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For a master copy of the outline, click here: The Story of Balaam
To Listen on YouTube, click here: Balaam (Part 01) - Intro - Balaam Was a Child of the Devil
I. The story of Balaam is an interesting study, from which many good life lessons can be drawn for us today.
II. Balaam was a child of the devil who is now in hell (2Pe 2:14-17).
1. Balaam sometimes talked and acted as if he were a child of God though.
2. Balaam paid lip service to God (Num 22:18; Num 23:26; Num 24:13).
3. Sometimes the children of the devil are virtually indistinguishable from the elect (Mat 13:24-29 c/w Mat 13:38).
4. Like Balaam, sometimes children of the devil appear to be children of God, such as:
A. Cain
i. God told Cain that if he did well he would be accepted (Gen 4:7).
a. Even though favor was shown to Cain, he still didn't learn righteousness (Isa 26:10).
b. This is the nature of wicked men (Exo 9:34).
ii. God heard Cain's request and protected him (Gen 4:13-15).
a. God does good to both the righteous and the wicked (Mat 5:45).
b. But just because God does good to a person doesn't mean that they are a child of God.
iii. Despite the good that God did for Cain, he was still a child of the devil (1Jo 3:12).
B. Ishmael
i. God heard Ishmael's cry, provided for his needs, and promised to make him a great nation (Gen 21:17-20).
ii. Yet, Ishmael was not a child of God (Rom 9:6-9), being born after the flesh, not the Spirit (Gal 4:28-29).
C. Esau
i. Esau forgave Jacob and treated him kindly after Jacob stole his blessing by deception (Gen 33:4-11).
ii. Even wicked men know how to treat their family well (Mat 7:9-11).
iii. Yet, Esau was not elect and was hated by God (Rom 9:10-13).
D. Judas
i. Judas was one of Jesus' disciples and apostles (Mar 3:14,19).
ii. Judas did miracles in the name of Christ (Mar 3:15).
iii. Judas repented after he betrayed Jesus (Mat 27:3-5).
iv. Yet, Judas was a devil and not a child of God (Joh 6:70; Joh 17:12; Mat 26:24).
E. The Pharisees
i. The Pharisees appeared to be righteous (Mat 23:14, 25, 27-28).
ii. Yet, they were the children of the devil (Joh 8:44; Mat 23:15,33).
F. Satan's ministers
i. Satan's ministers appear to be ministers of righteousness (2Co 11:13-15).
ii. But they are in reality Satan's ministers, not God's (2Co 11:15).
5. A study of Balaam's life is interesting in that it shows us how wicked men can appear to be righteous, but are in reality wolves in sheep's clothing, lying in wait to deceive (Mat 7:15; Eph 4:14).
A. This study should teach us to scrutinize false teachers and look carefully at their fruits to discern whether they are of God (Mat 7:15-20).
B. We must try the spirits to see if they are of God before believing them (1Jo 4:1-3; 1Th 5:21; Pro 14:15).
C. A devil possessed person can speak some truth (Act 16:16-18).
D. Search the scriptures and see if what they say is so (Act 17:11).
E. If they speak not in accordance with the word of God, there is no light in them (Isa 8:20).
F. A true prophet or spiritual man will acknowledge that what Paul wrote are the commandments of God (1Co 14:37).
i. If they disagree with Paul's teaching, they are not of God.
ii. A good test for a false prophets would be to ask them if they believe that:
a. God chooses some people and not others based on His will alone (Rom 9:11)?
b. God hates some people (Rom 9:13)?
c. all men are born spiritually dead and are by nature the children of wrath (Rom 5:12; Eph 2:1-3)?
d. all men are utterly wicked and incapable of seeking God or doing anything good (Rom 3:9-12)?
e. women ought to be silent in church (1Co 14:34-35)?
iii. If they contradict any of the preceding things which Paul taught, they are false prophets.
G. If a man preaches another gospel, he is accursed (Gal 1:8-9).
H. There are plenty of people out there prophesying in Jesus' name and doing many miraculous works in His name who are reprobates who will be told to go to hell on judgment day (Mat 7:21-23).
For a master copy of the outline, click here: The Story of Balaam
