Pastor's Comments April 13, 2012

“Therefore PURGE out the old leaven, that you may be a New Lump, since you are truly unleavened. For indeed Christ our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us KEEP the Feast, not with the Old Leaven, not with leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the Unleavened Bread of sincerity and truth.”

God’s people have just completed the observance of the Days of Unleavened Bread for the year of 2012.

It is hoped the lessons this Passover Season (which includes the Days of Unleavened Bread) was intended to teach us will remain forever with each one—to always be vigilant—on guard, lest the destructive leaven that typifies sin should catch us off guard and find ourselves guilty of sin that can lead to death—unless there is heart-felt repentance before God.

There is always an AWARENESS needed to the many temptations confronting us in this lawless age; the grave danger of permitting ourselves to go farther than we should in yielding to a temptation and committing a sin!

And unless we come to see what we might permit ourselves to do, and retreat (like Joseph in Egypt when Potiphar’s beautiful wife tried to seduce him, Genesis 39:6-13), it becomes easier to go a little farther, and then we find ourselves entrapped by SIN!

James 1:14-15 “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has CONCEIVED, it gives BIRTH TO SIN; and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.”

This has been known to happen with numerous members over the years; and it can happen to each member now unless we are vigilant and on guard against any sin – regardless however enticing it may be.

I have chosen to use the following Personal with the Editor by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong who wrote about this potential problem that each of us should seriously think about and always keep in our minds knowing there is little time left before Jesus Christ returns to this earth; and we want our bridal garments to be unspotted so we can be accepted by Him as His bride.

DID YOU ever stop to ask: "How FAR may I safely go, in doing what I WANT but know I OUGHT NOT?"

In this column, where I can talk PERSONALLY with our readers, I like to discuss things which give us something to THINK ABOUT.

Remember the Old Testament character by the name of Balaam, who, as you read in the Book of Revelation 2:14, in the words of Christ, caused ancient Israel to sin?

Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Balaam, it now appears, was in his time successor in office to Nimrod, (Genesis 10: 8-10), founder of the world's pagan civilization. Balaam was the greatest prophet of the time -- in the pagan religion -- the Pontifex Maximus of the pagan world -- the chief oracle of paganism.

Genesis 10: 8-10 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

Does it, then, seem strange that he prayed to God and appeared to be a servant of God?

When King Balak of Moab sent emissaries to hire Balaam to put a curse on the people of Israel, Balaam asked the emissaries to remain overnight, so he could go aside and pray, and ask God if he might go with them. If he was the chief PAGAN prophet, actually sitting in Satan's SEAT, as head of Satan's religion on earth, WHY would he pray to God about it?

I feel quite sure that most people who have read this account have supposed Balaam to be a prophet of God – not of Satan. Did he not do right in consulting God? Surely Satan would not do that! Take just a quick look at the incident.

The children of Israel, under Moses, had pitched camp in the plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River, near Jericho. The King of Moab, Balak, saw what these Israelites – there were at least two or three million of them –had done to the Amorites. He was struck with fear. The Moabites were far outnumbered.

So King Balak sent messengers to Balaam, who lived at Pethor in Mesopotamia – far distant, near the Euphrates River. They took with them the fees for divination, to hire Balaam to curse the Israelites.

"They are too mighty for me," was Balak's message to Balaam, "for I wot (know) that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed." (Numbers 22:1-6).

Numbers 22:1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

Numbers 22:2-3 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

Numbers 22:4-5 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.

And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:

Numbers 22: 6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

When the elders of Moab and Midian, Balak's messengers, delivered the message to Balaam, notice what he said: "Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam" (Numbers 22:8).

Numbers 22:8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

God said to Balaam, "Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed."

"And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you" (verses 12-13).

Numbers 22:12 -13 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

Again King Balak sent messengers to Balaam – this time more noble princes of higher rank, and more money. Again Balaam asked them to remain overnight, "that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more" (verse 19).

Numbers 22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

This time God allowed him to go with them, but forbad him to curse Israel. Yet the angel of God stopped Balaam's donkey on the way. WHY?

Now doesn't all this sound as if Balaam were God's prophet, not Satan's? Yet, see what we read in the New Testament!

Peter speaks of false prophets "following the way of Balaam…who loved the wages of unrighteousness" (2 Pet. 2: 15)

2 Peter 2: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

Jude writes: "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward" (Jude 11).

Jude 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Jesus Christ says to the Church of the Pergamos era: "But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel ..." (Revelation 2:14).

Revelation 2: 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. KJV

So Jesus Christ, Peter, and Jude all tell us Balaam was a false prophet. When we research into his actual identity, we find that Pethor, where he resided, was the headquarters of the highest priest of the pagan Babylonian Mystery religion.

In reading through Numbers 22, 23, and 24, one might suppose Balaam was just some ordinary fellow of no consequence. Yet here was the king of a nation. He passed up his own highest priests, magicians and astrologers of the pagan religion. He sent his highest princes, with rich rewards and highest fees. He sent them a great distance to Pethor, near the Euphrates in Mesopotamia. He would not have sent them to any but the most powerful practitioner of divination.

Other scriptures show that these higher magicians of divination were often demon-possessed. This Balaam could have been DEVIL-possessed, so that it was actually Satan himself in possession of the human Balaam, working in and through him. Would Satan consult God about doing this? The answer comes sharp and clear!

Satan himself would consult God, precisely as Balaam did, under such circumstances! Biblical "scholars" and commentators have assumed Balaam had been a true prophet of God originally. This is not true.

The answer is found in the first two chapters of the Book of Job. Satan himself is here pictured in conversation with God concerning the righteousness of Job.

God allowed Satan to afflict Job – but God placed a limit on how far Satan could go! God is SUPREME RULER of the universe.

At first, God allowed Satan to take all Job possessed, but not to harm Job's person. Job failed to crack under the test. Satan argued that a man would give up all he possessed to save his own life – but if only he could afflict Job's person, Job would turn against God. So God now gave Satan permission to go this much further – but to spare his life.

In like manner, the Satan-influenced (or Satan-possessed, as the case may be) Balaam well knew God had set limits to his powers. Satan is the god and invisible ruler of this world – yet God is SUPREME RULER over all. Every ruler has authority and power only within his own boundary lines or jurisdiction. There are NO boundary lines on God's rulership – but there are on Satan's. And he well knows it! There could be no sin – no evil – unless God allowed it! And if God did not allow it there could be no free moral agency – no free choice -- and that would nullify God's PURPOSE!

Notice that even Satan's ministers talk about God, and masquerade as His ministers (II Cor. 11:13-15).

2 Corinthians 11: 13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

This high priest of Satan knew that Israel was God's own nation, under God's protection. This divine protection set a boundary line on his power to harm God's nation. Satan is well aware that there are limits set on his powers.

Balaam would have been overjoyed to be able to curse, harm, or destroy Israel. But he knew -- he was fully aware -- that doing this was beyond his power -- unless, as God allowed Satan to go further than originally allowed in afflicting Job, the Almighty would now allow him to curse and harm Israel. Balaam wanted to curse Israel. He wanted the fee!

When the highest princes of Moab came, on the second visit, he said: "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD ..." (Numbers 22:18).

Numbers 22:18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

It was not a matter of Balaam being willing. He was willing to harm Israel. It was a matter of having the power to do so. After he went with the emissaries of Balak, he said to the king: "Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that must I speak" (Numbers 22:38 -- RSV)

Later, Balaam said that God had blessed Israel, "and I cannot reverse it" (Numbers 23:20). Of Israel, Balaam said, "The Lord his God is with him, ... there is NO ENCHANTMENT against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel" (verses 21, 23). Notice, God is the God of Israel – Israel's God – not Balaam's God. Balaam practiced divination and enchantment – and God did not allow it AGAINST ISRAEL.

Now just how far may you safely go, in doing what you want, instead of what you ought to do?

Haven't you often compromised on this? Haven't you often wanted to do something you knew you really ought not? And haven't you sometimes gone at least part way, thinking that perhaps if you didn't go all the way in doing wrong, you might "get away with it"?

How many, under temptation to commit fornication or adultery, go part way – perhaps just a little "necking"? And how often does that lead to going just a little farther -- and then perhaps just a little farther still?

Going that first part way is already committing the act spiritually -- according to the spirit or intent of the law! When you did that you were already GUILTY in God's sight.

Of course Satan was restrained, and UNABLE to go farther than he did against Job. Balaam was restrained, and UNABLE to go farther than he did against the children of Israel.

You may be ABLE, if willing, to go farther in sin or wrong ways. You are a free moral agent. But to go as far as you dare IS THE WAY OF SATAN, NOT THE WAY OF GOD!

God's WAY is to go, sincerely, wholeheartedly and earnestly, just as far in the RIGHT direction as possible. God's way is to do MORE than is required of you.

Jesus said: "Doth he (a master) thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do" (Luke 17: 9-10).

If you do not even go as far in the wrong direction as you feel safe – if you do what is commanded – what God, through His Word, shows is YOUR DUTY, but do not go even farther in the RIGHT direction, doing MORE than your duty, Jesus Christ says you are an UNPROFITABLE SERVANT! Plainly, Christ expects us to do MORE than duty in the right direction! And what happens to the unprofitable servant?

In the parable of the talents, Jesus said of the one who kept what he had, but did not grow in KNOWLEDGE AND GRACE -- DID NOT OVERCOME -- did what was his duty and no more -- "And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 25:30).

The Christian life is a life of growing, improving, in character -- of overcoming -- of becoming more and more like Christ!

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