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,n the 1ew testament, Jesus and the apostles warned us to Eeware of false prophets. A few false prophets are mentioned in the BiEle, Eut there is one false prophet, Balaam, who receives more attention than all the other false prophets comEined.
When Peter warns us aEout false prophets, he compares them to Balaam. Peter says that false prophets ‘have forsaNen the right way, and have gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness’
3HW
Jude, liNewise, compares false prophets to Balaam, and says they ‘ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward’ -XGH 7herefore Balaam is set forth in holy scriptures to reveal the patterns Ey which false prophets operate.
Balaam’s story spans three lengthy chapters in the BiEle, so lengthy and so significant that some Jews were of the opinion that these three chapters 1XPEHUV should Ee regarded as ‘the BooN of Balaam’.
Balaam was a non-,sraelite who lived during the time of 0oses. +e had a reputation of Eeing a reliaEle prophet. Whomever Balaam pronounced Elessed was Elessed, and whomever Balaam pronounced cursed was cursed. Balaam’s prophetic gift and his spiritual e[periences were genuine. 7hey were not imagined or satanic counterfeits.
Tempting
Unfortunately Balaam had a proElem, he loved wealth. ,t happened that there was a Ning called BalaN, who had a tempting offer for Balaam. Balaam reTuested BalaN to curse ,srael and he will receive riches in return. Balaam Nnew he could not curse those whom *od had Elessed. So he had to thinN of some way to get that wealth. ,t was Balaam’s love for money that caused him to forsaNe the right way, the way in which he had Eeen walNing with *od.
When Christ spoNe to the church in Pergamos, one of the things +e reEuNed them for was for having ‘them that hold the doctrine of Balaam’ 5HY
Balaam is the poster Eoy for false prophets. 5ememEer what Christ said aEout false prophets “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing” 0DWW 2utwardly they looN liNe sheep; there is nothing on the surface to maNe us thinN they are not good Christians. 7hey looN liNe sheep, talN liNe sheep, act liNe sheep, sing and pray liNe sheep. But something is wrong on the inside; ‘Eut inwardly they are ravening wolves’ 0DWW +ow do we discern if someone is a sheep or a wolf? 7he BiEle says; “ Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?; of course not. “Even so every good tree Eringeth forth good fruit; Eut a corrupt tree Eringeth forth evil fruit” “Wherefore Ey their fruits ye shall Nnow them” Dear reader, Eeware EDof Balaams. 7hey are not outside the church, Eut they are among you. 7hey do not wear a name tag or Eear a title that identifies them as ‘False Prophet’. 7hey are liNe sheep outside Eut inside they are wolves. Unfortunately followers of false prophets liNe Balaam will not Ee Must a small handful of people. Peter says ‘many shall follow their pernicious ways, and through covetousness shall they with feigned words maNe merchandise of you’ 3HW Prophets liNe Balaam are usually good speaNers. ,f they use ‘feigned words’ to deceive their victims, then they must have fairly good speaNing sNills. ,n 5evelation, John saw ‘three unclean spirits liNe frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the Eeast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet’ 5HY What is the connection Eetween frogs and false prophets? 7hey Eoth use their tongue to catch their prey. Dear reader, if your pastor fits Balaam’s description, then you need to find a different church. *ZLQ\DL %RSRWRDeceive