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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 02) - (Num 22:1-4) - Balak's Irrational Fear
III. The story of Balaam (Numbers 22-25)
IV. Num 22:1-4 - Balak's irrational fear
1. Israel had just finished destroying the Amorites (Num 21:24-25, 31-32).
2. The Amorites had previously conquered the former king of Moab (Num 21:26).
3. Israel then sets up camp in the plains of Moab (Num 22:1).
A. The Moabites were the offspring of a bastard born of incest (Gen 19:31-33, 36-37).
B. Israel had been told to not fight with Moab because God had not given their land to them (Deu 2:8-9).
4. Nevertheless, Moab is afraid and distressed because of Israel (Num 22:3).
A. Moab was fearing where no fear was (Psa 53:4-5).
B. Fear causes distress because fear hath torment (1Jo 4:18).
i. Distressed ppl. - a. Afflicted with pain or trouble; sorely troubled; in sore straits.
ii. Torment n - 3. A state of great suffering, bodily or mental; agony; severe pain felt or endured. 4. An action, circumstance, or condition which causes extreme pain or suffering of body or mind; a source of pain, trouble, or anguish, or in weakened sense, of worry or annoyance.
C. The fear of man bringeth a snare (Pro 29:25).
D. We must never be terrified by our adversaries (Phi 1:28).
E. The Lord has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind (2Ti 1:7).
F. We must put our trust in God and not fear what men can do to us (Psa 56:3-4, 11).
G. If the Lord is on our side, there is nothing to fear (Psa 118:6; Heb 13:6).
H. The godly will not fear even if a host encamps against them (Psa 27:3).
5. Because of their unwarranted fear, they imagine the worst (Num 22:4).
A. This is called automatic negative thinking, putting the worst possible construction on a situation.
B. Automatic negative thinking and irrational fear will lead to rash and foolish actions.
i. Automatic negative thinking and irrational fear will cause one to flee for no reason.
a. "The wicked flee when no man pursueth..." (Pro 28:1 c/w Lev 26:17)
b. One time the wicked Syrians fled when no man pursued them because the Lord made them hear the noise of a great army when none was there (2Ki 7:5-7).
ii. Automatic negative thinking and irrational fear will cause one to make a foolish decision which can end up causing the feared event, or something even worse, to happen.
a. A great example of this was the irrational fear and automatic negative thinking of the chief priests and the Pharisees concerning Jesus.
b. They devised a plan to kill Jesus because they reasoned that if they left Him alone they would be destroyed by the Romans (Joh 11:47-50).
c. The exact opposite happened: the Romans destroyed them because they rejected and killed Jesus (Mat 21:33-46; Mat 22:2-7).
iii. The people at the tower of Babel reasoned that unless they built a tower and made a name for themselves they would be scattered all over the earth (Gen 11:4).
a. Because they built the tower, God confused their language and scattered them abroad upon the face of the earth (Gen 11:5-8).
b. Their irrational fear and foolish action caused their fear to come upon them and changed the course of human history.
iv. The very existence of the nation of Moab was due to one of Lots' daughters making a foolish decision based on irrational fear (Gen 19:31-33, 36-37).
v. King Saul likewise had an unfounded fear and paranoia about David, and therefore tried to kill him (1Sa 18:7-9; 1Sa 18:28-29; 1Sa 19:1).
a. Be cautious about thinking all men are evil and out to get you (Psa 116:11).
b. This did not end well for Saul.
vi. Because of irrational fear and unbelief, Israel refused to take the promised land.
a. They were concerned that their little ones would perish (Num 14:1-4).
b. Because of their rebellion, they ended up perishing and their little ones were saved (Num 14:31-32).
