The story of balaam’s doctrine – बालाम के सिद्धांत की कहानी
The Doctrine of Balaam is a biblical reference primarily found in the New Testament in the book of Revelation 2:14. It refers to the teachings and actions of Balaam, a prophet mentioned in the Old Testament, whose story is most famously recorded in Numbers 22–24 and further explained in Numbers 31.
Balaam was a prophet who lived during the time when the Israelites were journeying to the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt. As they camped in the plains of Moab, the king of Moab, Balak, became fearful of the Israelites because of their growing numbers and military victories. To stop them, Balak sent messengers to Balaam, asking him to curse the Israelites.
At first, Balaam sought God’s guidance, and God told him not to curse Israel because they were blessed. Balaam initially refused to go with the messengers, stating he could only speak what God allowed him to.
Balak, persistent in his request, sent higher-ranking officials with promises of riches and honor if Balaam would curse Israel. Though Balaam again sought God’s approval and was initially denied, he eventually received God’s permission to go—but with a strict condition: he could only speak the words that God gave him.
On his journey to meet Balak, Balaam’s donkey saw an angel of the Lord blocking the way, though Balaam could not see it. Three times the donkey veered off the path to avoid the angel, and three times Balaam beat the donkey. Finally, God opened the donkey’s mouth to speak, and then Balaam’s eyes were opened to see the angel, who warned him again to only speak what God commanded.
Despite Balak’s requests and multiple sacrifices, every time Balaam tried to curse Israel, God instead put words of blessing in Balaam’s mouth. He ended up delivering three blessings on Israel, much to Balak’s frustration. In fact, Balaam’s final prophecy spoke of the future glory of Israel and the downfall of Moab and other enemies.
The Doctrine of Balaam is mentioned in Revelation 2:14, in the letter to the church at Pergamum. The verse warns that some in the church were following the doctrine of Balaam, who had taught Balak to “cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”
While Balaam could not directly curse Israel as he had been hired to do, he is later implicated in leading the Israelites into sin through idolatry and immorality. Numbers 31:16 reveals that Balaam advised Balak to corrupt Israel by having Moabite women seduce the Israelite men and lead them into idol worship and sexual immorality. This plan worked, as described in Numbers 25, where many Israelites were seduced into worshipping the Moabite god Baal of Peor. This led to God’s anger and a devastating plague that killed 24,000 Israelites.
Balaam was tempted by the wealth and honor promised by Balak, showing how the desire for material gain can lead to disobedience and moral failure. Even though Balaam could not directly curse Israel, he found a way to lead them into sin, which brought them under God’s judgment. This reflects how compromise with sinful practices can lead to spiritual downfall. The doctrine refers to deceptive teaching that encourages believers to stray from God’s truth, particularly through immorality and idolatry. In the New Testament context, this was a warning to the church to avoid being lured into false teachings that could lead them away from holiness.
The Doctrine of Balaam is a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed, compromise, and false teaching. It reminds believers to remain steadfast in their faith and to resist the temptations of worldly gain and sinful practices. Balaam’s story, though rooted in the Old Testament, serves as a timeless lesson about staying true to God’s commands and resisting the subtle enticements that can lead one away from righteousness.
The story of balaam’s doctrine – बालाम के सिद्धांत की कहानी
