Bible Matrix ⑦_170_REV 2:14 – The teaching of Balaam

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Bible Matrix ⑦_170_REV 2:14 – The teaching of Balaam: eating food sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immorality

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HUeev6Oa0c

Bible Matrix ⑦: Historical & Scientific Views on Daniel and Revelation

Part 2. Revelation

Revelation 2:12~17 - To the Church in Pergamum, Faith/Martyrdom, but the Church in Crisis of Idolatry

Revelation 2:14 - The teaching of Balaam: eating food sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immorality

☞ <Revelation> 2:14 - Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.(NIV); But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.(KJV); "But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.(New Living Translation)

○ The teaching of Balaam - In the church at Pergamum, there were those who kept the teaching or doctrine of Balaam. There were those who corrupted the members of the church by making them compromise with the world.

(1) Introduction to Balaam - Now, Balaam and Balak, who appeared in <Numbers> and <Deuteronomy> of the Old Testament, appear in <Revelation> 2:14. Balaam means 'a glutton', 'one who destroys or devours the people', 'one who is not a people', and 'a foreigner'. Balaam son of Beor, who at that time lived in Pethor at the Euphrates in Northwest Mesopotamia, was a famous false prophet, magician, and fortuneteller (Deuteronomy 23: 4).

(2) Balak and Balaam – In BC 1446, under the guidance of LORD God, the Israelites, led by Moses (BC 1526~BC 1406) who were the leader at the age of 80 (Exodus 7:7, Deuteronomy 18:15, Aaron was 83 years old), escaped Egypt. And after a long journey, in BC 1406, the Israelites traveled to the Plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho (Numbers 22:1). At this time, Balak, the king of the Moabites, gathered the elders of Moab and Midian to find a way to stop the Israelites, and called Balaam, a pagan prophet, to curse the Israelites. However, with the help of LORD God, when Balaam blessed the Israelites 4 times instead of cursing, the deterrence failed (Numbers 22 & 23 & 24; Deuteronomy 23:4~5).

(3) Balaam’s Advice and Enticement - What was Balaam's problem even though he blessed Israel instead of cursing according to LORD God’s will? Balaam, who was tempted by Balak to give him a lot of money, felt it was too valuable to give up the money, so he taught Balak a trick or an advice. Following Balaam's advice, the king of Moab prepared a feast with sacrifices to their God or idols of their God and invited the leaders of the Israelites. Eventually, the Moabite women followed Balaam's advice and seduced (or enticed) the Israelites to eat food sacrificed to idols and indulge in sexual immorality with the Moabite women, and these naturally caused the Israelites to worship their God, Baal of Peor. As a result, LORD God was angry with the Israelites, and LORD God ordered Moses to kill all those who served the God Baal, and the Israelites suffered the plague as the punishment by the LORD God (Numbers 25, 31:16). Balaam was also later captured and killed by the Israelites (Numbers 31:8; Joshua 13:22).

(4) In the New Testament, Balaam is a man who loves the wages of wickedness (or unrighteousness), a false teacher who corrupts the saints by making them compromise with the world and money, a symbolic name of a heretic with a fatal influence, and also a wicked idolater. (2 Peter 2:15, Jude 1:11).

(5) The lesson of Balaam, the antichrist like this, will happen again in the long distant future. In fact, in <Revelation> 17:1 and 2, 'The Woman on the beast' appears.

<Revelation> 17:1 and 2 - One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries. (NIV)

As you can see <Revelation> 17:1 and 2, this prophesies 'The Fall of Babylon’ (maybe around 10,800~) as written in the chapter 18 of <Revelation>. Details will be covered in the chapter 17 and 18 of <Revelation>.