Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

Yesterday, Bailam and his donkey arrived on their journey to meet with Boloch, King of Moab.

It was an ancient belief in the Canaanite culture that you could speak

things into existence. So Baloch hired Balam to curse the Israelites because he was afraid they would

defeat him and take the land of Moab. But at their first stop, God gives Balham a word to speak

about Israel, and much to Baloch's dismay, it's a blessing. In 23-9, Balam references Israel set apartness,

calling them a people dwelling alone and not counting itself among the nations.

Balak doesn't like the sound of this, so he says, let's take a look at them from a different angle.

Maybe you'll see something worth cursing then. But the same thing

happens, Balam can only pronounce blessing. In 2320, he says his words don't have power to undo what God

has done. Our words may have an impact, but they can't overrule the plan of God. Nothing is weightier than

his will. And not only does Baylam know that now, but in 24-1,

we also see that through this experience, he abandons the sorcery he has relied on and learns to

seek God's face instead. But it's only temporary. But for now, the Spirit of God was empowering

his words, not evil spirits.

But Balak is still not satisfied, of course, and he's like, third times a charm, let's go do this

again, but how about this time you don't say anything good or bad? He's really grasping at

straws here. But again, Balam has nothing but good words, and in fact, words that are terrifying

Tuba Lock, because they go against everything he was hoping to hear.

He says, he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and break their bones in pieces.

Yikes.

But Bailam reminds him that he can only say what God tells him to say.

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