wanting to help Balaam in the crisis of his life. There could, at least, be no doubt on two points. Balak's

avowed wish had been, by the help of Balaam, to "smite" Israel and "drive them out of the land" (Numbers

22:6); and his expressed conviction, "he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is

cursed." Now, not to speak of the implied magical power thus attributed to him, Balaam must have known

that Balak's intention ran directly counter to Jehovah's purpose, while the words, in which the power of

blessing and cursing was ascribed to Balaam, were not only a transference to man of what belonged to God

alone, but must have been known to Balaam as the very words in which Jehovah had originally bestowed

the blessing on Abraham:

"I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee" (Genesis 12:3).

That Balaam so knew these words appears from his own quotation of them in Numbers 24:9. The proposal of

Balak therefore ran directly counter to the fundamental purpose of God, as Balaam knew it - and yet he could

hesitate even for a single moment! But this is not all. In His infinite long-suffering, not willing that any

should perish, God even now condescended to Balaam. He had proposed to the ambassadors of Balak that

they should "lodge" with him that night, and that on the morrow he would make h is reply, as Jehovah would

speak unto him. And Jehovah did condescend to meet Balaam in his own way, and that night fully

communicated to him His will. The garbled and misrepresenting account of it, which Balaam in the morning

gave to his guests, finally marked his choice and decided his fate.

But why did Jehovah God appear to, or deal with such an one as Balaam? Questions like these ought, with

our limited knowledge of God's purposes, not always to be entertained. In the present instance, however, we

can suggest at least some answer. Of God's purpose, so far as Balaam's personal condition was concerned,

we have already spoken. But a wider issue was here to be tried. Balak had sent for Balaam in order through

his magic to destroy Israel, or rather to arrest and turn aside the wonder-working power of Jehovah. It was,

therefore, really a contest between heathenism and Israel as the people of God, which would exhibit and

decide the real relationship between Israel and the heathen world, or in other words, between the Church of

God and the kingdoms of this world. And as formerly God had raised up Pharaoh to be the instrument of

bringing down the gods of Egypt, so would He now decide this contest through the very man whom Balak

had chosen as its champion - using him as a willing instrument, if he yielded, or as an unwilling, if he

rebelled, but in any case as an efficient instrument for carrying out His own purposes. It is in this manner

that we regard God's meeting Balaam, and His speaking both to him and through him.

Three brief but emphatic utterances had God in that first night made to Balaam:

"Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed"

(Numbers 22:12).

Of these Balaam, in his reply to the ambassadors next morning, had deliberately suppressed the last two

(22:13). Yet they were the most important, as showing the utter hopelessness of the undertaking, and the

utter powerlessness of any man to control or influence the purpose of God. He thus withheld knowledge of

the utmost importance for understanding alike the character of the true God and that of His true servants,

who simply obey, but do not seek to control, His will. But even in what he did repeat of God's message there

was grievous misrepresentation. For this statement, "Jehovah refuses to give me leave to go with you"

(22:13), implied an ungrounded arbitrariness on the part of God; confirmed Balak in his heathen views; and

perhaps encouraged him to hope for better results under more favorable circumstances. As fo r Balaam

himself, we may be allowed to infer, that he misunderstood God's appearance to, and conversation with him,

as implying a sort of league with, or acknowledgment of him, while all the time he had irrevocably departed

from God, and entered the way of sin and of judgment. Accordingly, we find Balaam thenceforth speaking of

Jehovah as "my God," and confidently assuming the character of His servant. At the same time, he secured

for himself the presents of Balak, while, in his reply, he took care not to lose the favor of the king, but rather