaam was slain.
He had felt a presentiment that his own end was
near when he exclaimed, "Let me die the death of
the righteous, and let my last end be like his!"
But he had not chosen to live the life of the
righteous, and his destiny was fixed with the
enemies of God.”

E.G.W. (Patriarch and Prophets, cp. 40, pg. 451-452)

 The female Midianites came
in the camp and became
friends of the Israelites.

They were completely

The Israelites became
dominated by passion and
familiar with their customs
lust, being persuaded to bow
and pagan rites.
down before idols.

STEPS TO SIN
Wine consumption blinded
Balak celebrated a big
them and broke the limits of
festivity for their gods.
self-control.

The Hebrews who ventured Balaam invited them to assist

into that dangerous zone that festivity. He was still
were seduced by the pagan considered as a prophet for
priestesses. the Hebrews.
 THE EXTENT OF SIN

“It was not long before the poison

had spread, like a deadly infection,
through the camp of Israel. Those
who would have conquered their
enemies in battle were overcome by
the wiles of heathen women. The
people seemed to be infatuated.
The rulers and the leading men
were among the first to transgress,
and so many of the people were
guilty that the apostasy became
national.”
E.G.W. (Patriarch and Prophets, cp. 41, pg. 454)
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world”
(1 John, 2: 15)

We must not join with those who can move us away

from God, unless we can benefit them.
The Israelites were tempted easier when they were
idle and secure.
How innocent are modern entertainments for a
Christian (discos, carnivals, dancing…)?

“In every gathering for pleasure where

pride is fostered or appetite indulged,
where one is led to forget God and lose
sight of eternal interests, there Satan is
binding his chains about the soul”

E.G.W. (Patriarch and Prophets, cp. 41, pg. 460)

 THE REACTION OF GOD

“and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the
LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang
them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of
the LORD may be turned away from Israel”
Numbers, 25: 3-4
 The blood of Christ could
not save them. There was no
offering for a sin like theirs.
Therefore, his own blood
was shed to pay for their
transgressions.

The people quickly

hanged the princes who
took part in pagan
worship in front of the
Tabernacle.
While they were crying before the Tabernacle and the princes were executed,
a plague spread among the people.
Zimri (an Israelite leader) and Cozbi (a Midianite princess) were indifferent to
that and broke God’s law, boasting about their sin in front of the people.
Phinehas stopped the plague executing Zimri and
Cozbi, like his grandfather, Aaron, who stopped the
slaughter placing a censer between the living and the
death.
24,000 Hebrews died in that plague, including the last
survivors of the death sentence 40 years before that,
when they refused to enter Canaan.
The people of Moab had not
crossed the limits of divine
tolerance yet.
Midianites had already passed
that limit, and God ordered to
wage war against them.
Phinehas received the order of
exterminating the Midianites who
surrounded them. He
commanded a thousand men
from each tribe.
Only those virgins who had not
take part in the wickedness of
their parents were forgiven by the
Israelites. Their minds could still
be moulded and they were
accepted in the camp.
Satan used women enrolled in his service to encourage the servants of God to
violate His Law. We can find this all over the history: the descents of Seth,
Joseph, Samson, Solomon, …
Nowadays we are on the border of celestial Canaan. We must be especially
careful, because Satan will redouble his efforts to prevent us from entering it.
“And he employs the same agents now as he
employed three thousand years ago. By
worldly friendships, by the charms of beauty,
by pleasure seeking, mirth, feasting, or the
wine cup, he tempts to the violation of the
seventh commandment”
E.G.W. (Patriarch and Prophets, cp. 41, pg. 458)
GRATITUDE The booty was divided in two
Numbers, 31: 48-54 parts: One for those who fought
and another for those who stayed
in the camp.
 From the camp’s part, God
ordered to give a portion to
the Levites.
 From the warriors’ part, He
demanded an offering.

When they counted the men who

returned from war, they realized
that no one died.
THANK GOD EVERY They decided to thank God for
DAY, BECAUSE HE that and they offered a valuable
KEEPS YOU ALIVE gift: 419 pounds [190 Kg] of gold.